Definitionofpremabhakthi

Definition of Prema Bhakthi ...
“Existing ever with the Lord, witnessing always the glory of the Lord and becoming suffused with God consciousness is Saarupya Mukthi. This is the final fruit of bhakthi shastra.” This is what Swami has said in Prema Vaahini.If one practices devotion as described above and attains the final goal of Saarupya Mukthi, then his life will be an example of Prema Bhakthi. I have realized this truth in my own life. When one is always thinking of the Lord, He too is always with him. I have attained this state in which I cannot live even for a second without the thought of the Lord.Now let us see Bhagavan's explanation for Prema Bhakthi. “A sadhaka making himself mad for God, makes God also mad for him. This is the peak of Prema Bhakthi.” Only when such a high state is attained a ‘Gita Govindam’ is born. Poet Jayadeva writes about the feelings of Krishna for Radha:‘Chaaru sheelay! Priya Chaaru sheelay!’Keep your lotus feet on My head, Thoughts of you burn Me.Sri Krishna laments. Radha’s Prema is so powerful that it makes Him mad. Such an incident happened in my life too. In an earlier chapter I have said how I asked a boon from Sage Agastya that Swami should become mad after me. The sage gave the boon saying, “Let it be so.” Later I forgot about this. One day I received a letter from GV. He wrote that Swami woke him up at midnight and told him to write a letter to me, but he refused to write saying that he had already written a letter the previous day. Even then Swami requested GV to write one more letter. GV complied and wrote the following in his letter. “Swami has become mad after you. At midnight, He woke me up and told me to write this letter. Usually, the devotee aspires for God’s Prema, but in your case Baba Himself is showering Prema on you." I have received many letters like this from GV. Once GV asked Swami, “Swami, very often you ask me to write to Vasantha and to Doctor. Don’t you have any other devotees except these two?”
Some of my conversations with Baba about Prema Bhakthi are given below.Swami: It is your Prema that gives you such power. Prema for the Lord is more powerful than the Lord Himself. It is this power that gives you such skill. I have nothing with Me. That is why, I am defeated on many occasions.Vasantha: Since this morning I am immersed in reading a spiritual magazine, so I have forgotten You Swami! Has my heart become a stone?Swami: When did you forget? Even in the magazine you read about Me alone. You were thinking about Me. You will not forget Me even for a single second. I too will not forget you. Don’t cry. You should be laughing, not crying. Those who have to cry are laughing. I laugh at the world when I think of it.Vasantha: Why so Swami?Swami: That is all maya.Vasantha: Why do I cry Swami? Is this also maya?Swami: This is not maya. You cry because of you are not able to control your infinite Prema.Vasantha: When Narada Maharishi himself feared and worshipped maya, where do I stand?Swami: Maya will not catch you. I am near you, maya cannot come. Other people in the world are caught in many different things; they are living and laughing happily. It is they who should be crying.Vasantha: Swami I am not able to do japa and meditation.Swami: Who told you to do them?Vasantha: I get peace only when I talk to You. Due to this overflowing Prema, I don’t know what] should do. My mind always wants Your nearness and love.Swami: That is Radha.Vasantha: How can Radha’s Prema flow without Your Prema? I won’t believe it Swami! Not even a blade of grass will move without You. You are the Indweller and Director of all.Swami: If it is because of Me, this Prema should be in everyone! Why is it not so? Are they all like you? Unlimited sincerity, complete surrender, unshakeable faith, and selfless devotion with out attachment are essential for this.Vasantha: Swami! You told me that half of Your energy is spent in consoling me. You also say that my Prema is Your energy. When energy feeds energy how can it be wasted?Swami: How is it that you speak so cleverly?Vasantha: You are my teacher Swami! You told in a discourse that cleverness and intelligence are Bhagavan’s powers. You have said that there is none who is more skillful than the Lord, so everything is because of Your mercy.Swami: It is your Prema that bestows you such power. Prema for God is more powerful than God Himself. It is this power that gives you so much energy. I have nothing with Me. That is why I am defeated by you many times.Vasantha: Even for fun do not say so Swami! Only I should be defeated, You should always win.Another meditation....Vasantha: Swami! Why am I not able to do japa and meditation?Swami: Why do you worry about japa and meditation? Why should you do them like a machine at a particular place and time? Now, tell me the purpose of japa and meditation.Vasantha: To attain the Lord.Swami: You have already attained Him, is it not? In that case what is the need for japa and dhyana? Moreover, you are crying, saying that you are not able to concentrate. You are always with Swami and speak with Swami. You have successfully completed sadhana but you are never satisfied. Why do you still want to be in the state of a sadhaka? Nobody in this world has had visions and darshans like you. I told you that you are one of a kind for this entire age. Even then you are not satisfied and always think that those people who have interviews are more fortunate than you.Vasantha: Where is the place for satisfaction in Prema bhakthi, Swami? If there is satisfaction it is like a full stop; Prema always has only a comma, If one is satisfied, then the growth of Prema will end. This yearning and aspiration alone will cultivate Prema.Swami: Very good! See now, again I have lost to you.Vasantha: Oh Lord! That is wrong. Kindly pardon me. I am lecturing You, the very form of Prema. It is You who creates such thoughts in me.Swami: No, No. You are wrong; your limitless Prema is the reason for it. There can be a limit for the seas or the sky; but there is no limit for your Prema. Your words, walk, living, thinking, everything is the definition of Prema. Your life is an example for selfless devotion. You are an example for Prema bhakthi.

"Radha is an example of Madhura Bhakti. Radha completely identified herself with Krishna. Her devotion to Krishna was on an inseparable relationship. The Radha-Krishna relationship is that of Prakruthi and Paramatma (of Nature and God)."

conversationswithswami

Conversations with Swami, in Meditation.(taken from Amma's books ...)
Vasantha: Swami! I understand one thing after reading three parts of this book - in the major part of this book I am blowing my own trumpet. There must have been some desire in my mind that I am greater than all and that everyone should praise me, glorify me. Is this why I am publishing this book? Is my mind secretly desiring name and fame? All this is my own ego trip! I know this! (Tears flood my eyes.)Swami: When one’s own experiences are written, it will be like this. Why do you exaggerate and cry?Vasantha: Swami! In the conversations where You talk about the definitions of Prema bhakthi it appears as though I am a big intellectual. It looks as if You are defeated by me and I am praised by You.Swami: Why do you cry thinking they are about you only? They are common to all who practice Prema bhakthi. If anyone practices devotion like you and asks Me questions, I will give the same answer; they are the characteristics of Prema Bhakthi. After reading about them, at least a few may try to practice devotion like you. Is it not?As SOON AS SWAMI SAID THE ABOVE, vibhuthi appeared around the altar as blessings.7 March 1991We went to Puttaparthi to attend Shivarathri celebrations. There, I randomly opened page 239 of Summer Showers, it said:"It is not correct to think that Radha is a name of a woman or hers is an ordinary human love. God does not make differences such as man or woman. If one surrenders like Radha, whether he is a man or woman, it will be considered as Radha’s aspect. Those who have this aspect can think nothing but God; they never think otherwise. Radha is a jnani, though she lives in this world, she does not allow the world to live in her. To experience this, one should know about Radha’s devotion."I was surprised by this beautiful proof for the above explanation.28 April 1997 Meditation.Swami said, “You are Radha. You are born to show the world, the suffering of separation. You aspire for God like a fish out of water. You have been born to show how one should lament, yearn, aspire and cry for the Lord. Your life is the best example to show the sufferings of separation. Since every atom of your body, every drop of blood, nerve and cell suffer of separation from God, you alone can be Radha.”
Characteristics of a Prema Bhaktha...
Vasantha: When Arjuna asked, You told the characteristics of a man of wisdom, likewise, kindly tell me the characteristics of a Prema bhaktha. How will those who have Prema behave and speak? What will they look like?Swami : "They won’t forget God even for a single second. They will talk of nothing but God; they will listen to nothing but God. They cannot live for even a second without the thought of God; all their actions will be centered on God. Only for God’s sake, they eat and sleep. Since they do everything in thoughts of God, their life becomes a sacrifice. They would have all relationships with God only. They won’t slip from their stand or lose sight of their goal in any circumstance. Nothing of this world can attract them.
"They would create a separate world and live with God. They would perceive only truth through their five senses. Their senses won’t go to the external world. Through the five elements, they would get only divine news through TV, radio, books, newspapers, everywhere in all things. They would realize and speak with the Lord in many ways. Every question that arises from the mind would get the answers at once.

Amma reminisces... ‘You are Radha'Once Swami said, “You are Radha. You are born to show the world, the suffering of separation. You aspire for God like a fish out of water. You have been born to show how one should lament, yearn, aspire and cry to the Lord. Your life is the best example for the sufferings of separation. Since every atom of your body, blood drop, nerve and cell chant God, you alone can be Radha.”I randomly opened the 1991 edition of Summer Showers and on page 239 Bhagavan says, “It is not correct to think that Radha is a name of a woman or hers is ordinary human love. God does not make differences as man and woman. If one surrenders like Radha, whether he is a man or woman, it will be considered as Radha’s aspect. Those who have this aspect can think nothing but God; they never think otherwise. Radha is a jnani, though she lives in this world, she does not allow the world to live in her. To experience this, one should know about Radha’s devotion.”
The Reason for Nivaran ...
On 21-4-98 I told Swami : “Swami, instead of my praying for others and your granting relief, why not you directly grant and bless them?"Swami replied: "For me to help them directly, their karma is a hindrance. When you are moved and you pray for them, Your Prema sakthi reaches them and it brings down the load of their karma. Your power is not an ordinary power Those who realise it and want to make use of it will be greatly benefited. When you pray for them, it works much better than how it does when they themselves often pray. All these books have been published only to make you pray for others and help others. Your tears wipe out their difficulties. When I want to help them, I have to evaluate their worth and scrutinize all the three kalas (the past, present and future). You do not look at these factors at all and directly pray for them. This is the state of a mother. Therefore, for your sake, I have to do it.”“When you go to a place, the vibrations emanating from you wipe out the karmas of the people and they pound all the interferences in their getting the grace of God. The vibrations produced by you, purify the place. Wherever you happen to be, there lies great Ananda. Whoever can draw from it, can do so, depending upon the capacity of their containers. To that extent they get this great Ananda.”

I want "ONLY" You ...Once Swami appeared in Amma’s dream and asked, “You do not have any peace? Do you want any money?”After the dream Amma wrote in her diary, “Swami you are so mischievous. Did I ask for money?
I asked the way to control my mind.I asked for devotion and wisdom.I asked for good eyesight.I asked you to accept my songs at Your feet.
I asked You for all these and instead of saying a word about all these things that I want, You are saying that you will give me that which I have never asked for!
I want You! I want only You!”

cutandconnect

Cut and Connect ...


“What is Yoga? Yoga is cutting and connecting. Cutting is dispassion. Connecting is yoga. You cut from all worldly things and connect to God. Yoga means attaining the Highest, the Lord.”In satsang Amma summed up the elaborate teaching of the Patanjali Yoga sutra in two simple words, ‘Cutting and Connecting’. As always she explained the higher wisdom from her experiences. She said since her childhood she always connected all the objects she saw with God. How?When she saw a peacock Amma would think, “This is Sri Krishna’s feather” A door would make her think that it was the door to liberation. The pillars in her home would remind her of the Narasimha Avatar. A gentle breeze would bring her a message from her Lord. The dosai in the frying pan was Lord Vishnu’s discus. In this way she would join all she saw with God.This gave us the idea to play a game called Cut and Connect. Each picked a chit with a word written on it and tried to connect it spontaneously with God. Here are some of the answers...
Snake
Like the snake we should wriggle through the maya of the world and reach Swami’s feet.
Rope
Tie Swami with your Prema.
Carrot
A carrot is orange, so that is Swami; it is also a root vegetable so Swami is the root cause of everything.
Bicycle
The two wheels of the bicycle are Swami and Amma, they will take me to the destination. [though, have to peddle, make effort through sadhana.
Fan
Has to do with air, the Prana, life force.
Telephone
We should call Swami on the heart phone, speak with Him inside.
Soap
We have to use the inner soap to clean away our impurities
For the interest of the reader; the book Prema Nivarana Sai has a list of words for which Swami Himself has given the Divine connections.Amma said in a later satsang that first we have to cut from the world; then we connect everything to God and in the end God Himself will connect with us.Make every moment of your life divine! Uncover the sweetness of the Lord that lies hidden beneath the worldly exterior.
Mad, Mad, Mad ...What is all this cutting and connecting? Have all at Mukthi Nilayam gone mad? Yes we have gone mad! Mad for God! What bliss to find Him everywhere! He’s is in the...
Bureau
Be as you are; Bury ego awaken unity.
Kitchen duty
No duty to your kith and kin; Catch hold of your chosen deity; Cut your destiny; Kill the ‘I’ and shine in your duty
Biscuit
Wish cut; Bind Sai, cut world; Baba is cute
You too can join the God mad - just cut and connect!
The Eternal Itch ...
One evening at Mukthi Nilayam.Nicola : Amma I can see God everywhere, but how to see God in mosquitoes!Amma : Mosquitoes! ---- Must see Swami's toes!Nicola : Oh Amma, hereafter I will remember this about mosquitoes. (laughs)Eddy : This is a new way! We can connect words to Swami.Amma : This is true wisdom, see God everywhere, and connect God to everything.Later we played a game, where each person picked a small chit from a box. The word on it was connected like this:COMPUTER - Contemplate on HerGOOSEBERRY- Go inside... hurryTHURSDAY — Everyday is a 'thirst day’ for SwamiHOSPITAL — Heart Sai PetalCOTTON - Caught on Sai LoveCUCUMBER — Come to Baba's Beloved RadhaPANDURANGA — Bond to RangaTOOTHPASTE — I have a sweet tooth for Ammas Prema PasteSTUPI - Don't be stupid, I will take you high (Am ma)EXPLOSION - Excel in Prema and shineBATHROOM — Baba true Om OCTOBER- Overcome calamities to be eternal Radha WASHING MACHINE — Wash-sins-mind-shine TELEPHONE - Talk less focus on OneMATCH BOX - I am boxing my senses, what match is this? (Amma)MEDICINE - Me die without sin BANGALORE - Bring your LoveAPPLE - Apply pure Prema and love everyoneSCISSORS - Sai sourceYou too can try this game! Play it wherever you are and enjoy the sweetness of the Lord in everyday life.

சுவாமிக்கு அம்மா எழுதிய கடிதம்

இது ஒரு அருமையான சுவாமி படம். வேறு எங்கும் கிடைக்காது எங்கும் பார்க்கவும் mudiyathu. ithai அம்மா எப்போதும் தன் கைகளில் வைத்திருப்பார்கள்.
அதி அற்புதமான படம்.

A Yearning Soul ...

Dear Swami,

Give me all the qualities of a good devotee. Please give me Your darshan and give me the experience of the bliss of Your love. Oh Bhagavan, Sai Ma yesterday one of my songs was published in Sanathana Sarathi. With each song that is published, You become bound to me, knot by knot. You are the one who cuts asunder all knots, You are the one who brakes all bondages. But You cannot break away and escape from being bound to me. You cannot cut the bond with me.

Hereafter even if I want, I cannot free You. You are the one who is bound. You are the Lord Damodara but You cannot free yourself with Your maya leelas. Although I have handcuffed You and made You and enslaved You, my mind still wants to enthrone You in my heart and serve at Your lotus feet. What a strange mind!

Oh Lord! What is this leela? I am suffering in pangs of separation and am yearning to see You. Prabhu! Amma! My Swami! My Lord I want to know Your presence every moment. I want You! I do not want anything other than you.

Prabhu! Today early morning 3 am, You gave Your darshan in my dream. You came near me and gave good darshan. I touched Your feet and asked the boon to come to Puttaparthi. Swami, You looked at me and smiled! You laughed! You gave darshan for a long time, but you did not utter a single word! Prabhu everything is Your grace! Purify my mind and bless me to totally surrender at Your feet and to live only with Your support.

Amma! Sai! What is this Amma. For the last one month my mind is very confused. I cannot meditate properly. Every day early in the morning, at midnight, afternoon, evening I am trying so hard at all times to pull my mind towards japa. But the end of all my efforts is only defeat. Now it is early morning 3:30 am. There is only one way before me Amma. Now this moment, this second, I am standing before You with this agitated and turbulent mind and making an agreement with You.

Just four more days, with Your divine grace and my strongest effort, You must give the experience of bliss. You must immerse me in the ocean of bliss. Then this mind will be my slave. After that my mind must listen to my words.

If I fail to make effort, then I am slave to the mind. I will walk on the path that it leads me. If it were to pull me and make me stumble into the ditch waters, I would allow myself to be trapped joyfully. Even if I do not want this, I must follow it. I must follow it because of its force. This is the agreement between me and my mind. “Oh Sai You are the witness. How am I going to be redeemed from this.”

Amma... my Prema Sai, how will I be redeemed? Am I going to follow the mind and fall into the deep pits or will I conquer it and gain freedom? Kanha! What are You going to do? This is a question of my integrity and Yours also! I am asking You in the name of your namas that I have chanted all these years. Show me a way? Guide me! Turn the mind towards You or take my life. I do not want to waste this life following the mind.

The whole village knows the bond between You and I. All know how I worship you from dawn till dusk. At this stage, if You do not protect me you will suffer the curse of murdering me. The whole world will know that You murdered me and they will no longer respect You as God. If I am your true devotee then save me. If you think that my devotion is for show, the world knows that I worshipping You from early morning till late at night. they will blame You! So whichever way you look at it I should be protected.

Oh Bhagavan! Kanha! My life is in Your hands. Sai Amma! Where will I go? I am your child.

-- Letter from Vasantha Sai to Sri Sathya Sai Baba written on 13th December 1981.