The Most Important First

Once upon a time, a king with his huge army was passing through a thick forest in India.  Along the way he saw a sadhu sitting silently with his eyes closed.  Being curious, the king stopped and asked the sadhu, "What are you doing?"  The sadhu answered, "I am meditating."

In his turn the sadhu asked the king what he was up to.  The king said, "Can't you see, I have come with my whole army to conquer the world."  There was a benign smile on the sadhu's face who said, "Is that so?  You must have a purpose for embarking upon such a stupendous task.  What will you do after the conquest?"  The king replied that he would engage himself in silent meditation after completing his desire.  

If one knows that ultimately peace is attained by meditating, by being still, why not do it right now?

Bhagawan Baba says that many people come to him and pray that they want peace.  He invariably tells them, "Cut out the 'I' that wants peace as well as the desire and you are left with the abiding peace."  Peace cannot be had from pieces in the world.  Permanent peace can only be had from that which is permanent itself.

(From the book "I am I" by Ratan Lal)

Three Things

"Man has three things more than what an animal has: the power to reason out, the power to renounce and the power to decide what is right and what is wrong.  These are special powers in man, but of what use are they, unless they are applied in actual practice?  If they are used, then the name "man" is apt; otherwise the name "animal" has to be applied."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Prashanti Vahini)

Celestial Poems of Sathya Sai Baba

"The tongue conducts itself very carefully, uninjured,

Even though it is placed amidst the teeth.

Man too should conduct himself in a similar fashion.

The word of Sai is the word of Truth."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

Divine Wisdom

When the Gods Test a Man

Sibi was a genuine Sadhak, having attained a high stage in detachment and the spirit of renunciation.  The Gods decided to discover whether his achievements were deep-rooted and unshakable.

Agni (the God of Fire) and Indra (the God of the Heavenly Regions) took on the forms of a dove and hawk. The hawk (Indra) pursued the Dove (Agni) across the sky, until the frightened bird fell into the lap of Sibi sitting on his throne, pleading for protection from the hawk.  As befitted his Dharma, Sibi gave word that he would save the dove from its enemy and assured full protection for it.  At that moment, the hawk presented itself before the Emperor and demanded its meal, its legitimate prey.  "I am hungry, I had secured my food, you have deprived me of my meal", it complained.  "Of what use is all your vaunted spirituality if you rob me of my meal?" it lamented.

At this, Sibi said, "Yes, I shall slice off flesh from my body weighing as much as this dove weighs; you can appease your hunger with that."  The hawk agreed.  A balance was brought; the dove was placed on one pan, pieces of flesh cut from the body of Sibi were placed in the other pan. But, lo and behold, however many pieces of flesh were laid thereon, the pan on which the dove sat did not rise at all.  It was indeed a mystery how the bird weighed so heavy.  At last, Sibi said, "Well, you can take all of me.  Eat me whole.  Here I am at your disposal."

No sooner did he utter those words than the hawk became Indra and the dove was transformed in Agni - Gods effulgent in their glory!  They were supremely happy at the depth of Sibi's spirit of renunciation; they blessed him profusely and departed.

(Chinna Katha from the Divine Discourse of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)

Quotable Quotes

That man has reached immortality who is disturbed by nothing material.

~ Swami Vivekananda ~

Divine Wisdom

Life is Like a Mega Clock

"Life is like a mega clock.  Its three hands indicate the rate at which the days, months and the year are passing.  Man rejoices in the movement of the clock's hands but does not realize that every movement is a reminder of his diminishing life span.  Hence, before the final hour strikes, every man should realize what his duties are and see that the remaining time is well spent."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(From Divine Discourse at First World Youth Conference,

(16.7.97)

The Ever-Present Presence

A man had stayed ten years with his guru in an ashram in India.  Due to compelling circumstances he had to go elsewhere leaving his guru.  With tears in his eyes, he approached his guru and cried, "After ten years with you, I have to leave your gracious presence."  

The saint looked at him and said, "Is that what you had learned after ten years of stay with me here?  How can you ever be away from that PRESENCE?  That presence is the core of your being, your true SELF.  To be that is the ultimate experience!  Knowing becomes Being!  With your eyes closed, be in a contemplative mood and say silently to yourself, 'I do not exist'.  Feel that you are saying this in the presence of the enduring background of silence."

(From the book "I am I" by Ratan Lal)

Divine Wisdom

Quotable Quotes

"The moment I have realized God sitting in the temple of every human body, the moment I stand in reverence before every human being and see God in him - that moment I am free from bondage, everything that binds vanishes, and I am free."

~ Swami Vivekananda ~

Celestial Poems of Sathya Sai Baba

"Clay is one, but pots are different,

Milk is one, but cows are different,

God is one, but ornaments are different,

God is one, but He abides in different bodies."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

Qualities

"Among the qualities that make up a flawless character,

love, patience, forbearance, steadfastness and charity

are the highest.  These have to be revered

and cultivated."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Prema Vahini)

A Blessed Chinese New Year

HAVE A BLESSED

CHINESE NEW YEAR

FILLED WITH SAI BLESSINGS

Divine Wisdom

Faults

"It is not the nature of an aspirant to search for faults in others and hide his own.  If your faults are pointed out by anyone, do not try to argue and prove that you are right.  Do not bear a grudge against him for it.  Instead reason out with yourself how you are at fault, and set right your own behaviour."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Prema Vahini)

Quotable Quotes

Thank God every morning when you get up that you have something to do that day, 

which must be done, whether you like it or not.

~ James Russel Lowell ~