Chapter from "Sanathana Sarthi – Bhagavan 70th Birthday Commemoration Volume", Nov. 1995
Sri Sathya Sai Philosophy On Spirituality And Soldiering
Lieut. Gen. Dr. M.L. Chibber, AVSM, PVSM - India
Dr. M.L.Chibber is recipient of Padmabhushan award, Jawaharlal Fellow, Member of the Academic Council of Board of studies of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning.
He is the author of the book entitled Sai Baba's Mahavakya on Leadership.
There is a popular belief that spirituality and soldiering are poles apart. However a deeper inquiry tells us that there is an intimate and close connection between the two. Little wonder that Swami often addresses his devotees as warriors. It is fascinating how He explains this fundamental linkage and guides us to win the battle of transforming ourselves. Let me share some of my experiences and perceptions with the reader.
The Sai University runs a two years MBA Programme which has a unique feature. It is the only post graduate programme in the world which has a mandatory full credit course on leadership. Swami got this course included for the MBA students from the very inception of the programme leadership of MBA. The purpose is quite obvious. It is good leaders who bring about major changes. When Swami decided to write the Foreword as well as the Afterword for the book titled "Sai Baba's Mahavakya on Leadership" it became quite clear as to what he expects from leaders. It is good leaders at family, institutional, community, national and international levels, who will implement the great mission for which Swami has incarnated. This mission, as is well known, is to implement transform mankind and move it to the new age. He has articulated the blue print for the new age in the following categorical words:
There is only one nation, the nation of humanity; There is only one religion, the religion of love; There is only one language, the language of heart; There is only one God and he is omnipresent"
The University has a highly dedicated faculty who are committed to make the MBA programme the very best in the world. To enrich the leadership course there was a suggestion in 1991 that we may show the commercial film titled '12' 0 Clock High' to the students. This movie has been screened for decades in the USA and UK as a case study for leadership training programmes with considerable benefit. It depicts an American Air Force leader during World War II who is ineffective and another one who is sent to replace him and who revives a totally demoralised outfit.
As is the normal practice, the film was previewed by the faculty. All of us were impressed by the message in the film but a doubt arose during our discussion. Would showing a war movie be compatible with the basic human value of non-violence taught by Swami? We discussed the problem at length but were unable to reach a consensus. When we face a ticklish problems of this nature, there is a standard solution for resolving it! Seek Swami's guidance. All of us were unanimous about this way out but the question arose as to who should undertake this task. We discussed the options and eventually it was decided that I should take it on because, as a colleague observed " it is your idea to show the film so it is logical that you get Swami's ruling".
I was happy to undertake the assignment. I realised that it would enable me to get Swami's guidance on many related issues that I often face. For example I am frequently questioned by Sai Brothers and Sisters, at times with palpable severity, when I interact with them in various parts of the world - "How come you have taken to spirituality after being in the Army for forty years"? or "Have you killed a human being in battle"?
That very afternoon I carried the film cassette and sat in the verandah to a wait an opportunity to attract Swami's attention to it. I did not have to wait for long to experience one of the most unusual demonstrations of Swami's omniscience.
As soon as Swami came to the verandah after the evening darshan he came straight to me, smiled and looked at the cassette I was carrying. He then ordered me with his eyes to join the group waiting to go into the interview room. My wife also joined us from the ladies side.
After we had settled down in the interview room, Swami looked at me and enquired "what is the problem". I explained the dilemma we were facing about showing the war movie to the MBA students. He listened patiently and then solved the vexed question in one simple sentence and a gesture. "Where is the problem" he said and then moving his hand round his chest he added " There is a war going on inside us all the time". It was a clear cut green signal to show the film but the best was yet to come. Swami had carefully set the stage for indirectly exhibiting his omniscience.
In the group he had selected that evening, was an old devotee. He had, obviously, been giving letters to Swami complaining how his son had turned wayward and praying for Swami's help. Swami talked to him for a while and then started chastising him " you let him do all he wanted to do. No control, no discipline. and now you want my help. What can I do ... you give too much love and do not correct mistakes. I also love. But when someone makes a mistake I rap him on the knuckles". He demonstrated the process by giving a sharp tap with the index and middle fingers of his right hand on the back of his left hand. I sat there with an open mouth. Swami had summed up the main lesson of the whole film in just a few sentences!
Swami's comments gave me a deeper understanding of the correlation between spirituality and soldiering. A few words here about non-violence would not be out of place. Swami has explained the real meaning of non-violence in the following words:
"You commit violence when you think evil. You commit violence when you see evil.
You commit violence when you hear evil. You commit violence when you speak evil.
You commit violence when you do evil."
It means that we practice non-violence when we desist from thinking, seeing, hearing, speaking and doing evil and instead concentrate on what is good. We then act upon Swami's edict of "help ever, hurt never".
When it comes to the art of war which is a soldier's profession, there is a very close link between spirituality and soldiering. It was not by accident that Swami, as Krishna, gave the seminal message of Gita to mankind on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. It was not revealed in the sedate surrounding of an Ashram. When it comes to war -whether it is the war constantly going on inside us or with an external foe - our duty of dharma) is to fight the battle to win a victory.
The biggest single factor that adversely affects the performance of a soldier in a battle is the fear of death. Consequently a number of Psychological techniques have been evolved by all cultures round the world to outcome of our delusion that 'I am this body' and our attachment to it.
Swami once explained that the pep talk which he delivered to Arjun when the two armies were lined up to start the battle was short and crisp. It lasted barely a few minutes and Vyasa later paraphrased the exhortation into the great book titled Gita. The essence of Swami's admonishment of Arjun contains the eternal truth which makes a soldier fearless. The gist of the most crucial segment of this advice in Swami's own words was:
"Arjuna, keep your mind steadily focused on Me, for I am your very Self, the Atma. With your mind immersed in me, discharge all your duties .... you are the in dweller the dehi and not the body the deha. You are resident of the house and not the house. So were never born and you will never die; nor will you kill anyone. You are the Atma. You are all evasive. Verily, you are God. Your very self is God and God is your self... because of the grief arising from your attachment to relatives and friends you are getting drowned in ignorance.
Arise! Awake! Stop not until the goal is reached”.
“Remember that the cosmos is changing constantly. The minutes that have passed cannot be ever retrieved. So the past is not ours any, more; the present slips our grasp; the future is unknown! The world is a caravan inn where man can rest a while during his pilgrimage to his source - the divine. It is a bridge wide and strongly built; but no one can build a house thereon for his permanent residence.”
– Sathya Sai Baba
