Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

There is no greater eye than knowledge. There is no greater penance than Truth. There is no worse misery than greed. There is no greater happiness than sacrifice. KNOWLEDGE is the real eye. Truth is real penance. Penance does not consist in forsaking food and drink and roaming in a forest, Seeking the eternal Truth is real penance. Desire is the main cause of grief. Desire will go on multiplying. As and when one is fulfilled, it gives rise to another and this goes on endlessly. True Bliss consists in controlling desires. Sacrifice gives the greatest and lasting happiness. That is why the Vedas have declared that it is not by work, progeny or wealth, but by sacrifice alone, one can get immortality. Sacrifice is the life-force of a human being. The Veda teaches Thyaga, Yoga and Bhoga (sacrifice, spiritual practice and material pleasure). The word Veda itself has many meanings. It means intelligence, knowledge, awareness, etc. To lead a meaningful life man has to follow certain. Niyamas (regulations of discipline). It is also necessary to know one's own Inner Reality. Mere intelligence and acquisition of knowledge are not enough. Knowledge should foster wisdom leading to awareness. This is what the Veda teaches. The word Jnana, which is translated as wisdom, contains two syllables! Jna and na. That which is not true at all times - past present and future - cannot be termed Jnana. Adhvaitha Dharshanam (Awareness of oneness) is the real Jnana.

The Truth is one, it is infinite and it is Brahmam. "Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantham, Brahma," is the Upanishathik declaration.

The Veda should not be treated as mere Manthra. It helps to realise full knowledge and wisdom. The sages in ancient times had the inner vision and experience of the Divine and they gave expression to this revelation through the Vedas. They are applicable to entire humanity for all times. They confer security on humanity and show the way to happiness and peace. The goal of human life is to sacrifice desires and realise the Divine. Since the Vedas are Anantham (infinitely vast), it is difficult to master them within the short life-span of human life. That is why Veda Vyasa divided them into four sections. He compiled the Riks into one part and called them Rik Samhitha. He put all the Yajus together and named the collection as Yajus Samhitha. All the Sama hymns were presented in the Sama Samhitha. Other manthras were complied in a fourth section termed Atharvana Samhitha. The Yajus Samhitha was further divided into Shukla Yajur and Krishna Yajur Veda, bringing the actual number of Veda samhithas to five.

Each Samhitha was further divided into three parts, namely, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishath. The first part is full of manthras for rituals, and for doing acts of charity and other sastraic rites. Manthra has Life-Force in it and, when properly interpreted, every manthra is related to Divinity. The second part, Aranyaka, relates to the chanting of manthra during Vanaprasthashrama, when one finishes his Grihastha-ashrama (family life) and retires to the forest to lead a life of austerity. The chanting of manthras should always be synchronised with practising of the prescribed Karma. By such practice one can realise the Divine. By merely listening to manthras and failing to practise, one can never get happiness or peace. In order to realise the Divine, you have to practise the precepts prescribed in the Vedas. No doubt, even listening to the recitation of the Vedas is itself capable of purifying your mind. It is Shabdha Brahman. Sound is the first attribute of God. Veda Shabdha is all-pervasive. Today a great deal of wickedness, troubles and turmoils are prevalent in the world because of the decline of the influence of the Vedas. Water, air, food, noise are all tainted by pollution. We are forced to lead a polluted life. When the air we breathe is itself polluted, how are we to lead a pollution-free life? The environment and the elements should be pure to ensure purity of heart. The cause of this pollution lies nowhere else except in our own actions. Whatever words we utter, they spread to the entire atmosphere. We can purify the atmosphere of the world by chanting the Vedas and singing the glory of God.

The Rishis in ancient times used to move to forests and chant the powerful Vedhic Manthras to purify the atmosphere of the whole world. These Vedas are neglected today. The people of this great country of Bharath have not understood the infinite potency of the Vedas. It is a pity they have not tasted the sweetness of the Vedas. The Vedas should be cherished for sublimating life and not to earn a living.

The Upanishaths, which are termed as Vedantha or the concluding part of the Vedas, detail the method of achieving the Purusharthas (four fold goal of life), namely Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. These can be achieved by one's own efforts through Vidhya (acquisition of right knowledge), which is of two types: one is Para Vidhya (the Higher Knowledge) and the other Apara Vidhya (lower knowledge). Para Vidhya shows the way to Moksha (Liberation), while Apara Vidhya deals with worldly pursuits, which cause bondage. For acquiring spiritual wisdom this worldly education is not necessary. Sathyadhrishti (the vision of Truth) is the only requisite for spiritual pursuits. Since ancient times Bharatheeyas have taken to spiritual pursuits as their goal in life.

There are nine different appellations for the Vedas. They are: Shruthi, Anusmara, Thrayee, Amnaya, Samamnaya, Chandhas, Svadhyaya, Nigama and Agama.

swara and tune. There were no gadgets such as tape recorders or gramophone records in those ancient times. The students used to learn the text only by constant repetition with intense devotion day and night and get manthras by heart. Even if the words are missed the svara or tune of the chanting should be without the slightest blemish, since svara is its basis. Hence it is called Shruthi (that which is learnt by hearing).

name of Anusmara.

of all rituals, the manthras for Yajna and musical notes. Hence they were termed as Thrayee (the three).

the dream state and deep sleep state, apart from the waking state. So it is called: Amnaya.

is Chandhas. Hence the Vedas are termed as Chandhas.

passed on from generation to generation, from grandfather to grandson. Since it is preserved only by constant self-study and practice after learning, it is called Svadhyaya.

called Nigama and Agama. For example, when one inhales the air the sound is "So" While exhaling, the sound is "Ham" With every breath this Soham meaning "I am He," is being repeated. This goes on 21,600 times per day. This is verily the practice of the Mahavakyas of the Veda, "You are That" - "Thath Thvam Asi." This goes on all through life by every human being in the breathing process. When breathing stops life will be extinct.

Many sages and saints did penance for realising Divinity. They said, "Vedahametham Purusham Mahantham" (We have seen God Almighty). Where did they see Him? "Adhithya Varnam Thamasah-Parasthath" (We have seen God beyond the darkness, of ignorance). This darkness is the identification of oneself with the body and attachment to the senses. To realise the Inner Sell you have to transcend the body." consciousness and attachment to sensual desires. Veda teaches many things with emphasis on unity and purity. Some say that the Veda discriminates between people, declaring only some that are qualified to chant the Veda. This is totally wrong. In the Shanthi Shloka, the Veda says, "Sahana Vavathu; Sahanau Bhunakthu Sahaveeryam karava Vahai, Thejasvinavad-heethamasthu; Ma Vidhvishavahai." What is the meaning of this? "Let us grow together; let us live together, let us study together, let us develop knowledge together, without conflict, with friendship, with broadmindedness." While this is the teaching of the Veda how can any one say that it discriminates against some? The Veda teaches a subtle form of equality and equanimity.

Each Veda has many branches. The Rig Veda has 28 branches, of which 26 have faded out of memory and only two remain now. The Yajur Veda had 17 branches out of which only two are in vogue, while the Sama Veda had 1000 branches of which 998 are lost. Even with this fraction of the original Vedas existing now, the world is progressing at least to the present extent. Imagine how powerful this planet would have been if all the branches of the Vedas were in vogue now!

This sacred land of Bharath, which was reputed to be the Thyaga Bhuumi (land of Sacrifice) and Yoga Bhuumi (land of Spiritual communion), has now become a Roga Bhuumi (land of diseases). The reason is people are turning to Bhoga (worldly pleasure) forgetting Yoga and Thyaga. People should learn to live in Yoga. The Vedhic injunctions have infinite meaning. All may not be able to comprehend the inner meaning of the teachings. The truth that the earth has a gravitational force was there since the world was created. But it was discovered only by Newton after some experiments. Similarly? the truth hidden in the Vedas was perceived by the Rishis after intensive penance and Sadhana. They have given to mankind the Eternal truth which was revealed to them. The vibrations of their spiritual Sadhana have spread throughout the Universe. They are not limited to Bharath or any particular place.

This can be practised anywhere in the world, whether in America or Australia. This is Sathya Svaruupa (Embodiment of Truth). It cannot change according to time or place. It is beyond time and space; that is why it is called the Transcendental Reality. Some people think lightly of the Vedas and even make fun of them.

Embodiments of love! Even if you cannot chant the Vedas, if only you listen to the sounds with devotion they will elevate you to a higher level. Though the child does not know the meaning of the lullaby sung by its mother, it is induced to sleep hearing the tune. Similarly, listening to the chanting of the Veda with undivided attention will give you immense benefit. If you ruminate over it and practise it in your life, you can imagine the magnitude of the bliss you will attain. The hymns of the Vedas constitute Nadha Brahman (God in the form of sound), which is highly potent. Devotees who go to a temple ring the bell. The general belief is that it is intended to attract the attention of the Deity. Does it mean that God is asleep and you have to awaken Him by ringing the bell? God is always awake and is listening to the prayers of everyone. It is just like a visiting card which you present to any important person whom you want to meet any favour or help. Ringing the bell is only to draw the attention of the Lord towards you. The sound of the Veda is also like ringing the temple bell.

Sound emanates from the Primordial Pranava, which consists of the three syllables A, U And M. The correct address of the Lord is Omkaram. The sound of the bell and the sound of the Vedas also radiate Omkara nadha. The uttering of Omkara should be done in a sweet and smoothly progressive way starting with the sound of "A" which should come from the navel, and then the sound "U" from the throat, and finally conclude with "M" from the lips. It should resemble the sound of an aeroplane when it is far off, gradually increasing in volume as it approaches the aerodrome and finally subsiding after landing. (Svami demonstrated the correct way of chanting the Omkara). The Veda teaches this very clearly. The Vedas lift the individual to higher levels. People are not realising this truth. Many Vedhic scholars send their wards to convent schools and seek to impart to them a secular education without caring to pass on to them the sacred legacy of the Vedas, which will protect them. Because of lack of encouragement and proper propagation and promotion, knowledge of the Vedas is declining day by day in this great country, which is the home of this sacred treasure. Svami expects the people to foster the Vedas and is showing the way by making all the thousands of students of the Sai educational institutions, right from the primary school, to learn Veda chanting. You have watched the children of the primary school, ranging from 5 to 8 years, chanting the Vedas at the commencement of this meeting. There is actually no compulsion to learn the Vedas. All the students willingly come forward on their own to learn Veda chanting. There are Veda pathashalas (Vedhic schools) elsewhere where they impart this teaching, but the students discontinue the chanting later on. You should make the children learn the Vedas with enthusiasm, without compulsion. They should be made to realise the greatness of the Vedas by sweet persuasion. The Vedas have protected our country from ancient times. Since the Government has not cared to realise the beneficial influence of the Vedas in contributing to the welfare of the nation, the country is facing a lot of troubles. The propagation of Vedas should be taken up by the people. The essence of the Upanishaths is given in the Bhagavath Geetha and the Brahmasuuthra. Several saints have related stories to explain clearly the import of the Upanishathic truths. The Eeshavasyopanishath is the first among the Upanishaths. It declares that God pervades the whole universe. Because people have neglected the study of Sanskrith they are unable to enjoy the treasures of knowledge contained in the Upanishaths.