Truth cleanses the mind. Speaking truth is inner purity. All that is spoken by the mouth should be true.
From the book Liberation Here Itself Right Now Part I
SHALL I BECOME ANDAL?
21 December 1996
Vasantha : Swami! Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu. Let all people be happy. Let Your grace be showered everywhere. Let a spiritual revolution blossom.
Swami: Saalokya, Saameepya, Saarupya, Saayuja - all these kinds of liberation can be attained here itself. How will you know paradise after death? How can you have the experience? That is why it is said that it should be experienced in the body in this birth on earth. One can feel, experience and enjoy the four kinds of liberation right now. Every soul can attain this, if he or she tries. Your life shows only this. If one has perseverance, sincerity, deep faith and ceaseless thoughts of God, he can attain it. Your sadhana is the greatest, nobody can reach that height.
Vasantha: I must attain one more thing with my sadhana Swami.
Swami What is that?
Vasantha Like Andal and Vallalar, I should become one with You along with this body Swami. When they could achieve this with their sadhana, why not me?
Swami Andal, means ruler! You have ruled Me! You sing the following line often, "I am fortunate that I have Sai's Empire of Love." That has become true today. The entire love of the Sai Empire has become your possession
Vasantha : Will it be possible to attain my goal Swami? This body should not remain in the world.
Swami: From a young age you are marching towards this goal. How many tears? How much sacrifice? How many austerities? How many different sadhanas you have done!
Vasantha : One of the Alwars has given the following description about one's suffering during death,
'My last moments....
All will surround me.
Expecting my death,
Oh Lord! Then,
Will the thought of You come to me?
Will I remember You?
Will I chant Your name?
All those who stand around the dying person, wait for the departure of the soul from the body. We do not know if the mind will be clear to remember the Lord. The throat maybe choked not able to chant His name. What sort of death is this? All die. Why should I not overcome death?
As the intellect is shining bright.
As the mind is merged in Your form,
As the lips are chanting Your name in bliss,
Like the blossoming of a flower,
I should merge with You. (Vs)
I want to attain this state. This is my goal from a young age. Make me as a garland that adorns Your neck.
Swami : Your life is an example to the world.
Vasantha : Swami! In the same way, I want my death to be an example to the world. O Lord! Death...! Not even a shadow of suffering should be found in my death! Like Andal, make me merge with You blissfully along with the physical body.
Swami : Andal and Vallalar did not desire an end like this. Their devotion gave them such an end; nobody has demanded such a death from such a young age like you. There is none like you. When the world trembles at the very word death, you alone ask for a particular death and are immersed in the same thought. Your Prema power gave this courage to you. This power has taken the form of determination called courage. So, you contemplated on death without fear and secured the promise from the Lord to go beyond it. Who else has received such a promise like this? Every birth ends in death, the next birth is according to how one dies. Therefore, death plays an important part in life. It is death that decides where and how one shall be reborn. Therefore, one should contemplate over death and should live life based on this thought and direct all effort towards this thought alone. You have done great sadhana towards this.
Vasantha :Swami I do not experience the state of bliss like Paramahamsa. It means that my devotion is not enough, I have not attained the higher states.
Swami : You are always in the state of bliss. You are continuously crying in thoughts of God; this is a state of bliss. There were many perfected devotees around Sri Ramakrishna. In these times it is difficult to have such people around you. Such dedicated people are very few.
Whenever you read about the elevated states of the devotees you become desperate to have the same experience. This is the true search for grace - spiritual thirst. You are wanting to do all kinds of sadhana; such a state of mind is very rare.
Will I remember You?
Will I chant Your name?
All those who stand around the dying person, wait for the departure of the soul from the body. We do not know if the mind will be clear to remember the Lord. The throat maybe choked not able to chant His name. What sort of death is this? All die. Why should I not overcome death?
As the intellect is shining bright.
As the mind is merged in Your form,
As the lips are chanting Your name in bliss,
Like the blossoming of a flower,
I should merge with You. (Vs)
I want to attain this state. This is my goal from a young age. Make me as a garland that adorns Your neck.
Swami : Your life is an example to the world.
Vasantha : Swami! In the same way, I want my death to be an example to the world. O Lord! Death...! Not even a shadow of suffering should be found in my death! Like Andal, make me merge with You blissfully along with the physical body.
Swami : Andal and Vallalar did not desire an end like this. Their devotion gave them such an end; nobody has demanded such a death from such a young age like you. There is none like you. When the world trembles at the very word death, you alone ask for a particular death and are immersed in the same thought. Your Prema power gave this courage to you. This power has taken the form of determination called courage. So, you contemplated on death without fear and secured the promise from the Lord to go beyond it. Who else has received such a promise like this? Every birth ends in death, the next birth is according to how one dies. Therefore, death plays an important part in life. It is death that decides where and how one shall be reborn. Therefore, one should contemplate over death and should live life based on this thought and direct all effort towards this thought alone. You have done great sadhana towards this.
Vasantha :Swami I do not experience the state of bliss like Paramahamsa. It means that my devotion is not enough, I have not attained the higher states.
Swami : You are always in the state of bliss. You are continuously crying in thoughts of God; this is a state of bliss. There were many perfected devotees around Sri Ramakrishna. In these times it is difficult to have such people around you. Such dedicated people are very few.
Whenever you read about the elevated states of the devotees you become desperate to have the same experience. This is the true search for grace - spiritual thirst. You are wanting to do all kinds of sadhana; such a state of mind is very rare.