Real Name of God Is “Love”
3 x OMs
“So Ham” Meditation to Calm the Mind | In the Voice of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
‘God is love. Love is the form of God.’ These words echo through time, resonating with the eternal truth. Just as God showers His love on the entire world, man too should share his love with one and all. True love knows no boundaries—it gives without expecting in return. The secret to man’s happiness lies in discernment. We must lead lives dedicated to dharma, embracing love as the guiding force. For in love, we find unity, oneness, and the very essence of Divinity.
In this study circle, let us explore and learn to embrace this truth and live it, for love is the eternal thread that binds us all.
Discussion
- How can we find peace while coexisting with Adharma?
- How can we align personal and professional Dharma while interacting with society?
- How can we achieve unity and oneness despite our individual differences?
- How can we cultivate pure and unsullied love for others?
Swami’s Quote
GOD is love. Love is the form of God. The Bhagavad Gita declares: “Mamaivamso Jeevaloke Jeevabhuta Sanathana – the eternal ‘Atma’ in all beings is a part of the Divine. Just as God, the embodiment of love, showers His love on the entire world, man too should share his love with one and all.
But the man conditions and limits love by associating it with worldly relations and wastes his life. He uses the sacred word love to describe the relationship between mother and child, wife and husband, brothers, friends and relatives, etc. Prior to birth, who is mother and who is child? Similarly, prior to marriage, who is husband and who is wife?
The relationship that exists between mother and child, wife and husband, brothers, sisters, friends, relatives, etc., has physical body as its basis. This physical relationship cannot be called love in the true sense of the term. There is no giving and receiving in true love. Many modern devotees pray, “O God, if you fulfil my desires, I will offer you ten coconuts “. They offer their filthy hair and pray for mighty favors. Can this be called devotion? No, not at all. A true devotee is one who only gives and does not expect anything in return. Surrender is the true sign of devotion.
Human life is a combination of physical and spiritual aspects, which are related, respectively, to the head and the heart. But man follows the head and has only the physical world in view, thereby forgetting the spiritual aspect. The dualities of righteousness and unrighteousness, truth and falsehood, merit and sin, heat and cold, etc., co-exist in this creation of God.
People want adharma (unrighteousness) to be eradicated completely from this world. They want only dharma to exist, but it is not possible. In this world, dharma cannot exist without adharma and vice versa. … Man should use his power of discrimination and lead a life dedicated to dharma. There lies the secret of man’s happiness.
Discussion Topic
If it is not possible to remove Adharma, What is the way one can still live in peace and happiness? In other words, how can we coexist with adharmic people and still achieve peace of mind and Happiness?
Follow Your Dharma – Swami’s Quote
Man’s dharma is different from the dharma of animals. But man is unable to differentiate between the two. Man’s dharma is to adhere to the principles of truth, non-violence and compassion. Man can never attain peace and security so long as he does not give up bestial qualities. Food, sleep, fear and procreation are common for men and animals. Then, what is man’s dharma?
To think that you are a human being constitutes only half of the total truth. The other part of the truth lies in understanding that you are not an animal. Do not stop at this stage. Enquire further as to which sex you belong to and which stage of life you are in, whether you are a ‘Brahmachari’, ‘Grihastha’, ‘Vanaprastha’ or ‘Sanyasin’ (celibate, householder, or recluse renunciant).
Follow the appropriate dharma according to the stage of your life. When you are a celibate, you should not follow the dharma of a householder. There will be decline in morals giving rise to troubles and turmoil when man fails to adhere to the dharma appropriate to his stage of life. Man, today, is unable to understand the principle of dharma corresponding to each of the four stages of life.
The code of conduct is different for different stages of life. Never be under the mistaken notion that dharma is the same for all people irrespective of their stage of life. The cause of adharma today is that man is trying to follow dharma that is not appropriate to his age or stage of life. Each should strictly adhere to the dharma corresponding to his or her age and stage of life.
Discussion Topic
The stage in your life determines the Dharma you should follow. Swami’s teaching certainly guides us on how to lead our life.
The question is how to expand this principle in our professional life and interacting with Society at large on daily basis? In other words, how do we follow the Dharma appropriate to oneself both in personal life and interacting with the society as a whole? Is there any conflict between the two?
All Belong to The Race of Humanity – Swami’s Quote
Today people do not understand the significance of different faiths and different modes of worship that are prevalent in Bharat. They feel it is the existence of different castes, communities and religions that is responsible for all the violence, unrest and conflicts in this country. Absence of inner purity is responsible for all this.
It is the mind of man which is responsible for conflicts and disturbances, no differences in religions and communities. It is a grave mistake to attribute unrest and disturbances in a country to the existence of different religions. For thousands of years, people in India have lived in unity and fraternity in spite of the existence of various religions and communities. Religions are many, but goal is one, Jewels are many, but gold is one, Stars are many, but sky is one.
Different religions have come into existence to lead man to Divinity, not to create conflicts and disturbances. There is nothing wrong with any religion. Mistake lies in ‘mathi’ (mind), not in ‘matha’ (religion). If mind is good, how can one find fault with religion? All people belong to one ‘jathi’ (race), i.e., ‘manava jathi’ (human race). You should understand the meaning of ‘jathi’. It is based on form.
Discussion Topic
Yes. Every individual in the society is distinctly different in their thoughts, words, and actions. With so many differences and diversity in humans, how can one feel and practice Unity and Oneness thereby reaching Divinity?
Human Race Is One, But Human Beings Are Different – Swami’s Quote
For example, all flowers belong to the same ‘jathi’, but you cannot get mangoes when you sow a neem seed. No doubt, all trees belong to the same ‘jathi’, but the tastes of their fruits vary. You should try to understand the underlying principle of unity of each ‘jathi’. Human race is one, but human beings are different.
It is utter foolishness to think of annihilating the ‘jathi’ as a whole. It may be possible to kill a few individuals, but it is not possible to annihilate the entire human race. Human race is true and eternal. It is highly sacred. It is a sign of ignorance to give room for differences and conflicts without understanding the unity of the human race. You have to recognize the divinity in man as the basis of human unity. The ancient culture of Bharat lays great emphasis on understanding this unity in diversity. This is possible only through love.
Discussion Topic
We understand love is the basis for realize Unity and Oneness. But, how one can develop such pure and unsullied Love to your fellow beings? What are fundamental principles of such Love?
Love Is Your True Form – Swami’s Quote
The state of non-dualism is contained in the principle of love alone. But man, being carried away by body attachment and physical relationship, fragments his love in various ways. This cannot be called love in the true sense of the term.
As Swami repeatedly stresses on the need to cultivate love, some people may wonder as to what is the form of love. The answer is: Prem Easwar Hai, Easwar Prem Hai (Love is God, God is Love). Love is the fundamental basis of everything. Atma, Brahma, ‘hridaya’, ‘uniki’ (the existence) are synonyms of love. Love is ‘atma’. Love is Brahma. Everything is suffused with love. Then how can everyone describe the form of love? The same principle of love exists in one and all. Once you understand this principle of unity, there will be no scope for hatred.
Today, conflicts are on the rise because unity is forgotten. “Ekatma Sarva-bhutantaratma” (bodies are different, but the same ‘atma’ dwells in all). Advaitam Brahma (Brahma is non-dual). Brahma means vastness. It indicates unity and not multiplicity. So, give up body attachment and strengthen faith in the spirit of oneness. It is only the body attachment that is responsible for evil qualities like anger, jealousy, greed, etc. Prayer born out of selfishness is no prayer at all. You should see the ‘atma’ everywhere and think that you are in the company of God always.
Confidence Is the Basis of Love – Swami’s Quote
You love your mother because you have the confidence that she is your mother. So, confidence is the basis of love. Where there is confidence, there is love, Where there is love, there is peace, Where there is peace, there is truth, Where there is truth, there is bliss, Where there is bliss, there is God. Peace, truth and bliss are not elsewhere. They are in you. You are the embodiment of peace, truth and bliss. It is foolish to search for peace and bliss in the external world. Nothing exists separate from you. Every- thing is the reflection of the inner being. Try to visualize your reflection in everybody just as you see your reflection in a mirror. In order to propagate this Truth, Lord Krishna declared in the Bhagavadgita: “All are a part of My Being”. I and you are not separate.
Universal Love Blossoms Out of Forbearance – Swami’s Quote
The quality of ‘Kshama’ (forbearance) is the most essential for one and all. Forgive those who have harmed you and criticized you. Have faith that whatever happens is for your own good. If someone hurls abuses on you, do not retaliate. Enquire within yourself whether he has criticized the body or the ‘atma’.
If he has criticized the body, indirectly he has done a favor to you because body is nothing but a heap of flesh, blood, bones and faecal matter. On the other hand, if he has criticized the ‘atma’, it amounts to criticizing his own self because the same ‘atma’ exists in both of you. One should cultivate this kind of forgiveness and broad-mindedness.
Consider All That You See as The Form Of God – Swami’s Quote
It is said, “Janthunam Narajanma Durlabham” (birth as human being is the rarest of all beings). So, sanctify your life by making proper use of your senses. Do not talk as you please. Talk softly and sweetly. Have proper control over your vision. You all know what happened to ‘Keechaka’ when he looked at ‘Droupadi’ with evil intentions. Bhima smashed his head into pieces.
That is why Buddha exhorted mankind to cultivate samyak drishti (sacred vision). Buddha attained enlightenment only after he cultivated sacred vision. Consider all that you see as the form of God. Think what is good, see what is good, hear what is good, talk what is good and do what is good. Only then can you attain divinity.
Love is the Basis of Purity, Unity, and Divinity – Swami’s Quote
Through love alone can you annihilate the mind and through love alone can you get cured of any disease. Only love can eradicate the evil qualities in you. So, love all. Love the ‘hridaya’, not the physical body. Love the divinity that is installed in your heart. Body, mind, intellect and senses are merely instruments, you are the master. So, master the mind and be a mastermind.
Never become a slave of your mind. Contemplate on the divine day in and day out. You may chant any name, contemplate on any form; but understand the truth that God is one and only one.
Jai Sai Ram!