May All Living Beings in All the Worlds be Happy

 

Faith

 

Q135  Swami!  We meet many persons who say that they can believe only after going through an intimation of divinity, develop faith only after they experience.  But many also feel that only strong faith gives us that experience.  So which of the two precedes the other?  Please tell us, Swami.

Bhagawan: Faith, which comes first, gives you experience.  You must have unwavering faith in order to experience.  Faith is the foundation.  For example, to swim, you should jump into the water  You cannot say that you will jump into water only after learning swimming.  You cannot learn it on tar roads or cement roads.  You can learn it only in water.  Here water is faith and the art of swimming is experience.  So faith precedes experience.

(From the book "Satyopanisad" Vol. 1 by Prof. K. Anil Kumar)

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

 

"The desire for worldly objects can plunge one in endless misery. Desires are like a green pumpkin which will sink in water. A desireless man will be like a dried pumpkin which will float in water. He will be able to overcome the pulls of the mundane world and even aspire for a Godly life. He may not be keen about liberation, but he will not give up devotion. God looks after the Yogakshemam (progress and welfare) of such a person here and in the hereafter; because being without desire and detached, his thoughts are centred on God. To secure the grace of the Divine in this way is itself a kind yoga. To preserve that grace is to ensure one’s kshemam (well-being). This is known in Vedantic parlance as “Securing what is not easily attainable."  It can be got only through grace-filled human effort. Some spiritual exercises are necessary for this purpose."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(SSS Vol. 21)

Food for Thought - My Mission

"Sathya is what I teach; dharma is the way I live; Shanti is the mark of My personality and Prema is my very nature. I  have come to light the lamp of love in your heart and to see that it shines with added lustre day by day.  I have not come to speak of any particular dharma.  I have not come on any mission of publicity for any sect, creed or cause."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Food for Thought No 1817) 

"In this Avatar, the wicked will not be destroyed.  They shall be corrected, reformed, educated and let back to the path, from which they have strayed.  The white ant infested trees will not be cut.  They shall be saved."

(Food for Thought No 1824)

Harmony in Thought, Word and Deed

 

"Above all, as a humanist, Bhagawan speaks of the harmony of thought, word and deed.  Whatever Bhagawan says, He does it immediately.  Thought, word and deed and heart, head and hands are all in perfect unison, in perfect harmony.  We see that when Swami says anything, He will do it.

Once a group from a village was called for an interview during which Swami asked them about their work and their problems.  They wanted to construct a bus station.  Swami wanted an estimate of the cost, which the villagers said would be Rs. 25,000.  He went in and gave them Rs. 25,000 on the spot.  His is the promise, the declaration and the act together, then and there itself.

Bhagawan then inquired about the other activities of those villagers.  In their response, they said that scarcity of drinking water was a major problem.  Swami immediately called the person in charge of that area, who was also sitting there and instructed him to take necessary action.

There is a college by name Vivekananda College.  The college principal and professors came to Prasanthi Nilayam and requested Swami for a drinking water project in their area.  Immediately, Swami called the people concerned and instructed them to undertake the project.

Swami never procrastinates or gives excuses.  It is done the same day, then and there itself!  If anyone is sick, He will stand there, call the doctor and give him instructions for treatment immediately, and there is no "appointment" as such, as is done by some physicians.  Bhagawan Baba, in totality is a typical humanist."

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

Aradhana Mahotsavam - Bhagawan's True Nature

 

How can we have a glimpse of Bhagawan’s true nature? Is it even possible? Bhagawan reveals as we observe the ARADHANA MAHOTSAVAM.

"What I will, must take place; what I plan must succeed. I am Truth; and Truth has no need to hesitate, or fear or bend. 'Willing' is superfluous for Me. For My grace is ever available to devotees who have steady love and faith. Since I move freely among all, talking and singing, even intellectuals are unable to grasp My truth, My power, My glory, or My real task as an Avatar. I can solve any problem however knotty. I am beyond the reach of the most intensive inquiry and the most meticulous measurement. Only those who have recognised My love and experienced that love can assert that they have glimpsed My reality. For, the path of love is the royal road that leads mankind to Me. Do not attempt to know Me through the external eyes. When you go to a temple and stand before the image of God, you pray with closed eyes, don't you? Why? Because you feel that the inner eye of wisdom alone can reveal Him to you. Therefore, do not crave from Me trivial material objects; but crave for Me, and you would be rewarded."

  ~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Divine Discourse - 19.6.1974)

Offering our love and gratitude to Bhagawan for His grace and blessings.

JAI SAI RAM

Sai Madhuryam

 

The mind causes rebirth to beings 

The mind causes release to beings 

The mind confers victory to beings 

In the struggle to attain the four: 

Goodness, Fullness, Fruition, Freedom, Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha. 

The mind confers mergence everlasting

~Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

God is Being

 

"We should understand and Bhagawan also says this: God is not becoming; God is being.  God is your being and God is not becoming.  If God is becoming, it is something which lies ahead - a futuristic view, something to happen in the future.  Some time is required to become God.

In pursuing our education or career, we need time to acquire the necessary qualifications.  Only after that do we "become" something.  And that implies the future.  But God is not "becoming".  God is our Being, according to Bhagawan.

Baba discontinued padanamaskar to drive home the point that God is Being and not becoming - that we are God.  Devotees who have done padanamaskar used to feel proud of it, as a sort of achievement and a means for publicity.  Thus when the real purpose was not served, padanamaskar was discontinued.  It means that we are purposely and forcefully driven to go within.  We had a facade of spirituality but had not gone within."

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

Gems of Wisdom

 “ If we serve someone with love and affection, blessing will pour from that person’s heart without even asking. “

“Compassion brings fulfilment to the heart. Selfish desires simply agitate the heart.”

“Enduring difficulty for a meaningful purpose is a sublime pleasure.” 

“In a society of devotees and family, the most important quality is to forgive.”

“Satsang is where the energy of many people who are like minded seeking true spiritual connection increases people’s faith “

“Whenever you want to become selfless, loving, without ego you will find great force behind you. You will never fail to achieve some good.” 

Samastha Lokha Sukhino Bhavanthu

Roots of Wisdom - Wealth

"The greater the wealth, the greater one's anxieties.  Therefore one who has riches and status is not necessarily better off than one who is carefree and unburdened by possessions."

(From the book "Roots of Wisdom" written by Hong Yingming)

The Divine Principle

 

"The divine principle is the very embodiment of dharma (right action) and it is only by means of dharma that God can be worshipped.  And dharma is a garland of the flowers of holy deeds, words and thoughts.  Earn the reputation of being good, doing service and being efficient in doing good."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Divine Discourse - 3.4.1971)

Sai Blossoms

"Every bad habit has to be replaced by a good one, no trace of vice must be allowed to persist, the heart must be drained of all egoism.  This is the fruit of this pilgrimages that you must acquire.  Let this be your resolution."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba

(SSS Vol. 9/Ch.1 13.1.1969)

Blessed Sri Rama Navami

 

A Blessed and Happy Sri Rama Navami to you and your loved ones! May the divine grace of Lord Rama always shine upon you.

(Sri Rama Navami 17 April 2024)

Baba's Storytime - Lakshmana Counsels Guha

The knowledge that you are architect of your fortune and that you can, by steady effort, rebuild it or foster it, that you are every day laying on or pulling down the structure of your career, will be a great inspiration provided you welcome it.

 It was the first night of Râma, Lakshmâna and Sîtâ in the thick jungle into which they were exiled. Guha, the chieftain of the fishermen, who had rowed them across the Ganges was engaged in subdued conversation with Lakshmâna, while Râma and Sîtâ were sleeping on the riverbank! 

Guha was sunk in sorrow, that the inheritor of the empire should be cast on the sands under the sky; he cursed the queen and her wicked accomplices for contriving this breathtaking tragedy. 

But Lakshmâna prayed that he halt his tirade.

 "I too emitted fiery fury at the perpetrators of this tragedy. For I did not know the inner purpose of this chapter of Râma's history. He has come in this human form to destroy the evil brood of demons, and so, He has himself contrived this exile, to be free from imperial responsibilities until that aim is accomplished! What do we know, dear Guha, of the mysteries of God or even of man, who is God in human attire? Or of any living being or non-living matter, for they are the entire inscrutable divine, appearing to our limited senses in the way they do. What their real nature is, how can we ever know, with these inefficient instruments of knowledge?"

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

The Sweet Name of Rama

 

"From time immemorial, every individual in Bharat (India) has regarded Sri Rama's life as an ideal and has sought to sanctify every moment of his life by living up to it. Sri Rama incarnated as a human being to promote peace and happiness in the world. "Rama is the very embodiment of righteousness (Ramo Vigrahavaan Dharmah)." It was as if righteousness itself had incarnated on earth. Dharma and Rama are inseparable.

The word Rama has the triple power of destroying sins, conferring peace, and dispelling ignorance. When you utter the word "Ram", you first open the mouth with the sound Ra. All your sins go out when your mouth is open. When you utter M by closing the mouth, the entry is barred against the sins that have gone out. Everyone should recognize the sweetness, sacredness, and divinity enshrined in the name Rama. It is good to utter the name Rama with full understanding of all that it signifies. But even without that understanding the chanting of the name has the power to destroy all sins.

We must learn to chant the sweet name of Rama with a pure, unsullied heart, in a spirit of selfless devotion. Men should learn to speak sweetly and pleasingly. Sweet speech confers peace. It is the means to self-realization. Sri Rama loves to dwell in the heart of the man who speaks sweetly. Wholehearted chanting of the name of Rama even once can destroy mountains of sins. But the chanting should not be done mechanically, like a gramophone record. It should emanate from the depths of the heart. You must seek to redeem your lives, by living up to Rama's ideals and proclaiming them to the world. Remember the name of Rama with love. God can be realized only through love and by no other means."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Divine Discourse: 14.4.1989)

Gems of Wisdom

 “Tears of Joy well up in your eyes when you feel the Presence of Divinity. A dry mind, full of logic, will never be able to experience that. “

“Avatars teaches through vibrations/energy, through dreams, and through direct experience, in a way words cannot express. “

“Anything can be achieved just through a pure heart. “

“A true devotee completely surrenders to God. He longs for God to kill his ego. “

“The Avatar never does things which do not have good reasons behind them. “

“Love is always bestowed as a gift, freely, willingly, and without expectation. It is offered even when not acknowledged or appreciated."

Samastha Lokha Sukhino Bhavanthu

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

"People desperately cling to their possessions saying: “My money, My house” and so on. They forget that when you surrender to the Divine, you acquire His grace. Some time or the other, your wealth will go. But once you have earned the grace of God, you can feel secure and satisfied. Bhagawan does not need your wealth. He is always a “Chittachora” (one who steals the heart), not a “Vittachora” (a stealer of wealth). It is you who have to change from “Vittachoras” to “Chittachoras.”

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(SSS Vol. 21)

Food for Thought - The Body

"The body is subject to ailment from time to time, it comes and goes.  If I rid myself of any ailment, instantaneously people may comment, "What a selfish person Sai Baba is!  He cures his illness immediately.  But He does not remove the pain of others."  Whether it is your bodily ailment or somebody else's, attempt can be made to treat it to teach the sufferer how to control the mind and strengthen the power of resistance.  But it cannot be got rid of at the same instant.  The time required for healing has to be allowed." 

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Food for Thought No. 1809)

Baba's Storytime - The Eyes I Want

 

Surdas was a blind mystic, singer and poet. Lord Krishna once appeared and asked him, in His infinite mercy, if he wanted eyes, so that he could see the world. 

Surdas replied: "Though people have the kind of eyes you are offering to give me, they are befogged with ignorance and are not able to recognise You in all forms and in all beings. Though people have ears, they cannot hear the melody of your flute. I want eyes that can always see Your beauty everywhere; ears that can hear Your flute from every corner of the world."

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

Make Best Use of Time

Why is it important not to fritter away time? And how do we make the best use of it? 

"Pure and pious qualities are immanent in man. He should manifest these inherent pure feelings and not the animal and artificial qualities. But man today is going down-hill morally. With all these contrived situations, the world has become a morose and lifeless place. If money is lost, it can be earned again. If health is lost, it may be possible to regain it. But if time is lost, it can never be regained. So, man should utilise the time at his disposal in the right manner. 

Money decreases only when you spend it. But man’s lifespan decreases on its own with the passage of time. Every individual should be aware of the sharp scimitar called time hanging over his head ever ready to strike. You should be careful. You should not become its victim. Time wasted cannot be regained. It is not like health and money, which can be regained. 

Embodiments of Love! To sanctify time, you should take up virtuous actions. Good actions are the result of good feelings only. You should cultivate such pure and divine feelings."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~!

(Divine Discourse - 5.3.2000)

Develop the inward vision and taste the bliss it gives for at least half a minute every day; that will surely confer on you great strength and security – BABA

May All Living Beings in All the Worlds be Happy

Quotable Quotes

 

“Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves and in everything we do and see. Every breath we take, every step we take, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment.”

~ Thich Nhat Hanh ~

Purification of the Heart - Pt.2

Q101: Swami!  Now it is clear that cittas'uddhi is lacking in us due to our bad thoughts and bad deeds.  We have certain weaknesses, lapses, bad qualities and thoughts.  As you have said unless we get over them, cittas'uddhi cannot be attained.  The mind gets polluted very often.  How is one to control bad qualities?

Bhagawan: It all depends upon your determination and your understanding of the intensity and the gravity of the problem.  It needs an honest and sincere attempt on your part.

A small example: You are moving freely without any hesitation and fear in this room.  There lies a rope in one corner.  But if you come to know that it is not a rope as you have been thinking it to be, but a snake, would you move freely in that room any longer?  You know that it is dangerous to be anywhere near a poisonous snake.  You know that you will die if that snake bites you, and so you keep off from that place.  Similarly, when you are aware of the danger or harm you will be put in, you will definitely stop your misdeeds.

You keep on holding the rope until you come to know that it is not a rope but a snake.  You drop it down immediately because of the fear of death.  So long as you think that these bad thoughts and evil deeds make you happy, you continue to be in the same frame of mind.  But when you know that they are dangerous, you will not hanker after them.  Therefore, first of all, you must identify your own bad qualities and then give them up gradually one after another until you are perfect.

It is also strange to notice that some seekers undergo rigorous discipline for a set period of time during which they lead a perfect life without any trace of a bad quality.  But after that avowed period of discipline, they resume their previous bad habits with redoubled vigour.  This is a big mistake.  That which holds you for some time is artificial.  Here withdrawal from bad habits is not due to the realisation of the evil effects.

Here is an example.  You see the ceiling fan rotating there.  Now, if you switch if off, it will not stop rotating immediately.  It stops slowly.  The three blades slowly stop moving.  The fan does not stop rotating immediately.  Therefore, in full knowledge of the possible harm and the evil effects, you should give up your bad habits slowly.

(From the book "Satyopanisad" Vol. 1 by Prof. K. Anil Kumar)

Food for Thought - Nothing Can Harm Swami

"When you know that Swami has the capacity to control anything, why do you think that I am suffering?  You think about Swami's pain in relation to the body but do not think about the Atma.  You must have the firm conviction that nothing can harm Swami."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Food for Thought No. 1804)

No Need for Solitude

Why is it meaningless to seek spiritual maturity only through solitude? 

"Shutting yourself in a room and offering incense and flowers to a picture or image of God, singing or reciting His glory are very poor substitutes for the discipline that will liberate you from ignorance. All beings are images of God; all men are His pictures; then, why shut yourselves in? All creation is marching on a pilgrimage to Him; why then behave as if you are trekking it alone? You believe that the time spent in church or temple or the domestic shrine in adoration and in ritual worship is devoted to God and the rest is spent for other purposes. But, you cannot demarcate and delimit the realms of God and man like that. God is ever with you everywhere. Vasudevassarvamidam - "All this is God." Society is the school where this lesson is taught to those who earnestly seek."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(SSS Vol. 12, Ch.15)

Purification of The Heart

 

Q100: Swami!  You stress cittas' uddhi, purification of our heart, but how is one to accomplish it?

Bhagawan: You are mistaken here.  Citta, heart, is always pure.  So where is the need for its s'uddhi, purification?  You only pollute it.

Take for example this kerchief.  This is white in colour.  It becomes dirty as I use it.  I give it to a washerman to wash it and bring it back.  When he brings it, it looks white and bright as before.  It was so before and it is so after a wash, but it was dirty in between due to use.  The washerman did not paint the kerchief white.  He only removed the dirt.  So too like a kerchief, your mind is also pure which becomes impure due to your desires and thoughts.  Once you remove the impurities from the mind, it will become pure.  So cittas' uddhi means exercising control over desires.

(To be continued)

(From the book "Satyonpanisad" Vol. 1 by Prof. K. Anil Kumar)

Pleasing God

"We should realise that we cannot please God by our books, or our songs or by our learning and scholarship. Nor is it possible to please God by intellectual eminence or clever tricks. Annamacharya declared: "The degree of everyone's (spiritual) attainment depends on the nature of his thoughts. Oh Lord! Whatever the feeling with which one envisages you, you appear to him within that form." 

Divine Grace is in proportion to the measure of your devotion. You can take from the vast ocean only the amount of water your vessel can contain."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(SSS Vol. 21)

Naamasmarana

 

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

"Embodiments of Divine Love! Man’s life is determined by his qualities. The transformation of the world is related to the transformation of the individual. The world will change only when the individual changes. When individuals are good, society also becomes good.

We tend to attach importance only to the external forms of social institutions. We lay stress on the conditions prevailing in the political, economic, social and environmental spheres. Changes in these spheres alone are not enough. Mental and spiritual transformation is more essential."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(SSS Speaks Vol. 21)

Gems of Wisdom

 

“A humble heart is one that gives no resistance to the natural flow of grace .”

“If you want to get to a place, you need to know the route."

We need to know exactly where we want to direct our human lives.”

“Contentment comes with pure heart. This is the nature of a pure heart."

"Satisfaction does not depend on the comfort of external conditions, it is an internal state of the mind."

"In the path of Bhakti, the purification of the heart is done through sincere chanting and pure living dedicated to selfless service, not exploitation.”

“Every time you are passing the test, you are coming closer to God “

“Harder the conflict, more glorious the triumph.”

“See adversity not as a consequence of a cruel purposeless universe but as an opportunity to offer selfless love.”

“Every little thing disturbs us because we are spiritually bankrupt. Thus, it’s important for everyone to build a spiritual bank-balance for blissful life”

“Embrace the challenges because most often they inspire us to search deeper and are great aids to enlightenment.“

Samastha Lokha Sukhino Bhavanthu

A Great Lesson

Selfish desire is the root cause of Raavana's ruin 

"Raavana taught a great lesson to the world. He exclaimed: "Oh men! Do not live as I have lived and ruin your lives." What is the root cause of Raavana's ruin? 

Unable to conquer his desires, unwilling to get rid of his impulses, he ruined his entire clan. His sons were killed. His brother and other kinsmen were killed and ultimately his country itself was reduced to ashes. Raavana confessed- "In the end I ruined myself." This was the message Raavana gave to his countrymen in his last moments. ]

Only by suppressing desires does a man manifest his humanness. A man who is unable to put an end to his desires, puts an end to himself. A good man by his good conduct achieves greatness. Raavana sought to achieve greatness but did not strive to lead a good life. Raama's career is different. He aspired only to be a good man and did not seek greatness."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Divine Discourse - 16.4.1997)

Sai Blossoms

 

"No one should count the harm inflicted on them and plan revenge.  On the other hand, one must return love for hatred and fraternity for enmity.  To behave otherwise is a sign of weakness, want of courage, and lack of faith in human goodness.  Jesus won in this holy struggle."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba

(Divine Discourse - 25.12.1982)

Determine to Seek

As people plan for vacations, pilgrimages and visits to temples, what are the important aspects to keep in mind? 

"You go from place to place like postal parcels, collecting impressions on the outer wrapper, not on the core of your inner being. A blind man going places is not worried whether it is night or day. So too, you do not differentiate between one temple and another. You behave equally unconcerned, equally sense-centred in all places. You do not allow the holiness of the sacred place to act on your mind. As a result of pilgrimage, your habits must change for the better; your outlook must widen; your inward look must become deeper, you should become steadier. You must realise the omnipresence of God and oneness of Humanity. You must learn tolerance and patience, charity and service. After the pilgrimage is over, you must determine to seek, sitting in your own home and ruminating over your experiences, the higher, richer and the more real experience of God-realisation. I bless you that you may form that determination and, striving step by step, achieve that Goal."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

 (Divine Discourse - 28.2.1964)

Only non-attachment can grant supreme peace. The company of the pious and visits to holy places and holy people promote that attitude and habit - BABA

Roots of Wisdom - No Desire

"When the heart has no desire, everywhere is paradise.  When leading a life of simplicity, one knows true joy and beauty of things."

(From the book "Roots of Wisdom" written by Hong Yingming)

The World or The Divine?

 Q64: Swami!  We have on one side our parents pulling us towards the world and on the other, the divine teachings we have been fortunate enough to receive from you.  We wonder which of the two will dominate and influence us.

Bhagawan: If the ideas of your parents are against God, you should choose God and definitely not your parents.  You must clearly explain and appeal to them and then convince them of the value and importance of the spiritual path.  Among the Bal Vikas children, there are a large number who have brought about a change in their parents.  There are many who have been influenced and transformed by the children of Sri Sathya Sai Primary School, Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School and the students of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning.  There should be a change in the family of the children first, then in the society.

In fact, you are not from your parents, but you are through your parents.  Truly, you are from God.  If you are convinced of this, your words and actions would be godly.  Take a simple example.  You fill a container with sweet milk pudding, payasam.  If the container has holes, you will expect the same sweet pudding to come out of these holes.  Will you not?  Similarly, when you know that you are from God, your words, thoughts and actions will be divine.

(From the book "Satyonpanisad" Vol. 1 by Prof. K. Anil Kumar)

Real Ananda

 

"Real Ananda can be won only by means of the transformation of the impulses which agitate the Manas. It is not to be found in wealth. You think that the rich man is happy; ask me, and I shall reveal to you that they are full of grief, for they come to me in large numbers for relief. They have no Santhi at all. A strong physique does not by itself give Santhi; nor does scholarship, or asceticism or rituals. Only constant dwelling with the Name of the Lord gives that unshakeable Peace, unaffected by the ups and downs of life. It makes man a dheera, a hero."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~