Peace and Happiness in Society

 

How do we bring about peace and happiness in society and in our individual lives?

"To attain peace and happiness, what is it that he must acquire? The first thing we must acquire is love for God. The Puranas and the great ones have declared that the Divine incarnates to alleviate suffering and pain, punish the wicked and protect the good. This is not correct. The Divine incarnates to teach mankind what love is and how to love. Only when such love is developed will man be free from sorrow and trouble. Sins will be wiped out, and fear will cease to haunt men. 

Therefore, the first aspect to be learnt is love for God. Where there is love for God, fear of sin will follow like a shadow. When both of these are present, society will experience morality. 

Man’s primary duty is to foster these three: Daiva Preeti, Papa Bheeti and Samaja Neeti (Love of God, Fear of Sin, and Morality in Society). If we desire an object, we must perform certain actions to achieve that object. We must recognise the distinctive qualities of the object we love and develop faith in it. Without love, you cannot have faith in it. Propelled by these two, we will take up necessary actions to achieve the object of love. 

Love is Bhakti; the faith is Jnana; the action performed to experience both is Karma. Therefore, it is said that Upasana (worship) is the combined outcome of Bhakti, Jnana, and Karma.

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Divine Discourse - July 29, 1988)

As the oil is the basis to the flame in the lamp, Daiva-bhakti (Devotion towards God) is the basis to the flame of Jnana. - BABA

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

 "The desires that cling to the mind are the blemish that tarnish man’s inner consciousness. Control the senses, do not yield to their insistent demands for satisfaction. When a corpse is placed on a pyre, and when the pyre is lit, both the corpse and the pyre are reduced to ashes. So too, when the senses are negated, the mind too disappears. When the mind disappears, delusion dies and liberation is achieved.

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(SSS Vol. 6)

Gems of Wisdom

 Most people spend their lives trying to change the world around them.

True peace begins when we work on the mind.

These five simple practices can quietly transform how we experience life.

Accept what is.

Suffering often begins when we resist reality. 

Wisdom starts with seeing things clearly as they are. Acceptance does not mean giving up; it means beginning from truth instead of denial.

Let them.

You cannot control other people’s choices, emotions, or paths. Clinging to control creates frustration. Let others walk their journey while you remain centered in your own.

Let it go.

When something triggers you, it reveals a place where attachment or pain still lives. Instead of reacting, observe it. Awareness dissolves what resistance strengthens.

Trust the timing of life.

Everything unfolds through causes and conditions. What arrives in your life is often the result of seeds planted long ago.

Look for glimmers.

Tiny moments of beauty, kindness, silence, or gratitude. When the mind notices these small lights, peace begins to grow.

A peaceful life is not created by controlling everything outside ,

it is created by training the mind within. 

Samastha Lokha Sukhino Bhavanthu

Divine Wisdom

 

Sai Blossoms

 "There are no permanent mothers in the world, the only permanent mother is the Divine Mother. Swami often reminds you of your spiritual family where Truth is your father, Love is your mother, Wisdom is your son, Peace is your daughter, Devotion is your brother, and Yogis are your friends.

In the spiritual path these are your true relatives, who will always accompany you. When you have this kind of relationship, when you treasure this kind of friendship, you will be able to break the bonds of the world and become free. Light has value only when there is darkness; otherwise it has no value by itself Therefore, in times of trouble and sorrow, whenever problems arise, evoke the principle of Divinity, which will shed illumination and light in moments of darkness."

~Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Discourse delivered on Shivarathri day before a large gathering of Indian and overseas devotes 

at Prashaanthi Nilayam, 17-2-1985)

Scientific Inventions

"Many scientific inventions are extremely useful to man. But if they are not properly used they can cause great harm. 

For instance, television can be valuable means of educating and entertaining people. But how is it berg used today? As soon as a boy returns from school, he throws away his books and starts looking at the TV. His mother serves him food near the TV set. Both mother and son keep watching TV without regard to their other duties. Several hours of precious time is wasted in watching TV. The fault lies not with the television, but with the excessive and wrongful use of the instrument. It is like a knife which can be used for slicing vegetables or stabbing a person. 

It is only when science is linked to spirituality that the results of science can be fully harnessed for the good and elevation of mankind."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Discourse in Bombay on 26-1-1985)

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 ~

Greed

 

Greed does not mean only to "have".  One is greedy, miserly and possessive even when one is not ready to part with something.  It is not greed if one has what one really needs and uses.  We should unburden ourselves so that sharing replaces greed.  We cannot share unless we give up greed.  A greedy man never shares.

Once a devotee gifted a suitcase full of costly Japanese cameras to Swami.  Bhagawan ordered the suitcase to be opened in front of everybody and started distributing the cameras to all who were then present, including policemen, cooks and maidservants.  Thus, all had the chance of receiving costly cameras.  Would an ordinary person act in such a manner?

(From the book "Sai-chology" by Prof. K. Anil Kumar)

Baba's Storytime - Rabia Malik and Hussain

 

Remember, your real nature is the same as the other man's; he is yourself known by another name. When you do a good deed,  you are doing it to yourself; when you do a bad turn to someone, remember, you are injuring yourself; so, avoid dong evil to others.

 I am reminded of what Hussein, the son of Rabbia Malik of Persia used to do. He rose early and went to the mosque for prayer with great diligence and devotion. When he came, he found the servants of the house still sleeping on their mats and he grew wild at them; he swore and cursed them for neglect of religious duties. 

Then his father chastised him. He said, "Son, why do you get angry with those poor souls who are too tired to wake up early? Do not wipe off the good results of your adherence to the rule of God by falling foul of these innocent slaves. I wish you would rise rather late and abstain from the mosque, for now you have grown proud that you are more religious than these others and you dare blame them for faults for which they are not themselves responsible."

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

Home Environment

How does the home environment influence the physical health and well-being of future generations? 

The body has to be maintained in good condition, for it is only when embodied in this human container that man can realise God. The body is either strong or weak, an efficient instrument or an inefficient one, according to the food, recreations, and habits of one’s parents. 

Since the elders do not pay attention to these, the health of the children suffers; we have hospitals, dispensaries, and clinics in every street now, because disease has its hold on every family, in every home. Even little children wear glasses; young people dye their hair, and many wear dentures. 

The reason is the atmosphere in the modern home is filled with artificiality, anxiety, envy, discontent, empty boasting, vain pomp, extravagance, falsehood and hypocrisy. How can anyone growing up in this corrosive atmosphere be free from illness? If the home is filled with the clean fragrance of contentment and peace, all its occupants will be happy and healthy. The elders have, therefore, a great responsibility towards the generation that is coming up.

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba 

(Divine Discourse - October 5, 1967)

Why should we maintain the body (deha) in good health? It is for the sake of realising the Dehi (Indweller Self). – BABA