"Why Do You Bluff Like That?"
Also on the same day, the 28th of October, all the boys were expected to report
to the college. Because the college started on the 29th, they needed to report
by the 28th.
So Swami called the warden of the Bangalore Campus, "Hey Warden, have all the
boys come? Have all the boys reported to you?"
"Yes, Swami. All came. All 300."
"Hey, why do you bluff like that? Three boys have not come. Three boys have
not come, I know. Why do you bluff like that?"
Then the warden started shivering. "Sorry Swami. Sorry Swami, three have not
come."
"Why?"
Before the warden answered, Swami said, "Ah, one boy had a fracture so he
didn't come. Another boy is suffering from jaundice, so he did not come. And
another boy got delayed on the way because the buses and trains were canceled
due to a strike in Karnataka. Because there was some water dispute, all
transport was suspended, so the boy could not get here. You said all the boys
have reported. No, no, no. Three have not yet come."
We were all really wonderstruck when Bhagavan said that.
NOVEMBER 4th, 2002
My Words and My Actions Are Not Understood By Many People
And now I move on to what Bhagavan said on the 4th of November. What did He
say?
He said this as if He were helpless: "My actions and My words are not
understood by many people. You don't understand My actions. You don't know the
meaning of what I say. Some people are even mistaken. They feel so badly
because I use some words that make them feel hurt. They don't understand. That
makes Me very much worried. I don't tell you the meaning of My actions; I never
explain the inner significance of My actions. I feel so badly because you don't
understand the spirit behind it. Whatever I say, whatever I do is in your best
interest. I'm not selfish."
What made Swami make that statement when I was there? (Laughter) Then I started
introspecting. On the 4th, Swami was very harsh to me. Wow! He blasted me like
anything. Ta-ta-ta, abba -- I felt so badly, very much hurt.
And in the afternoon He said, "Some people don't understand My words.
(Laughter) Some people don't understand My actions. They don't know that
whatever I say is only in their best interest."
Not some people, He meant me, nobody else. 'While Swami can directly tell me,
why this indirect way?' So, that's what I felt.
NOVEMBER 3rd, 2002
Bhagavan, the Doctor of Doctors
And this happened on the 3rd of November - what did He say?
Bhagavan just came out and stood there in front of us and said, "Look here,
Anil Kumar. Do you know what happened yesterday in our hospital?"
"Swami, what happened?"
"An eleven-year-old boy was operated on for his heart problem. The operation
was successful, but later some complications started. His abdomen was swollen,
and he could not eat by himself. He was suffering terrific pain in the abdomen,
and complications. The doctors were very much worried.
They came to Swami and said, "The heart operation was successful, but later
there have been complications. What shall we do?"
Bhagavan materialized vibhutthi for that boy, and the doctor applied the
vibhutthi. "Everything became normal and that night the boy ate a normal
dinner." That's what Swami said.
In this context, I want to bring to your attention a very important point. That
Dr. Alreza, the Superintendent of the General Hospital, meets with Swami every
day.
Dr. Alreza says, "Swami, so-and-so is to be operated on. So-and-so is to be
treated. So-and-so is to be admitted. We want prasadam."
And Swami gives prasadam to everybody.
And sometimes He says, "Don't operate; give this medicine." Or, "Treat this. It
is not influenza; it is pneumonia."
I am the witness to such things. Bhagavan Baba, the Doctor of doctors, not
only diagnoses the diseases, but He gives the prescriptions too. That's what
happened on the 3rd of November.
OCTOBER 29th, 2002
Veda Chanting
And then, I should also let you know what Bhagavan said on the 29th of October.
All the boys were sitting in the front rows. It was a very pleasant evening.
The weather was fine, very cool.
Bhagavan said, "The weather and the climate are like Kodaikanal. You'll enjoy
the whole of Puttaparthi and Prashanthi Nilayam as if it is air-conditioned."
(Laughter)
And then some boys said, "Swami, we want to recite Vedam."
Baba said, "Ah, wait."
Then I said, "Swami, Veda chanting is auspicious. If they chant Veda it will be
auspicious for everybody. All devotees will be very happy to hear the Veda
chanting. Please permit it."
"Mmm, come on then. This man is recommending it. (Laughter) All right, you can
do it."
And they started Veda chanting - reciting Veda. Then, at the end of the line of
boys, I saw young children - little kids - they too started chanting Veda. I
saw their lip movement.
Then I said, "Swami, I think the children are also joining the Veda chanting."
"What? The children know it much better than the big boys!"
He asked the older boys to stop and called those children.
"Come, sit. Come on, chant Veda."
They started chanting Veda better than the big boys, I tell you.
Then Swami said, "See? Can you chant like that? Can you recite Veda?"
I said, "Swami, I was not a student of Your Institution. How do You expect me
to chant Veda? No. For the simple reason they studied here, they have learned
it. For the same reason -- I have not studied here -- so I don't know Veda
chanting."
"Oh ho! Manchidi knack (meaning, good trick)! Instead of saying, 'I
don't know,' you say that you are not a student of the school, eh? Good. All
our boys and girls, all children, including grown-up boys and Ph.D. students
from all the three campuses -- Brindavan, Prashanthi and Anantapur -- they all
know Veda. They all know how to chant Veda."
Then I said, "Swami, Your Institutions are the very symbols of Vedic culture,
ancient traditions -- the very metaphor of Veda. So I'm not surprised."
On the same day of October 29th Baba said, "In Veda chanting, there are two
portions. One part is Namakam. The second part is Chamakam."
Namakam and Chamakam were the two parts in Veda chanting on that day.
Swami started explaining, "Namakam, the first part means, 'I don't want
anything.' Nama -- Na means 'no', while ma means 'want'. 'I don't want
anything.' 'I don't want anything' is the first half. While the second half,
Chamakam means 'I want.' 'I want' indicates being full of desires. What do they
desire? 'Oh God, grant us pure air; grant us good drinking water; bless us with
good food.' That is Chamakam - prayers of request."
Well, you must have understood by now that I am an extrovert. I cannot keep
anything to myself. I immediately ask, take Divine risks, and face spiritual
dangers and threats. (Laughter) But, I can't help it. I am born with this
openness. What to do?
Then I asked, "Swami, while we say, 'I don't want anything, Namakam,' why
should we also say, 'I want everything, Chamakam'? Why both these types of
prayers? Either we should pray, 'I want it,' or pray, 'I don't want it.' What
is the point of saying both?"
Baba immediately replied, "Both are there in Veda so that those people who
have desires will recite Chamakam and those people who have no desires will
recite Namakam. That's all. The Vedas give provisions for both these types of
people, for both categories of people."
Further Bhagavan also said, "Look here, those ancient sages did penance for a
long time and they said, 'Vedaha Vedam Purusham Mahantam Aditya Vurnam Thamasah
Parasthath.' This is a quotation from Veda. The sages said, 'Vedaha Vedam
Purusham Mahantam.' 'We have seen God.' Saints said, 'We have seen God.'
'Purusham Mahantam.' 'Purusha is God. We have seen this Purusha.' 'Vedah Vedam,
Purusham Mahantam.' 'We have seen God.' Where? 'Thamasah Parastat.' 'Beyond
darkness.' 'Beyond darkness, we have seen God.' "
What does this mean? Beyond the darkness of ignorance, there is
Effulgence, or the Light of Divinity.
Then Bhagavan said, "And saints declared that God is everywhere, inside and
also outside. 'Anthar Bahirscha Thathsarvam'. 'Antha' means 'inside'.
'Bahirscha' means 'outside'. 'Thathsarvam' means 'Divinity is present
everywhere'. 'Vyapya' means 'spread'. 'Narayana Sthitha' means 'God is
installed everywhere, inside and outside.'" That's what Bhagavan said,
explaining Veda that day.
