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)