What is Sarvatma Bhava? Sarvatma Bhava means all-encompassing affection for the creatures of the whole world. God is here and now among human beings. Look for him, where he is most needed, not in the temples where people are offering gold to the deities.

The god, who lives among the poor, the destitute is the God to seek. Sarvatma Bhava is an expansion of Atmabhava. Thinking of others as one thinks of oneself is atmabhava. It means feeling the pain and others distress of others as if it were your own, feeling the poverty, sickness and calamities of others as your own. It also means including everybody within your own heart.

Seeing everyone in oneself and oneself in everyone is the highest attainment of Vedanta—Atmamani Pashyanti Bhutani means seeing oneself in all and all in the Self as one Brahman. If we do not expand atmabhava, the sense of selfhood, then all sadhana is useless.

Now dear ones, I will ask you some questions.

• If there is no light in a home, will you go and give them a light?
• If a child is born in a poor home, will it occur to you to buy a crib and some necessities for the mother and child?
• Do you think of visiting an orphanage with toys and sweets?
• Do you feel empathy for others, when you go to a hospital?
• How can one feel the presence of God?

Bring yourself closer to the pain and suffering. Be compassionate and sensitive to reach to the others suffering. Then only will you experience the parmatma, the supreme soul.

Creations of God

Look at the creations of God. Trees produce fruits, rivers give water, soil give one grains, vegetables, flowers and fruits grow in abundance for others to eat. We are the only ones, who take and take from the bountiful earth. We take care of our loved ones and feel virtuous about it.

Now we need to find a place for others in our hearts.

Become selfless. Those who are narrow minded, say, “This is mine and this is yours.” For those with an open mind the whole world becomes their neighbour hood.

Extracted from the teachings of Swami Satyananda Saraswati.

Aim Hrim Klim