May 2k5.pmd - Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publication Trust

AVATAR VANIbeasts can be taught certain skills to performwonderful feats imitating human beings.Man, in fact, has a special status in the entirecreation. But he does not try to realise histrue nature. It does no credit to a humanbeing to derive satisfaction from studyingscriptures and talking about them. Real meritlies in practising the ideals of humanness inone’s life and setting an example to others.Man has no authority to teach ideals toothers without putting them into practicehimself first. In fact, he is gifted with humanbirth to be an ideal in the entire creation.There is immense divine power in man.He is not simply a Dehadhari (one withbody). He is endowed with Vijnana (wisdom),Prajnana (constant integrated awareness)and Sujnana (discrimination). He shouldchannelise these powers in the rightdirection. First and foremost, one has tounderstand the true meaning of Jnana.Some people think that knowledge acquiredby reading numerous books is Jnana. No,this is not correct. Real Jnana is theknowledge that emerges from within oneself.This should be experienced, put into practiceand then shared with others. In the ultimateanalysis, this would enable one to be greatlybenefited and enlightened. One can becalled a human only when one has humanquality. One should therefore understand thereal meaning of the term, human quality first.Human quality emerges from one’s own Self.It cannot be acquired by reading books,listening to others or talking about it.Acquire Practical KnowledgeEmbodiments of Love!You have come all the way fromKerala to acquire Jnana. You shouldalso know the real meaning of the termsPrajnana, Vijnana, Sujnana. Mere textualknowledge without practical knowledgebecomes ‘allergy’. On the other hand, whenbookish knowledge is transformed intopractical knowledge, it becomes ‘energy’.Practical knowledge is the real knowledge.One has to acquire practical knowledge bywhich one can gain experience. Thisexperience can be shared with others. Suchpractical knowledge and experience givestrength to a person. However, this strengthshould not to be considered as mere physicalstrength.Just as there is electrical energy in a livewire, similarly, there is latent energy in thehuman body which manifests in differentways. It can be harnessed for differentpurposes like reading, writing, walking,talking, etc. It has, however, no form.Nevertheless, it travels throughout the bodyof a human being from head to toe. Bytapping this energy, an Ajnani (ignorantperson) can become Jnani (one of wisdom).Energy is most important for all theprogress and advancement of man. It canbe acquired only by practice.Embodiments of Love!All that we teach to others must besupported by practice. Everything isreaction, reflection and resound of one’s owninner being. Every word we utter is theresound of the inner being. Reflection is thatwhich is contemplated upon, experiencedand put into practice. Reaction is, however,very important. Reaction comes outof action. Hence our actions mustalways be pure and sacred. Reaction,May 2005 136