Buddha said, 'This world is false. This world is filled with miseries'. ('Lokam Soonyamayam. Lokam Ksheenamayam') And you must remember that he knew the contrast much better; his journey from Siddhartha who revelled in worldly pleasures to Gautama Buddha, the Enlightened One; a single visit out of his palace revealed to him that age, disease and the resulting peevishness are a result of man's ignorance.

The king Yayati married Sage Sukracharya's daughter. And he also involved himself with that lady's maid. Sukracharya, infuriated by his son-in-law's immorality, cursed him to turn old. The king begged for mercy, and the sage told him that the curse could not be revoked, but the king could request the princes to exchange his old age for youth. The king thus obtained fresh leases of life from his sons. After several years of revelling in worldly pleasures, Yayati realized that the only way to get out of his desires was to drop them.

Desires do not vanish on their own accord. You must take the effort to free yourself from desires. It is you who are attached to the world, not the other way around. 'Atradhu patrenil utradhu Veedu'. When you become aware that the world is transient, you will seek the Only Eternal Being, God. When you reach that state, you will learn the three ways of protecting your mind from disturbances as elucidated by Arunagirinatha, 'O Mind! Here are the three ways of safeguarding yourself from the onslaught of desires.

1. Give without hoarding (Karavaadu iduvai).

Do charity in some way, may be sharing your knowledge, serving others, anything you can. The fragrance of a flower remains in the hands of the one who has held it, even after it is discarded. You will find joy in giving, regardless of whether the recipient has felt the happiness or not.

Koti Mahaan, who was in a position to give anything to the seeker, used this simple way to liberate persons from their ignorance: if someone told him, 'You are God; only you can free us from our miseries', the saint would smilingly take whatever money the person had with him, or confiscate the person's watch. Kotiswami had no need for any of these worldly trivialities. This was his way of impressing upon you, your dishonesty. And if persons tried to outwit the saint by leaving their possessions in the gate and then deliver the same dialogue to Koti Mahaan, the saint would flash an innocent smile, and pick up their possessions from wherever they had left them.

I am narrating you this to make you understand how dishonest persons are, with themselves. The world is very illusory.

2. Contemplate, always, on the Lotus Feet of the Lord. (Vadivel iru Thaal ninaivai ninaivai)

Whatever you do, have your thoughts focussed on the Lord, in any form you like, be it Perumal or Siva or Muruga. Have the Lord in your thoughts always. Sip coffee assuming that the Lord is sipping it from within you. When you bathe, imagine that you are performing abhishekam to the Lord. Dress well, knowing that you are adorning the Lord. When you eat, consider it as neivedyam to the Lord. Seek God within.

3. Know that the Lord is the doer, you are His chosen instrument. (Viduvai, Viduvai, vinai yaavayume)

When you perform charity, it is possible that at one stage, you become conceited. To avoid this, remind yourself that you are the custodian of God's money; it does not belong to you. God has entrusted you with His wealth, so that you may perform more charity and therefore accumulate virtues on your way. '

When you diligently work on these three factors, what does God do? Arunagirinathar says, 'I must neither remember you, nor forget you. [It is only when you forget that you have to remind yourself of His Presence.] So, Muruga, place your Lotus Feet in the lotus of my heart' ('Karudha marava neri kaana Un Iruthaal Vanajam thara enrisaivaaye!')

'Thiniyana manovilai meedhu adiyaar aravindham arumbuvatho!' Footprints are visible only on soft earth but will they be visible on a cemented surface? Only if your heart is mellowed, will the Lord's Footprints be visible on it. How will God present Himself on hard surface? Azhwar sings, 'O Narasingha! Let my heart mellow with constant thoughts of you' ('Aadi Aadi agankuzhaindhu manam naadi naadi Narasingha ena')

Arunagirinatha states that the reason for his Kandar Anubhuti verses are, 'so that my stone-hard heart may mellow' ('Nenjakkanakallum negizhndhu uruga'). Why should the stone-surface mellow? Only when the surface is soft will the Lord's Footprints be visible.

When you contemplate on all these factors and try to do good in the best way possible, you will know that since there is no way to discard this physical form that has been ordained by the Lord, it is better to start seeking the Lord within. And when you start looking within, you will start imbibing divine qualities. You start becoming divine. Till then you are 'half man, half beast' (Baba smilingly hums the lines 'Manithan paadhi, Mirugam paadhi' from Alavandhan movie). When you start doing good, you are in the process of becoming divine. And when you comprehend that you are God, you will never stoop down in life. 'Thannaiariya thanakkoru thaazhvillai'

Why must you know yourself? So that you understand that you are not this physical form that you assume yourself to be; you are an aspect of the Divine. And then you will accept the bouquets and brickbats handed down to you, with equanimity, because you know that it is the God within you who is receiving them. If someone garlands you, he or she is garlanding the Lord within you. If someone ridicules you, he or she is ridiculing the Lord within you.

Surrender everything that happens to you, to the Lord within. This is the state of self-realization. When you attain this state, there is nothing you have to do. Arunagirinathar sings, 'Grant me that I may understand that You and I are one' ('Nee veru enaadhirukkum naan veru enaadhirukkum bhavatheetham arulvaaye'). Then you will be in constant bliss. And to reach this state, you must overcome the barriers of worldly attachments. When you try to cross this hurdle, God Himself will guide you. Till you attempt to free yourself from these worldly fetters, God will be a silent spectator.

There is only one difference between an Agnaani (ignorant person) and a Meignaani (realized person). An agnaani's soul watches in silent amusement, the person fooling himself with the bodily illusions of this world. When someone realizes that this physical form and the world it is attached to, are false, then this physical form starts enjoying the bliss of the Supreme Soul within. (Sarierathin seshtaigalai Atma rasithukkondiruppadhu Agnaniyin udal. Atmavin samatkaarathai, adhan prabavathai sarieram vedikkai paarthukkondirukkum Gnaniyin udalil.)

Siva Shankar Baba is happy always, in a constant state of ecstasy, because he has become a Gnaani by God's Grace. I can bring forth any Divine Aspect from within me, because the physical form is able to visualize that aspect of Divinity as the soul guides. I am seeing with my physical eyes, everything that goes on at the soul level. I am able to visualize Muruga dancing on His Golden Peacock.

If you want this to happen to you, overcome your attachment to your physical form during your lifetime. Learn to see the Light within. Familiarize yourself with the sound vibrations within you and you will attain that bliss. ('Natravathor ullinrundhu ongum Namachivayaathai kandaal unakku andha anandham kidaikkum'). Then nothing in the world can affect you. No one can disturb your poise. You have comprehended God's presence within you. And He will start performing for you. You can extend this to help anyone who seeks your help. That is how it happens to me. I have realized God within, and so He attends to every task of mine. He knows what is needed for me.

You have come to me, because of your faith in my Divinity. I tell God within me, 'These persons have come to me with faith. Please take care of them'. If prayers are powerful enough to ignite the power from within an idol, how much more powerful a human form can be! Pamban swamigal vows, 'Ennai kaividinum ennai nambinaaraikkaividel' He means to say, 'even if you let me down, do not let down those who have come with the faith that I am You'. This is the thinking pattern and living philosophy of a Gnaani. It is possible for you too to attain this state. You only need to set out on your quest for Truth, then results start happening. That is what Jesus means by saying, 'Ask and you shall receive. Knock and the doors shall open. Seek and you shall attain'. Unfortunately, persons are asking for or seeking worldly trinkets.

It is difficult for you to believe me when I say you are seated on water. But dig the ground and you will find water at some depth underground; continue digging, you will hit oil, and if you dig deeper you may strike gold. If your search is true, you will truly find what you are searching for. If your search is for Truth, you will attain Truth. (Theduvadhu Unmaiyenil Unmayil Adhu kidaikkum).

To strike gold, you will have to dig deep. You know that Pillaiyar (Vinayaka) is one form that can be moulded into any substance, be it clay or turmeric or gold. I have dug deep within me, and I have become a gold Pillaiyar. Let us assume you are not able to put in as much effort as I did. Dig till you hit clay at least. I will then be able to mould a clay Pillaiyar of you. And you will be worshipped on Vinayaka Chathurthi day!

It does not really matter if you are not yet able to become a gold Pillaiyar. If you nurture the drive to become at least a clay Pillaiyar, you will become a Pillaiyar. And you know that Pillaiyar is the principal deity; all prayers are directed to Him first. So it will be worth your while.

This is what spirituality is all about. But you must initiate that thought.