Swami has many times said, whether during discourses or during private sessions with devotees, that HIS will is infinite. Baba takes many of His students to Kodaikanal with HIM. Likewise He has taken some students to Mysore sanctuary once in their summer vacations. Devsen sir was lucky to be one of them.
The students had already reached the sanctuary and it was nighttime. Swami was discussing the secrets of nature with students assembled at HIS feet. He was talking about the start of creation from the primordial sound OMKAR, the emergence of the MILKY WAY, PLANETS etc. He was describing in detail as to how the clouds got formed and the emergence of the SUN, the MOON etc.
As Swami was explaining so, He suddenly looked around and said, "Isn't the night beautiful today.". "Yes, Swami" replied the students " It is blissful here in your immediate presence. Even the moon seems to want to make his presence felt here in your physical proximity". As soon as this was mentioned Swami looked upwards at the moon. He kept looking for sometime and then started explaining the different features of the moon -- that there were so many craters on it, He even mentioned that there were rivers flowing on the moon.
As He said this, students started asking "Swami.... Rivers on the moon..." "Yes, Why not, don't you know rivers existed on moon" asked Swami. "But Swami" students questioned "Something of this sort has never been mentioned in any of the documentaries recorded by astronauts who have visited the moon.". "Oh that...." replied SWAMI "How can they see ... They saw with physical eyes ... Can their eyes see all that divinity has created? They did not see ... but it is there." So saying Swami stopped.
As Swami stopped speaking, there was silence for while but the friction in the minds of students persisted. Fully aware of this, Swami asked, "Would you all like to see all that I mentioned were present on the moon?" "YES SWAMI" replied the students in one voice. Swami immediately got up from HIS seat and pointed towards the moon and waved His hand. In a moment the moon disappeared from the sky.
Shocked at what they saw, the students wanted to ask Swami as to what had happened to the moon but before they could they saw a circular object appear in HIS hands. "This" Swami said, "is the moon ... (Silence for a while) ... now clear all your doubts about the feature of the moon". So saying He started showing the craters and the rivers on the moons surface. As long as the 'moon' was there in Swami's hand there was no 'moon' in the sky. When asked what would happen when anyone looked up and did not find the moon present as usual or questioned the disappearance of the moon all of a sudden, Swami said, "Nothing happens without my will. As long as the moon, which I have reduced to a size enough to fit into my palms, is in my hand, no one in the world will dare look up in the sky. I have willed that".
There was silence for a while as the students tried to grasp the phenomenon they had just witnessed. Swami then asked" Has everyone seen it. Ok, come closer and see. Ask for doubts if any". All those present came closer and looked ... they were all there. The craters, the rivers, the mountains.... All in the miniature form of the moon in swami's hand.
Swami then said, " OK, now I shall send it back". So saying Swami let go the 'moon' from His hand by thrusting it upwards. In a moment it was there ... again resplendent as before.
As students retired for the day, they reminded themselves of an important lesson they learnt that day. Everything in this universe is functioning in full awareness of Swami as per His will.
All we see is HIS will... What doesn't seem to be is so simply because HE hasn't willed it that way.
- Narrated during the summer course 2000, by Mr.Devsen, Faculty Member of the Sri Sathya Sai University
Om Sai Ram
