Baba's Storytime - Worldly Pleasures

One person came to Me about 20 years ago and prayed that he should meet with success in his examination and a high first class.  I told him that there will have to be effort and the result will be according to God's will.  I gave him My blessings and sent him away.  He did secure a high first class and came to Me again after passing his examination and asked for My blessings so that he may get a job.  He did get a job within a month.

He came to me after a few months.  He said he got a job, that he was happy and he also said he wanted to marry a typist girl in his own office.  I told him that if it is agreeable to his father and mother, he may do so but they may not like it.  He was not inclined to listen to me.  He said even if it is transgressing the wishes of his parents, he was determined to marry the girl.  He in fact suggested that he would give up his life, if this marriage was not possible.  I told him that he must convince his parents before he entered into such an alliance.  He brought a lot of pressure on his parents and they, finding no other alternative, agreed to the marriage.

The marriage was over and after a year, both of them came to Me again and said they wanted a son.  After the birth of a son, his expenses multiplied, his wife gave up the job and he came to Me desiring a promotion.  By his good luck, he got a promotion.  Although he was somewhat foolish in regard to worldly matters, he had great faith in regard to matters relating to Swami.  I gave him my blessings and he got a promotion.

He did not turn up thereafter for over five years.  He was quite happy and in the next five years, they had four children.  He came again to Me after five years and said that he was fed up with the family, he cannot bear the burden of the family and was looking for relief from all the mess.  He said that he wanted a small job in the ashram itself and said that his family has not got hold over him like a big serpent.

I asked him if the serpent caught him on its own or whether he let the serpent come to him and catch him.

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

Prostrations at Thy Lotus Feet

Sai Maata Pita Dina Bandhu Sakha

Tere Charano Mey Sai Mera Koti Pranam

Mujhe Shakti Do Hey Sai Shiva

Mujhe Bhakti Do Hey Sai Shiva

Mujhe Mukti Do Merey Sai Shiva

O Lord Sai!  Thou art the mother, father, 

kith, kin and friend of forlorn ones.

A million prostrations at Thy Lotus Feet.

O Lord Sai Shiva!

Grant me strength, devotion and liberation.

Blessings on Guru Poornima - 31st July 2015

"Embodiments of Divine Atma: Today is Guru Poornima. What is meant by gurutwa? Truth in the world is Gurutwa. Observe truth with steady feelings and with a selfless heart. That truth is your protection. That truth is your armour. Truth will follow you and protect you. There is no dharma higher than Truth (Satyam naasti paramo dharma). If you protect dharma, that dharma will in turn protect you (Dharmo rakshati rakshithaha). Do not waver by this agitation. Keep your truth as your aim. Fill your heart with sanctity. Love every one. Do not hate anyone. Then only will true divinity originate in you."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Divine Discourse: 3 July 1993)

Seva

"The first lesson in Seva has to be learnt in the family circle itself.  In this limited group, which is well-knit, one must engage in loving service and prepare for the wider Seva that awaits outside the home."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Sanathana Sarathi - Nov. 2005)

Quotable Quotes

We share the earth not only with our fellow human beings but with all the other creatures.

~ The Dalai Lama ~

Pray with Love

"Pray to Me with your heart full of love.  When you pray with a loving heart, I immediately respond.  You call Me "Sai" with love; I will readily respond saying "Oyi" (yes).  Any amount of prayer devoid of love cannot move Me.  If you call Me with love, I will certainly respond, wherever you are.  There is nothing greater than love.  Therefore, if you with to have the vision and experience of God, pray to Him with love."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Divine Discourse - 2.7.2004)

All Are One

"The love that permeates all individuals is only one.  With the expansion of love, all can be united.  Then, there will be no scope at all for differences.  There will be no duality.  Where there is no duality, there all are one!"

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Sanathana Sarathi - March 2007)

The Best Things

"The best things are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of God just before you."

~ Robert Louis Stevenson ~

Dear Lord ...

Dear Lord,

When I'm old and grey and

sitting in a rocking chair,

I shall tell my grandchildren

of this wondrous Avatar called

Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

I shall them of His wonderful miracles

and the Message He brought to mankind.

And when I kiss them goodnight,

I shall tell them to sleep tight because

He is watching over them

just as He watched over their grandma

when she was young.

~ Divine Blossoms ~

May All the Living Beings of All the Worlds be Happy

Qualities of an Ideal Student

"When the sun is over your head, there will be no shadow.  So, too, when faith is steady in your heart, it should not cast any shadow of doubt.  Do not talk ill of others; talk only of the good in them.  All are good.  If you see bad in them, it is because there is bad in you.  If you do not like someone, do not mix with him.  Grace is the sunlight which will ripen the fruit; Sadhana (spiritual practice) is the sap which rises from earth.  Both are needed by the tree in order that it may yield fruit."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Sanathana Sarathi - Jan. 2006)

Baba's Storytime - Love God or Be Loved

Arbour Ben Adhem saw a brilliance in his room when he returned home.  He found an angel sitting at the table and recording something in a register.  He ventured to ask her very politely what she was so assiduously writing down.  She said that she was recording the names of those who loved God.  Abou was a kind soul who helped the poor, shared his food and shelter with the hungry and the homeless; he was ever engaged in wiping tears off the faces of the sad.  he had no particular loyalty to any God.  He loved persons following all religions, provided they were good and kind.  He cared only for the broad heart and the controlled mind.  The angel said, "No.  Your name is not here."

The next day, Abou's home was again lit with the same brilliance, in the centre of which was found the same recording angel.  She had another register now.  Abou asked her what she was recording in that register. She said, "I am writing down the names of those who are loved by God." Hesitatingly and with great temerity, Abou asked her whether his name was in that register.  The angel put her finger on the very first entry and said, "See!  Your name is the very first.  Love your fellowmen; that is the best method to earn the grace of God."

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

The Undiminished Wheat

Once there lived two brothers who reaped wheat in the fields of their village.  One night, in the dark of the moon, the elder brother gathered several sheaves of his harvest and left it in his brother's field, saying to himself, "My brother has seven children.  With so many mouths to feed, he could use some of my bounty." And he went home.

A short time later, the younger brother slipped out of his house, gathered several sheaves of his wheat and carried it into his brother's field, saying to himself, "My brother is all alone, with no one to help him harvest.  So I'll share some of my wheat with him."

When the sun rose, each brother was amazed to find he had just as much wheat as before!

The next night they paid each other the same kindness and still woke to find their stores undiminished.

But on the third night, they met each other as they carried their gifts into each other's fields.  Each threw his arms around the other and shed tears of joy for his goodness.

Selflessness is a good thing to be but we should also practise it with those closest to us, like our brothers (and sisters).

Sai Madhuryam

The body is made up of five elements 
and is bound to perish sooner or later 
but the indweller has neither birth nor death. 
The indweller has no attachment whatsoever 
and is the eternal witness. 
The indweller in the form of the Atma 
is verily God Himself.    

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

                             

Quotable Quotes

"If someone lifted his father on his left shoulder, his mother on the right, and for eons, carried them afar and did not alight, even if his shoulders are torn, bones bared and blood covered his heels, it is still not enough to repay his parents' kindness."

(From the Sutra of Profound Gratitude to Parents)

Educare

"Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema and Ahimsa are not separable from each other; they flow from one another.  These five human values are a sacred gift of God to man.  Man should try to make these manifest and put them into practice.  That is educare."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Sanathana Sarathi - Apr. 2007)

Divine Wisdom

Leave Everything to God's Will

"Do not pray to God for the fulfilment of your worldly desires.  Instead leave everything to God's Will.  Have full faith that He will do what is good for you.  Pray to Him, "Oh God, please take care of us every moment of our life."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Sanathana Sarathi - Jan. 2005)

Quotable Quotes

"If I have just one aim,

And if that aim is to be myself,

Then I am bound to discover joy,

True joy, eternal joy."

~ Sri Chinmoy ~

Empty Pages

One evening, a young woman went alone to walk barefoot by the ocean after the sun had set.  She stopped in her path and turned so she could see the footsteps she had left in the sand.  But they had already been washed away by the waves.

When she turned to continue her walk, she was startled by the presence of an old woman wrapped in a blanket who, out of nowhere, appeared, sitting by a fire, slowly paging through the leaves of a leather-covered book.

She walked up to the woman and asked, "Where did you come from?  I didn't see you here a moment ago.  And how did you start this fire so quickly?"  Her question went unanswered but were instead met with a reply in a serene voice, "Sit with me, child.  I have something to show you."

As the young woman sat down beside the fire, the mysterious stranger handed her the book.  She curiously turned the pages one by one and was amazed to discover they contained the story of her whole life from the early days of childhood to the present.  She then came to the page telling of her encounter with the old woman by the fire during her walk on the beach, but upon turning to the next page, she found it empty.  She frantically began to turn the rest of the pages in the book only to find they, too, were all empty.

In bewilderment, she looked at the old woman and pleaded with her to explain.

"Does that mean my life ends this night?"

"No, my child.  It means tonight your life begins."

At that moment the old woman took the book into her own hands and began to tear out each of the pages with words, throwing them one by one into the fire until all that was left were blank pages.  She handed the book of empty pages to the young woman.

"You see," she said.  "Just as the waves washed away your footprints in the sand, your past is forever gone, never to return.  The only moment you ever truly possess is here and now.  Each new moment is the beginning of the rest of your life and is to be lived to the fullest, for you will not have a chance to live that moment a second time. Most important of all, each new day brings an opportunity to love - one may never come to you again.  As for your future, you are free to shape it as you wish, for it has not yet been written."

Then, as mysteriously as she had appeared, the old woman stood up to walk away and disappeared into the darkness of the night.

(Excerpted from the book, "For Love or Nothing.  Lessons to Illuminate the Path to Love" 

by William Oak.

Miraculous Cure

A lady was brought to Prashanthi Nilayam in an ambulance from the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital.  She was very ill with cancer that had spread all over her body and she could hardly breathe.  The doctors thought she would die at any time and asked her, "What is your last wish?"  She immediately replied, "I wish to have Swami's darshan, please!"  She was immediately brought through the main gate and the stretcher was placed at the entrance.  The volunteers decided to take her back to the hospital as soon as Baba had given His Divine darshan to all devotees.

Beloved Baba's gaze rested on this lady for only a couple of minutes and through His 'cosmic rays', she was cured!  Nearly fifty thousand devotees witnessed this miracle as she got up from the stretcher and was absolutely normal.  Many devotees had tears of joy in their eyes.  This proved that Beloved Swami's darshan could heal a devotee.

(From the book "Sai Smaran" by Dr. D.J.Gadhia)

Dear Lord ...

Dear Lord,

Grant me bliss,

Grant me peace,

Grant me wisdom,

Grant me courage.

Lord of my heart,

I yearn for Your grace and love,

Lead me from wilderness to

Your garden of light and love.

~ Divine Blossoms ~

Quotable Quotes

Ego

"Man must get rid of the feeling that he is the doer.  As long as the ego is dominating, the Atma or God consciousness will not be realised.  The egoist cannot recognise the Atma.  Therefore, first crush your ego.  It is egoism that is the root cause of all troubles of man."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Sanathana Sarathi - Dec. 2003)

Always be Happy

"Always be happy and cheerful for your heart is full of bliss.  When you are blissful by nature, then why do you worry?  The Atma is the source of bliss.  The moment you think of bliss, you can attain it.  Happiness is union with God.  Therefore, always be in the company of God.  Once you are in the company of God, happiness will follow you like a slave."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Sanathana Sarathi - Feb. 2003)

Sai Madhuryam

Fear of sin has declined; 

Wicked deeds have become the order of the day; 

Devotion to God has diminished. 

We find acts of violence all around. 

Oh man! Understand that you will attain peace and happiness

 Only when you take refuge in the Lotus Feet of the Lord

 and chant His Divine Name

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

Baba's Storytime - Intimations of Mortality

One merchant who was very much afraid of death worshipped the God of Death, Yama, for many years and offered elaborate Puja to Him.  Yama was pleased at the special attention and adoration shown by him and promised that he will not pounce upon him all of a sudden, but will give him advance intimation, so that he can put his affairs in good order before leaving the world.

When at last his end came and he was about to die, he got wild with Yama and in his anger, he charged Yama with falsehood, ingratitude and cheating.  He said that he was not given any advance intimation at all.  But Yama said, "Why?  I had sent you not one but four intimations well in advance of his consummation."

The merchant said that he had not received any of them.  But Yama said, "Your hair turned grey.  That was the first intimation.  But you dyed it and forgot its lesson.  I made you bald but you wore a wig and slighted the notice I gave.  Then I had all your teeth fall off; you wore a denture and pretended I was far away.  The fourth intimation I sent was folds all over your skin.  You did not pay heed to that warning too."  Indeed Yama had kept His word.

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

Quotable Quotes

"The source of love is deep in us and we can help others realise a lot of happiness.  One word, one action, one thought, can reduce another person's suffering and bring that person joy."

~ Thich Nhat Hanh ~

May All the Living Beings in All the Worlds be Happy

Expect the Unexpected

There was a ship that crashed among the rocks of a small island. This ship carried religious monks who were tasked to spread the word of God to a nearby country. After the crash, all of the shipmates and monks got off the ship to make camp. While coming off the ship, and onto the beach, the monks encountered three men, who will local to the shipwrecked island. The monks were in despair. The monks explained, to the local men, that their journey was lost. Soon, the water would be frozen to their destination, and their journey would be impossible

.

Even in despair, the monks continued with their daily prayers. The three men were curious about their religion, and asked the monks to teach the prayer to them. The three local men learned and memorized the prayer. The three men became very devout with this prayer, and said the prayer many times throughout the day.

After many weeks, the ship was fixed. The monks became very close to the three local men on the shipwrecked island, and everyone was sad to part. The ship took off from the beach, and the three men began to recite the prayer that they learned. As they were waving goodbye, each of the three men stumbled over the words of the prayer. They panicked and realized that they had forgotten the prayer.

In fear of never seeing the monks again, the three men ran out to the ship, which was hardly in sight. As the three men approached the ship, they cried out for the monks to please help them remember the words of the prayer, and to please pray to God for them. The monks looked at the three men in amazement. The three men were floating on water. The one monk spoke up and said to the three men, “It’s not we that should be praying for you, it’s you that should be praying for us.”

In all of the despair, and what they thought was an unsuccessful journey, the monks finally saw that it was God's Will to shipwreck them on that island, and to teach the local three men about their God, and in turn, the three men served as an inspiration and uplifting miracle for the monks.

~ Dirbubba ~

Divine Wisdom

Suffering

"God does not cause suffering to any living being in His creation.  All sorrows and difficulties are of your own making.  God is the protector of all living beings.  He provides peace and happiness to one and all.  Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu (May all the people of the world be happy!).  This is the Will of God.  How then can God cause sorrow to a human being?  Unable to understand this truth, you blame God for your suffering."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Divine Discourse - 14.1.2005)

Seek What I Have Come to Give

"You are imprisoned in your ego.  Though you should try to liberate yourselves from this bondage quickly and safely, most of you do not seek from Me the key to this liberation.  You ask from Me trash and tinsel, petty little cures and gains.  Very few desire from Me the thing I have come to give, liberation itself.  Even among the few who seek liberation, only a small percentage sincerely stick to the path of Sadhana and from among them only an infinitesimal number succeed."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Sanathana Sarathi - Feb. 2005)

Words of Wisdom

Whoever knows others is wise.

Whoever knows himself is enlightened.

Whoever conquers others has physical strength.

Whoever conquers himself is strong.

Whoever is content is wealthy.

Whoever is determined has strong will.

Whoever does not lose his centre endures.

Whoever dies but maintains his spiritual power 

has eternal life.

~ Lao Tzu ~

(In Tao Te Ching)

When Night Ends

"How can we determine the hour of dawn - when the night ends and the day begins?" a teacher asked his students.

"When, from a distance, you can distinguish between a dog and a sheep?"  one of his students suggested.

"No," the teacher answered.

"Is it when you can distinguish between a fig tree and a grapevine?" another student asked.

"No." he replied.

"Please tell us the answer, then," said the students.

"It is when you can look into the face of a human being and have enough light to recognise in him your brother," the wise teacher replied.  "Until then, it is night, and the darkness is still with us."

(Author Unknown)

Sai Madhuryam

'Why should one crave for pleasure and prosperity,

acquisition of degrees and exalted position?  

It is enough if one has a compassionate heart,

peace and happiness.

This is all that humanity needs today."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

Divine Wisdom

Wonderful Darshan

This is the story of M Ratibhai Ganatra who was cured of his diabetic ulcer by Swami.

Mr. Ratibhai Ganatra of Leicester had a diabetic ulcer on  the right ankle which was not healing.  He had been having it for a few years and tried different doctors and treatments but nothing worked.  He was not a Sai devotee but had absolute faith in Lord Krishna.  He was told that "Baba is for the whole universe" and that by having Baba's darshan, a problem can be solved.  Thus, as a last resort, he came to Prasanthi Nilayam.

When Swami came out to give His Divine darshan to the devotees, Mr. Ganatra saw Swami walking about one foot (30 cm) ABOVE the ground!  In order to clear his doubts, he pointed this out to two devotees sitting by his side but they said that Swami was walking ON the ground and that something must be wrong with his (Ganatra's) vision! He kept quiet about this and enjoyed Baba's Divine darshan for three days, at the end of which his ulcer was cured!

Many a time Beloved Baba has said: "Let everyone come to Swami, have the experience, and then you will realise.  Swami does not distinguish between religions, caste or creed.  For Him everyone is equal.

(From the book "Sai Smaran" by Dr.D.J.Gadhia)

Faith in God

"God can do anything by His Divine Will.  Why should you fear when such an all powerful God is always with you?  With courage and faith, you can achieve anything.  There is no force more powerful than faith in God in this world."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Divine Discourse - 28.8.2004)

Love

Happiness and joy,

Being at one with the world.

No enemies, no strife,

Respect for all.

You love your mother,

You love your father.

You love your family,

You love your friends.

But how many people love divinely?

To love one and all,

To never hate,

For the only true way to touch God,

Is to love all, serve all.

(From the book "Love" by Sudha Geethanath)

Baba's Storytime - The Common Tongue

There was a man from Puttaparthi who lived in a solitary hut on the banks of the Ganges some miles from Haridwar.  He was engaged in severe Thapas and was greatly admired by other monks.

One day, while bathing in the river, he overheard a party of pilgrims who had alighted from their bus at that site, talking among themselves in Telugu.  His attachment to the mother tongue dragged him thither; he asked them where they came from.  They said Rayalaseema; he probed further; they were from Anantapur District; his ears ached for further details.  They were from Penukonda Taluk, Puttaparthi itself, in fact.  So the monk was very happy; he asked them about his lands, his family, his friends and when he was told that a few of them had died, the poor fellow started weeping like a fool.  All his years of Sadhana had come to naught.  They broke down before the onslaught of language attachment.  He was so bound to his mother tongue.  What a pity!

Practise detachment from now on; practise it little by little, for a day will come sooner or later when you will have to give up all that you hold dear.

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

Quotable Quotes

Education

"Man has value only when he is endowed with character.  One without character cannot be called a human being.  Hence, acquire that education which develops character.  Education is not meant to fill our pockets with money.  After all, what can money do?  In what way can it help us?  It may perhaps help us to acquire name and fame and build palatial buildings.  But without character, all this amounts to zero."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(From Bhagavan's Benedictory Address on 22.11.2005

on the occasion of the 24th Convocation of SSSIHL)

Sadhana and Sankalpa

"I always say, "Sadhana first, Sankalpa later".  That is the correct order.  My Sankalpa confers bliss only after assessing the depth of the yearning in the devotee.  Sadhana (discipline, spiritual striving and steady practice) is the essential prerequisite.  A teacher evaluates the written answers of his students and assigns them marks only after careful scrutiny of what they have written, isn't it so?  I, too, measure and weigh the sincerity and steadiness of the Sadhana you have imposed on yourselves and then frame My Sankalpa (Will) accordingly.  Of course, many are not aware that the misery in which they find themselves can be negated by Sadhana."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Sanathana Sarathi - Dec. 2005)

Sai Madhuryam

"Possessing physical prowess 

And intellectual strength, 

If one lacks Divine help 

He is powerless and weak. 

Forget not the fate of one 

Like the valiant Kama, 

Who died ingloriously, 

And learn the lesson. 

Everyone knows the world of God 

But of what avail is it? 

They profess to worship God 

But have no understanding of God's message."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

Act Well Your Part

"Do all Karma as actors in a play, keeping your identity separate and not attaching yourself too much to your role.  Remember that the whole thing is just a play and the Lord has assigned to you a part; act well your part; there your duty ends.  He has designed the play and He enjoys it."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Sanathana Sarathi - Oct. 1995)

I'm Going to Let It Shine

It was a warm evening in June. I was a young dad, sitting in a lawn chair, holding my baby boy on my lap. My wife and I had just rented an old house with a big yard. Her uncle along with his wife and two, young daughters had dropped by to pay us a visit. As we adults sat outside, sipping iced tea, and watching the sun go down, the two girls raced around the yard, laughing, yelling, and trying their best to catch lightening in a jar.

The lightening was lightening bugs, of course. Dozens of fireflies were floating freely around the yard, moving slowly, but always just evading their pursuers. Soon my young cousins got me to join in the hunt and we safely captured two of the little shiners and put them in a mason jar with a lid on it. We sat and watched them blink on and off for a long time. Finally, one of the girls looked at me and said, "They look sad. We should let them go." I slowly opened the lid and we watched as they flew away to freedom. Then we laughed and sang several verses of the song: "This little light of mine. I'm going to let it shine."

As I think back on that night so many years ago it makes me remember all the times I have kept my own light sealed in the mason jar of my soul instead of sharing it with the world. Fear, anger, jealousy, and doubt have made me hide my light so many times over the years. It has taken me a long time to see that like those lightening bugs God wants all of us to shine our light as bright as we can, as long as we can, and every single chance that we can.

Don't let fear keep you from shining your light. Don't let this world keep you from living your love. God loves you so much. God meant for you to shine. Share your love then. Be kind. Help others. Do good. Bring joy. Make your life a beacon for all the world to see. Take all that lovely light within you and "let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

Divine Wisdom

Good Health

"For accomplishing any task, good health is necessary.  The ancient sages realised the Divine by maintaining perfect health.  The body is given only to do righteous deeds.  As it is the instrument for action, it should be maintained in a proper condition."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Sanathana Sarathi - Dec. 1994)