Chapter 8 - A Deeper Understanding - a podcast by Sai Babas Devotee Speaks

Chapter 8 is the chapter that I would like to dedicate to Hemadpant. We can see why he was chosen by Baba for this exercise. It is no accident when a Master chooses a devotee for a certain task. And in this chapter, Hemadpant displays his deep understanding of spiritual matters.

For example, he says that while in such a transient human body, the time spent in listening to the stories of the saints, by remembering whom, merit is acquired, is the time well spent. The rest of the time is wasted. This is a very important point, and I have come across this many times. You see, because when we listen to stories of saints, what is happening is we are automatically in their company. Our consciousness is now consumed by the stories of the saints - the way they live, the way they act, the words they speak. So, that becomes the content of our consciousness. And that is why, what Hemadpant says really hits the bull's-eye. This is one example.

He also says something on the lines of: no matter how destructible and transient the human body is, yet it is the only instrument of attaining God. Why? Why does Hemadpant say this? Because the human being is the only species that is aware of being aware - "I am aware that I am aware." The animals, the plants, and so on, are functioning on autopilot. The self-awareness, which the human being has, is a great gift. And, this awareness is what leads the human being to self-realisation. So, another very important pointer given by Hemadpant.

Once again, Hemadpant says: Knowing fully well that the body, house, wife and children, and the people around him, are all destructible and having borne the biers of the parents on his shoulder to the grave, a man yet does not awaken to the truth.

Another beautiful pointer from Hemadpant that we take it for granted that we somehow won't die. We act as if there is a tomorrow, we make all plans, we project into the future as if we are going to live forever. Whereas, our experience has been that everything is destructible and transient - our relationships, our jobs, whatever you call it, everything is transient. So again, Hemadpant is imploring us to wake up.

And finally, I would like to share with you Hemadpant's message of non-duality. He says, realisation of non-duality is the supreme knowledge. It is what the Upanishads call Brahma Jnana, and the worship and service to the Lord is also the same. He who has gained this knowledge of non-duality, and worships in this spirit, will find it easy to overcome Maya.

So, friends, as many of you must have been following my podcasts, you would be aware that they are all on the subject of Advaita (non-duality), and the sheer fact that this is echoed in the Sai Satcharita itself by Hemadpant (the emphasis on non-dual knowledge, on the pure self) shows that with this Teaching, not only can we understand Baba's ways and methods of working, but we can even live this Teaching. It can be a lived experience in daily living. And that is what has been endeavoured in the sharing that has been happening between us over the last few months. And so, this commentary, although, of course, all are connected with Baba, but I would like to take a pause and thank and offer my Pranams to Hemadpant for being the vehicle through which the Satcharita came into being.

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