SATHYA SAI SPEAKS - Volume III [Ch. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37]

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In view of the ensuing glorious event of the 80th Birthday of the Divine Lord

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we are posting the Divine Messages titled as

‘Sathya Sai Speaks’ for the benefit of our members and all the Sai devotees the

world over. We request members to pass on/forward/spread these Divine messages

to your Sai circle so that they also derive spiritual benefits and bliss from

them. These Divine Messages are not only for Sai devotees, they are for the

entire HUMANITY. Lord Krishna taught humanity the ways and means of salvation

for mankind in ‘Bhagavad Gita’ in Dwapara Yuga. ‘Sathya Sai speaks’ is the

Bhagavad Gita of Kali Yuga. - With Sai love, Sai brothers -

’’

***

Om Sri Sai Ram

SATHYA SAI SPEAKS - Volume III [Ch. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37]

33. IT WILL NOT LAST

THE greatest wonder of all is that nobody knows himself nobody struggles to know

about himself, even among those who spend their lifetime in knowing about

others. Your Self is something subtler than water or air or even Akasha

(space). It must go into the eye so that you may see; it must move into the

hand so that it may hold; it must move into the feet so that you may walk. The

senses are inert materials; the 'I' must operate so that they may function.

That "I" is Brahman, mistaken to be separate! In the Treta Yuga, vaanaras were

made to act and talk like naras (humans); in the Dwapara Yuga, nara was

transformed into Narayana (God) by the Grace of Narayana; in the Kali Yuga, the

declaration is made that Nara is Narayana

Himself. The Ghata-aakaasha (space in the pot) and the Matha-aakaasha (space in

the monastery) are identical with the Mahaa-aakaasha (Vast sky space); only the

upaadhis (disguises), ghata and matra keep up the illusion of separateness. The

senses are the villains; they instill the delusion that you are the upaadhi

(body). Curb them as the bull is curbed by the nose-ring, the horse by the bit

in the mouth, the elephant by the goad. When the Pandavas were traversing the

Himalayas towards the end of their careers, Dharmaraja was still affected by

mental anxieties and so he prayed to Krishna to spend some time with them. On

His departure from their dwelling, Krishna gave Dharmaraja a note, which he was

to read to himself whenever he was affected by joy or grief. The note read:

"Eppudoo undhadhu" (This

will not last). That is one method by which mental agitations can be calmed.

You are in this world under sentence

Take life in the world as a compulsory duty imposed on you. You are now in jail

under a sentence for crimes committed in a previous birth. The Superintendent

assigns various duties cooking, drawing water, hewing wood, etc. You have to do

the work assigned to the best of your ability, without any expectation of

reward. If you behave well, cause no trouble, and do the assigned duties

without demur, then some days may be written off your sentence and you may be

released sooner, with a certificate that you are reliable and good. This

attitude will give you practice in nishkaamakarma (Selfless action), which is

very valuable for curbing the senses. When you talk of God to some people, they

ask, "We will believe, only if we can see Him."

When the Vidhwanmahaasabha Pundits go to the villages for their mission of

spreading the truths of the Vedas, this question will crop up. Then you have to

ask them: "I won't believe that you have pain unless I can see pain with my

eyes." God is Bliss, how can bliss be shown and seen? Whether others believe or

not, 2 plus 2 is equal to 4, You may agree or refuse to agree, but, that is a

fact, proved by the experience of all those who agree. So too is the fact of

God.

Live in constant thought of God

You must live in the constant thought of God as well as of another fact, Death.

The body is the car in which you are riding to death. You may meet death any

moment, while riding; some tree or lorry or ditch or slush will bring it.

Remember Death Remember that time is running out every moment; then, you will

not be tempted to waste time in idle talk or vain pursuits or wanton mischief

or vulgar entertainment. Travel in the car carefully, slowly, with due regard

to the needs of others on the road; do not greedily try to overtake others, or

compete in speed, know the limitations of the vehicle and the road! And then,

you will not meet with any accident. Your journey will be a happy experience

for you and the rest of the people.

Jonnalagadda Sathyanaaraayanamurthy in his speech was exhorting you to teach, to

reform, to reconstruct and do many other things. But, not all can enter upon

such tasks, First, self; then, help, improve yourself, teach yourself,

reconstruct yourself---and, then proceed to solve the problems of others, That

reconstruction is quite easy, provided you inquire calmly into your own

personality---"Am I the body, or the senses or the mind or the Buddhi, etc.?"

You heard in the Burrakatha (folk tale) on Shivaji, how Goddess Bhavani gave

the sword to him. This Shiva-Shakti will give you the Jnaanakhadga and the

Subodhakhadga (the sword of spiritual knowledge and spiritual instruction) that

will destroy the forces of Ajnaana. Take it and become wise and happy.

Prashanthi Nilayam, 26-10-1963

Activity results in either joy or grief, due to the attachment with which it is

done. "I" and "mine" are the two fangs of the serpent; pluck them out, then,

you can safely handle it and play with it. You need not give up activity. As a

matter of fact, you have to be intensely active. In this Karmabhuumi (the land

of sacred action), it is only through karma that you can transcend karma. Birds

and beasts are not aware of this secret; man alone can select and accept the

karma that is most profitable for liberation from the chain of karma. - Sathya

Sai Baba

34. SANKALPA

KALLURI Veerabhadhra Shastri declared now that the Swaadhyaaya Jnaana Yajnas

(ritual sacrifices for Self enlightenment); which started on the 20th had

ended; but, there is no samaapthi (conclusion) for the Yajna. All life is a

Yajna; when does the Yajna meet its samaapthi? I shall tell you. Sama means

Brahma; aapthi means praapthi, attainment, reaching. When Brahmam is attained,

that day, that moment, the Yajna which is Life can be said to have ended; not

until then. This samaapthi marks only the end of these rituals. Carry on the

Yajna, wherever you are, by means of shravana, manana and nidhidhyaasana

(listening. Contemplation and deep meditation).

Shastri today described the story of Rukmini Kalyaana. Now, this is not simply

the story of a marriage. It is the union of Purusha with Prakriti itself. The

Brahmin intermediary is the symbol of Vedic authority through which alone the

merging of the two is known. Rukmini is the Jeeva (individual self) and Krishna

is the Paramatma. She is suffering from the rules and restrictions imposed by

Prakriti (objective world); Ahamkar (egoism) is her brother; Worldliness is her

father. But, on account of her sadhaachaara (good conduct), her mind rested on

God. So she was able to plan a method of reaching God.

One is born to serve out one's sentence

Her prayers, repentance, yearning and steadfastness were rewarded. Her

observance of the age old code of good conduct at last saved her for she went

out for the Gowri Pooja (Worship & universal mother Goddess), before the

marriage rite. In that temple she was immersed in the worship of God and so the

God who was lying in wait liberated her from the bonds! The parents and the

brother and all the relatives objected but an individual is born to work out

his destiny, not to act a role in some one else's drama. One is born to serve

out one's sentence; when the sentence ends, one is free. You shall not remain

in prison, on the pretext that a dear comrade is still in! Just think of this

fact: Rukmini had not met Krishna before; there was no preliminary wooing. The

soul yearned and it won. They had met in the realm of the spirit.

This is no ordinary marriage, though the people who write about it and describe

it in Harikathas (divine stories), speak of it as the romantic adventure of a

willful girl and a young care-free bravado! It is merging of thath with thwam

(That with This). The same thing, if it is near, is referred to as this, and if

far, is referred to as that; this is there (that is when it is not here but

there). Thath is the same as thwam, only it is far; why is it far? Because it

is beyond the reach of the intellect, the senses, and words.

To communicate one's experience of the Godhead, words are inadequate; in fact,

even the attempt is beyond the fortunate sage. Two pilgrims were passing

through a forest and sitting under a tree, they were talking about the debt Man

owed to several "mothers." One of them detailed a list of such "mothers," the

Maatha that gave birth, the Go-maatha, the Bhu-maatha, and the Veda-maatha

(mother cow, motherland and mother scriptures).

Conception of Brahman depends on one's experience

The talk drifted towards the importance of Go-Pooja (cow worship); and, they

began discussing what exactly is meant by the word Go, which means a cow. There

ensued a debate about its characteristics: a tail, two horns, four legs, an

udder, etc. They rose up and wandered long to discover an animal with those

items and at last espied a buffalo, which they worshipped to their heart's

content. So, the conception of Brahman also will depend on each one's equipment

and experience, but that does not mean, there are so many different Brahmans. A

man is called Daddy, Son, Uncle, Grandfather, Cousin, Nephew and Husband---but

that does not make him more than one individual!

Our Vidhwanmahaasabha will establish this truth in the minds of all. It is not

out for condemning any faith or attracting people into a new faith. It will be

engaged in fostering the positive attitude in spiritual effort; encouraging, as

Sanathana Dharma (ancient, eternal, universal religion) has always done, all to

move forward from wherever they are, in the direction of the Lord, whom they

are free to picture in whatever Form they like. No harsh word is to be used

when referring to another's faith, for, faith is a precious plant and harshness

might make it wither. Know the truth; experience the Ananda (bliss)---that is

the Message that these Vidhwans (scholars) will carry. Those who say that

Ananda is the essential nature of man have the responsibility to be full of

Ananda themselves. You enquire of another person the

reason why he looks depressed; you are not worried if he looks happy. Why?

Because depression is unnatural; it is against man's essential nature. Water is

cool; that is its nature. So, the hot spring in front of the temple of Badrinath

by the side of the ice-cold Alakanandha is looked upon with wonder. Be yourself

what you tell the other man to be. People will follow only the man who speaks

out of personal experience.

Sasthras are based on Sadhaks' experience

Some people were on this bank of the river and since they were strangers they

sought information whether the river could be crossed at that point and how. A

lame fellow said, "It is dangerous to cross at this point; go further down."

They did not believe him, for he could not have waded through! A blind man

said, "You can cross; only, keep more to the left for some distance and move to

the right afterwards." They did not follow his advice, for he could not have

known; some one else must have led him. At last a man came, who volunteered to

take them across. "I have crossed often; I live on the other bank and I own

lands on this side." So, they followed him with confidence and they could reach

the other bank safe.

The elders teach a little child names and facts; it calls a thing a dog; another

thing a tree; a third thing, a stone. It says, when asked, that is a man. How

does it know? Because it has been told so. The elders have taught the

characteristics of animals, plants, trees, birds and men and it believes them

and takes them on trust. Then why cannot you believe also in God? You are told

that also; from thousands of years you have been told that there is God with

many characteristics by which you can visualize Him.

The Sasthras (spiritual sciences) declare that the signs of God are such and

such. The Sasthras are based on the experience of Sadhaks (spiritual aspirants)

and they have as much authenticity as any thing else. Many things are taken on

trust, depending on the reliability, the impartiality, the attainments of the

people saying them. The Rishis (sages) are impartial; they have no intention to

deceive or mislead.

Prema alone can understand Prema

If you feel that you too must have the experience or else you will not believe,

well, come and experience. There is no use simply coming one day and going away

the next day, saying, "I have seen Sathya Sai Baba. He wears a fine long gown

and He has wonderful hair." If you spend the time lounging in the hotels here

or playing cards, or listening to tales, how can you understand? Determine to

discover, decide to learn, dive deep, and then you will know.

Thousands have come now and in the years gone by; many have no desire to know;

many who have the desire are unaware of the fact that they must pay more

attention to actual experience of the mind, not to the sense impressions. You

may be staring at something, but, if your mind is not focused on it, you cannot

cognise it. If your body is in this auditorium, your ear in the hotel and your

eye all round the compound, how can anything be learnt? Prema alone can

understand Prema (love).

Prema is the manner of speaking; Truth is the substance; Dharma (virtue) is the

language; Shanthi, the result aimed at. As a matter of fact, I am Prema

Swarupa. I do not need any rest in My efforts to give you Ananda. All this

Yajna, this gathering of Pundits, this Vidhwanmahaasabha is for your Ananda.

Join this great task of Dharmasthaapana

If all this arrangement is done somewhere else, what a great noise it would have

made! People would have scoured the land with lists of likely donors, and

worried this man and that, and finally boasted of their achievements. But,

here, only just a few know about this. It was all a case of the Sankalpa (Will

Power) working itself by the force of its own goodness. And, what do you bring

to Me? Only, tears! Tears of grief when you come and tears of Ananda when you

go! I am unattached to any event or plan. I am not worried at all by fear of

failure, for, I know that My Plan must succeed. This Prashanthi

Vidhwanmahaasabha too is not something new; it is Sanathana (eternal). Only, it

is now once again set on the age-old Mission. This work of Dharma-sthaapanam

(establishment of righteousness) is being done over and over again. You

have now the chance to share in it; so, join this great task, and make your lives worthwhile.

These evening discourses of Pundits and My own Sambashan (discourses) have to

stop from tomorrow; for, I must start meeting those of you who have brought

huge loads of grief, discontents, difficulties and problems for My attention.

That is also My Work and I shall gladly attend to it.

Prashanthi Nilayam, 28-10-1963

Have a timetable for spiritual sustenance, just as you have now for physical

sustenance. A breakfast of pious repetition of Lord's name (Japa) and

meditation (Dhyana), a lunch hour ritual worship of the Lord (Pooja), 'tea and

snacks' of reading scriptures or sacred books (pravachana) in the afternoon and

a light dinner of devotional music (Bhajan) in the early hours of the night. If

you follow this regimen, you can sleep soundly and wake up refreshed. - Sathya

Sai Baba

35. AMRITA VANI

THEY speak of two types of Karma: Dhaihika and Daivika (physical and spiritual).

But, this division is absurd and even dangerous. All acts and activities are

spiritual; the body is but an instrument for spiritual progress and attainment.

Modern education emphasises the physical and neglects the spirit, which is

crucial. It teaches that joy derived through the senses alone are worth while;

it does not give even a glimpse of the deeper and more lasting joy derivable

through the spirit which is your real self and it is, in essence, Ananda,

Shanthi, Jnaana---Sathyam, Shivam, Sundaram (bliss, peace, spiritual

knowledge---Truth, Goodness and Beauty).

You must have noticed that I never address you as 'Bhakthulaara' for how can you

be only that? You are Bhagawan; you become that by just shedding the Avidya

(ignorance) that makes you imagine that you are limited. That is why I address

you either as Shanthi Swaruupulaara , or Ananda swaruupulaara, or Divyaathma

swaruupulaara (Embodiments of Peace or Bliss or Divine Soul). That is your real

nature, but, you are not even told who you are. Your misery is traceable to this

failure to know yourself.

Educators today do not teach the ways and means of crossing the sea of misery,

of facing success and defeat, of remaining calm and collected. The brain is

stuffed with information, the hands are trained in skills, but, the senses are

not tamed, the intelligence is not curbed, the mind is allowed to run amok.

That is the cause of the tragic crisis in the world today.

Do karma full of joy and enthusiasm

You have been born in this Karmakshethra (land of spiritual activity) and your

duty is to engage yourself in continuous uninterrupted karma. Do not get bogged

in gloom and sloth; do karma full of joy and enthusiasm, as if each act is an

offering at the Feet of the Lord. Bharatha desham (India) is the Guru' peetham

(seat of Spiritual Teacher) of Humanity; that is the role it has played and has

to play; but, as consequence of undue attachment to the senses and the world,

fostered by blind admiration and snobbish imitation, the role has been

forgotten, to the great loss of ourselves and of the rest of humanity. The

restrictions, regulations and rules of guidance for individual family,

community, nation and humanity are either not remembered or brushed aside as

obsolete. The joy, peace and contentment that one gets by

observing them are themselves witnesses of their worth.

The Pundits and scholars who have assembled here, for the Prashanthi

Vidhwanmahaasabha being inaugurated now, have therefore a great responsibility

for they must hold fast to the Prashanthi (total peace) that the study and

practice of the Vedas and Sasthras has conferred upon them; they must also

share that Prashanthi with all humanity. They must be bold, free and happy

always, for they know that this is all an unreal dream. They know the goal of

life and they are marching steadily towards it with every passing minute.

Grief is the greatest friend of man

All that is padhaartha (matter) must be transformed into paraartha

(spirituality); that is My plan. The Jnaana, which the Vedas and Sasthras have

given to these people, must be distributed. At present these scholars have no

self-confidence, because they are losing faith in what they themselves have

hitherto considered invaluable. They send their children to technical courses

and secular studies, for they are heavily pinched for the means of livelihood.

What is the good in having an umbrella that allows the Sun to burn you and the

rain to soak you, they have started asking! But, the Vedic treasure house has

vast riches, which is urgently needed today. It is to conserve, develop and

utilise it more fully that this Sabha is inaugurated now.

The Veda is the basis of dharma, which is like the Mother in its loving care for

man. Bharatha Bhoomi (India) is Yoga Bhoomi, Karma Bhoomi, Thyaaga Bhoomi, not

Bhoga Bhoomi (Land of spiritual union, spiritual activity, renunciation and

spiritual enjoyment). The Kauravas failed because they stuck to empire and

greed for power, and fixed their minds on bhoga (enjoyment). The Pandavas

secured Divine guidance and won, because they stuck to spiritual joy, ascetic

self-control and simplicity and sincerity. To follow the same path is the sign

of wisdom. That is the Path of Dharma (virtue) from which mankind has strayed

away. Grief is the greatest friend of man, for it opens the eyes and shocks you

into the search for the secret of Shanthi and santhosha (peace and happiness).

There is no need for tears or despair

A monkey put its hand into a pot of nuts and tightened its fist full of the

food, but, it could not take its hand out of the narrow neck because the fist

was too big for it. Unless the nuts were dropped back into the pot and the

fingers released, the hand could not be got out! That is the situation of man

today. His greed is giving him great pain but he has not discovered the fact;

so he clings to his possessions and tries to pull his hand out; that gives him

great pain. There is no use blaming the nuts or the pot. The fat, It is in the

monkey itself. Prakriti (Nature) is the pot and the sensory objects are the

nuts.

A bird sits on a tiny twig, in perfect confidence! Where does it get the

confidence from? Not from the twig; but, from the wings which can take it aloft

at the slightest sign of danger. The twig is Prakriti (objective world) Sit on

it lightly, gaily, confidently; but, rely more on the wings, namely the Grace

of the Lord who can lift you aloft, away from Prakriti at the slightest

premonition of danger. The twig is not very reliable but, the wings are always

there to save you. The revival of that dharma is a task, which the rulers have

not planned for; it is a programme, which the people are not keen upon. Then,

who has to take it up? It was said that I have taken up this Form in answer to

the prayers of Sadhus (noble souls) and others. There are some mothers who feed

the baby only when it starts crying; the more considerate and

loving type of mother knows when the baby is hungry; she need not be called to

its side by a loud wall. This Mother is that type of Mother. I have come,

because I felt I had to come. I resolved upon this. There is no need now for

tears or despair, either among the repositories of the Vedic wisdom or among

the good, who suffer from the cruel winds of Adharma (vice). This campaign will

succeed; it will not fall. The welfare of the world will be ensured through the

fostering of the Godly everywhere, and more particularly of these reservoirs of

the ancient wisdom of this land.

Dasara Discourses, November 1963

Love is God. God is Love. Where there is Love, there God is certainly evident.

Love more and more people, love them more and more intensely; transform the

love into service, transform the service into worship; that is the highest

Sadhana. - Sathya Sai Baba

36. GIFT OF SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE

EVEN in this holy place of Shrishailam, such a jubilant and auspicious

celebration has not taken place since years. In this land where thapas

(penance) alone is valued as significant, in this Karma Bhoomi (land of

spiritual activity), there is no reason why Ashanti (confusion and turmoil)

must spread; it is all due to the multiplication of wants and desire for

sensual pleasure, instead of spiritual contentment. Even the starting of a

Nitya Annapoorna Annadhaana Sathram (Place for gift of food to the poor)) here

by the Akhila Bharatha Aarya Vysya Sangam today, is a sign of the decline of

faith and strength. There should not be any need to feed; the cry of “give”

“gives" ("dehi! dehi!") should not be heard in this land of Annapoorna, of

plenty and prosperity. This place of must be approached in the hue spirit of

humility and prayer. Picnic parties and tourists have no place here.

There are many legends regarding the temple at Shrishailam. Mallikarjuna is the

white, fragrant, Nirmala (pure) God, the Grace-showering Shiva, who bends in

mercy at the slightest yearning of the devotee. Bhramaraamba (the consort), is

the Bee, hovering on the fragrant mallika (jasmine), drawn by the makarandha

(honey) of the flower, the true representative of the Bhakta (devotee).

Legends the forefathers have treasured

Do not laugh at the legends that your forefathers have gathered and treasured.

They have invested the place with sanctity and elevated the thoughts and

fancies of generations of men. This shrine has consoled and comforted thousands

and thousands of pious persons, year after year. Sankaracharya was here and he

sang of the holiness of this place and the calm he enjoyed here. He has

installed a Chakra (sanctified holy symbol) which, I may tell you, is in a

small cave by the side of Paathaala Ganga.

The desire to do service to the poor and the hungry is good; but it is taking a

turn towards building up institutions and collecting funds and seeking

donations. While this is being done, egoism increases; envy spreads; feelings

of inferiority and superiority spring up; the mental peace one had is spent

while one is caught in this affair. All the struggle falls on one man, though

there may be a committee. And, when the institution is finally built, a sense

of possession develops and though all institutions are the Lord's and nothing

can rise or exist without Him, people forget it and claim all the credit.

There are certain dire possibilities, which I want all social workers to guard

against. First, cleanse your own minds and then start advising others. Earn

mental peace and strength for yourself and then try to secure them for others.

Learn the secret of lasting happiness yourself and then, endeavor to make

others happy. Seek the real limb, not the artificial limb. Get the doctor who

would assure, "hereafter your will not fall ill" and not the doctor who gives

some relief to the present attack.

The atmosphere of holy places should improve. The nature of Sanyasis (monks)

requires drastic correction. Too many of them are involved in householder

functions; too many of them are after worldly fame and riches. All this will be

done by Me as part of Dharmasthaapana. The Prashanthi Vidhwanmahaasabha about

which Veerabhadhra Shastri spoke is one of the instruments for this revival of

dharma.

Man needs food more for the Spirit

More than food for the stomach, man needs food for the spirit. The "Anna" (food)

that Annapoornadhevi (Goddess of Nourishment) gives is the not food, rice and

curry. The bhiksha (alms) that She is asked to give is Jnaana bhiksha, not the

handful of rice that you think it means. It is Jnaana bhiksha, Prema bhiksha,

Bhakti bhiksha, Anugraha bhiksha (alms of spiritual knowledge, love, devotion

and grace). Seek Her Grace to get more Jnaana, more Prema, more Bhakti and more

of Grace. Do not lower the standard of service when serving pilgrims in this

holy place; place emphasis here on Bhakti, Vairagya and Jnaana. Do not

encourage pomp and insincerity here, of all places. If some one, out of sincere

devotion, gives a Naya paisa, accept it as if it is a crore, do not accept a

crore if it is

given with a view to parade wealth or advertise detachment. I am laying the

foundation stone of the new block of this Sathram (pilgrims rest-house), and I

bless that you may so act that the significance of the name Annapoorna is not

neglected. You have My Blessings in full measure; join hands, all of you in

this task and make it a success soon.

Do not feed indiscriminately, and make this an asylum for idlers. Feed only

those who come with yearning to spend some days in this holy atmosphere; then

only will people be grateful. Feed those who come here for doing Sadhana, for

living their lives in the Presence of God; feed those who are living examples

of the joy that comes from spiritual effort.

Shrishailam, 5-12-1963

The sages of ancient times divided karma into vikarma (that is intentionally

done) and akarma that is done without any intention to gain the consequence).

Follow the latter and you will save yourselves from suffering. All other

activities---the earning of wealth, of reputation, of fame and

publicity---result in suffering. - Sathya Sat Baba

37. SAHAJA AND A-SAHAJA

SATHYA, Dharma, Shanthi and Prema (Truth, Virtue, Peace and Love) are the four

pillars of Sanathana Dharma, the four faces of the Ancient Teaching. Of course,

these words are on the lips of every one, but, what they mean is something quite

shallow and ineffective. To describe an incident just as you saw it happen, is

'truth'; to give water to the thirsty and food to the hungry is 'Dharma'; to

suffer calamity in silence is 'Shanthi' and to nourish wife and children is

'Prema'---that is the general Interpretation! But, this is all wrong. Truth is

something that is not modified by time or space or characteristic.

It must be the. same for ever, unaffected and unchanged. Then alone is it Truth.

It should not be proved false by some subsequent event or knowledge. Dharma is a

body of principles that are fundamental to social stability and individual

progress. There are various branches of Dharma---Karthavya dharma , Vama

dharma, Ashram dharma (obligatory duty, duties pertaining to status and stages

of life), etc., but, the aim of all is to help man, stage by stage, towards

liberation from grief and from the chain of birth and death.

See how grand the conception of each is compare this with the common meaning

that has been so far given. Then, take the quality of Shanthi. It denotes the

capacity to bear success and failure, joy and misery, defeat and victory, with

perfect equanimity. And, Prema is the quality of Sarvasamaanatha (equality' of

every one), of not only Ahimsa {non-violence) but the conscious acceptance of

the duty of love, because every being is a spark of Divinity, as much of a

spark as you yourself.

All lies in the inspiration behind the act

The first step in spiritual training is to curb the Ichcha Shakti (power of

desires), which prompts the senses to pursue objects, if the Ichcha (wish) is

for God it is good; if for objective pleasure, it harms the individual, if a

house is set on fire, it is incendiarism; if Hanuman sets fire to Lanka, it is

justifiable retribution and a good lesson. If a dacoit cuts off your hand, it

is himsa (injury); if the doctor amputates it, he saves your life and so, it is

ahimsa (non-injury). Vishaya vaasana (attachment to sense objects) makes an act

low, Bhagavath vaasana (attachment to God) makes it sacrosanct. Daksha Yajna

(ritual sacrifice) was converted into a battle, because Parameswara was not

present; the Kurukshetra battle was transformed into a Yajna, because

Parameswara was present there. Arjuna

dedicated himself at the Lord's Feet; Daksha scorned the Lord. That was the

difference, and that is the explanation. It all lies in the bhaava (the

motive), the inspiration behind the act and the word.

Bhakti (devotion) is not like lime pickle, to be used only when you have fever;

it is man's daily substance, the vitamin he must needs have for physical and

mental health. The contemplation of God is the main rice dish; the rest are

side dishes, appetizers, fillers. Take the tablets, the Namasmarana (constant

thought of the Lord) tablets, and all the experience of your daily life, the

good and the bad, will be digested nicely. You don't eat paddy, do you? You

have the sense to remove the husk and then boil the rice before you eat it. So

also, why do you take in nature as it is? Remove the allurement it has to the

senses, make it just an expression of the Divine Will and then assimilate it.

Do Namasmarana with full faith and pure heart You forget your nature in the

complex tangle of artificiality; you miss the sahaja (natural) when you are

caught in the net of a-sahaja (artificial). The natural is Prema, Shanthi,

Sathya, Ananda. The artificial is hate, falsehood, war, grief and greed. You

must discover the spring of your own truth; you cannot play truant for long;

after many a birth, even if their number is a hundred, you have to reach the

source from where you strayed. Your mind is steady when it is engaged in other

activities; but, when it is focused on God, it begins to waver. It does not

like to stop its vagaries, which it will have to do, once God enters your

heart. Tame it by Namasmarana. That is the message, which I have come to

announce. Have the Naamam (God's Name) on your tongue, the

Rupa (Divine Form) in your eye, the Mahima (Divine Glory) in your heart---then

thunderbolts will pass you quietly by.

Do Namasmarana in some set manner, with full faith and pure heart. When the

country is endangered, it is as bad as when the body is endangered. The Name

will give you courage to save the Mother. If all of you strengthen your moral

qualities, and develop faith in God and Sanathana Dharma (eternal religion),

calamity can never visit this land. Let all Aasthikas (believers in God)

proclaim the value of meditation on God. I shall bless that endeavor; I know

that will save you and save the country. That is why I am blessing you on this

note of joy.

Shrishailam, 6-12-1963

The consequence of karma can be wiped out only through karma, as a thorn can be

removed only by means of another. Do good karma to assuage the pain of the bad

karma, which you have done and from which you suffer now. The best and the

simplest karma is the repetition of the Name of the Lord; be ever engaged in

it. It will keep out evil tendencies and wicked thoughts. It will help you

radiate love all round you. - Sathya Sai Baba

TO BE CONTINUED…

With Sai love from Sai brothers – ‘’

Source and Courtesy: http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume03/sss03

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