Service in Action

 

Sri Sathya Sai Baba also showed and blessed those who showed the spirit of service in action. 

Satish, a student of MBA at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning was travelling by a bus from Chennai to Puttaparthi. He fell asleep during the journey and opened the eyes when the bus stopped at Madanapalli. On opening his eyes he found that an aged sick lady of about 80 years passed stools and urine on her seat and the whole place was stinking.

She was sick and helpless. No one in the bus volunteered to help her. Touched by her miserable condition, Satish himself lifted the lady to the toilets at the Madanapalli bus station to do the needful. When he went there, carrying the old and sick lady, he found a woman with a bucket of water at the toilets, volunteering help. She told Satish that she would take care of her and bring her to the bus. 

In the meanwhile, Satish went to the bus and cleaned her seat where the sick woman defecated. The woman who volunteered to help at the toilet brought the lady to the bus, placed her in her seat and went away. Satish fell asleep and opened his eyes when the bus reached Puttaparthi. He rushed to hostel, had a bath and went for darshan at the Mandir in Prasanthi Nilayam. 

Sathya Sai Baba stopped in front of him at darshan time, looked at the students sitting there and said "When all of you went home for the vacation, I saw this boy (indicating Satish) at Madanapalli bus station." Baba created vibhuti for him and said, "This is for your spirit of love. I came in the form of a woman to help you at the bus station of Madanapalli when you brought the lady to the toilet with concern and love for her". 

No act of service is too low for God who has taken the human form to says, "My life is My message", conveys the spirit of service and love. 

SAMASTA LOKAH SUKHINO BHAVANTU

Sai Blossoms

"Only love is permanent in this world.  Fill your life with love.  You can love others only when you have love within you  Your innate love is your divinity.  If you have love in your heart, nobody will hate you.  Others will hate you only when you have selfish desires.  Never hate anybody, never feel jealous of anybody and never get angry with anyone."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(April 14, 2006)

Quotable Quotes

 “The source of love is deep in us and we can help others realize 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 Living Beings in All the Worlds be Happy

 

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

 

"Cows are many, but milk is one.

Beings are many, but indweller is one.

Castes are many, but humanity is one.

Flowers are many, but worship is one.

Paths are many, but God is one.

Hence, you should give up all the differences based on caste, 

religion and nationality and develop the spirit of love." 

-  Sri Sathya Sai Baba  -

(Sathya Sai Speaks – 21 July 2002)

The Value of Service

 

There was another occasion when Bhagawan taught the value of service. While watching students distributing prasadam to the devotees in Sai Kulwant hall, Bhagawan asked a student, "Do you know why I ask students to perform the seva of distributing prasadam?" 

The student answered, "Swami you want to make people happy by giving prasadam to them." 

Then Bhagawan continued, "I am giving opportunities to the students to perform service so that the merit they earn by performing seva enables me to help my students in their need."

SAMASTA LOKAH SUKHINO BHAVANTU

People

"People must worship God in the form of people.  God appears before one as a blind beggar, a leper, a child, a decrepit old man, a criminal or a madman.  You must see even behind those veils, the divine embodiments of love, power and wisdom, the Sai, and worship the Lord through selfless service."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(April 1, 1975)

 

You Are All MIne

 

The Tongue

"The tongue has been given to speak the truth, expound on what is sacred and pure.  The tongue has not been given to man to pamper the palate with delicious sweets.  It is not given for talking as one likes.  It is not to be used for causing displeasure to others nor is it to be used for indulging in falsehood.  The tongue has been given to man to speak the truth, to be sweet to others, to praise the divine, and to enjoy the bliss derived from such sacred speech."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(February 5, 1998)

 

Gems of Wisdom

 Life doesn’t always respond instantly.

You may do good and not see results right away.

You may witness wrong actions that seem to go unpunished.

You may wonder if fairness even exists.

But karma is not in a hurry.

It works quietly.

Through patterns.

Through consequences.

Through the shaping of the mind itself.

Every thought plants a seed.

Every word leaves an imprint.

Every action sets something in motion.

Some seeds sprout quickly.

Others take time.

But none are lost.

In Buddhist understanding, karma is not about reward and punishment.

It is about cause and effect.

When you act with anger, your mind becomes disturbed.

When you act with dishonesty, trust begins to break — both within and around you.

When you act with compassion, peace begins to grow.

Karma unfolds both externally and internally.

Often, the first place it shows up is within you —

in the form of restlessness or peace,

clarity or confusion.

So don’t be misled by timing.

Just because something hasn’t happened yet

doesn’t mean it won’t.

And just because someone appears fine

doesn’t mean they are free from consequence.

Focus on your own actions.

Plant wisely.

Act with awareness.

Because whether seen or unseen,

karma is always in motion.

And in the end,

you don’t receive what you wish for —

you receive what you cultivate.

Samasta Lokha Sukhino Bhavantu