Conversations with Sai - 15

Hislop: What is the meaning of the word, Dharma?

SAI: The word Dharma does not mean 'duty'. In duty there is no freedom; in reason there is freedom; and in religious obligation there is the union between duty and reason. Dharma, then, refers to religious obligation and in that word are the concepts of both duty and reason.

Visitor: There is a difficulty that arises in giving honour to two different aspects of the Lord. For example, Mother in Sri Aurobindo's ashram, and Swamiji here.

SAI: There are two ways; one in which the Divine in seen everywhere and there is then no conflict whatsoever; and the other way in which one feels strong devotion to one single person and is happy in that devotion. In the latter case, one should hold strictly to that Guru and have nothing to do with other Gurus. When one works at a task one needs to give that task full attention and concentration and cannot be thinking of the Lord while doing that task. But the principle involved is the attitude of dedicating everything to the Lord and not doing work because of the fruit to be gained from that work but, on the contrary, doing the work because it is one's duty to do it very well.

(From "Conversations with Sai" - Part 5 - Radio Sai)