A Man's Existence under Sri Sai: Purpose of Pain

I recently read an excerpt from ‘Carl Sagan's Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space’. You will realize that scientists and philosophers have been constantly striving to visualize an object from different frame of references and one such was the view of earth from Saturn. It was merely an obscure pale blue dot in a vast universe. That brings me to believe that a Guru's vision of earth and lives on the surface of the planet is way better that what can ever be captured by satellites and all possible man's inventions. The spiritually elevated seekers like Guruji and the supreme incarnate Sri Sai could very well see beyond the worldly existence and affairs of man on the time constrained existence of planets and lives. Like the satellites in outer space refer to earth as a small dot where the man, his machines, his creations, his love and hatred, his accomplishments have no relevance what so ever in the infinite universe, so does the Sadguru visualize much beyond the worldly affairs that we are engrossed in our lives. He under the influence of the Paramatma can visualize clearly what ordinary eyes and our thought process cannot. He can see from far and high and deep in the hearts and minds of the mortals.

That brings me to think why in our short lives and our finite existence, we get into conflicts - conflicts within one's self, conflicts with ideologies, believes, faiths and practices. And why such conflicts cause pain? Why do we get hurt? Why can't the supreme power control and diminish such sufferings? The more I think and focus on Baba, I faintly and vaguely get a reply. EVERY PAIN HAS A PURPOSE. Everyday challenges, everyday sufferings have a reason. An ignorant like me have interpreted the reasons being two fold - Self development and Spiritual progress. One intends to cleanse your senses, helps hold yourself together, makes you more tolerant, more patient, execute your daily duties and social responsibilities, builds your character, helps feel sympathy for your fellow beings, helps you being kind and generous and makes you able enough to dedicate your life for services to others. The other intends to take you closer to the Supreme power. The spiritual journey through realization where you get a bit closer to your Guru, Sadguru and the Supreme Lord every single day. Man like any other animal seeks help, cure and comfort when in pain, this seeking of help reaches its pinnacle when one seeks the blessings of the Guru and ever emancipating Baba. Understanding and accepting not only comforts for the pains and losses in our life but also drives us a little closer to Sri Sai. Every pain has a reason and purpose and we need to accept that and seek His blessings. May Sai Bless.

Journey of a Soul

Of millions of cars in the street across the world, GPS has changed the way people reach their destinations. In the early age human beings had a limited mobility in terms of the land they could reach. With the evolution of the species and its interaction with the nature's creations, man started conquering lands then water and air. Technological advances raised mankind to new heights when we floated in the space and landed on the moon.

On the earth evolved a more sophisticated species from a mere four limb crawler to a man who created cars and rockets. Roads were built and man started exploring new lands. Every man, woman and child realizes the joy within when he or she steps on a new place on earth, may be a few hundred miles from where he or she was born or across continents in a new country. When one watches the sun rise from a shore of the sea in an unknown land, the ecstasy and the joy within surpasses all adventures and achievements. As the man feels the warmth of the rising sun, he slowly closes his eyes to absorb the energy and that brings smile to his face. Even when he knows it is the same sun he has always opened his eyes to. It's a indefinite joy and cannot be defined in words. It's personal and intimate and can only be felt.

On his journey of never ending conquest and search for the knowledge, man created roads and highways, ocean routes, air traffic routes and even a definite route to the moon and beyond. Man started travelling in seek of something unknown, something new. And suddenly he realized the importance of guidance. Guidance for the traveler, information of the route undertaken and definition of the destination. Our ancestors created landmarks and monuments, rigorously drafted maps and learned to read the stars for not getting lost. The twenty first century man created the GPS, the global positioning system. Twenty four earth orbiting satellites powered by the energy of the sun send signals to the earth for man to navigate. The GPS unit in the car and in hand receives the signals and guide us to our destinations.

If we divert from the route shown by the GPS, it guides us back to the original route, at least it tries. If the driver is adamant to take a different route, GPS always re aligns by recalculating the driver's location as how to reach the destination. Eventually he reaches his destination. The driver has the option to set up the navigation options in his GPS. He can choose the shortest route, fastest route, whether to avoid toll roads or take a particular scenic route. And man follows the GPS because he believes in his choices, he believes in the options he set for himself. But man knows he has to reach his destination , destination that he chose. And he does.

The world is governed and run by the supreme power in a fashion similar to Satellite and the Driver. Replace Sun with the ultimate power, Satellite with God we believe in, Signals with the spiritual energy, GPS with the Guru, Options with the methods of belief, GPS instructions with the faith and rules, driver with the soul, car with the life, highways with the path to salvation, new lands with the realm of self realization and happiness, and destination with the Supreme God.

Some drivers choose not to use a Guru or GPS. Sometimes they use their instinct, sometimes knowledge and sometimes maps. Some of them make it to the destination some of them don't. Some people choose to get a Guru. Their journey of life becomes easy and they reach the destination. That also calls for constant education for the disciple and the Guru, in other words maps and software upgrade for the GPS and education for driver. That ensures the driver reaches destination or in other words soul reaches to the Master.

PS: Guruji CB Satpathy in his book "Shirdi Sai Baba and other perfect masters" wrote a chapter 'The divine journey of the soul' written between 1991-95 and later published in the book. I came across this book towards the end of 2013