Sunday, July 30, 2017

Sai Madhuryam




All animals have a modicum of intelligence 
To secure their needs and enjoy life; 
If man remains at the same level 
He is not a man but an animal. 
The intelligence that reveals God is all sufficing; 
Of what avail is a mass of nondescript knowledge? 
The knowledge that does not reveal God is no knowledge at all. 
It merely serves to feed the belly.

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~


Divinity


"Divinity is present in every object in creation, from the ant to Brahma. Ignoring this basic truth, man is involving himself in endless problems. God is treated as a convenience, to be sought when in trouble and forgotten at other times. The Divine is not be sought in some far off place. He is the indweller in our heart. When this eternal, divine light is shining within us, it is a mark of ignorance to seek for illumination elsewhere outside."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 27.8.1986)

Love is Selflessness



"Love is selflessness. The devotee filled with love of the Lord welcomes what may appear as punishing, as something for his good. Even when the Lord appears to be angry, His compassion is evident. Even in. punishment, God's kindness will be seen. Hence, no one should cherish a grievance that he is being singled out for punishment. Even punishment is a means of leading one to God. The display of anger is for safeguarding the devotee. The true devotee is one who recognises this truth and welcomes whatever happens to him as intended for his good. Eschewing interest in worldly concerns, he should concentrate on means to realise the Divine."


~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba
(Divine Discourse - 8.10.1986)

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Quotable Quotes




“Learn to love, enjoy and embrace what you have in the here and now. 
That's all you really need to be happy.” 



Give Life Meaning

"What is the meaning of life?" This is a question that we all ask ourselves at one point or another of our existence here. It is a question that I have asked myself many times over the years. The best answer that I ever came across was written by the great psychologist, Viktor Frankl who had survived the Nazi Concentration camps in World War II. Frankl wrote that "The meaning of life is to give life meaning."

When I was a young boy I gave my life meaning by simply playing, running, jumping, swimming, laughing, and riding my bike. When I went to school I gave my life meaning by learning, studying hard, getting good grades and trying to make my Mom and Dad proud. 

When I was a teenage boy I found meaning in playing sports, hanging out with my friends, and trying to impress girls. In college I found my meaning by deciding what I wanted to study and what career I wanted to prepare for. 

When I was working as a teacher I found meaning in helping to open young minds to new ideas and old wisdom. 

When I married and had children I found meaning in protecting, providing for, and watching over those I loved. When I found out both of my sons were mentally handicapped I found meaning in loving them, caring for them, and learning so much from them about life, love, compassion, patience, faith, and joy.

As I got older too I began to realize that meaning isn’t something that comes and goes. We can give meaning to every moment of our lives here. We can bring meaning to the thoughts we think. We can bring meaning to the things we do. We can bring meaning to the hearts we touch. 

All we have to do is love. It is love that gives life meaning. It is love that makes life worth living. Love is our Heavenly Father’s gift to us. Love is our gift to each other. May all of your days be full of meaning then. May all of your days be full of love.

~ Joseph J. Mazzella


Sunday, July 23, 2017

Teaser of Mind, Stealer of Heart




The sweetest episode with Swami
Which, one must agree with me,

Is that when you expect of Him the least,
He will surely be your guest for feast.

Despite your denying His existence,
He will be your inescapable shadow.

If you intensely pine for Him,
He might delay, just to ring out the best.

And even if you offer a single leaf,
he returns back a tree of ripened fruits.

Since Swami often plays with our minds,
And at the same time, responds to our little hearts.


~ Raja Sekhar Ganta ~
(From his book "108 Heart Beats")

Divine Wisdom




Friday, July 21, 2017

Baba's Storytime - Reflection




Both praise and blame pertain only to the body. If you respond to it, that means you are accepting the contents thereof. If he does not receive it, it goes back to the sender. So also, you do not react to the abuse or criticism leveled by some one else against you. Then it goes back to him. What you see is only your own reflection The accusation or abuse one makes against you is only a reflection of his mind, which is filled with hatred. 

Krishna asked Duryodhana for help. Duryodhana exclaimed, “How is it, Krishna, that you are asking for my help? It is only we who seek your help.” 

But Krishna told him, “I want you to go round the whole kingdom and find out if there is any good person.” Duryodhana set out on his journey and, after going round the kingdom, returned to Krishna’s place and informed him, “Krishna! I did not find even a single good person anywhere. If at all there is any one with some good quality, it must be only myself.” 

Krishna summoned Dharmaraja, the eldest son of Pandavas, and asked him to go round the kingdom and find out if there was any bad man. Dharmaraja returned after his survey of the kingdom and said, “Swami, I could not find even a single bad person. If at all there is any bad quality, it is in me only.” 

This proves that what you see is only your own reflection. Since, Duryodhana was essentially filled with wicked qualities, he could see the reflection of his own qualities in all. The condition of the world you see is dependent only on your vision. 


(From the Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)


Thursday, July 20, 2017

Coffee and Tea



"When desires become excessive, Atmic conciousness cannot be realised. You cultivate desire for tea, coffee, playing cards, visiting clubs, watching television, etc. You have to curb such desires. Try to reduce taking coffee, tea and other useless and wasteful pursuits like playing cards, etc. You will find within two days that you have become more intelligent and happy. Because of such unnecessary desires, you become mad and slaves of habits; thereby forgetting your human nature."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 25.4.1998)

Purity





"When the heart is filled with good thoughts and feelings, all that comes out of the senses - your speech, your vision, your actions - will all be pure."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 5.2.1998)


Saturday, July 15, 2017

Accept the Inevitable

A grieving mother approached Buddha, carrying the body of her dead child in her arms. She begged him, I know you can bring him back to life. Buddha replied, Death is inevitable; I cannot restore his life. The woman was devastated, and was not prepared to accept this answer. Seeing her pain, Buddha said, I can bring your child back to life, but only if you bring me mustard seeds from a person who has never had a death in his family.
Hearing these words, a hope was awakened within the grieving mother’s heart. Immediately she rushed out to beg. She knocked at the first door and asked for some mustard seeds. The middle-aged lady answering the door was very kind and asked her to wait a moment. The woman asked, There has not been a death in your family, has there? The lady started crying and said, Six months ago my husband died in his sleep. The mother was disappointed and she moved on.
The second person she approached was a young man, who said that his grandfather had passed away only a few days earlier. The third was an old woman whose grown up son and daughter-in-law had been killed in an accident. One after the other, the woman found that someone or the other had died in every family.
By the time the woman returned to Buddha, she had made peace with her son’s death. She had accepted the inevitable. We should too.
(Author Unknown)

Quotable Quotes




"When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, 'Oh yes - I already have everything that I really need.'"

~ Dalai Lama ~


Sai Madhuryam



When the branch of a tree rubs against another branch incessantly, 
Fire emerges from the branches. 
When you repeatedly churn buttermilk,
You get butter from which ghee is got. 
By engaging one's self in a continuous process of enquiry, 
One realises the Divinity within. 


~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~


Friday, July 14, 2017

The Lord is the Guard



Dr. Art-Ong Jumsai, who heads the Sathya Sai School in Bangkok, used to own a factory situated in the suburbs of Bangkok.  This area being prone to burglaries, a guard was hired to look after the factory at night.  However, the guard used to go into his small room and lock himself inside and go to sleep at night.  The factory was, therefore, not guarded properly.

One night the guard was awakened by someone who entered his room and told the guard, "Perform your duty well and you will be rewarded."  The language was, of course, the Thai language as the guard knew no other language.  Needless to say, the guard was shocked and frightened as well because he could not understand how it was possible to enter his room as he had locked the door.

The same thing happened for four consecutive nights.  He was now thoroughly frightened  and the next morning he ran to Dr. Jumsai and related the whole story and described the person who had come to him.  Dr. Jumsai realized who the person was and showed the guard Swami's photo hanging on the wall.  The guard stared at the picture with an expression of great surprise.  He pointed to the picture and said, "That's him.  That is the man who came into my room and woke me up in the middle of the night."


(From the book "Mother Sai's Miracles of Love")


Wednesday, July 12, 2017

All are Mine



"There is no one in this world who does not belong to Me, all are Mine.  
They may not call out My name or any name, but still they are Mine."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(SSS Vol. ll)

Constantly Constant




Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Varu,
Sweetly greets everyone as "bangaru",
His gentle smile is an oasis, in the sea of cruelty,
His mercy is the only shade, in reality.

Trust Him, He never puts you low,
His Grace shall bounteously flow,
In the end even as all relations turn strange,
Only Bhagawan remains constant, without a change.

~ Raja Sekhar Ganta ~
(From his book "108 Heart Beats")

Monday, July 10, 2017

Baba's Storytime - As Is The King



In ancient days everyone developed self-reliance and did not depend on the services of others. During the reign of King Bhoja, the Queen used to take care of all the needs of the king, including cooking and other domestic chores. Today people are lazy and depend on others for many things which they can do themselves. The ancient rulers used to teach these lessons in self reliance to their subjects. 

When the Queen was attending on King Bhoja, she discovered signs of the greying of his hair owing to old age. She felt sad about the onset of old age, but the King told her that these were the first signs which showed that he should prepare for his final end. 

There were four signs from providence about what was in store for man. The first warning comes from grey hair. If this is ignored, then cataract appears dimming the sight. The third message from providence is the appearance of wrinkles. The fourth warning comes when the hands and feet begin to tremble. If all these are ignored the final end comes at the appointed time. 

 Taking heed of the first warning the king summoned his Chief Minister and told him that he was repairing to the forest for penance, leaving the affairs of the kingdom in the minister's charge. The moment the subjects heard about the king's decision, they declared that they would leave for the forest to do penance for securing long life for the king as there was no use their staying in the kingdom without their loving and lovable king. 

The people offered penance and the Lord appeared before them and asked what they wanted. They said the Lord should bless their king with long life. "So be it," said the Lord. The people announced with joy the Lord's boon to the king that he would live for a hundred years. 

The moment she heard this, the Queen sought the king's permission to go to the forest for doing penance. While the people wondered what had. prompted the Queen to go to the forest, the Lord appeared before the Queen and asked what she wanted. The Queen said that long life for the king with no such longevity for the people distressed her. She prayed that the people also should be blessed with equal longevity. 

Pleased with her high-minded prayer, the Lord said that not only the people but the Queen also would be blessed with long life. 

In those sacred days, the people and the rulers were equally broad minded and noble. The rulers and the people matched each other in their goodness. The adage declares: 'As is the king, so are
the subjects." Today it is rare to find such rulers or such citizens. Each one is wallowing in one's own selfishness. 

(From the Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)

Friday, July 7, 2017

Significance of Guru Poornima




"Guru Poornima is the day on which one celebrates the dispersal of the darkness of ignorance from the mind. Hence, people should fill their minds with the all-embracing Love Principle. To experience the fullness of Love, you have to fill your hearts completely with Love. That will be the result of total devotion. 

But today devotion is not total. The benefit also is partial. Part-time devotees cannot expect total reward. The Lord confers full grace on those whose hearts are totally filled with devotion. 

Spiritual aspirants may follow any one of the nine paths of devotion and realise the Divine. Among these, the attitude of friendship towards God is one to be cherished because God is the only true and enduring friend for everyone."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 22.7.1994)

Divine Wisdom




Quotable Quotes



“The moment you wake up, right away, you can smile. That’s a smile of enlightenment. You are aware that a new day is beginning, that life is offering you twenty-four brand-new hours to live, and that that’s the most precious of gifts.” 



Thursday, July 6, 2017

Sai Madhuryam



Truth is the mother; 
Wisdom is the father; 
Righteousness is the brother; 
Compassion the friend; 
 Peace is the wife; 
Forbearance the son; 
These six are men's true relations.

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

Sai Blossoms




Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Powers



"All the powers I have are for you.
I am just the store, keeping them ready to be given to you,
whenever you ask for them.
I shall give prema even if you do not ask,
for it is your right to share in it."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(SSS Vol.l)

In Every Heart



"I know the agitations of your heart and its aspirations but you do not know My heart.  I react to the pain that you undergo, to the joy that you feel, for I am in every heart.  I am the dweller in that temple."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(SSS Vol.l)

I Am Yours, You Are Mine




In distress,
In needful times,
I call out Your name Divine
Since I am Yours and You are mine.

To offer
My heartfelt gratitude,
I come to Your Holy Shrine
Since I am Yours and You are mine.

In life
Wherever I am,
Reflecting Your name, I shall shine
Since I am Yours and You are mine.


~ Raja Sekhar Ganta ~
(From his book "108 Heart Beats)

Monday, July 3, 2017

Money from Home



Once during Darshan in Sai Kulwant Hall, one of the students was sitting with a serious look.  Swami asked him what the matter was. Getting no reply from the boy, Swami Himself said, "You wrote a letter to your father asking for money.  You have not received that money order yet.  I know."  

So saying Swami asked the boy to pick up any  envelope from the bunch of letters he had taken from the devotees.  He then asked the boy to open the same. The boy was hesitant.  Swami jokingly said, "Will I allow the snake to harm you?"  

When the boy opened the envelope he found a new 500 rupee note. Swami said, "Take it.  It is for you.  You asked only for 500 rupees.  If you had asked for more, I would have given more."   

The boy was dumbfounded.  Not just that, the Lord knows what one wants and gives that at the most appropriate time, thus rescuing us from a difficult situation.


(From the book"Mother Sai's Miracles of Love")


Saturday, July 1, 2017

May All Living Beings in All the Worlds be Happy




Poem of Life



Life is but a stopping place,
A pause in what’s to be,
A resting place along the road,
to sweet eternity.
We all have different journeys, 
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things,
but never meant to stay…
Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know.
For some the journey’s quicker,
For some the journey’s slow.
And when the journey finally ends,
We’ll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
Together with the Lord.


~ Author Unknown ~

Quotable Quotes




"You can't cross the sea just by standing and staring at the water."

~ Rabindranath Tagore ~