Is the right to happiness a human right?¹

Is the right to happiness a human right? First of all we have to know what happiness is. Happiness is something that feeds our heart, inspires our mind, energises our vital and illumines our body.

When the heart is happy it embraces the whole world. When the mind is happy it accepts the world as its very own. When the vital is happy it offers its very existence to the world. And when the body is happy it serves the world the way the world wants to be served.

AUM

Our happiness-moon smiles sweetly, charmingly and soulfully when our hope-kite flies in the skies of Divinity’s heights. Our happiness-sun shines bright when our dream-boat touches the Reality shore.

Possession gives birth to human happiness. Renunciation gives birth to divine happiness. Acceptance of God's Will in God’s own way gives birth to supremely divine happiness.

AUM

In the domain of lifeless hope, happiness is theoretical and fruitless. In the sea of selfless love, happiness is practical and fruitful. In the domain of teeming fear, happiness bitterly cries. In the sea of brooding doubt, happiness instantly dies.

AUM

An aspiring man spreads happiness wherever he goes. An unaspiring man strangles happiness wherever he roams.

The life of happiness is aspiration.
The soul of happiness is realisation.
The goal of happiness is perfection.

Is the right to happiness a human right? Without the least possible hesitation I venture to answer this question in the affirmative. Each man has a soul. Each man has a goal. His soul silently tells him that his perennial Source is all happiness. His goal lovingly tells him that in his constant God-manifestation is his own happiness.

AUM

Happiness is in God.
Happiness is of God.
Happiness is for God.

A life of dedication knows that happiness is in God. A life of transformation knows that happiness is of God. A life of liberation knows that happiness is for God.

God’s invention is happiness. Man’s discovery is happiness.

God’s possession is happiness. Man’s achievement is happiness.

Man has every right to achieve God’s possession, for that is what God precisely wants man to do. Man has every right to discover God’s invention, for that is what God precisely wants man to grow into.

What is God’s supreme possession? Peace. What is God’s supreme invention? Love.

A peace-loving man is a quarter God. A peace-achieved man is a half God. And a peace-revealing and peace-spreading man is a full God.

A peace-loving man is the serving God. A peace-achieved man is the glowing God. A peace-revealing and peace-spreading man is the fulfilling God in earth-bound time.

God’s supreme invention is love. He who consciously loves God radiates the highest divinity. He who soulfully loves God manifests the inmost divinity. He who unconditionally loves God lives in the ever-radiating, ever-manifesting and ever-transcending divinity of the beyond.

A human God-lover achieves God’s constant happiness. A divine God-lover embodies God the happiness. A human God-lover still has a sense of separativity, so he achieves God's happiness according to his capacity and according to his receptivity. But a divine God-lover, on the strength of his inseparable and constant oneness with God, embodies God, the infinite happiness.

AUM

The Upanishads "The Gayatri Mantra"²

Om bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tát savitúr váreṇyaṃ
bhárgo devásya dhīmahi
dhíyo yó naḥ prachodáyāt

We meditate on the adorable glory of the effulgent sun, the Creator. May He illumine and guide our mind and intellect.

The Gayatri Mantra is the most hallowed mantra of the Vedas. It is the mother of all the mantras. Mantra means incantation. A mantra can be a one-syllable word or a few words, a sentence or a few sentences. The Gayatri Mantra can offer to the sincere seeker the light of the Infinite, the delight of the Eternal and the life of the Immortal.

The Gayatri Mantra has four feet. The first foot consists of the earth, sky and heaven. The second foot consists of the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda. The third foot consists of Prana, Apana and Vyana. The fourth foot consists of the Sun, solar Being.

A seeker of the infinite Truth must meditate on the Gayatri Mantra. The result that he will get is incalculable.

Bhumi — earth, Antariksa — sky and Dyas — heaven make up the first foot of the Gayatri. Whoever realises the significance of the first foot wins everything that is in those three worlds.

Rcah, Yajumsi, Samani, make up the second foot of the Gayatri. Whoever realises the second foot of the Gayatri wins the knowledge-sea of the three Vedas.

Prana, Apana, Vyana, the three forms of the vital force, make up the third foot of the Gayatri. The knower of this foot wins all living creatures that exist in the universe.

Turiyam, the quaternary, the Solar Being transcendental that alone shines, is the fourth foot. He who realises this fourth foot shines with infinite magnificence.

Subtle is the path of Moksha — Liberation. Hard is the path of liberation. Long is the path of liberation. But a genuine seeker can and does reach the end solely by meditating on the Gayatri. When one is freed from the fetters of ignorance, one grows into the supernal glory of the Transcendental Self. Liberation can be achieved, must be achieved, while the seeker’s soul is in the body. To fail to realise God on earth is to swim in the sea of ignorance with two more swimmers: ignorant birth and shameless death. Liberation attained, the bonds of grief, destroyed. If not, like the Buddha we have to proclaim, “This fleeting world is the abode of sorrow.”

The teeming desire-night that has occupied the heart of the seeker must needs be driven out by glowing aspiration-light. This done, the seeker attains to Brahman. An Immortal he becomes. The Light Eternal is his new name. Today the seeker feels that the Gayatri is his mind's inspiration. Tomorrow he will feel that the Gayatri is his heart’s aspiration. The day after tomorrow he will feel that the Gayatri is his soul’s realisation. With inspiration a seeker sees the Truth. With aspiration a seeker realises the Truth. With realisation a seeker becomes the Truth. Inspiration is might. Aspiration is light. Realisation is life. Inspiration runs. Aspiration flies. Realisation dives. Inspiration is the Smile of God. Aspiration is the Cry of God. Realisation is the Love of God.

The Gayatri is eternal knowledge divine. When this knowledge dawns on the seeker’s aspiring heart, he does not seek for anything, either on earth or in heaven. He reveals what he achieves. He manifests what he reveals.

In the Vedas there are two most significant words: Satyam and Ritam. Satyam is Truth in its pure existence. Ritam is Truth in its dynamic movement. There is another word called Brihat — Vastness in Form. What we call creation is the manifestation of the Unmanifest — Asat. According to our scripture, the manifestation took place with the Anahata Dhani — the soundless sound — Aum.

The Gayatri is dedicated to Savita, the Creator. The root of the word Savita is su, to create or to loose forth. This mantra is known also as Savitri Mantra, for Savitri is the shakti of Savita. This mantra was envisioned by Vishvamrita, the great Rishi. Savita is regarded as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma, the Creator, with Brahmani as his Shakti; Vishnu, the Preserver, with his Shakti, Vaishnavi; and Rudra or Shiva, the Destroyer, with his Shakti Rudrani; regularly visit the Brahman.

Garuda, the Eagle, is the vehicle-bird of Vishnu.
The Swan is the vehicle-bird of Brahma.
The Bull is the vehicle-beast of Siva.

The Gayatri is the divine magnetic needle. The magnetic needle points to the north; hence the ship does not lose its direction. The Gayatri always points to the transcendental height of the Supreme; hence the seeker does not miss his Goal: Existence, Consciousness, Bliss.

IV. Somewhere

1. Somewhere to go — God’s Home

2. Somewhere to start — heart

3. Somewhere to stop — nowhere

4. Somewhere God can be seen first — True, but where? In the crying heart

5. Somewhere God can be seen next — True, but where? In the searching mind

6. Somewhere God can be seen later on — True, but where? In the dynamic vital

7. Somewhere God can be seen last — True, but where? In the fully awakened body

8. Somewhere the world can see God’s Beauty — True, but where? In the Silence of nature

9. Somewhere the world can see God’s Power — True, but where? In the heart of man’s self-giving

l0. Somewhere the world can see God’s Light — True, but where? In the life of man’s unconditional surrender

11. Somewhere God’s Bliss can be seen — True, but where? In the home of the seeker’s inner cry

12. Somewhere God’s Peace can be seen — True, but where? In the illumining vastness of the mind

13. Somewhere God’s Justice exists — but it is fathomable

14. Somewhere God’s forgiveness exists — but it is unfathomable

15. Somewhere I am invited to sing — Ah, it is in the light of freedom

16. Somewhere I am not invited to sing — Ah, it is in the night of ignorance

17. Somewhere I saw the face of doubt — but my Lord now asks me to forget all about it

18. Somewhere I saw the face of depression — but my Lord commands me to silence my stupid curiosity

19. Somewhere I saw the face of failure — my Lord categorically tells me that I am totally wrong, I am totally mistaken, it was just an experience, His experience in and through me

20. Somewhere I lost myself — Ah, it was in the train of desire

21. Somewhere I found myself — Ah, it is in the plane of aspiration

22. Somewhere I drank nectar — but certainly not in the home of naked falsehood. I certainly prefer to drink nectar in the illumined Palace of the highest Truth

23. Somewhere divine realisation can play — If so, where? It is in the heart of self-offering

24. Somewhere the divine revelation can sing — If so, where? It is in the world of one’s totally transformed life

25. Somewhere divine manifestation can dance — If so, where? It is in the life-breath of a totally devoted, totally transformed and totally surrendered seeker

26. Somewhere to go to see the divine Light — the heart's pure love knows the exact place

27. Somewhere to go to see the divine Peace — the mind's complete silence knows the exact place

28. Somewhere to go to see the divine Power — the supremely transformed vital knows the place

29. Somewhere to go to see the divine Bliss — the immortal soul of the Transcendental Divinity knows the place

30. Somewhere — where? Over there — Lo, your forgotten Self, over there

31. Somewhere God must be seen — In the glowing Eye of a Yogi

32. Somewhere God must be felt — In the illumining Heart of a Yogi

33. Somewhere God must be realised — In the beckoning Soul of a Yogi

34. Somewhere the body is great — Yes, it is in the surrendering sleep of the body

35. Somewhere the vital is great — Yes, it is in the building capacity of the vital

36. Somewhere the mind is great — Yes, it is in the illumining necessity of the mind for the vastness itself

37. Somewhere the heart is great — Yes, it is in the heart’s inseparable oneness with God’s Love

38. Somewhere the soul is great — Yes, the soul is great inside its own dream in heaven and inside its own promise on earth and inside its own acceptance of God’s Will as its very own

39. Somewhere there is rest — Yes, it is in the dynamism of divine activity

40. Somewhere there is God’s Nest — Yes, it is in the pure smile of an innocent child

41. Somewhere there should be some beauty — Beauty is in self-giving

42. Somewhere there should be some purity — Purity is in constant remembrance of God

43. Somewhere there should be some humility — Humility is in serving God in humanity in God’s own way

44. Somewhere there is no God — God is not in our self-destruction

45. Somewhere there is only God — In self-dedication there is only God and nobody else

46. Somewhere God surrenders to man’s will — In the heart of man’s constant gratitude God surrenders to the will of man

47. Somewhere man-made wars will end — Man-made wars will undoubtedly end in the kingdom of man’s fully awakened, completed and realised manhood

48. Somewhere, somewhere, I shall see the perfect marriage between earth’s hope and heaven’s love. My Lord tells me that the marriage will take place in the Palace of His compassionate Concern

49. Somewhere, somewhere, somewhere, man will be Immortality’s pride — My Lord tells me that man will be Immortality’s pride when he discovers the supreme secret that God’s Compassion reigns supreme all-where

How sweet and tempting is sugar cane

It was the time of Kali Puja, the festival of Mother Kali. A certain family was performing the Kali Puja festival. There were many sacrifices offered. Among them the most important was the sacrifice of a live goat. Someone would hold the legs of the animal tightly while the head was placed at the other end of the scaffold. In order for the sacrifice to be successful, the priest had to perform the sacrifice with one stroke of the sharp scimitar. If the priest failed in the first stroke it was said that the devil’s doings would befall on the family that was performing the festival.

Afterwards it was customary that fruits also be sacrificed to the Mother Kali. These fruits, in order to make the sacrifice successful, must also be cut in half by the priest with only one stroke of the scimitar. Then the priest flings the fruit out to the audience — the lucky ones catching it.

Soon came the time for the sugar cane sacrifice. The sugar cane was placed on the scaffold that held the goat and the fruits. The top portion of the sugar cane has a few leaves and is not edible, but the main body of the sugar cane plant is most delicious.

A young boy of about seven noticed that some of his friends who had been standing near the top portion of the sugar cane had quietly moved around the back of the audience to the other side so that they could now stand near the other end of the altar. They knew that the body of the sugar cane would be flung in their direction.

The priest had grasped the scimitar in both hands and swung it back above his head, even extending his hands behind his head in order to get better leverage for the final thrust of the scimitar necessary to perform the job successfully. Just as the priest was beginning to swing, the boy of seven jumped over the scaffold. In the nick of time the priest halted his reflex and returned the scimitar back.

What a panic from the whole audience! The boy had had a hair’s breadth escape from a great calamity! Had it been otherwise, he would now have been in the "other world”. Fortunately, the Divine in the priest had immediately endowed him with the life-saving skill.

The father of the boy, approaching him in a calm and quiet manner, embraced his son with both arms. There was not a trace of worry or anxiety in his face, but there was tranquil joy streaming forth.

The father approached the priest and taking him aside in a corner said, "You have saved my son’s life. Whatever you want I shall immediately give you — money, property, or anything else I have. I shall give you here and now.”

The priest, still trembling from the experience, cried out to the father: “Reward! What reward? I have saved my mentor’s dearest son! What greater joy can there be on earth than to save my deeply esteemed mentor’s youngest son!"

His mother in the eyes of a lion

A boy of ten went to visit his maternal uncle who lived in the country. There was a chain of mountains nearby — about two and a half miles away. The boy was extremely fond of roaming in these mountains.

It was about two o’clock one afternoon. The boy’s friends were all in school, so he decided to go for a walk alone on one of the mountains. He had been to that mountain many times accompanied by his friends and relatives. This time, being alone, he got more joy from his adventure, so he roamed further and further until he was in the thick of the mountain, which was covered with a dense forest. Formerly, when he had gone with his friends and relatives they had wandered only through the outskirts, as these were most accessible.

The boy was very fond of a certain kind of fruit called Jujub. There were many Jujub trees in the forest, so he climbed one of them and ate to his fill. When he climbed down, — lo and behold facing him, only ten feet away, was a mountain lion! He and the lion were face to face.

The immediate reaction of the boy, even to this day, remains indeterminate. The lion, far from showing a ferocious look, was all mildness. Furthermore, the boy saw his own mother’s face reflected in the lion’s eyes, although his mother was in his home village, six miles away.

This scene lasted for several minutes. Seeing his mother in the eyes of the lion, the boy felt no fear and raised no cry. He was calm and serene. The more he looked into the lion’s eyes, the greater was the affectionate feeling he was receiving from the lion.

Very slowly, after about five minutes, the boy started to move away, turning his back to the lion and walking toward his destination. After covering a reasonable distance — perhaps a quarter of a mile - at a slow and cautious gait, he turned back to see if the lion was following him. There was no sign of the animal. Then the boy took to his heels and ran for dear life.

He covered a mile in a short time — crying and shouting for help with, “Save me! Save me! I saw a lion!” When he finally came to his aunt’s house he was trembling and screaming. His aunt felt as though he had died and had come back to life by some miracle. Some of the villagers showed sympathy, others scolded, others mocked. She was holding him as though he had been killed by the lion.

Although it had been decided that the boy would go back home after spending four days at his uncle’s home, his mother arrived quite unexpectedly that day. While she was having her siesta, she had seen in a dream that her youngest son was attacked and killed by a lion. She came with her servant to her brother’s home, practically insane with grief, assuming that her son had died.

The poor boy was practically bathed in a sea of tears shed by mother and aunt in their joy at seeing him alive and safe.

Never the same again

Never the same again
Lost peace restored
Never the same again.

Never the same again
Lost joy regained
Never the same again.

Never the same again
Lost power reborn
Never the same again.

To-morrow's story not the same

In vain I seek, in vain I sought
To capture the flight of a fleeting thought.
In vain I seek, in vain I sought.

In vain I played, in vain I play
In the dun abyss of Ignorance-clay.
In vain I played, in vain I play.

But To-morrow’s story not the same;
All my thoughts shall wed the Eternal Game.
But To-morrow’s story not the same.

But To-morrow's story not the same.
Ignorance conquered, I shall tame.
But To-morrow's story not the same.

3.

Today You have given me the message of surrender.
I have offered to You my very flower-heart.
In the dark night with tears,
In the unknown prison-cell of illusion,
In the house of the finite,
No longer shall I abide.
I know You are mine.
I have known this Mother,
O Queen of the Eternal.

4.

My dream will be fulfilled
In the great festival of my surrender’s consecration-fire.
Your Smile, Your Flute,
Your Banner, Your Consciousness-Light,
In my world, shall dance;
I know, I know.

5.

In secrecy supreme I see You live
In my eyes, in my sleep, in my dreams, in my sweet wakefulness.
In the stupendous mirth of life,
In the abysmal lap of death You I behold.
Your love-play is my world.

6.

You are beautiful, O Being Absolute,
I am your slave.
In your Victory is my Victory,
My endless rapture.

My heart has suffered infinite pangs to know you.
Therefore I hurl the arrows of my sulk-venom at your Heart.
Freed from errors, thought abolished,
No desire have I now,
O Beauty Transcendental,
I am the slave of your Nectar-Compassion.