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158 SPIRIT AND THE MIND
hear the Lord sing on his Murali. While listening to the Murali, she gave up her life. From that day, Krishna gave up his Murali which had been with him always during his younger days.
It is necessary for us to recognize the close connection, which exists between Radha and the Murali. The human body and the Murali both have nine holes. Radha was like a Murali and she had no place in her for any worldly ideas. She was above all worldly ideas. Such a Radha came out of the Murali and she returned and merged back into the Murali. Here Murali means the body. The breathing in and breathing out represent God’s sankalpa (divine will). This is also termed so-hum (He am I) in the form of the hamsa gayatri (that which saves when repeated). It also gives us the idea, “1 am that, I am that.” The same idea has also been described in “tat, twam asi”* or “that art thou.” While everyone is identical with the divine, few realize it. Radha, however, was actually experiencing and establishing this great truth in her earthly form.
(Sathya Sai Baba)
Notes
1. Hamsa, the celestial swan, is the vehicle for Brahma, the Hindu God of creation. This legendary swan of purity, with plumage of perfectly white feathers, is said to have the power always to distinguish between right and wrong. It is capable of carrying one beyond duality; the entire creative force of the universe rests upon its shoulders. The so-hum mantra is hamsa, come to save.
2. A mantra is a sacred word or formula, potent with spiritual enlightenment. When meditated upon, it has the power to save.
3. The primeval cosmic OM is the vital vibration that fills the universe. OM is the original sound, the symbol of Brahman (the all-pervasive, vast, immanent, nameless, formless, eternal, absolute—the divine), the basis upon which the universe rests.
4. A central Hindu statement of unity.