Debate
Classics
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| With God, there is always a third option which is completely different from the available two options. |
There
are some debate topics that are considered timeless because they seem
to rage on in the hearts and minds of people with no apparent
solution at hand. Like the famous question on whether the hen came
first or the egg, such debate topics have no provable answer. That is
the reason why they are picked for debates - because they showcase
the debating skills of the participants without actually concluding
anything. I remember one such debate in my college days on whether
the means justify the ends or whether the ends justify the means.
After an hour of grueling and intense debate, the moderator walked up
to the lectern and said,
"The
debate appears to have come to an end today as the allotted 1 hour is
up. However, in reality, the debate has not ended. It has just begun
in the minds of all that have assembled here and that should rage on
till we find answers for ourselves."
I
must confess that living with my Master,
Bhagawan
Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and experiencing His divinity, I have got my
answers to several such debates which rage in the inner recesses of
one's being. The question
of means v/s ends has been amicably resolved with the experience
of Mr.Pushkaraj Gumaste. Another debate that raged on within me till
recent times was the timeless classic on whether one is governed by
destiny or by one's efforts. The destiny v/s freewill debate has been
battled out in many bustling classrooms, on daises and stages of
different levels and even on television shows. However, while
everyone has a point of view and fiercely argues for it, even to this
day not many can claim clarity on the subject. Nobody is convincing
enough for us to accept completely, without reservations.
Would
it raise eyebrows if I were to claim that this debate too has been
resolved in a beautiful manner for me by my Swami? The answer arrives
via the experience of Prof.Raghunath.N.Safaya in the early 1980s with
1983 being the most probable year of happening. It was narrated to me
by one of the first students of the revered professor, Sunam Gyamtso.
Sunam's account gave me a very unique answer for this question of
freewill v/s destiny and, more importantly, filled my heart with a
lot of cheer. Without further ado, let me spread and share that same
cheer to all the readers.
A
very different teacher in the class
That
eventful day in the spring of 1983 is unforgettable for Sunam. He was
sitting along with his classmates, awaiting the beginning of the
Philosophy class. The lecture was to be delivered by Prof. Raghunath
Safaya. He was a stickler for time and was never late for class.
Today, however, seemed to be a rare exception. He walked into the
class after a good five minutes of the bell being rung. And even as
he walked in, he seemed to be quivering and quaking. The students
looked at each other. They knew that something was amiss. Did they
spot a few tears behind those thickset glasses that the professor
wore? Was there a faint quiver in his voice when he wished the whole
class 'Good Morning' and 'Sairam'?
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| Prof.Raghunath Safaya in a group photograph with Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and other teachers in the foyer of the college building. He is seated to the extreme right of Bhagawan. To his left is Gangadhar Shastry. To Swami's left is Kirti Ravel (Hindi) and to his left is CLN Murthy. To extreme left of Swami is Kuppuswamy beside whom Sandeep Shastri is kneeling. |
A
brief history of the revered professor is in order here. Prof.Safaya
was well-versed in his subjects and was a master in philosophy and
history. His hometown was Chandigarh in North India and he had
traversed hundreds of miles to serve as a teacher in the Sri Sathya
Sai Institute of Higher Learning. Previously, he worked at the
Teachers' Training Institute at Chandigarh. His greatest passion,
hobby and love in life were astrology and palmistry. That was
something that he had inherited from his ancestors, all of whom had
been respected for their knowledge of the way in which the planets
and stars in the skies along with the lines on one's palm influence
one's life.
And
so, Prof.Safaya was the owner of a set of heavy books on astrology
and palmistry which had arrived into his hands like an heirloom. He
often fascinated his students with his knowledge of these sciences
which seemed to be far greater than his knowledge of history and
philosophy too. In fact, his faith and confidence in these sciences
was also far greater than his faith in Swami.
According
to him, Swami was a very wonderful and evolved human being who was
spreading goodness in society - nothing more, nothing less. That was
what had attracted him to Him and he tried to imbibe as much goodness
from Him as he could. Swami, on His part, seemed very happy with the
professor's efforts. He appreciated them and Prof.Safaya often got
interviews.
Sunam
and his classmates knew that today was another such day when the
professor had received an interview with Swami. But never before had
they seen him in such a state of overwhelming emotion. What had
transpired today?
A
ruler of lines falls in line with the rules of the ruler
Prof.
Safaya himself narrated the powerful happenings of the morning. Swami
had called him in for an interview. He entered the interview room and
for the first few minutes, the interview went along the lines of the
previous interviews. Swami asked him how things were going, how the
students were and so on. Then, out of the blue, Swami told him,
"You
seem to have great faith in the predictive sciences of your
forefathers. That overpowers even your faith in God's strength! Do
you believe that commensurate to your surrender, I will take care of
everything for you?"
The
professor was taken aback. The question was direct and almost in his
face. However, it was not easy for him to instantly transform his
reverence for Swami into implicit faith. He had heard about the power
and grace of God, but wasn't it this very Swami who had gifted him
with an emerald ring to wear? Emerald was his lucky stone and green,
his lucky color. Having adhered to such talismans of luck Himself,
how could Swami ask him to give up all that he had learnt as
ancestral wisdom? Little did Prof.Safaya realize then that with God
by his side, even
misfortune could become a good-luck talisman - that is the
capacity of Divine power.
Swami
continued to taunt,
"Professor,
your sciences can only predict. Can they help you intervene if
something is unfavourable?"
Prof.
Safaya knew this to be the truth. Though astrology and palmistry
suggested some remedial measures for impending 'disasters', he knew
that none of these remedies were foolproof.
Swami
now did something that he had never imagined. Calling him closer, He
held both his hands. Slowly, Swami brushed His palms over the
professor's upturned palms. Then He told him,
"Tell
me, what does life hold for you?"
The
professor looked down at his palms. Having seen them every day of his
life, he actually had no need to do that. He knew the contours on his
palm by heart. The lines were etched in his memory stronger than they
were on his palm. It was only out of respect for Swami that he looked
at his palms. He was in for a shock.
Amid
tears, the professor told his philosophy class students,
"When
I looked, I did not find a single line on my palms. They had been
wiped clean - no trace of even the faintest etch!"
The
power of surrender
As
the class listened with bated breath, the professor continued his
narrative. Swami stood smiling in front of him, apparently enjoying
the professor's discomfiture and shock. Prof. Safaya just broke down
and Swami lovingly patted him.
"Don't
worry about anything. Once you surrender to me, I shall take care of
everything."
The
professor fell to his knees and touched Swami's feet. What he had
thought as impossible had actually happened - his reverence for Swami
had transformed into implicit faith in a moment!
"Yes
Swami! Yes Swami! I believe that commensurate to our surrender, you
take care. Complete surrender means a life completely taken care of!"
Swami
smiled at him again and touched his palms again. The lines were all
back again - to the last detail! The professor was overwhelmed at the
presence of this Master who could wipe out and re-draw the lines on
his palm at will.
"You
have nothing to worry when I am shouldering your lives. Just
surrender, that is enough."
The
interview was complete after that. Swami opened the door and let the
professor out. It was time for his class in the Institute and Swami
knew that he was a stickler for time. However, the dialogue on
surrender had been so powerful that the professor decided to
temporarily suspend his punctuality.
Instead
of walking to the Institute, he walked straight to his room. He
gathered his precious heirloom - all the thick books on astrology and
palmistry. He bundled them all up in a big cloth and carried the
bundle out of the room. He walked to the large ground-level well that
was located behind the planetarium beside the Institute building.
Without further thought, he just dumped all the books into the well.
Then, wiping his tears, he walked to the waiting class.
Destiny
or Freewill
"Dear
students", he told them, "trust me, the science of
astrology and palmistry are nothing compared to Swami's grace and
power. I feel so redeemed today."
As
I heard Sunam recounting the greatest philosophy lesson of the
professor, I got my answer to the destiny and freewill debate. So, is
it destiny of self-effort finally? My answer is - Who cares? I know
for sure that Swami's grace is more powerful than my destiny, more
effective than my efforts. And so, when presented with the choices, I
go for the third option. As martial artist David
Carradine says,
"There's
always a third way, and it's not
a
combination of the other two ways.
It's a
different
way."
And
that way, for me is surrender. Swami has also given an
elegant, practical way to practice surrender.
If I can just follow that, it will be enough. The debate will cease
and it will not matter to me whether it is destiny or my effort that
is affecting me because I will have something far more powerful
taking care of me. That is the way I shall go about in life now. And
now, Swami's quote on destiny and self-effort gains greater meaning
for me
"What
you meet in life is destiny. How you meet it is self-effort."
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