If I were to leave the comforts of my home and family and go over to a remote village and stay for over 85 years, would I?
If I were to forget my name, let go of my connections, distance myself from my companions and go over to some distance land to start afresh, would I?
If I were to forego all my luxury and comforts, give up the enormous riches and food, let go of every single comfort that I have at my disposal and had to live amidst the absolutely poor and downtrodden, in their single room house, would I?
If I were to reduce my stature, shrink my personality, exchange my form for that which is prone to disease, disability and difficulties, would I?
If I were to move around only by walk and vehicles, having once been able to travel anywhere and at anytime, would I?
If I were to restrict myself, contain myself, limit myself having once been infinite, limitless, bound less, would I?
If I were to face disease and disabilities, having once been beyond any such trouble whatsoever, would I?
Why go so far. Unless forced to due to circumstances such as natural disaster or financial crisis, reducing our lifestyle seems almost impossible. We easily add and expand the comforts of our living. But any downsizing even by a few pairs of clothes, a vehicle, few rupees, a few few habits, a few devices, smaller living space….each of these seem almost impossible and suffocating to us. Why ?
My Master has asked us to lead lifes filled with compassion and sacrifice.
But unfortunately we have reduced the word sacrifice to weekly narayana seva, monthly medical camp, annual donations and so on.
Sacrifice is not occassions acts. It should be the very way of living.
My Master – in descending into a human form has made the ultimate and supreme sacrifice for each of us, entire humanity.
He chose willinging to be born in the most arid village in Anantapur district, scorching heat, arduous effort to get drinking water, no healthcare, no access to any nearby bigger town or city. He chose to be born in a very tiny single room house. He lived the most minimum lifestyle with just two pairs of clothes, little or no variation in his daily food. He used his powers to cure the entire village of disease outbreaks. He used his powers to cure and heal people of even deadly diseases like cancer. Yet not once, not even once did He use these to cure his own physcial body however challenging the trouble. This is sacrifice. Compassion and Sacrifice is not occassional acts of charity. It is the very way of life.
We have to, I have to look closely at myself.
In how many situations am I just knowing of help needed by someone and staying quiet?
In how many situations am I aware of the challenges somebody facing and simply telling myself as to what could be done?
In how many instances am I just avoiding getting into the effort of spending time to help somebody because I am worried of my schedule?
In how many instances am I just ignoring requests or not paying attention to them out of fear, concern or worry about having to let go of my resources (time, effort and monetary resources)?
In how many occassions am I just looking past the situation and saying that ‘it is their Karma’, ‘It is Gods will’, and so on and so forth?
My Master has made it very clear ample number of times – Sacrifice and sacrifice alone can lead us to everlasting peace and immortality. Sacrifice alone can win his heart. Not Prayer. Not Bhajan. Not Service. Not Satsang. Compassion and sacrifice alone.
There has to be sacrifice in our Bhajans. Letting go of our limitations. There has to be sacrifice in our prayer. Not praying for ourselves. There has to be sacrifice in our service. Serving not based on our conveniences but need of the person being served. There has to be sacrifice in satsang. Shedding all our evil tendencies and rising beyond our limited lives.
He made the ultimate and supreme sacrifice for me. for you and for all.
Cant we, Cant I then? If not now, then when?
Compassion and Sacrifice are not occassional acts of charity. It is verily the way of life.
संस्कृतम् 
In every Avathar God willed to be in lockdown (restricting himself) to teach and guide all of us.
Well written. Every article you write has some different angle and revealing.
May be another article or thought could be….
Just a few months of lockdown we feel miserable with no freedom, then what about the Atma locked down by the whims of mind
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Very thoughtful. As long as we are attached to dehabhimanam, I think it is very difficult to think and reach to that level of definition what Swami explained.
But our Loving Swami has given very practical approach for every thing. He said “Do every act as an act of worship to glorify the Lord. This is Sacrifice.
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