Divine Discourse in Nairobi (Kenya, East Africa) on July 4, 1968

 

Your reality is the Atma, a wave of the Paramatma (Supreme Self). The one object of this human existence is to visualise that reality, that Atma, that relationship between the wave and the sea. All other activities are trivial since you share them with birds and beasts. But this is the unique privilege of Man as he has clambered through all the levels of animality and all the steps in the ladder of evolution in order to inherit this high destiny.

If all the years between birth and death are frittered away in seeking food and shelter, comfort and pleasure, as animals do, then man is condemning himself to a further life sentence.

Man is endowed with two special gifts: viveka (the faculty of reasoning) and vijnana (the faculty of analysis and synthesis). Use these gifts for discovering the truth of yourself, which is the truth of everyone else, of everything else.

All countries are borne and sustained by this earth, all are warmed by the same sun, and all “bodies” are inspired by the same Divine Principle. All are urged by the same inner motivator.

The Vedas are the earliest testaments to the victory of man over himself, his discovery of the underlying Unity in all creation and his pulsating contact with the truth that unifies. They declare God is Sarvabhuta antaratma (God is the inner Reality of all beings), Ishavasyamidam sarvam (All this is enveloped by God), and Vasudevah sarvamidam (All this is God, Vasudeva).

Man Should Have Desire Only for Liberation

The Divine Principle that is in everyone is like the electric current that illuminates the bulbs before Me here, which are of different colours and different candle powers. The same God shines in and through everyone, whatever be the creed, colour, tribe or territory. The current animates and activates all bulbs; the Divine animates and activates all. Those who see difference are deluded as they are befogged by prejudice, egoism, hatred or malice. Love sees all as one Divine family.

How does this Atma Principle express itself in man? As prema (love)! Love is the basic nature that sustains him and strengthens his resolve to march ahead. Without love man is blind and the world for him will be a dark and fearsome jungle. Love is the light that guides the feet of man in the wilderness.

The Vedas laid down four goals before man, two pairs of goals, rather: dharma-artha (morality-wealth), the earning of the wherewithal for living through moral means, and kama-moksha (desire-liberation), the attainment of liberation from the twin experience of pain and pleasure, and the desire for that liberation and for nothing less than that supreme treasure.

All these goals are attainable through the practice of love, love regulated by sathya (truth), dharma (righteousness) and santhi (equanimity). The Vedas teach that man must earn wealth through the path of dharma but today that is not taken to heart and wealth is accumulated by any means! The Vedas teach that man should have only one kama (desire), namely, for moksha (liberation) but this too is not respected.

Man is drowning himself in the maelstrom of desire but the fulfilment of that desire can never quench his deeper thirsts. How can a prisoner have any other desire than liberation? The widespread anxiety, fear and unrest evident all over the world are the consequences of this mistaken course.

Pursue Nobler Ends, Have Grander Ideals

The human body, which is so filled with skills and so capable of great adventures, is a gift from God to each of you. It has to be used as a raft on which you can cross this never-calm sea of samsara (change) that lies between birth and death, bondage and liberation. Awaken to this primal duty even when your physical and mental faculties are keen; awaken even while your power of discrimination is sharp.

Do not postpone the launching of the raft, for it may become unserviceable soon. It may be burdened with illness so that all your attention will have to be spent on its upkeep. Think of the incomparable joy that will surge within you when you approach the shore of liberation!

Ride safely on the raging waters of samsara (worldly life). Be a witness, do not crave the fruit of action and leave the consequences of all acts to God’s Will. He is the doer, you are but the instrument. Pursue nobler ends and have grander ideals. Sensory pleasures are trinkets and trivialities. The sages have discovered the disciplines that will keep you unaffected by defeat or victory, loss or gain. Learn them and practise them, and establish yourself in unruffled peace.

In homes and schools, training of the minds of the young on these lines has to be taken up earnestly by teachers and parents; of course, they must equip themselves for this work by steady practice in meditation and namasmarana (recital of the Name of God). In every home, a certain length of time must be fixed every day in the morning as well as evening for readings from spiritual books and namasmarana.

Parents and children must join in singing the glory of God. In fact, all of one’s time must be dedicated to God. As a first step, a few minutes may be devoted to the adoration of His glory or the gauging of the depth of that glory. Gradually, when the sweetness of the habit heartens you, you will devote more and more time and feel more and more content.

The purpose of “living” is to achieve “living in God.” Everyone is entitled to that consecration and consummation. You are the Truth, do not lose faith and do not belittle yourselves. You are Divine even if you slide from humanity to animality or even lower.

Cultivate love and share that love with all. How can you give one person less and another more when they are both the same as you? If you forget the basic Divinity, hatred sprouts and envy raises its hood. See the Atma in all then love sprouts and peace descends like dew. You are prema-swarupa (embodiments of love).

You have been sitting here for hours, in the open, putting up with great discomfort, awaiting Me, eager to hear Me and see Me. I am speaking to you from this dais only to satisfy that yearning. When I sense your prema, I feel I must share it and allow you to share My prema: that is the best of all communications and communions. The mediation of words is then unnecessary.

I have come to light the lamp of love in your hearts, to see that it shines day by day with added lustre. I have not come to speak on behalf of any particular dharma (righteousness), like the Hindu dharma. I have not come on any mission of publicity for any sect or creed or cause; nor have I come to collect followers for any doctrine. I have no plan to attract disciples or devotees into My fold or any fold. I have come to tell you of this Universal unitary faith, this Atmic principle, this path of love, this dharma of prema, this duty of love, this obligation to love.

All Faiths Glorify the One and Only God

All religions teach one basic discipline: the removal from the mind of the blemish of egoism, of running after little joy. Every religion teaches man to fill his being with the glory of God and evict the pettiness of conceit. It trains him in methods of detachment and discrimination so that he may aim high and attain liberation.

Believe that all hearts are motivated by the One and Only God, that all faiths glorify the One and Only God, that all names in all languages and all forms man can conceive, denote the One and Only God. His adoration is best done by means of love. Cultivate that Eka-bhava (attitude of Oneness) between men of all creeds, all countries and all continents. That is the message of love I bring. That is the message I wish you to take to heart.

Foster love, live in love and spread love – that is the spiritual exercise that will yield the maximum benefit. When you recite the Name of God, remembering all the while His majesty, His compassion, His glory, His splendour and His presence – love will grow within you, its roots will go deeper and deeper and its branches will spread wider and wider, giving cool shelter to friend and foe, to fellow national and foreigner.

God has a million names. Sages and saints have seen Him in a million forms, they have seen Him with eyes closed and eyes opened. They have extolled Him in all the languages and dialects of man, and yet, His glory is not exhausted.

Carry on the Quest of Your Own Reality

Select any name of His, any name that appeals to you, select any form of His. Every day when you awaken to the call of the brightening east, recite the name and meditate on the form. Have the name and the form as your companion, guide and guardian throughout the toils of the waking hours. When you retire for the night, offer grateful homage to God in that form and with that name, for being with you, by you, beside you, before you and behind you all day long. If you stick to this discipline, you cannot falter or fail.

I must give you one more piece of advice: Endeavour always to promote the joy and happiness of your fellow countrymen in this continent and share in their joy and happiness. Bharat is so called because the people of that country have rathi (great attachment) to Bha (Bhagawan, that is God). They are devoted to God and so to all the children of God. They are afraid of sin and they are eager to acquire jnana (spiritual knowledge).

Resolve to carry on the quest of your own reality. Resolve to live in the inspiration of the constant remembrance of God. Cultivate love and share love.

I bless that you achieve success in this endeavour and derive great joy therefrom.

Thursday, July 4, 1968