E = mc²
 "Together with knowledge of the natural sciences, one has to acquire humility, discipline and a good character.” — Sathya Sai Baba

If you want your life's work to be useful to mankind, it is not enough that you understand applied science as such. Concern for man himself must always constitute the chief objective of all technological effort, to assure that the results of our scientific thinking may be a blessing to mankind, and not a curse. — Albert Einstein

Mark R. Abrams, Vermont, USA had an opportunity to pose his question about the meaning of his relationship to Einstein before Bhagwan Sathya Sai.Swami(Sathya Sai) revealed some personal information.

EINSTEIN'S REGRETSwami then went on to say the following to the group:
"Einstein is a body. That body is dead. He was a very good man. Einstein was very patient. Peace, Peace, Peace. He was always thinking of Bhagavan."
Swami(Sathya Sai), in an apparent reference to Einstein's pain that his work laid the foundation for nuclear weapons, said "Einstein made 'gunpowder' and felt bad at the end (of, his life), —he said: I have made a mistake, this was a mistake.”

Swami: "What is a scientist! Science is the study of creation. Spirituality is studying the Creator."

[Swami draws a circle with His finger on the wall:] "Man as scientist works from senses down. Man as Spirit works from senses up." [Points to top of circle] "See, science is only a ' C,' (tracing one half of a circle) but Spirit is full circle. It is the difference between this and that."

Swami concluded by saying: "If science were more spiritual, it would know more. Science is no love. Science tries to get the exact truth but has no goal; it is random. Always in the laboratory. There is no love in science. Study Spirit! Spirit has a goal. Know yourself and you know everything.”

"A human being is a part of the whole, called by us the 'Universe', a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feel¬ings as something separated from the rest a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty... the striv¬ing for such an achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security."

Bhagavan Baba places great emphasis on teaching us that the whole of existence, matter, energy and spirit, is One, stemming from the Supreme, Indivisible, Absolute. He asserts that what we dualistically think of as 'Matter versus Spirit' are in reality "two sides of the same coin", inseparable from their source in Divine Consciousness.Swami invites us to reduce our fascination for the world of matter and to get rid of the illusion that only what can be perceived by the senses is real and valuable. He asks us to develop awareness of, and reliance upon, the Atma our invisible, Indwelling Divinity.Baba's teachings help us realize the truth that matter, much less the energy from which it is derived, could not have been originally created from matter: that matter being congealed energy, is "nothing but gravitationally trapped light" and itself derived from conscious¬ness. This Consciousness is Spirit—Divine Thought—which is quite invisible in and of itself, but is in fact the bed¬rock of existence and the source from which the Mayic illusion of duality springs.If we consider Spirit to be the highest manifestation of energy, I think Einstein's formula can stand as a source of confirmation of the reality of Spirit to a pre¬dominantly materialistic world which doubts the existence of a Loving Intelligence.If all things are composed of energy, then it stands to reason that they should be subject to the effects of energy; if matter can release energy then energy should influence matter We can see this principle in operation at all levels on the hierarchy between the grossest matter to the subtlest energy, or Divine Thought. Energy as energy cannot be seen. It can only be known through its impact upon matter. Electricity, or the energy produced in a car engine cannot be seen, yet we would be lost without their effects.

Einstein's formula accomplishes two things: It teaches the fundamental truth that "All" is in fact "One", and that the various forms of this One can be used either for our annihilation or for our highest good, depending on the consciousness with which it is used.Paradoxically, E = mc² provides both the means to destroy the world, and scientific validation of a liberating truth that everything is interconnected and stems from one source. (The threat of the former perhaps also motivating us to seek the latter). That Source, Reality which Einstein laboured to discover, has come among us in the form of Bhagavan Baba.

Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! We hear of cellular phones and remote controls everywhere. All the necessities of our worldly existence seem to be from electronics and computers, drawing the attention of everyone. How does the subject of spirituality come into the picture here? Where is the time for it? As if this is not enough, we hear of nuclear tests also. How are we to coordinate and integrate these diverse aspects? Kindly show us the way.

SAI:Science and technology can provide you many comforts and conveniences. They can't confer on you peace and bliss. What is Science? What is Spirituality? What is the difference between the two? Science is below the senses. Spirituality is above the senses. Spirituality speaks of tat, that, and Science speaks of tvam, you, so as to make you learn tattvamasi, ‘That thou art’. This is nature, world, or prakruti. That is purusha or God.Spirituality is like the letter 'O' which is full and complete, whereas Science is like the letter 'C' which is incomplete with a hollow space within, starting at one point and ending elsewhere. Spirituality begins where Science ends and it takes you from the world to God. Spirituality makes you feel and experience divinity in this world. This is the way to integrate Science and Spirituality. Spirituality is the unseen principle behind the apparent electronic or scientific gadgets and equipment.

Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! Are Science and Spirituality contradictory to each other? We are eager to know Swami's views on this subject.

SAI:

Science operates below the senses, while Spirituality functions above the senses. Science speaks of 'this', 'tvam', world, while Spirituality thinks of 'that', 'tat', divine. Science refers to tvamidam, 'near' while Spirituality concentrates on 'far',param, beyond. Science is meant for the padartha, 'material' and Spirituality is for the ultimate paramartha. Science deals with the jada, inert, and spirituality, with chaitanya, awareness. Spirituality aims at the adhara, base and Science experiments on the adheya, superstructure.

Science is the 'split of love' while Spirituality is the 'spirit of love'. Science deals in pravritti marga, the external world, and Spirituality in the intuitive nivrutti marga. Science can visualise the vyakta, apparent, while Spirituality dives into the avyakta, hidden. You can learn Science with your karma chaksus, physical eye, but the understanding of Spirituality needs the gyana chaksus, 'eye of wisdom'. Science is the collection of facts, which are stuffed in your 'head'. Spirituality is metaphysical, and touches your 'heart'. Science is incomplete like the letter 'C' which begins at one point and ends somewhere else. Spirituality is purnam, full like the letter 'O'.

Science supplies implements. Spirituality tells you how to use them. For example, a knife with which you can cut vegetables, fruits and so on can be used to cut throats. Science shows what you see, like your photo or picture. But, Spirituality is an x-ray film. Science is 'negative' while Spirituality is ‘positive'.

Creation is 'negative' while the creator is 'positive'. Fill your heart with positive spirituality as you fill the tank with water. Senses are the taps through which you draw the water of love. Science states facts, but Spirituality symbolises unchangeable truth, ritam.

When we consider the fact the Baba has given us His personal assurance that the world will not end in nuclear annihilation, we can know that we are beyond the shadow of the fearful implications of E = mc² and in the light of His Divine Presence, which beckon us to realize that energy, as Light, Love—God—is our only Reality. Firmly rooted in this truth, we can confidently proceed with our individual roles in Swami's transformation of the present era into a Golden Age of Divine Consciousness, utterly permeated by His Love.

May Sai bless us with the faith and skill to traverse this world, always remembering who He declares we are: A true synthesis of matter and Diving Energy.