This translation from Telugu to English is done word-by-word to get the literal meaning. It is NOT an edited version. See at bottom of page the paragraphs added on the official Sai website and compare with the present version.

DISCOURSE BY SRI SATHYA SAI BABA
Summer Course # 9
23 May 2002

A tree trunk can be straightened without bends.
A stone can be shaped properly.
Can you shape a mind without bends?
Sai’s word is a truthful word.
(Telugu poem)

THERE ARE THREE AKASHAS
Embodiments of Love!
Our warden said (asked Me) to speak on the three akashas. What are these akashas?

Akasam Gaganam Soonyam.

Space is the sky - nothingness.
(Sanskrit sloka)

The meaning of this is ‘don’t say anything’! (Laughter)
That which can be seen with the eye, heard with the ear, thought with the mind, carries on with the existence, that which is beyond words, all such sights are related to akasha. Not only that which can be seen on the earth. The sun, moon, clouds and stars that are seen in the sky, all of these are related to akasha.
However, there is not only one akasha. There are three akashas. (The first is) Bhowtika (physical) akasha (Bhutakasha) and the second one is Chitthakasha. The third is Chidaakasha. Things are seen on this earth. Not only the stars that we see, there are so many stars that we can't even see. All of these are related to Bhutakasha.
Bhutakasha is spread over so many thousands of miles. The distance between this earth and the sun and moon is 9,11,00,000 miles. There are so many more of such sights (distant from the earth). The ones that are closest to us are only the sun and moon. There are a few more (stars) even beyond them. They are also suns. They are as big as the (our) sun. They look small because they are so distant. Each one is a sun. Such a sun and moon give light to the world, to numerous people and to numerous forms.
However, how far does each star’s light travel in one moment? In a moment, the light travels at the speed of 16,000 crores. Yet even then, the light from a few stars hasn’t reached the earth up till today. The light of many more (stars) has not yet reached the earth. The light of these stars is very brilliant. Forms on the earth cannot bear it and they cannot see it. These lights are shining with great brilliance. This sun gives only a small bit of its effulgence to the earth.
The radiance that the stars, sun and moon give it is not their own effulgence. All of these have a fundamental power. There is a main radiant foundation. It is through the Atma Shakti (power of the Atma) that the sun, moon and even the stars shine. All of these are contained in such a Bhutakasha.

REFLECTED IN OUR HEART
Then what is Chidaakasha? Even though all that is seen is Bhutakasha, it is not possible to say that all that which cannot be seen is Chidaakasha. There is one the power that shines, which is not seen, heard, known or moved. That only is Chitthakasha. Everything, all the forms in Bhutakasha are reflected in Chitthakasha. Every sight that we see are forms that are reflected on our heart. This akasha of the heart is very subtle. They call this Chitthakasha.
The Bhutakasha that can be seen with our eye is spread over many thousands of miles. However, the stars that spread their light so far and other things, all of these, are observed as very subtle in Chidaakasha. Every form that is reflected in Chitthakasha are reflections of Chidaakasha. The reflections of Bhutakasha are observed as very subtle in Chitthakasha.
Now, we have seen a mountain. Close your eyes once after looking at a mountain. The big mountain that was seen remains in your Chitthakasha. This akasha and even the hundreds of thousands of stars seen in akasha, remain in your Chitthakasha. No one can measure Bhutakasha saying it is ‘like this’ or ‘like that’.
However, we can inquire to some extent only about Chitthakasha. All forms, the entire universe, all worlds, all are in tiny (subtle) forms in Chitthakasha. Therefore, everything that is reflected in our mind, every reflection, are reflections of Bhutakasha. That which is physically seen is Bhutakasha. However, that which is seen in the mind is Chitthakasha.
Then the third one is Chidaakasha. What is this Chidaakasha? They call it ‘Atma’. Atma has no form. Atma doesn’t have any type of movement. It is:

Nirgunam, Niranjanam,
Sanathanam, Niketanam,
Nithya, Suddha, Buddha,
Muktha, Nirmala Swarupinam.

Attributeless, unsullied,
Eternal, always pure, pure intellect,
Free, unpolluted form.
(Sanskrit sloka)

That only is Chidaakasha. The one who beholds Chidaakasha is one who experiences or beholds the Atma. The form of this Chitthakasha can certainly be seen even if there is no education and even if there is no scholarship. However, no matter how much effort is made no one can see even the reflection of the nature of Chidaakasha.
If each star is observed (some are) 900,000 (miles) distant from the earth. A few stars are 9,000 miles distant. Then it is not even possible to say how far a few other (stars) are. They are so distant. They call this:

Avanmanasa Agocharam.

Beyond words and unseen by the mind.
(Sanskrit sloka)

THE ONE YOU REALLY ARE
Even scientists made so many efforts to find out its value. No matter how much they did, they were only able to go up to Chitthakasha but could not touch Chidaakasha. Therefore, beholding Chidaakasha is said to be beholding the Atma. All things that are seen in this world are reflections of Bhutakasha. Even Vedanta was unable to describe these. Science also cannot describe it well. So, Vedanta determined it to some extent.
The reflection of Bhutakasha is Chitthakasha. That which swallows Chitthakasha is Chidaakasha. Chitthakasha swallows Bhutakasha. That which swallows Chitthakasha is Chidaakasha. Hence if this needs to be understood to some extent:

The one you think you are.

That is Bhutakasha. Meaning, whatever sights you are able to see, whatever forms you are able to describe and whatever experiences you are obtaining, all of that is the one you think you are.

The one others think you are:

That only is Chitthakasha. That is: all that you think about makes you remember it in your mind. So, that which goes beyond this Chitthakasha:

The one you really are.

That only is the nature of Atma. That only is the true form of prakritti (nature or the world). It is Divine bliss. There is no difference at all between this bliss, reflection and the word ‘I’.

THE WORD ‘I’

The word I is only related to the Atma. Therefore, this I is only one letter. In the Vedas this is:

Ekam Thath Vipra Bahuda Vadanti.

That is One,
Yet wise men call It by different Names.
(Sanskrit sloka)

Hence, no matter who is called, if I call, “Anil Kumar!” he is beside Me and will say, “I!” However, if “Giri Garu” is called, he (the man bearing the name of ‘Giri Garu’) will say, “I!” Like this, so many names, even when a few hundred thousands of names are said, the answer of “I, I, I” will come.
So the unity in diversity is I. The unity in diversity is the nature of Atma. It is not possible to say this nature of Atma is either akasha or earth, or anything else.
What is akasha? It is infinite. It is immeasurable and non-apparent. Who can describe something like this? So, no one cannot say anything about this infinite form. Hence all the scholars say:

Akasam Gaganam Soonyam.

Space is the sky - nothingness.
(Sanskrit sloka)

Akasha is the sky. What do we see in this sky? A few sights and a few clouds are seen in it. How long are they seen? Only for some time. Then they disappear. They also move away. So that which cannot be seen is Chitthakasha. That only is I. No one can give the meaning of the word I. Vedanta says this unity is in everything, meaning, it proves (or determines) unity.
Aham Brahmasmi: I only am Brahma. Only after the word ‘I’ comes, the word ‘Brahma’ comes. Only after ‘I’ comes then another word comes. Therefore, first and foremost the Atma comes only after I. Without the word I it is not possible for the word Atma to come. Aham (I), aham, aham Brahmasmi. This Brahma comes from I. Therefore, aham is I. Hence the word I is an important nature of Atma.
So, no matter how many books are read in Vedanta terminology, no matter how many sciences are learnt, each one advises one to find out, ‘Who am I?’ “Dear one, know who you are.” The ‘I’ cannot be described through words, scholarship or through knowledge of the world.

ATMA HAS NO NAME
When someone asks, “Sir, who are you?” “I am Anil Kumar.” Who gave this (name of) ‘Anil Kumar’? It is that which your parents gave to the body. Before the name was given, what was your name? I don’t know. Hence, everything is something that was given but not something that is born. Hence every single name is only given after one is born. Even they are only given for recognition but it is not determined as a form of truth.
Therefore, Atma has no name. Aham, aham; aham, aham; aham, aham. This aham is the true nature of Atma. There is no separate form for the Atma. So if we want to describe it recognizably, it is only Bhutakasha. Chittakasha can be inquired to some extent. Chitthakasha is the reflection of Bhutakasha. Chidakasha has no forms at all. So, as it is formless, how can it be said to have any form. Therefore, they say I, I.
In every subject or in the terminology of Vedanta, no one recognizes clearly the meaning of ‘I’. What is this I? Is the I the ego? Ego has a form, dosn't it? However, the I has no form. So that which is formless is this I. Vedanta explains it with so many different words.
So it is not akasha. Aham is not a form and aham is not a sound. Aham is the nature without any sound or forms. Someone said, “Sir, know yourself and return.” The second day he came. He said, “I came to know, sir.” “What is it, who are you?” “My name is Ramayya.” Then, when he asked a second time, “Who are you?” “My father’s name is Malayya.” “What is your mother’s name?” “Pullamma.” Yellamma, Pullamma, Ramayya, Annayya, he said names like this.
They are not you at all. They are all related to your body. These are only words that are said especially in the village (local vernacular). They say these at the time of introduction. These are only words specially created for you but they are not your words.
Therefore, first and foremost the word you were born with is only one. ‘I’: that is the nature of Atma. Atma or I, all are one. Atma has no special form. I, I, I, I: if you try to recognize the nature of I, one needs no other spiritual practice.
“I am Ramayya.” Why is ‘Ramayya’ put in the middle? Ramayya only comes after I. Nothing should come after I at all. Therefore, ‘I’ is only one. That only is I. The nature of I should be recognized. This is a big secret of Vedanta.
Therefore, while speaking of the three akashas, Bhutakasha, Chitthakasha and Chidaakasha, this Bhutakasha is full of forms. It moves, it shakes, it journeys, and it is directly seen, yet the reflection of that is Chitthakasha. All of this is only a type of reflection. These reflections also are not the true akasha. That without any reflection, reaction and resound is the true akasha. This only is Chidaakasha. It is not possible to refer to the nature of Chidaakasha as consisting of any name or any form.

A DEVOTEE OF GANGA
At one time in Uttara Pradesh (a northern state of India), an individual was selling bangles on the banks of the Ganga (river). A form (only a hand) emerged out of Ganga. She came and she asked, “Sir, will you place bangles (on my hand)?” (The bangle seller answered,) “Without fail I will place them.” (Holding her hand out she said,) “Place them on me according to the size of my hand.” He put them on.
After placing it, the cost should be given. Then she said, “I don’t have the money. At this certain place, at this certain house number, at this certain street, in this certain corner, I put the money. Go to my father and ask him.” She said this and then she disappeared. Just before she left he asked, “Mother, what is your name? If your father asks I have to tell him, isn’t it so?” She said, “Tell him that my name is Ganga.”
He went searching for this address. He found that address. He inquired, “Sir, your daughter came to the Ganga River and took bangles.” He said, “I'm not even married! Where are my daughters?” “No, she spoke the truth. See, everything she said was true. The address is correct. She said, ‘My father’s name is so and so a person.’ Is that your name?” He said, “Yes, it is.” “When that is truth, why shouldn’t this be truth? Go and look in a certain corner.” He didn’t even know about the existence of that shelve. He went inside and saw. He obtained the exact cost of the bangles there.
Do you know who he was? He was a devotee of Ganga, one who did worship to River Ganga Devi (goddess). So he said, “Sir, I am always contemplating on Ganga Devi. Ganga Devi is my chosen deity for worship. Due to my offering myself to her, I didn’t even get married. As she said her name was Ganga, let us go there. Take me!”
Then that bangle seller took him to the place where she was seen. They went there and then he said, “Mother, I could see you when I gave the bangles. I could see you when the money was given (That sentence could be deleted). Yet why can't I see you now? I received my money (the money due to me). I have come to thank you for it.”
She said, “Here is the gratitude (the proof that you sold me the bangles),” saying that she lifted her hand. It was observed that her wrist was full of bangles. Her father saw. “Ganga, Ganga, Ganga!” Only her hands were seen. The individual who was called her father put the bangle seller aside and he prayed, “Mother, mother! Won't you give your Darshan?” He saw. He described her in many ways, saying:

Indira, Loka Matha, Ma! Rama, Mangala Devata, Bhargavi, Loka Janani, Kshira Sagara, Kanyaka!

Goddess, Mother of the world, mother! Auspicious deity, Bhargavi, Who gives birth to the world, daughter of the ocean of milk!
(Sanskrit sloka)

She said, “I didn't show anyone a single form. I have no form at all. All forms are God’s forms. When the ones who worship create certain forms, He is seen in those forms. God does not have any specific form. There are no certain signs. Hence, money had to be given to you so, I had this witness for your bangles.” He saw her hand and he felt that his life was sanctified. “I have obtained (sight of) Mother’s hand, it is enough for me.”

Hastyasa Bhushnam Daana.
Kanthasya Bhushanam Sastram.

Charity is the ornament for the hands.
Sastram is the ornament for the neck.

(Sanskrit sloka)

Mother, I have seen your hand. (End of A-side.)
Whatever form we see is God's form. God does not have this or that specific form. So, the nature of the best akasha, the nature of the sun and moon that is reflected in it, all of these are characteristics of Bhutakasha. We should not pay attention at all to the characteristics of Bhutakasha. All of them move. They all quiver. They go behind. They change and they disappear. They all withdraw from us.
Only one is beside you, with you and in you, that only is bliss. There is no form for this bliss. Bliss has only one form. (Swami demonstrates laughing,) Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Laughing only is bliss. However, it shouldn’t be laughter with that type of sound. That is only a characteristic of the world.

GOD’S LAUGH
What is God’s laugh like? He has a smiling face. It is a laugh without sound. It is a laugh where the mouth does not open. It is a laugh that gives bliss. It is a laugh that bestows bliss. Therefore, that (the worldly laugh) is called ‘prahasana’ (loud laughter or negative, deriding laughter). That which has sound is prahasna. That without sound is hasam (laughter).
Hence, even God is always laughing but it is not a laugh which has sound. All of those (other laughter) are cinema laughs. We see all of those (cinema) laughter and you think that God also laughs like that. Yet there is only one sign that should be given to (recognize) God. It is said: that is only gratitude.

SUITABLE GRATITUDE
What should we give to God? God is giving us so much. When the body is unwell the doctor will come and give an injection. When he gives the injection we will give money appropriate to the medicine. Then the debt is paid. One is hungry. To appease the hunger, you go and say, “Mother, hungry! Mother, hungry!” Mother takes some rice and vegetables and gives it to you. After she gives the food, to eat it joyfully is the appropriate gratitude. You may be suffering. Someone comes and removes the suffering of the one who is suffering: that is the suitable gratitude.
When anyone gives any help, we should not forget it. We should always remember it. That (attitude) is totally gone today. God has given so much. He is giving free education. He is giving free medicine. He is giving free water. He is giving free words. He is moving for free among you. Everything it is free, free, free, free, free, free. (Applause)
What (gratitude) are you giving for this? You should also give up ego and only when you are also free, that is the appropriate price for this. “What can I give to you?”

Lord! The heart that You have given to me,
I offer it again to You.
What else can I offer to Your Feet?
Accept my Salutations!
(Telugu poem)

Offering your salutations: that is your gratitude. If there isn’t even that, you will become cruel. You will have to take so many more births. You will have to suffer so many difficulties. You will have to succumb to so much suffering. Therefore, when you offer your salutations, all of these will be cast away. You should always have a smile. You will always be smiling. This only is your result.
At one time a devotee of Krishna was always contemplating on the Name, ‘Krishna, Krishna, Krishna.’ “However, which Krishna should I remember? Krishna looks different in each picture. Should that be worshipped or should this be worshipped? Which Krishna should I worship?” He had that doubt. All of these are pictures that are created in the world.

Daivam Manusha Rupena.

God is in the form of Man.
(Sanskrit sloka)

The crown that is given, the make-up that is depicted, all of these pictures are not the (true) form of Krishna. Always smiling, always making others smile, always being blissful and giving bliss to others: that only is Krishna’s form.
He should be blissful and give bliss to others. Therefore, give and take. You should give joy. You should receive joy. This only is your gratefulness. Instead of that, you won't obtain bliss by only giving joy to Divinity. You will have joy even in your dreams.

CONTINUE TO SMILE
When your eyes see the God you worship, smile! You should continue smiling. The mouth should not be puckered up. If the mouth is puckered up in that way, one will never get any joy. One should always be joyful. Bliss is the true form. Hence, one should always continue to smile.
Some suffering comes. Some difficulties come. Some sorrows come. You should not cry about this at all. They come and go. All are passing clouds. They come and the have gone. Only that but they do not stay. So we should not worry about them at all. Only when we make that firm faith steady, we will become true devotees.
It’s not like that (today). Mother has fever. Father has an illness. If you worry, always remembering about them, how can you obtain bliss? Who are the parents? They are only parents of the body. Whose body is this? It is only born from the (physical) body. This is not our gratitude. We should forget this body. We should contemplate on the body of God. That is the true nature.

THE NATURE OF AKASHA
Therefore, the nature of akasha, Chitthakasha, Bhutakasha, Chidaakasha: Bhutakasha should be completely forgotten. Chitthakasha should be kept in memory only to some extent. However, gradually if we merge in that Chitthakasha, we will go onto Chidaakasha. So we should recognize the nature that is merged in Chitthakasha.
What is the way to behold this Chitthakasha? I will give details of that tomorrow. The nature of Divinity in the world can be explained to any extent. However, the Divinity that is described is not Divinity itself. All of them (words) are the nature of description. They are natures that describe. They are natures that make one deluded. They are natures that are instable. But you should inquire into the nature that will liberate you. That only is That.
That is That: Thath Thawam Asi. This ‘That’ is ‘That’ (Divinity) only. ‘Thwam’ is ‘this’: that and this, the unity of these two is asi. Thath Thwam Asi, that only is Thath Thwam Asi. Therefore, both of these should become one.
Hence, (Narasimha Murthy, the Brindavan Campus Warden, prayed for the descriptions of) these two, the subject related to the world and Chidaakasha, Chitthakasha and Sadakasha (Bhutakasha). Only when we know all of them, what is the true akasha? That only is Hrudaya akasha (the akasha of the heart). Even the heart akasha is not stable! Hence, we should make the appropriate effort to find out about Chidaakasha.

Bhagavan ended His Divine Discourse by chanting the bhajan, ‘Hari Bhajana Bina Sukha Shanti Nahi…’
-----------------------------------

Missing Paragraphs from discourse given on 23 May 2002
(This is the official Sai website version but it is not on the cassette.)
(Compare with bottom of page 7 in Divya version.)

"Mother! I have seen at least your hand and have been sanctified! I do not want anything else in life"; he then fell into the Ganges and breathed his last.
Divinity always assumes the form that a devotee visualizes and prays for. None can actually fix and estimate what Divinity looks like, because there is no form at all! Ramakrishna Paramahamsa too had a similar experience. He was staying at Kamarpakur. He was gripped by a strong desire to have darshan of the Goddess Kali. Unable to bear the pain of separation anymore, he attempted to commit suicide by jumping into the Ganges. Surprisingly, however far he walked into the river, he found that the water came only up to his knees! He prayed, "O' Mother of the universe! Why are you testing me so? Why do you not reveal your form to me? Why do you not allow me to merge in you? I am unable to bear this tortuous pain." The mother Goddess replied, "Son! I can show you my form if I had one in the first place! I have no form for you to see. My only form is that of Atma. You can see any form that you think of. All the forms that you see are products of your illusion. None of them can be taken to be the true identity of Divinity."
You say that Rama and Krishna or Sai Baba etc. have appeared before you. Several people make such claims. These are all figments of one's illusion (Bhrama). As long as you have Bhrama you will be far away from Brahma (Divinity). On the other hand if you have realized Brahma, Bhrama can come nowhere near you. The need of the hour is therefore to overcome this illusion. Get rid off the body attachment. Cultivate attachment to the Atma instead. Your true identity is Atma. It has neither a name nor a form. It is the embodiment of bliss. Atma is therefore described as;

“ Nityanandam Parama Sukhadam Kevalam Gnanamurthym
Dwandwathetam Gaganasadrusham Tatwamatsyadi Lakshyam
Ekam, nityam, vimalam, achalam, sarvadi sakshibhutam. ”
Eternal bliss, supreme happiness, wisdom, non-dual, ethereal and ultimate, the single one, eternal, pure, immobile and eternal witness - these are the various names and descriptions of the Atma. However, it has no form. Hence do not aim to see the form of God. Instead consider all the forms that you see to be that of God. Do not fix various forms as unique to God.

The feature of Bhootakasa is that, it encompasses the sun, the stars and all the galaxies in it.