AS IF THE BODY HAD NEVER BEEN BORN | IWGR II

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ON VEDANTA | IWGR II | RAMA राम

|| < : AS IF THE BODY HAD NEVER BEEN BORN : >

Let the body become as if it never existed .

One of liberation , a free person , is one who lives in Divinity , in GODhead , in such a way that the body was never born .

Rama has many times heard the expression

" I wish I was never born " .

Dean Swift used to read this passage from Job ,

" Let the day perish in which I was born " .

Rama says , friend , this is not the way to make the day in which you were born perish .

Let the body , the desires perish , and live in GOD-Consciousness to such a degree that for you there is no day on which you were born , as if there was never anybody , as if the body had never been born .

Just as when you enter the deep sleep state , all the experiences of the wakeful state disappear ; they are forgotten .

Rise to the GOD-Consciousness to such a degree that for you your past relations may become a complete blank .

This is the way you have to make the kernel detach itself from the shell , then you conquer death .

Realization means setting to this new tune all your old songs . The old songs will remain the same , but you must set all of them to an entirely new tune .

You must look at the world from an entirely new standpoint . You cannot mix the two standpoints .

It cannot be that you can look at certain phenomena from a worldly standpoint and regard other circumstances or phenomena from the new standpoint .

Let your standpoint be entirely changed , look at everything as GOD , as Divinity .

Your relation to the world should become the relation of GOD to the world ; an entire change .

This will be illustrated by some stories .

At one time there came a person to a meeting where we all had GOD-Consciousness , and on entering , began to cry and weep and beat the breast ; nobody attended .

The person was grieving over the death of Rama's child , and this child was related to this person .

Well , nobody attended , and the person sat down , and then was asked quietly , calmly , plainly , to hush anxiety , and be consoled ; and the person said there was no bearing the death of this relation ( the child of Rama ) .

None of the audience could weep or cry or show any signs of disturbance , for there was the state of GOD-Consciousness ; there was that state where everything in the world was looked at from the standpoint of GOD ; there was that condition where the old songs were set to the new music of Divinity .

The words or remarks which escaped the lips at that time were as follows :

" O sibling , the fact that you are a relative , is of the same sort as somebody coming and saying ' O , the wind is blowing ' ; but ,

O sibling , what if the wind does blow , what is unnatural about it to upset us ? or

O sibling , the river is flowing ; what if the river flows , it is natural , why should it upset us ; the river flows , that is natural ; there is nothing abnormal or extraordinary about these statements .

Similarly , when you come and say that Rama's child is dead , there is nothing extraordinary about it , it is most natural ; everyone who is born is born to die .

When you enter the University , do you enter to stay but a short time or to make it your home all the time ; do you get examined and remain there all your life as a freshperson or sophomore ? When you enter the freshperson class , it is intended that you should leave that class one day and go on to the sophomore class etc .

When you enter a staircase , it is understood that you are not to remain there always , but will leave the staircase after a short time .

When you reincarnate , is it not understood that you must leave that reincarnation or past life ?

Similarly when you enter this body , it is understood that you will leave this body .

So if that child whom you call Rama's child is dead , it is quite natural , there is nothing remarkable or curious about it .

It is not strange , it should not upset you , it is like saying that you had your nails pared today .

If the child is dead , all right , there is nothing unnatural about it . "

This is the way to look at your worldly relations and thus keep yourself free ; look from the stand­point of Reality , making Rama the true Self , Divinity , your home , and look at all your acquaintances , connections , and relations from that vantage ground .

Just as from the Lick Observatory people make observations of worldly phenomena , so from the Lick Observatory of your Atman through the telescope of Divine Wisdom look at this world and you will see the Divinity you are , the GOD of gods , the Light of lights , the Truth . The same am I .

Not the body , not the mind , not this little , false , craving ego , but Divinity I am . Feel , O ! feel that ! Realize it . Realize that you are GOD . This is the one thing needful .

What care Rama or what care you or what care anybody if this body is in a dingy hut .

Keep this GOD-Consciousness , and wherever you are that place is converted into heaven .

What need you care if this body of yours is tortured ; let GOD-Consciousness be with you and all the treasures of the world are yours , all the treasures of the Universe are yours .

Have only this and throw away everything else .

Once there came a person and said to Rama ,

" A great heir is coming to pay respects to you " .

Now here is an important point . Rama is about to talk on a critical point , where people usually feel these flattering , puffing remarks of friends . Well , the person said ,

" Here is a very wealthy person coming to pay respects to you " .

There was Rama looking at everything from the standpoint of Divinity , and these words escaped the lips of Rama :

" What is that to Rama ? "

The person said , " The heir is going to purchase such magnificent , beautiful , costly things to bring to you " .

Rama said , " What is that to me ? What is an heir to me ? Let me have Reality only . Trifles and frivolities , these unreal phenomena , have no interest for me ; my Truth , my Divinity , my Joy , my Atman is enough to keep me busy .

These vain talks , these frivolous , worldly things do not concern me .

This heir or these wealthy people come to the body of Rama , and if Rama becomes interested in these bodies , Rama would become a veritable interrogation point .

But when the point of view is changed and when the old songs have been set to new music , when the observation is taken from the highest standpoint , then what interest can a Lord or Mayor , or an Emperor excite in me ? None whatever . "

So let the standpoint be changed .

When newspapers have no attraction for you , when they cease to interest you , then that day you have risen above the body , and have come nearer to GOD .

This gives you one way of applying this Truth in your practice .

When that crucifixion is attained , then the True Life in you will manifest itself in ways like that .

These stories are told not that you may simply imitate them . No , no .

Feel the Divinity within you , feel GOD that you are . Feel that and rise above all temptation , fear , and anxiety .