You are all Amrutaputras --Sons of Immortality
by
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

In this supremely holy land of Bharat
     tolerance is the towering quality of our character;
Of all the religious vows, the foremost is
    Adherence to Truth, which is difficult to practise;
The sweetest and most respectable feeling in this land of
     Bharat is the feeling toward mother;
Consigning to flames the moral fabric of our country
    which ordains self-respect as greater than one's own life,
The dagger of unrestrained freedom has been given to people
    imitating the Western way of life;
Alas! What can I say about the rulers of this land of Bharat?
Just as an elephant cannot realise its own strength
So are the Bharatiyas today.
(Telugu poem)

Embodiments of Love!

No one has been able to realise the uniqueness, greatness, and sanctity of this holy land of Bharat (India) so far. The culture of Bharat is nobler and holier than all other cultures in the world. This unique culture is pervading from the microcosm to the macrocosm equally. Unfortunately, nowadays, the Bharatiyas (Indians) have forgotten this great culture and are practising the alien culture. The great human values of sathya (truth) and dharma (righteousness) have declined in this holy land of Bharat. However, fortunately, none has been able to root out these great human values so far. There is nothing more sacred than Truth and Righteousness. They are like the two eyes of a human being. Unfortunately, today, people are losing the vision in these two eyes and thereby becoming blind. Though the students of the present times are pursuing higher education and acquiring degrees, they are losing sight of these great human values. Instead of fostering such a sacred and noble culture and leading their lives in accordance with the principles laid down in this great culture, people are wasting their time in vain pursuits.

Only the practice of these great human values of sathya (truth), dharma (righteousness), santhi (peace), and prema (love) has made the country of Bharat the great spiritual leader of the entire world. Only when we foster these great human values are entitled to be called Bharatiyas in the real sense. Losing sight of even one of these values will not entitle us to the great name of Bharatiyas. The real thyaga (sacrifice) is leading a life of constant practice of these human values in our day-to-day lives. Our life must be a continuous journey from sathya to prema in the order of sathya, dharma, santhi, and prema. These values must enter the core of our heart and flow in every cell of our body.

The whole creation is from Truth,
In Truth all creation merges.
Is there a place in this universe where
The grandeur of Truth is not felt?
The entire universe is a manifestation of
Pure consciousness; know this reality.
(Telugu poem)

From the time a human being is born from their mother's womb, it is truth and righteousness that are sustaining and fostering them. The women of Bharat have undergone many ordeals in sustaining these great values amidst their household duties and domestic chores. Yet, they have continuously taught these values to their children. Swami knows too well how much suffering the parents of these children undergo in bringing them up. What the students of the present times are expected to acquire is not education and high degrees but the essence of truth and righteousness.

One has to understand the real meaning of sathya and dharma. The word "sathya" consists of three letters Sa, Tha, and Ya. The letter Sa signifies the sathwic (pure, serence) quality; Tha, the quality of thyaga (sacrifice); and Ya, the qualities of yama and niyama (inner and outer sense control). Hence, the word "sathya" means fostering the sathwic quality with a spirit of sacrifice and by observing sense control. Unfortunately, today, we are losing sight of such great human values, which formed the core of Bharatiya culture.

Man today does not know what sathya and dharma are. Dharma is taken to be duty. This interpretation is not correct. This is only an English translation, rather inadequately expressed! The real interpretation of dharma is dharayati iti dharma (that which sustains is dharma). It sustains the human life. Sathya (truth) emerges from the hridaya nabhi (heart region) of a human being. Thus, when a person leads a life of sathya and dharma, they will become sacred. The Pandavas and Droupadi led such a noble life by following sathya and dharma. All your present difficulties and humiliations are due to non adherence to dharma.

One should obey the divine command with total faith and without any disputation for or against. Markandeya was born out of a boon granted by Easwara to his parents. Easwara asked his parents whether they wanted a virtuous son with a short life-span or a son not so virtuous but who would live long. The parents opted for a virtuous son. Accordingly, Markandeya was born. He was one of good thought, good behaviour, and good conduct. Easwara informed his parents that he would live only for sixteen years. Nevertheless, the parents were joyous, because they had been blessed with a virtuous son.

Years rolled by, and Markandeya entered his sixteenth year. Remembering the words of Easwara, his parents became grief-stricken. His mother would often shed tears thinking of the impending death of her son. Markandeya could not understand the cause of her grief and wondered why she was shedding tears. One day, he found his parents steeped in sorrow. On enquiry, they revealed that his death was very near, as willed by the divine, and that was the cause of their sorrow.

Markandeya felt sorry that Easwara's will was not revealed to him till then because of which he had wasted the precious time allotted to him. He did not want to waste any more time. He had an early bath, went to the temple of Easwara, and started chanting the sacred Siva Panchakshari mantra, Namah Sivaya, with all sincerity and devotion. He lost himself in the contemplation of Easwara. He did not expect any reward for his prayers. He considered it as his primary duty to contemplate on God. The following day was supposed to be the last day of his earthly sojourn. Hence he remained in the temple.

Because he had not returned home, His parents went to the temple and sat at the entrance. They were shedding tears thinking of the impending end of Markandeya's life. As ordained by the Lord, Markandeya left his mortal coil the moment he completed his sixteenth year. His parents were in deep sorrow. As Markandeya left his mortal body in the external world, his jiva (soul) reached Lord Siva in the divine world.

The Lord was immensely pleased with the sincere devotion of Markandeya. He said, "Markandeya! Today marks the completion of your sixteenth year. You have come to Me in a happy frame of mind. You have bowed down to My Will with implicit faith and obedience. I am pleased with your devotion.'

As Easwara was speaking to Markandeya in this manner, Mother Parvati intervened and said, "Oh Lord! Why don't You send him back to his parents, since he has obeyed Your command implicitly." Easwara wanted Parvati also to accompany Him. Together they restored life to the body of Markandeya.

The parents' joy knew no bounds when they noticed some movement in Markandeya's body. He got up and said, "My dear mother and father, Lord Easwara and Mother Parvati have brought me back to life."

Only God can save the life of a human being. Some doctors claim that they can give good medicines or perform surgery to save the life of a person. They make several promises thus, but they fail. Except for God, none else can save or prolong the life of a person. He only can interfere in the law of karma. With God's grace, one can achieve anything in this world. Dear students! You must strive to earn the grace of God right from your childhood. When you pray for His grace and strive for the same, you will be protected by God.

Embodiments of Love!

Today is the holy day of Sivarathri. Siva means auspiciousness. Where there is Siva (auspiciousness) there cannot be shava (inauspiciousness). This holy day of Sivarathri must be spent in the constant contemplation of God chanting the holy name of Siva right from early in the morning till you go to bed. The Lord's name must dance on your tongue. Divinity is eternal. It cannot be achieved so easily. Nobody has been able to explain Divinity so far, though some vague definitions like eternal, changeless, etc., have been given. The proper definition of Divinity would be Ekam, Nityam, Vimalam, Achalam, Sarvadhee Sakshibhutam Bhavateetam Trigunarahitam (One without a second, eternal, pure, unchanging, witness to all functions of the intellect, beyond one's imagination, beyond the three gunas (qualities) --sathwa (purity, serenity), rajas (passion, restlessness), and thamas (ignorance, inertia).

One of the names attributed to Lord Siva is Mrityunjaya, which means one who has transcended death. This is from the worldly point of view. But if one wants to understand the true and eternal nature of Divinity, one has to understand the relationship between Lord Siva and Mother Parvati. Once, there was a slight difference of opinion between them about giving an appropriate name to their child. Parvati wanted to name the child by a particular name from among the several names of Lord Siva. Lord Siva, however, chose to name the child Amrutaputra. In fact, every human being is an amrutaputra (son of immortality). Even the Upanishads declare him so. The Upanishads reveal the true identity of a human being by addressing as Srunvantu Viswe Amrutasya Putrah (Oh the children of immortality! Listen).

Dear Devotees and Students!

You are also amrutaputra, not anrutaputras (sons of immortality, not falsehood). One who is an amrutaputra is not affected by change and death. You verily are the embodiments of the changeless, eternal principle.

Once, Mother Parvati was putting child Ganapati to sleep by rocking the cradle and singing a lullaby, "Oh Amrutaputra! Sleep my dear! Sleep. If you are awake, the whole world will be awake."

Lakshmidevi, the consort of Lord Vishnu came there and witnessed the scene. She felt that it was rather a strange lullaby. She enquired about the name of the child and Parvati told her that His name was Amrutaputra. Lakshmidevi further enquired from where got that name. Parvati replied that it was Lord Siva who gave that name to the child. One who had descended from Easwarattwa is Easwara Himself.

Embodiments of Love!

You are not reading the sacred texts of yore. Unless you read those texts also, you will not be able to understand what is being related to you. Dear Students! You are all amrutaputras. People would naturally expect that you should live up to that great appellation.

In fact, the names given to children by elders in our country have a lot of significance and meaning. They are not given just casually or for fun. In order to understand the underlying meaning and sanctity of these names, we must read the sacred texts like Puranas. Unable to realise the eternal reality of the values of sathya and dharma, you are taking to wrong ways. You are simply repeating the words sathya, dharma, santhi, and prema like a parrot. But you are not making any effort to understand the true import and significance of these great human values. All of you are amrutaputras, not anrutaputras.

Dear students!

Try to understand the true nature and significance of the names. It is a fact that nobody has ever seen Lord Easwara in person. People call Him "Kailasavasi" (the Lord who resides in Kailasa). Where is Kailasa? It is only when you contemplate on Him in the depth of silence that you can visualise Lord Easwara in Kailasa. Therefore, one has to practise mouna (silence). And that silence implies total stillness of thought and word.

Embodiments of Love!

You are all amrutaputras. Hence, constantly remain under that awareness. Proclaim yourself to be amrutaputras. Whatever name has been already given to you, prefix that name with "Amrutaputra". To consider yourself as anrutaputra is a great mistake and a misnomer. Hence, realise your true nature and call yourself Amrutaputra.

(Bhagawan concluded His discourse with the bhajan, "Prema Mudita Manase Kaho".)