All Roads

 

Baba's Storytime - Food is the Basis of Character

 

There are subtle influences that pass into food from the persons who prepare it and handle it and are absorbed by those who eat it. Food is the basis of character. The state of the mind is conditioned by that of the body. 

I shall tell you now of an incident that happened eighty years ago. There was a great yogi, Hamsaraj by name, at Badrinath. He was always immersed in singing the glory of the Lord. He had a disciple who was equally earnest and sincere. That young man was pestered by a dream for a few days which gave him no peace. In his dream he saw a fair young girl of sixteen weeping in great agony and calling out pathetically, can no one save me? The disciple was amazed at this strange dream; he could not shake off that doleful figure and that desperate cry from his mind. He recited his woes to the Master.  Hamsaraj, I can assure you, was a true Hamsa, the Bird of Paradise. The bird can discard water from milk, is it not? Hamsaraj, by his viveka, analysed the situation and discovered the cause of that horrid experience.

He prodded the young man with such questions as: "What did you do the first day?", "Where did you go?", "What did you eat?" etc. It was revealed that he had gone with a friend to a feast and eaten some puris and chapatis. It was discovered that a poor brahmin had prepared the feast. Well, Hamsaraj sent the disciple to find out why and with what resources that brahmin arranged the feast for the recluses of Badrinath. The young man cursed the day when the dream started haunting him, for he was now being sent by his Master on purposeless errands to investigate irrelevant issues; he wondered how his sâdhana could be helped by all this.

Nevertheless, he went and pursued the enquiry about the feast and its origins and the wherewithal out of which it was prepared. It came to light that the funds were supplied by a sixty-year old moneylender to whom a brahmin had given his daughter in marriage and received in return a sum of ten thousand rupees. She was now appealing to the holy men for a bit of human kindness towards a forsaken child.

Hamsaraj thus demonstrated to his disciple that one should examine the source of the food, the motives for the gift and passions that surge and sway the giver before accepting such an intimate gift as food. 

Everyday, when you take food you are offering eatables to the fire that God has put in you to digest food. You have to eat in a prayerful mode, in profound gratitude. The Gîtâ says that the fire which cooked the meal is God; the meal is God; the eater is God; the purpose of eating is to carry on the work entrusted by God or pleasing to God; and the fruit of that work is progress towards God.

 - Bhagavân Sri Sathya Sai Baba

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

Divine Wisdom

 

True Spirituality

"Almost everyone in the world is unaware of what is true spirituality or devotion.   When we are submerged in worldly desires, how can we recognize the divine?  It is only by persistent effort that this can be done.  One has to endeavour to experience the presence of the divine in every particle and at every moment.  A devotee must regard a pure mind as the abode of the Lord.  He must fill the mind with pure, sacred and divine thoughts."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(February 12, 1991)

True Quality of a Devotee

 

What is the true quality of a devotee? How will a person of God handle problems in life? Bhagawan clearly explains today, through the example of Dharmaja.

"Arjuna once charged Dharmaraja with callous indifference to the sufferings of his other brothers, Draupadi and her children; he flung arrows of scorn at him for his blind adherence to ‘morality and righteousness’. 

Dharmaraja, with no sign of resentment, replied calmly, “Patience, tolerance, love—these alone can bring success; of what use is victory if it is gained by falsehood and ferocity? Such a war will breed wars forever. We should always act as if we are in the presence of God, as if God is watching and weighing every thought, word, and deed. See yourselves in all, see all in yourselves; that is the road to lasting peace and joy. Let us not seek the outer empire; let us become rulers of the inner empire. Let us not try to defy the outer enemy, leaving the inner foe to grow in power. We have Krishna with us; who can defeat us? We shall win through winning His Grace.” 

Never stray from the path of right, whatever the trouble or temptation. Do not allow faith to be upset. If you attach importance to riches or children or fame or fortune, you are thereby announcing that you are devoted, not to God, but to riches, children and the rest. 

If you are devoted to God, how should you manifest that devotion? By manifesting divine qualities, divine virtues, divine love and divine strength, become Sai, be Sai."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Divine Discourse - September 26, 1972)

You cannot destroy anger by anger, cruelty by cruelty, hatred by hatred. Anger can be subdued only by forbearance; cruelty can be overcome only by non-violence, hatred yields only to charity and compassion. – BABA

Gems of Wisdom

 

"Prayer becomes truly meaningful when it inspires compassion.  A thousand words of faith cannot replace one act of kindness.  Don't just pray for a better world; become someone who makes it better through love, service and understanding."

Samasta Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu

May All Living Beings in All the Worlds be Happy

 

Shirdi Sai Baba

 

"Shirdi Sai Baba was born on September 27, 1838.  He was born in a poor Brahmin family in the village of Pathri in Aurangabad District."

(Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 25, 1992)

On this 27th September, we lovingly remember Shirdi Sai  - Divine Avatar and Guru, whose life was a living testament to the unity of faiths, selfless service, compassion and unconditional love.

They Lived for 100 Years

"Bhagawan Baba always exhorts that the secret of longevity, happiness, health and bliss is only this - to allow things to be as they happen, not to interfere with the circumstances of life.

"Oh God, I humbly submit myself to You!"  This is  what is meant in Christians' prayer, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."  "Oh God, let things happen according to Your plan.  I surrender unto You, I submit myself to you because you know best.  You are the best judge.  You know what is good for me.  You know better than what I know."  This is called "Surrender".

There are examples of those who lived with Baba, lived for 100 years.  One of them was Professor Kasturi who always had an attitude of humility and surrender.  When Bhagawan asked him to go for a health check up, Kasturi answered, "Swami, I am fine.  Why should I go for a health check up?"  Still, Bhagawan insisted.  Kasturi went to the hospital and Bhagawan went to see him, giving Kasturi instructions for the rest of the things to follow.

Meanwhile, Bhagawan was also giving instructions to the caretaker of the mandir, Kutumba Rao to arrange for the cremation of a dead body.  As Kutumba Rao was making arrangements for the procession, the news came that Professor Kasturi had expired.

The same can be said of Kamavadhani who also lived for 100 years.  Kamavadhani used to go to Baba twice a day.  On a particular day when he went to Bhagawan to have padanamaskar, Bhagawan gave His blessings and said, "Have your lunch.  Better that you don't come in the afternoon."  Accordingly, Kamavadhani went and had a sumptuous lunch and slept and while sleeping, he passed away."

Baba gives this message: "Just allow things to happen as per Divine Design and the Master Plan."  In other words, flow with the tide.

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

Divine Wisdom