Monday, June 30, 2014

Quotable Quotes

 
 
We know that life is never measured by how many years we live, 
but by the kindly things we do and the happiness we give.

 ~ Helen Steiner Rice ~

Baba for President


 
Each night before bedtime, Russ and his mother would kneel beside his bed to pray.  Like a bhajan, they would pray in response and repeat.  The mother would say a sentence and her seven year old son would repeat.  The mother had chosen as the prayer Swami's teaching.  "There is only one caste - the caste of humanity.  There is only one religion - the religion of love.  There is only one language - the language of the heart.  There is only one God and He is omnipresent."

The mother would recite each line and Russ would repeat the same line in prayer.  One evening as they were getting ready to close the day with their prayer, Russ turned toward his mother and said, "Mom, I think I can pray this by myself tonight."

"Oh, son," replied his mother proudly.  "That would be wonderful."

Kneeling, Russ began to pray with confidence.  "There is only one caste - the cast of humanity.  There is only one religion - the religion of love.  There is only one language - the language of the heart.  There is only one God and He is our new president!"

I pray we may all be innocent and pure in our minds and our hearts, in our search for the Lord.  May we all see the funny side of living and may we all trust in God as children.  Baba for president?  Not a bad idea, do you think?


~ Joy Ziegler ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - Oct. 1992)

Hope



 
What is this world so full of vice?
Everything bad except things which are nice.
Things like anger, jealousy and greed,
Things like hatred, which should never breed.

But still there is something known as hope.
This is the only thing on which we can hope.
So let us not waste our lives as gutter
But do our best and hope for the better.


~ Priya Mani ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - Oct. 1995)

Saturday, June 28, 2014

The Late Bloomer

A cactus stood all alone in the desert, wondering why it was stuck in the middle of nowhere.

“I do nothing but stand here all day,” it sighed. “What use am I? I’m the ugliest plant in the desert. My spines are thick and prickly, my leaves are rubbery and tough, my skin is thick and bumpy. I can’t offer shade or juicy fruit to any passing traveler. I don’t see that I’m any use at all.”

All it did was stand in the sun day after day, growing taller and fatter. Its spines grew longer and its leaves tougher, and it swelled here and there until it was lumpy and lopsided all over. It truly was strange-looking.
“I wish I could do something useful,” it sighed.

By day hawks circled high overhead.

“What can I do with my life?” the cactus called. Whether they heard or not, the hawks sailed away.

At night the moon floated into the sky and cast its pale glow on the desert floor.

“What good can I do with my life?” the cactus called. The moon only stared coldly as it mounted its course.

A lizard crawled by, leaving a little trail in the sand with its tail.

“What worthy deed can I do?” the cactus called.

“You?” the lizard laughed, pausing a moment. “Worthy deed? Why, you can’t do anything! The hawks circle way overhead, tracing delicate patterns for us all to admire. The moon hangs high like a lantern at night, so we can see our ways home to our loved ones. Even I, the lowly lizard, have something to do. I decorate the sands with these beautiful brushstrokes as I pull my tail along. Buy you? You do nothing but get uglier every day.”

And so it went on, year after year. At last the cactus grew old, and it knew its time was short.

“Oh, Lord,” it cried out, “I’ve wondered so long, and I’ve tried so hard. Forgive me if I’ve failed to find something worthy to do. I fear that now it’s too late.”

But just then the cactus felt a strange stirring and unfolding, and it knew a surge of joy that erased all despair. At its very tip, like a sudden crown, a glorious flower suddenly opened in bloom.

Never had the desert known such a blossom. Its fragrance perfumed the air far and wide and brought happiness to all passing by. The butterflies paused to admire its beauty, and that night even the moon smiled when it rose to find such a treasure.

The cactus heard a voice.“You have waited long,” the Lord said. “The heart that seeks to do good reflects My glory, and will always bring something worthwhile to the world, something in which all can rejoice – even if for only a moment.”

 ~ Author Unknown ~

Celestial Poems of Sathya Sai Baba



 "Why should you go for a paltry plant in the backyard
When you have the very Kalpavriksha (wish fulfilling tree)
That grants you all the wishes?
Why should you buy a cow for money
When you have Kamadhenu (the celestial cow)
Ready to give you milk in plenty?
Why should you go in search of gold and silver
When you have the very Meru, the mountain of gold?
Why should you seek the foul worldly life
When you have the Lord Himself here,
Ready to grant you devotion and liberation?"


~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

What to Offer God



"The flower to be offered to God is a pure heat free from all taints and evil tendencies like lust, anger and pride.

The fruit to be offered is a mind free from all bad thoughts and feelings.  It should be filled with the sweet juice of goodness.

The water that should be offered to God is the water that flows from the eyes out of joy in experiencing God.  Tears are of two kinds: tears born of grief resulting from attachments, tears spontaneously arising from Ananda (blissful experience of the Divine).

Make God your life breath, the sweetness of your existence."


~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 5.9.1995)

Baba's Storytime - Everything is for Your Good

 

 "The best way to please God is to act according to His injunctions.  For instance, I advise students not to indulge in excessive talk.  Carry out your duties.  Contemplate on God.  Is all this advice being given for God's sake?  No.  Whatever Swami tells you is for your own good.  Recognise that everything is for your good."

Swami recalled in this context a story in which there was a minister to a king who was in the habit of declaring that whatever happened was for one's good.

 "Once the king cut his finger while slicing a piece of sugarcane.  Seeing the bleeding finger of the king, the minister remarked that the cut was for the king's good.  The king was so angry that he committed the minister to prison.  Even then the minister remarked that the prison sentence was for his own good.

A few days later, the king went alone for hunting in a forest and was resting under a tree.  The servants of the tribal chief of the forest seized the king to be offered as human sacrifice for the tribal goddess.  When the king was about to be beheaded, it was noticed that the king's finger was mutilated and such a mutilated person could not be offered as sacrifice.  

The king was freed.  He remembered the minister's words and realised that the injury to his finger had saved him from death.  He straight went to the prison and asked his minister how he could declare that the prison sentence was good for him.  The minister replied that but for his being confined in prison, he would have accompanied the king and the tribals would have chosen him in place of the king for their sacrifice!

The lesson of this story is that one should learn to welcome everything that happens as for one's own good.  Recognition of this truth is the means to acquire God's grace.  Develop the firm conviction that whatever God says or does is for your own good."


~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 29.8.1995)

Friday, June 27, 2014

Puppet Theatre


 
He gives us the word we say;
He writes every line;
He decides what part we play
Which role to assign.
Ranga! Ranga! Sai Ranga!*
We perform His puppet play.
Peep behind the curtain,
You'll find Swami there.
Look into the audience,
You'll see His crown of hair.
Underneath each person's mask
You'll see His shining eyes ..
Every person cruel or kind
is Swam in disguise.

(* Ranga - Name of Vishnu, the great director of the world stage)


~ Susan Caffrey ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - Sept. 1985)
 

It is all His Will



 "Swami is a master of working on us so that, one day, we will know we are divine.  He works on each of us in a special way, as each of us has his own path.  While today, it is essential for me to witness, accept and lead a quiet life, tomorrow I may be called to formally meditate, sing bhajans or serve in the community again.  It is all His will, in His time."


~ Judy Warner Scher ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - Feb. 2000)

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Who Knows What's Good Or Bad?

The situation we always live in is like that of the wise Chinese farmer whose horse ran off. 

When his neighbor came to console him the farmer said: “Who knows what’s good or bad?” 

When his horse returned the next day with a herd of horses following her, the foolish neighbor came to congratulate him on his good fortune. “Who knows what’s good or bad?” said the farmer.

Then, when the farmer’s son broke his leg trying to ride one of the new horses, the foolish neighbor came to console him again. “Who knows what’s good or bad?” said the wise farmer. 

When the army passed through, conscripting men for war, they passed over the farmer’s son because of his broken leg. 

When the foolish man came to congratulate the farmer that his son would be spared, again the wise farmer said: “Who knows what’s good or bad?”
 
(From: "Progressive Buddhism")

The Call



A cry of agony passed through my ears,
A cry which I had not heard even in my fears,
But I realised it was the call of the seers
To the God who wipes off everyone's tears.

For a great catastrophe had befallen the earth.
There took place the disappearance of mirth.
Of violence and untruth there was no dearth,
Which influenced the cycle of birth and death.

The Lord came to the earth in answer to their call
For the benefit of seers, sages and all,
So He awakened the hearts of big and small,
And thus saved the earth from a disastrous fall.


~ Priya Mani ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - Oct. 1995)

Divine Wisdom



The Value of Divinity

 

"Man assigns value to everything in this world, but he is unable to recognise his own value.  Then how can he ever understand the value of Divinity?  First of all, man has to realise the value of human life.  Only then will he be in a position to understand Divinity."


~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(New Year Discourse - 1.1.2000)

You Can't Keep Time

My watch broke a few days ago. The band snapped without me noticing, causing it to fall to the floor while I was doing the laundry. As I stepped back to grab another armful of clothes I heard a nasty crunch underfoot. I picked up the watch face and saw a spider web of cracks over top the now frozen hands. I could see at once that it was beyond repair and sadly tossed it in the garbage.

Strangely, now that it is gone I find that I have no wish to buy a new one. Perhaps it is because in this digital age clocks are everywhere. They are on my wall, in my car, on my computer, and even on my phone. I can’t even turn my head without seeing what time it is.

I think that the real reason, however, is that as I have grown older my relationship with time itself has changed. While my soul feels as young and ageless as ever, time in this world has gone by much too fast. The little puppy I once held in the palm of my hand is now an elderly dog with arthritis. The little baby boy I once rocked to sleep on my chest is now a 23 year old man who is bigger than me. Young, vibrant, and energetic adults from my childhood have now grown old, sickened and even passed away.

I can see now that, in truth, time can’t be kept. It flows on and on and carries us with it on a river of change. The days zoom by, our hair grays, our skin wrinkles, and our bodies wear out. No amount of looking at our watches can slow it down. All we can do is embrace it and enjoy each day we are given.

Earth isn’t meant for eternity only Heaven is. Do your best then to spend each precious moment here in joy. Do your best to spend your days living, laughing, hugging, helping, praying, and smiling. Do your best to spend your seconds here loving God, yourself, and others. Do your best to make the passage of time on Earth a passageway to Heaven.


~ Joe Mazzella ~

 

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Blessed Day



The great dawn arose and there began a day
A day so pleasing, so beautiful and gay
There we sat on the Darshan ground
Waiting for Sai to make us spellbound.

He came!  Oh!  He was immersed in Bliss
A sight which one should never miss.
He walked, He smiled and all trees swayed
In the rhythm of the wonderful music played.

He cast at all a loving glance
Which made our joyous hearts to dance.
He gave a twinkling and a charming smile
His words appeased us all the while.
The Darshan was over and our eyes were wet
Oh!  This most blessed date we shall never forget.


~ Priya Mani ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - May 1996)

From Fear Set Free




The most dramatic and significant effect Sri Bhavagan Sathya Sai Baba has had on my life, on all levels - physical, mental and spiritual - is that by His Presence, I am now able to live each moment completely devoid of fear!  The realization that the Lord, as a living avatar, now walks amongst us, loving, guiding and protecting us, automatically brings peace and re-assurance of the highest order.

As a prelude to this realization, my own personal release from Fear came as a result of an inward encounter with Bhagavan Baba in January 1977.  At that time, Swami, as an Inner Voice and Presence, imparted to me that there is absolutely nothing to fear in the entire Universe because all there is is LOVE - no matter what it looks or feels like!

From that moment forward, I was so thoroughly convinced of this Truth, that the entire Universe truly loves, protects and cherishes me that "Fear" has had nothing to draw on for support.  By being released from Fear, all that usually accompanied Fear was also released, such as anger, worry, tension, anxiety, resentment, etc.  More and more have I now experienced Love, Joy, Peace and Truth rushing in to fill the void Fear once occupied.

In gratitude for this exquisite and magnificent gift of freedom from Fear, which so beautifully reflects Swami's Infinite Compassion and Love, I pray that my life may become a true Beacon of Light, serving the Lord and my fellowman.

May all Praise, Honour and Glory turn to Our Beloved Baba, the Master of all Creation.


~ Michele Joy Ferrari ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - Feb. 1985)

Shambo Shiva Shankara

A Lesson from Ryokan


There was a Japanese Zen Master called Ryokan. One day, Ryokan heard his family complain that his nephew was wasting money on prostitutes. Ryokan went to visit his nephew, whom he had not seen for many years. 

His nephew invited him to stay one night. All night long Ryokan sat in meditation. As he was preparing to leave the next morning, he asked his nephew, "I must be getting old, my hand shakes so. Will you help me tie the string of my straw sandal?"  The nephew helped him. 

Ryokan replied, "Thank you. A man gets older and  feebler day by day. Take good care of yourself."

Then Ryokan left, without mentioning a word about prostitutes or the complaints of the family.  But from that day on, his nephew truly reformed, stopped spending money on prostitutes and stopped dissipating his life.


(From: Once Upon a Time - A Collection of Buddhist Stories)

Divine Mystery

 

 What millennium are You coming from
That Your robe smells of lotus?
And what myth are You emanating from
That a sip of Your celestial song
Quences my thirst?

Like the snow
I melt,
Facing the glory of Your sight.
Sow Your smile
On the sheaf of my sorrow
and let grapes of happiness grow.

Between the manifesttion of Your sight
And my mind
Something is growing slowly,
Fluttering in green
Up to the meaning of immortality.


~ Simin Behroozi ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - Feb. 2000)

Divine Wisdom



"How sad it is that this human life, precious as an invaluable diamond that cannot be priced at all, has been cheapened to the status of a worn-out coin!  There is no use repenting, after wasting time without profit, without meditating on God or practising any Sadhana to realise Him. 

What is the use of planning a well, when the house has caught fire?  When is it to be dug?  When will water become available?  When is the fire to be extinguished?  It is an impossible task!  If, at the very start, there was a well ready, how helpful it would be on such critical occasions! 

Beginning to contemplate on God during the last moments is like beginning to dig the well after the fire has broken out.  So, if from now on, one equips himself by the contemplation of God off and on, it will stand him in good stead when the end approaches.  

Start today the Sadhana that has to be done tomorrow!"


~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - Sept. 1985)

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

The Body

 

 "Do not base your life on the body.  It is impermanent.  The spirit within is immortal.  The body is "Karmakshetra", the field of action.  The heart is "Dharmakshetra, the Abode of Righteousness.  The human state is a combination of Karmakshetra and Dharmakshetra."


~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 28.3.1996)

Monday, June 23, 2014

One Afternoon in the Ashram



The students are filling the verandah.  The devotees called for interview have already left, and Baba is walking under the shadow of the Mandir's balcony.   He is signing pictures shown to Him by the students and blessings trays filled with candies.  Baba is also receiving letters and folded slips, smiling at everyone everywhere.  Sometimes He stops moving and holds both hands behind his back while looking at everybody.  Everyone is quietly expecting the next movement of the Lord.

This afternoon something unusual happens.  Swami talks briefly to His students; then one student moves forward and after kissing Baba's Feet looks for a place in front of his classmates and begins speech.  Some Indian ladies next to us point out that the students had prepared some stories about certain episodes from the Mahabharata which they are presenting in such a way as to show how to put them into practice in their own lives.

One by one they give their speech and when finishing their presentation, Baba congratulates them.  Now, a student about ten years of age, goes up the bench used as a small podium from which he can give his speech.  He speaks for a few minutes, but suddenly stops his speech, thinks for a while and starts again, then, he keeps silent in grief.  He has forgotten his text.  He, then, goes to Baba, looks at Him with his face in distortion; the child begins crying.

At that instant, Swami smiles, so filled with such incredible love, goes to him and comforts the child by hugging him and by patting on his back.  However, the boy does not get any comfort; he had been preparing his speech for days and now, he forgets everything in this way and in front of Baba!

As Swami understands the child's mood, He holds the boy's hand and looks at it in astonishment and asks him very loudly so that everyone can hear Him.  "But what have you done to the ring I gave you?"  In amazement, the child stops crying and replies: "No, Swami, You have never given any ring to me."  Swami insisted: "Tell me what you have done to the ring!"  In view of this, the boy gets fully concentrated on his new matter and answers with his face close to Swami's: "You have never given me a ring, Baba, never!"  "You say I have never given you a ring?" says Swami, smiling while He starts the premonitory movement of some Divine gift in front of the amazed student.

On this occasion the process culminated in the manifestation of a ring that He immediately put on the student's right hand.  After this, Swami asked the child to continue with his speech and so he did, faultlessly, fully recovered from the previous amnesia!

What happened was but a brief episode included i short period of one out of the many Ashram afternoons, another Leela of Baba's.  However, this clearly shows the Avatar's sensitivity, the dimension of His Love.  The urge of His love comes first in front of other urges.  He did not scold the student or make him go back to his place among the other students.  Moreover, He helped him overcome the problem.  He played on him, He encouraged him and raised his self-esteem.  Later Swami completed this with a regal gift, so he got another chance to speak.


I am sure that, for that child, that ring stands forever as a symbol of he truth immersed in Swami's words: "God is Love; Live in Love".

 
~ Graciela Busto ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - April 1996)

Moments to be Cherished



Sitting in the darshan ground,
With a hush of silence all around,
I waited for my Lord
To bind me with the Divine cord
Of love that He always gives
To transform our poor lives.

I was enchanted seeing Him
Around Him was a halo dim.
It grew bigger and bigger
To manifest the universal Giver
I thought, holding out my letter
Of hope that was better.

He came along my line,
Took my letter with a sign
That showed He knew the contents
And promised to cover my life's rents.
Tears flowed out of my eyes
Each said, "It's cause of love that's Sai's."

He, placing a hand, said, "Padnamaskar".
He glided away, lifting His robe,
Looking down watching the globe.


~ D. Sai Bindu ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - May 1996)
 

Take the Kindness Challenge

The big snow storm that hit the East Coast of the United States a few years ago prompted countless "random acts of kindness." Have you ever been the recipient of a random act of kindness? Or better still have you ever given one? 

Generosity warms the spirit. The act of giving, no matter how small, opens our hearts and spreads joy to the giver of the gift as well as the recipient. Random Acts of Kindness are the perfect springboard to leap into generosity. But what exactly are Random Acts of Kindness? Simply put, they are good deeds done for strangers who could use a little blessing.

Agreed we all have stress in our lives. We all have good days and the not-so good days...but there's nothing like a Random Act of Kindness to pull any person out of a lousy mood.

In our long ago Chicago days, my wife and I used to make sure we had extra change with us when we traveled the tollway system. We would pull up to the booth and give the attendant our toll, plus pay the toll for the car behind us. And the reactions that we got for this were priceless. While some people sped away, unable to understand they had been the recipients of a Random Act of Kindness, most were appreciative. Some even made the effort to catch up to us and thank us. 

Another target for Random Acts of Kindness is the drive-thru window. If you go through a fast food joint for breakfast and have an extra four dollars, pay for the meal of the person behind you. Imagine their surprise and delight when they pull up to the window to pay for their food, only to be told, "The guy in front of you already paid for it." 

Random Acts of Kindness can be big or small. If you would rather be more generous than a sandwich or toll booth change, perhaps you can buy groceries for a needy family. If you can, put the groceries on their front porch without them knowing. Go for it. What's the worst thing that could happen? 

If you are unable to buy them food or are uncomfortable doing it get them a gift card from the local supermarket. Find somebody who knows the family in need (maybe their pastor, or a neighbour) and ask them to give them the card, but not to tell them the gift is from you. Random Acts of Kindness are best served anonymously... 

Be creative with your Random Acts of Kindness. Have fun with them. Make them a family project. If you think you get a charge from it, wait until you see how the kids get into it. 

The possibilities are endless, as are the opportunities. We just have to train ourselves to be watchful for the chance to share God’s blessings. 

It can be as simple as a greeting card slipped onto a stranger's car windshield that says, "You are loved". You could even send flowers to a hospital patient you've never met. 

Opportunities to share love surround us every day. It's up to each of us to grab hold of those opportunities and turn them into Random Acts of Kindness.


~ By Chris Courtney ~
(Source: Radio Sai)




Where There is Love



Where there is love the heart is light,
Where there is love the day is bright,
Where there is love there is a song
To help when the things are going wrong.
Where there is love there is a smile
To make all things seem more worthwhile.
Where there is love there is quiet peace,
A tranquil place where turmoils cease.
Love changes darkness into light
And make the heart take a "wingless flight".
Oh, blest they are who walk in love,
They also walk with God above,
And when man walks with God again,
There shall be Peace on earth for men.

(A Helen Steiner Rice poem)

Sunday, June 22, 2014

A Cleansed Heart



"A cleansed heart is the most appropriate altar.  In that fragrant bower, the Lord will establish Himself.  At that instant, another incident too will happen: the group of six vices that had infested the place will quit without so much as a farewell. When these vices quit, the wicked retinue of evil tendencies and vulgar attitudes which thrive on them will also break camp and disappear, without even leaving their addresses!  Then man will shine in his pristine splendour of Truth and Love and finally succeed in merging with the Supreme."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - Feb. 1993)

Stick to your Innate Nature

A hermit was one day bathing in the Ganges when he saw a scorpion.  This is God encased in the scorpion form and name, he felt; he wanted to save the scorpion.  So he took it on his palm but when it stung him, he dropped it on the waters.  Then he was stricken with remorse and so he lifted it up again.  Thus it stung him five or six times but he persisted in his mission of mercy and at last managed to drop it on dry land so that it could go its way, alive and happy.

Many people who watched his efforts laughed at him for his stupidity and exaggerated sympathy.  The hermit told them that the scorpion had taught him a lesson and he was thankful for it.  They asked, what?  He said, "Stick to your innate nature, whatever may happen - that is what it has taught me."  Its nature is to sting; it stung, regardless of whom or when.  

Man's nature is to achieve Jnana; Ananda is man's essence; Love is the bloodstream that sustains him; Peace is the vision that guides and directs him.  That is the reason why he is addressed as "Amritasya putra", in the Upanishads; he is the son of immortality; he has no birth, no death."


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

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Actions and Consequences



"The importance of the mind in the process of transformation should be properly understood because the mind is the cause of bondage or liberation.  Your actions are the cause of your happiness or sorrow.  Do not blame others for your condition.  Every thought, every word and every action has its reflection, resound and reaction.  It is a sign of weakness to blame others for your troubles.  You have to bear with the consequences of your actions.  If they are unbearable, pray to God for relief.  God alone can give relief in such cases.  He is the all-powerful and therefore take refuge in Him."


~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 6.3.1997)

Celestial Poems of Sathya Sai Baba

 
 "To set right the world when the traditions are destroyed,
To purify the world when it is polluted with evil,
To protect the virtuous
When the evil ones live in reckless manner,
To unravel the secrets of the scriptures
When their meaning has been lost in the womb of time,
To foster mother Earth by ridding her of her burden,
To fulfil the promises
Which had been given in the Tretha Yuga,
Lo and Behold!  The very Lord has descended down
As the embodiment of Truth."
~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

The Story of Upali



On one occasion, Upali the millionaire, a follower of Nigantha Nataputta, approached the Buddha and was so pleased with the Buddha's exposition of the Dhamma that he instantly expressed his desire to become a follower of the Buddha. But the Buddha advised him, saying--"Of a verity, O householder, make a thorough investigation. It is well for a distinguished man like you to make a thorough investigation." 

Upali, who was overwhelmed with joy at this unexpected utterance of the Buddha, said: "Lord, if I had become a follower of another teacher, his followers would have taken me round the streets in procession proclaiming that such and such a millionaire had renounced his former religion and had embraced theirs. But, Lord, you advise me to investigate further. The more pleased am I with this salutary advise of yours." And he appreciatively repeated -- for the second time, "I seek refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha."

Though Upali became a Buddhist by conviction, the Buddha, quite in keeping with his boundless compassion and perfect tolerance, advised him to support his former religious teacher in accordance with his practice.


 (As told by Ven. Narada in The Buddha and His teachings
(From: Once Upon a Time - A Collection of Buddhist Stories)

Baba's Storytime - Kabir's Example



"The power of the spirit is exemplified by the life of Kabir.  He was a poor weaver, who used to help the poor out of his earnings.  While plying his loom, he constantly chanted the name of Rama.  The clothes woven in such a devotional spirit were prized high.  But he used to sell his cloth at fair prices and often gave it free to those who could not afford the cost.

In this context, I wish to refer to a current incident.  Here are some 25 Greek devotees.  They landed at Bangalore by plane.  They strapped their baggage to their backs, carried water bottles in their hands and started walking all the way to Prasanthi Nilaym.  Such is their devotion!  At every step they recited the mantra: "Om Sri Sathya Sai Babaya Namah!" and reached Prasanthi Nilayam.  I went towards them and received them on arrival at the Mandir.  I asked them: "Do you feel pain in the legs?"  They said: "Oh Lord!  Not at all. We are ready to walk another ten miles if necessary, chanting all the way.  If we had come by car, we could not have remembered the Lord's name."

Kabir was in the habit of uttering "Ram!  Ram!" at each step as he walked.  The greatness of his devotion spread to all parts of the country.  A ruler of that time also came to know about it.  Realising Kabir's poverty and helplessness, the king sent various presents to Kabir in a palanquin.  Kabir saw the palanquin nearing his house while returning from a bath in the river.  Astonished at the sight, Kabir asked the four bearers of the palanquin: "What is all this?  In our house, there are only two of us.  For whose sake did four of you bring the palanquin?  Both of us are quite hale."  Kabir hinted that only a dead body is carried on the bier by four persons.  "Please inform the king that we are quite well," said Kabir.

The palanquin bearers said: "We have brought in the palanquin clothes, provisions and other gifts from the king who sympathises with your plight.  The king has ordered us to offer them to you because he considers you "Anaatha" (a helpless person)."

Kabir said: "Oh!  Did the king say so?  But I am not "Anaatha".  Bhagavan is my overlord.  I am not without a protecting master.  Rama is the only one who is an "Anaatha".  There is no lord above Him.  You better offer all these things to Rama."

See how Kabir has delved into the meaning of the word "Anaatha".  No one in the world is an "Anaatha" (without a master).  God alone is "Anaatha", as there is no "naatha" (master) above him.  Everyone has a master.  God alone has no one above Him.

Some people come to Swami and say: "Swami!  Don't make us "Anaathas".  I used to tell them: "It is not you who are "Anaathas".  I am the "Anaatha".  Never consider yourself "Anaatha".

Many people feel miserable and forlorn because they do not understand the ways of God.  To those who firmly believe in God, there can be nothing lacking."


~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(From Bhagavan's Discourse on 22.8.1996)

Friday, June 20, 2014

Divine Wisdom



May I Turn to Thee, Oh Lord

 
 
When the fire of fury consumes me
And to contain it I struggle in vain,
May I have the glimpse of Thy smile
That can quell the raging conflagration.

When dread stares me in the face
And I am at my wit's end,
May They raised palm flash for a while
Beckoning me to be undaunted and stand.

When lust grips my mind unawares
And shrouds my vision with its uncanny spell,
May Thy motherly form rise in my mind
Turning me into a grass before the gale.

When selfishness turns me greedy and indifferent
And I pass by the distressed like a robot
May They compassionate eyes flash forthwith
Making me ashamed of my stony heart.

When the blows of life ruthlessly pound
Making me awfully weary and sullen,
Father!  May Thy lotus feet be in sight
To peacefully rest my dropping head on them.

~ Dibakar Sahu ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - July 1990)

The Bread from the Flour of Love

There once lived a man, who had seven sons, but not a single daughter. Even though his wife was exhausted from frequent child-bearing, the man continued to dream of the day when his wife would give birth to a girl.
With her endless chores and responsibilities as a mother of seven boys, the wife was overwhelmed with despair and drained of all energy.  Finally, in utter desperation, she prayed to God to have mercy on her by guiding her husband to give up his obsession to have a daughter.

God was moved to see how her once beautiful face had crippled under her burdens.  He almost didn’t recognize her, even though He had crafted her as His divine gift to her husband for being a patient servant to Him.

In response to her prayers, God instructed the woman to send her husband to Him at sunrise. The man was thrilled to learn that God had summoned him.  He prepared for the blessed meeting by grooming himself well and wearing his finest clothes.  He asked his wife to bake the most delicious bread for offering to God.

Upon daybreak the man took to the road. He was ecstatic at the thought of God inviting him for a meeting.  He felt honoured and special for this privilege.  In his euphoria, he became so self-absorbed that he didn’t even notice the morning dewdrops that sang to him like little tinklers among the green lush blades of grass, nor did he notice flower buds about to blossom upon the rise of the Sun, or birds that flapped their wings to create the flow of wind for a fresher, cooler journey, or the soft sand on the road that supported his feet for an easier walk. All he could think of was his impending meeting with God.

When the man finally arrived, he found a big lock on the door to God’s house.  The house was totally quite and deserted.

The man thought God was probably engaged in His morning chores and was running a bit late. He sat on God’s porch determined to wait for Him. He sat there day and night without noticing how time passed by. All he saw was God honouring him when they would finally meet. Time passed unnoticed, but God did not return.

Then he started to feel hungry. The smell of the bread baked by his wife spread everywhere. His hunger was unbearable. The man took the bread out of the towel woven and embroidered by his wife; he broke off small pieces and put them on his tongue. The bread melted like honey in his mouth and suddenly the man saw a green sunny valley, a river of clearest water and a fine woman who drew water into her pitcher from it. That was the vision of the day when he had seen his wife for the very first time.

He saw his wedding day; that gentle look of his wife, that touch of her hand that soothed his soul.  He saw his wife sitting day and night by his bed when he was sick and holding her cool, pale hand to his forehead to ease the fever heat.

He remembered the taste of food that his wife gave him each day with such love and tenderness, and best of wishes.

He remembered the birth of each of his children when despite the great pain his wife preserved her calm and loving demeanour.

He remembered all the moments when he was happy, because this woman given to him by God was simply beside him.

Tears ran down his cheeks. He saw how blind he had been trying to find God where He wasn’t. God was by his wife all this time.

The man rose and ran home.

Upon entering his house, he saw God sitting next to his wife, sipping tea and enjoying cakes baked by her.

At once, the man fell at his wife’s feet, bathing them in his tears, and sought her forgiveness for his blindness and insensitivity towards her.  The wife put her cool, pale hand on the man’s head and he felt calm at once. He felt love and peace filling up his heart.  It was the blessing that his wife always guarded in her heart to share with people around her.

God rose from the table, thanked the lady for the sweet breads and headed for the door. The man stayed kneeling in front of his wife.

When God was going through the door the man said quietly: “Thank You God for opening my eyes.”
God smiled fondly and before walking away said: “It wasn’t I who opened your eyes, but your wife’s baked bread that is made from the flour of peace and love. Your wife has returned in your life, because she is My gift to you, that you had once deserved. Let peace and love follow you and your family, because God is there where love is.”

In almost every discourse, Bhagavan Baba emphasises this principle of selfless and unconditional love which is equal to the Divine. Love is selflessness, Baba says and adds, “Love is God, Live in Love.” One must always be grateful for all the ‘loves’ that fill our lives everyday in the form of mother, father, sister, brother, wife, grandmother and so on. They are all gifts of God and only when we treasure these gifts and love them sincerely, will God love us increasingly.


- by Ms. Rita Ivanova, Latvia
(Source: Radio Sai)
 

Pranavopasana

 

"The most effective method of cultivating Prema is to practise Namasmarana.  Or better still spend your time in Pranavopasana, the repetition of OM.  OM is the origin of Creation; it is the source and sustenance and the strength.  It is the Prana of every being.  Just as air forced through the reeds of a harmonium produces the swaras Sa-Ri-Ga-Ma-Pa-Dha-Ni, so the OM is at the root of all the sounds in all the worlds.  Know its significance and practise its recitation."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Sanathana Sarathi - April 1996)

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Meaning of Surrender



"Giving up the attachment to the body, the scriptures call men to surrender to God.  What is meant by "surrender"?  Forgetting the body and thinking of God, that is surrender.  Surrender does not mean offering to God your worthless body and your perishable possessions.  Such offerings have no meaning for the Divine.  People going to Tirumala make all kinds of promises to God if their desires are fulfilled.  Does God need any of their offerings?  No.  Why should God be commercialised?  You should seek oneness with God.  God will be pleased if you realise your true self.  Your happiness is His bliss."


~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 28.3.1996)

Dear Lord ...

 

Dear Lord,
When the sky is dark and the sea is stormy,
when the wind howls and the earth trembles,
let me take refuge at Your Lotus Feet,
for there I know I shall be safe
with You by my side until all my fears subside.

~ Divine Blossoms ~

The Father

A young single father had a son that he loved more than anything in the world. One day while the father was away, some plunderers burned down most of his village and kidnapped the little boy. 

When the father came back, he mistook one of the burnt corpses as his son. Completely devastated, he had the body cremated, and put the ashes in a bag that he always carried around.

Days later, his son escaped from the plunderers, ran back home, and knocked on the door of the house that his father rebuilt. His father asked who it was. When the boy answered, “It’s me, your son—please let me in,” the father, who was still holding the bag of ashes, assumed it was some other boy playing a cruel joke. “Go away,” he shouted back.

The boy continued to knock and plead to the father, but the father continued to tell him to leave. Finally, the boy left and never came back again.

And just like that example, if a person is intently holding to an idea as the absolute and unmodifiable truth, he won’t be able to open the door and accept the actual truth when it comes firsthand knocking on his door.


 (From: Buddhist Folktales and Parables)