Helpline on the Sathya Sai Path,
by B.N. Narasimha Murthy
Compiled by Dr. Kaushik Narayan
pbk, 406 pages, Rs 95
In recent years, the Sai Youth of Kerala have celebrated the Kerala New Year festival (called Vishu) at the Brindavan Ashram of Sathya Sai Baba, located on the outskirts of Bangalore (Bengaluru).
During the festival, the Sai Youth of Kerala derived benefits from the Divine Discourses of Sathya Sai Baba; they would also attend a program of talks and activities at the same time. The mainstay of these programs was B.N. Narasimhamurthy, known to one and all as "warden-sir" due his well known role as Warden of the Hostel at Brindavan.
Narasimhamurthy gave many talks to the Kerala Sai Youth, and these have been brought together, edited and compiled into an extremely useful volume of talks on pursuing the path of sadhana (or spiritual effort), as founded on the teachings of Sathya Sai Baba. Hence, the title, Helpline on the Sathya Sai Path. Narasimhamurthy opens this volume ingenuously, sharing his own question and answer session with Swami, Immortal Answers to a Mortal's Questions:
Swami said yesterday that a devotee on the path of sadhana (spiritual effort) should not be satisfied with himself till God tells him, "I am pleased with you; you are Mine." This is physically possible only when the Avatar is on the earth. This is not possible in the case of devotees who are physically away from Swami. When the Avatar is not here on the earth, how can this happen?This book is entirely set up in question and answer form, the questions and answers being grouped into general topic areas spread over 15 chapters. There is a good glossary included. One word to the wise, this was prepared for readers in Kerala, so where Sanskrit is encountered, phonetic spelling is used. Although irksome at first, one gets into the swing and the drift of the book and the spiritual quest gathers the reader up quite easily.
(Swami replies) God's voice can be heard by man in his own heart irresepective of whether there is an Avatar on the earth or not. God's appreciation can also come to man in the form of some sign or as an inner experience where God's approval is felt. More than this, each aspirant can introspect as to whether he is practising qualities dear to God. If he is practising such virtues, he will experience self-satisfaction as a result of approval from God who is the resident of his own heart. When one does not have self satisfaction, there is no question of God being satisfied with him.
I cannot but emphasise that this book is compiled from the questions of young people and reflects their concerns in following the spiritual path in this—the world of the ipod, the cell-phone, television, computer gaming and all the distractions of the advertising billboards. The sincere, pure desire to negotiate this modern life dedicated utterly to the spiritual path is evident right from the first. The illustrations depict many family situations, along with other, ordinary situations in life. These are well captioned. For example, the first caption is Problems can only be avoided by exercising good judgement, but good judgement can be gained only by experiencing life's problems! So, take the first step!
Talking about Sathya Sai Baba
Anyone who has met an exuberant Sathya Sai Devotee, or had the experience of spiritual enthusiasm and eagerness to share Sathya Sai Baba has encountered the problem of talking about Sathya Sai. Sathya Sai has given direct instructions not to propagate nor publicise Him and his mission; on the other hand, Sathya Sai has told, "Don't talk about me until you know yourself"... leaving those who would speak about Sathya Sai in uncertain waters. "What to do?" Narasimhamurthy gives most clear directions to young people in addressing this topic:Should we not take the initiative to talk to others about Swami and His teachings so that they will be benefitted?Thus is the wisdom that Narasimhamurthy shares with young people. Simple, clear, couched in language that may be easily understood, replete with practical examples to emulate.
You should definitely cultivate a missionary zeal to propagate the message of Swami for the welfare of the world. But you should not force yourself on others; instead, speak only to those who want to know about Swami and to those who have an inclination to know about such subjects. For example, when you address a public meeting that is organised for the propagation of Swami's teachings, only people who are interested in the topic will gather there. You should put in sincere efforts and prepare properly to make your talk effective. Of course, you will be most effective when you are inspired from within.
When it comes to talking with individuals, you should not speak about Swami and His teachings to everyone you come across without knowing their interests and inclinations. When someone expresses an interest in learning baout Swami and His teachings, you should not hesitate to speak to them. But you should not enter into a heated argument with anyone. There is no harm in trying to convince a person who has an open mind on the topic. It is not advisable to talk to people who have already come to an unfavourable conclusion about the divinity of Swami. If someone tells you, "Come on, I will prove that your Sai Baba is not divine!" you need not even try to convince him. You may say politely, "Dear friend, leave me alone. That is my faith."
A walkthough of the chapter headings in from this book indicates the range and scope of these concerned young spiritual seekers:
- The path of Spirituality
- Spirituality, the wonderful journey
- The Science of Mind-Control
- Avatar—the Descent of God
- The World and I
- S A I - Swami And I
- Divine Teachings
- The Yoga of Devotion
- The Yoga of Action
- The Yoga of Meditation
- Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation and I
- Youngsters Corner
- Science and Spirituality
- Indian Culture and Spirituality
- The Journey Ahead
- Glossary
Obtain from the Ashram Bookshop or Online Order. Link