SATHYA SAI SPEAKS - Volume IV [Ch. 7, 8, 9]

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Dear Sai brothers and sisters of the worldwide '' family,

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 IV [Ch. 7, 8, 9]

7. BEACONS OF LIGHT

I AM glad I am speaking to a gathering of artists, poets and literary men, as

well as those who are interested in promoting the fine arts. You have met here

to commemorate the Coronation of Krishnadevaraya, the Vijayanagara Emperor who

patronised poetry, drama, sculpture, painting, music, dance, and literature and

revived Hindu Dharma through all these media. The culture of Bharath (India)

that has grown from the ageless Vedas (the four ancient books of Hinduism) was

for some time overwhelmed by the influence of Western standards of life and

thought, on account of the artificial support they got when Westerners ruled

over this land. Now, it has to be re-discovered and re-established, mainly

through the removal of the weaknesses among the people of Bharat. People have

become too weak to be the recipients of the tremendously powerful Message of

the

Eternal Religion, Sanathana Dharma! We, vyakthi, call the individual do you know

why? Because we expect him to make vyaktha, that is to say, to manifest his

Divinity! Ishwarassarvabhuuthaanaam hrddese, Arjuna, thishtathi' "The Lord is

residing in the heart of all beings, O Arjuna!" thus said Lord Krishna to

Arjuna in the Bhagawad Gita. Demonstrate that it is true, realise Him within

your heart, let Him become manifest that is the obligation of the individual.

The Kings of Vijayanagara had virtue, courage, patriotism, love of Dharma,

generosity, vision, and statesmanship. They built many temples; they restored

dilapidated ones; they constructed many tanks and towns. It is good to remember

them and be grateful for what they did. But, there is one mistake, which you

should not commit: do not be contented merely with the contemplation of the

past. Why survey the road which you have traversed already? Why allow the

achievements of the past to curb enthusiasm in the present? You ask, can we

today carve or build or paint or sing as well as they in the Vijayanagara

Empire did? That is a sign of weakness, being benumbed by fear.

Give no room for cowardice

A hermit once met the Cholera Goddess on the road, returning from a village

where she had thinned the population. He asked her how many she had taken into

her lap. She replied, "Only ten." But, really speaking, the casualties were a

hundred. She explained, "I killed only ten; the rest died out of fear!" Man is

Alma swarupam (Self-embodied), that is, Abhaya Swaruupam

(Fearlessness-embodied). If he knows his real nature, he will give no room for

weakness or cowardice.

That is the main aim of culture, to cultivate mental calm, mental courage, to

make every one feel kinship with every one else. You are born with the cry,

'koham' (who am I?), on your lips; when you depart, you must have the

declaration, 'Soham' (I am He), on your smiling face. This is the message of

the Dharma, which Krishnadevaraya fostered. Take that lesson home from this

meeting. You are now seeing with the EYE---a three-lettered physical apparatus,

the three letters representing the three qualities: Sathwa, Rajas and Thamas

(purity and poise, restless activity, ignorance and inertia). See with the

clarified, unprejudiced, unattached 'I'; then, you see only One, though you see

yourself you are indeed everything that refers itself as 'I'.

Win the title the Upanishads proclaim

It is because this single aim (lakshya) has been given up, that all this

confusion (avalakshana), has come about! Bezwada Gopala Reddy said just now

that the Pundits who have specialized in the ancient scriptures and sacred

texts are the Maanasa-sarovara (the holy lake where the holy river Brahmaputhra

arises) of our culture; but, very few honour such men today. There is a general

neglect of the higher aspects of culture. People know more about the details of

the personal lives of film stars; more and more of them are getting interested

in such trash. They do not care for the Pundit toiling in the same street; they

do not know the names of the poets and the painters of their own town. That is

the tragedy of the educated classes; they have no sense of values.

This day, when you have called here literary men like Puttaparthi

Naaraayanaachar, I feel it is a day of Aanandhodhayam (dawn of Bliss) for every

one; for, literature gives, or ought to give, bliss and peace. You honour a

ruler for promoting culture and literature; well, you must recognise,

therefore, that the rulers have a responsibility even today to continue the

tradition. They must canalise the energy of the people and their intelligence

into, moral activities and socially harmonising programmes. I always encourage

religious, social and cultural activities (Sanaathanam, Saanghikam and

Saamskrithikam) the three S's; if it is reviving the values recognised as great

by time or recreating the damaged structure of the good society, or restoring

rigor to some fine art that is declining, you can count on My Blessings. I

always exhort

people to win, not the titles that come to those who canvass support, but the

title that the Upanishads proclaim as the highest decoration for spiritual

aspirants: Amrithasya Puthraah, Children of Immortality.

Of what use is it if a man boasts that his grandfather was a great scholar?

Manuja, the Sanskrit word of Man, implies a noble ancestry, from Manu Himself.

Boast of your inner Divinity which is your greatest treasure. I must say this

to the poets and writers who are here: Saraswathi is a Goddess, the Consort of

Brahma, the creator, you are the votaries of a Goddess, whom every one

worships; She confers wisdom and liberation. Be true to the highest boons She

confers. Do not be contented if you give some food for the worldly hunger of

the senses. Do not lower your ideals for the sake of cheap fame or vulgarise

public taste. Instead of loukika sringaram (worldly enjoyment of sex), give

aloukika Aathmaanandham (Bliss of the Self). Contribute to the expansion of

love, the purification of motives, the enlargement of sympathy, the

tolerance of difference, the respect for individual striving.

By all means, pay gratitude to the heroes of the past and the benefactors of the

present. But fill yourself with enthusiasm to reach the Goal, by means of good

thoughts and good deeds and good words. Kalluru Subba Rao spoke of the 25 years

of struggle he has had, to celebrate this Festival in various parts of

Rayalaseema, the struggle he had to change the name of these districts into

Rayalaseema, instead of the old name, Ceded Districts or Dattamandala. He must

be helped much more, not by means of maatalu (words) but by mootalu (bags of

money). Festivals like this have to be celebrated more frequently, and I too

shall join you more frequently.

In fact, Puttaparthi is just 16 miles off; still, I have come like this to

Penukonda only twice--- once when Krishnarao brought Me to preside over the

District Athletic Competitions and now, when Krishnadevaraya brought Me! I am

looking forward to share My joy with all and so, I feel that you have but to

invite Me and I shall be with you. I know that you have not understood Me yet;

you only see Me from a distance, see Me through the thousands who pass through

your town to come to Me. If only you catch a little of their faith and joy, you

will be amply rewarded. I have been worried--if worry is the name for that

feeling--that while people from the farthest corners of this country and even

from foreign countries are benefiting, the people of Penukonda are denying

themselves the chance of sharing My Ananda.

Penukonda, the town that derives its name from the mountain, has been too long a

heap of stones, albeit a huge heap. Your hearts must become kondas, that is,

huge mountain peaks, and on the top, as in Arunagiri, the Jyothi (light) of

knowledge must shine like a beacon. Learn, experience, and be happy. Control,

canalise and secure. It does not matter a bit if you have no faith in Me or in

God. Have faith in yourselves, that is enough. For, who are you, really? Each

of you is Divinity, whether you know it or not.

Penukonda: Jubilee Celebrations of the Coronation of Krishnadevaraya of the

Vijayanagara Empire, 17-2-1964.

8. DHARMAKSHETHRA

THIS is the Inaugural Meeting of the Prashanthi Vidwanmahaasabha established to

promote the knowledge and practice among all mankind of the fundamental truths,

beliefs and disciplines of Sanathana Dharma (Eternal Religion). The Raja Saheb

just now gave expression to his great joy and satisfaction that the Wheel of

Revival is being set in motion by Me at this place, from the Palace, in spite

of the claims of many other places for that honour. It was at Rajahmundry last

year, on Shri Rama Navami Day, that I announced to the Pundits gathered around

Me on the sands of an island in the river Godhavari, the aims and objects of

this Sabha. Naturally, devotees resident there were hoping and preparing

themselves in that hope, that the Inaugural Meeting could be arranged in their

town. Without doubt, Rajahmundry is a place competent to bear that honour.

With its historic past and large number of Aasthika Sanghas (Associations of

believers) and institutions that it is fostering, it ranks high among the

upholders of tradition. But, like all good things and all lucky chances, this

too is won, not so much by effort, as by merit—merit accumulated through years,

and even through centuries and ages!

The Godward path is Karma based on Dharma

This is an epoch-making event. For, it is no less than the Dawn of the Golden

Era of the Liberation of Humanity. Venkatagiri has been for centuries the seat

of a Royal Family dedicated to the support, protection and promotion of Dharma

and so, it has earned this honour. Consider how many temples were built or

renovated or maintained by the Rajas of Venkatagiri! Take count of the number

of Pundits they have patronised and encouraged, the number of religious books

their donations have helped to see light! Consider the atmosphere of Dharma,

which they established in this State for centuries. See the interest the family

is taking even now, when their State and status have been swept away by the

storms of political change.

Bhaarathavasha (Mother India) has kept before her this ideal of Dharma. That is

the taproot of her culture, the source of her vigor and vitality. The Godward

path is action based on righteousness (Karma based on Dharma). That is the

path, also towards joy, contentment and therefore of strength. Now, the path

has become hidden by an overgrowth of briar and bush; the bridges and culverts

are in disrepair. People have forgotten the goal, the path, and the habit of

walking on it. That road is the only refuge; it must be trodden tomorrow, if

not, today, for the goal lies at the end of that road. It was laid down

centuries ago, beyond the memory of history, in the Vedas. Sathyam vadha,

Dharmam chara---"Speak the truth, practice righteousness," the Vedas call on

'you. These Pundits well versed in Vedas and Sasthras know

what Dharma is and they can explain it to you without distortion. That is why

you have to go to them reverentially and seat them amidst you and get

enlightened by them. Knowing is not being. You must try to translate into daily

life what you learn from them. The moral life is the best prescription for

joyful life.

Learn to live in His Glory

Every one's heart is a Dharmaksethra (the scene of Mahabaratha war) where the

battle between the forces of Good and Evil is fought. Why, the whole country is

Dharmaksethra. So, the mothers and children of this land must be devoted to

Dharma, above all. The Geetha begins with word, Dharmaksethra, and ends with

the words, Sarva Dharmaan parityajya: through Dharma, you have to transcend

Dharma. That is why Kaushalya exhorted Rama when he went into the forest, "May

the Dharma which you are upholding by this act, be your guardian when you are

in the forest, as an exile." And, Rama too upheld Dharma even under the most

trying circumstances. When, after the death of Ravana, Vibheeshana's Coronation

was arranged, he prayed that Rama himself should crown him in the city of Lanka.

But, Rama declared that His vow and His

father's orders did not allow Him to set foot in a city during the years of

exile. That period was not yet over, He said. So, only Sugreeva and others

attended the function.

Rama thus demonstrated by His actions how scrupulously Dharma had to be

observed. We want mothers who are so wise, and children who are so steadfast in

the practice of Dharma. Practice--- that is the real thing in spiritual matters.

Scholarship is a burden; it is very often a handicap. So long as God is believed

to be far away, in temples and holy places, man will feel religion a burden and

a hurdle. But, plant Him in your heart and you feel light, burdenless, and even

strong. It is like the food basket; when carried on the shoulder, it feels

heavy; you are too weak even to carry it. But, sit near a stream and eat it.

Though the total weight has not decreased, you feel lighter and stronger. That

is the consequence of taking the food in: do likewise, with the idea of God. Do

not carry it on the shoulder, have it 'in.'

Keep the memory of the Lord and His Glory always with you; that will quicken

your steps and you will arrive soon at the Goal. The mother, coming from the

well, with a pot of water on her head, another on the hip and a third in her

hand, hurries home, since she is always conscious of the infant in the cradle.

If she forgets the infant, her gait slows down and she wanders around, chatting

with all her friends. Similarly, if God, the Goal, is not cherished in the

memory, one has to wander through many births and arrive home late. God is the

life-breath of every soul. So, learn to live in His Glory, in His Memory, in

His Contemplation, every moment. That is what the Vedas and Sasthras teach.

Venkatagiri, 18-2-1964

If there is righteousness in the heart there is beauty in character. If there is

beauty in character there is harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the

home there is order in the nation. If there is order in the nation there is

peace in the world. - Shri Sathya Sai

9. YANTHRAM & MANTHRAM

MAN has immense capacities latent in him, waiting to be tapped and used. He has

many talents, which he has to bring to light. He feels the urge to love all

beings, to share his joys and griefs with his kind, to know more and satisfy

the curiosity of his intellect, to peep behind the awe and wonder that Nature

arouses in him. He is able to gather information about all kinds of things from

all comers of the world, but, he is unaware of what happens in the comers of his

own mind. He knows who is who among all the rest, but, he does not know the

answer to the simple question, "Who am I?"

The fact is, he has to ask it himself and seek out the clue to the enigma

himself. He has not felt that it is essential to know the answer; he is content

to move about blindly in the world, groping his way in the dark. Without knowing

who he himself is, he is rashly judging, labeling and even libeling other men!

This is the fundamental reason for the hollowness of human life today, for the

hate and fear that stalk the world.

The Vedas and Sasthras of India have the key to that answer; they can teach you

the process by which you can discover it for yourself if you are so inclined.

There are only twenty-six letters in the English alphabet; yet by combining

them in various ways, thousands of books are written. So too, the ideas and

hints given in the Vedas may be a few-, their application explains the entire

literature of Akshara, which means both 'letter' and 'indestructible.' Every

person born in Bharat must be an exemplar of these disciplines; for, 'Bhaa'

implies 'splendor,' prakaasham, the splendor that is encased in man, and

'Rathi' implies 'the desire to manifest it, to taste it.' Live up to that glory

and you will all be transformed into fullness.

The Divine Principle

You are the Formless (Niraakaaram) come in the form of Man (Naraakaaram), the

Infinite, come in the role of the finite, the Formless Infinite appearing as

the formful infinitesimal, the Absolute pretending to be the Relative, the Atma

behaving as the body, the Metaphysical masquerading as the merely physical. The

Universal Atma (Self) is the basis of all being. The sky was there before

houses were built under it; it penetrated and pervaded them for some time;

then, the houses crumbled and became heaps and mounds; but, the sky was not

affected at all. So too, the Atma pervades the body and subsists even when the

body is reduced to dust.

The same inexplicable, invisible, electric current, when it enters a bulb, a

fan, a stove, a cooler, or a sprayer, activates each one of them or all of them

together. Similarly, Ishwara sarva bhoothaanaam' the Divine Principle activates

all beings. That is the inner core, the Divine Spark, more minute than the

minutest, more magnificent than the most magnificent. To observe the minute you

must use a microscope; to bring the remote nearer your eye, you seek the help of

a telescope; these are Yanthras (material instruments). The instruments that

help you to visualise the Core that has such strange contradictory attributes

are called Mantras---formulae that save you when you meditate on them. They are

also called Thanthras (Ceremonies and rites) when their practical application

has to be emphasized. Faith in the efficacy of

these Mantras and in the utility of the procedure prescribed, as well as in the

existence of the Core are all essential for success in the great adventure,

just as faith in the efficacy of the Yanthra, in the correctness of the

procedure, and in the existence of the material he is seeking to know more

about are essential for the scientist.

"The liberation from night"

You must tackle this problem, straight from where it starts. Ignorance can be

cured only by knowledge; darkness can be destroyed only by light. No amount of

argument or threat or persuasion can compel darkness to move away. A flash,

that is enough; it is gone. Prepare for that flash of illumination; the light

is there already, in you. But, since it is heavily over laden by repressing

factors, it cannot reveal itself. "The liberation from night" which happens

when the light is revealed, is called Moksha. Every one has to achieve it,

whether he is striving for it now or not. It is the inevitable end to the

struggle, the goal to which all are proceeding. But, please do not be afraid of

reaching the goal of liberation (Moksha)! Do not conceive that stage as a

calamity. It is the end of calamity. It is death to all grief; the birth of

joy---a joy that

knows no decline, the death of grief, grief that will never more be born.

Well, how do you prepare yourself for the stage? I must tell you that the answer

is in that very word Moksha, itself. It is self-explanatory. 'Mo' indicates Moha

(delusion; being deluded by the scintillating, the gaudy, the transitory, the

temporary trash); and, 'ksha' means kshaya (decline; disappearance,

destruction). It requires you to keep the flights of your mind away from these

deluding attractions, and on the straight path towards liberation.

Avoid illusion by denying it

See how the insufferable heat of the Sun is controlled and modulated and reduced

by your bodily mechanism to the congenial temperature of 98.4 degree; so, you

too should keep the destructive force of your elemental passions born out of

the clamor of sabdha, sparsha, Rupa, Rasa, gandha (sound, touch, form, taste,

smell) rigorously in check and bring it down to tolerable levels, yielding

comfort and congenial living. You yourselves create the illusion of which you

are the slave; deny it, don't give it a chance to Lord over you, then it will

not harm you. Someone was told, "There, inside that well, lies your shadow." He

said, "No; it cannot be." But, he decided, nevertheless, to go and verify the

fact. He walked up to the well and peeped in. And, 1o, he found it was true.

The well had his shadow inside! Poor fellow, he did not know that the shadow

would be there only when he looked in! Do not test Maya. Try to locate it, it

will present itself. You can avoid it only by denying it; you can escape only

by concentrating on the substance; do not attach any value to the shadow,

whether inside the well or outside it. For, after all, it is just a shadow!

Illusion haunts man as Kama or thrishna (desire). Desire calls for sabdha,

sparsha, Rupa, Rasa, gandha---the qualities of the Five Elements of which man

is the complex; sabdha of Akaasha (space), sparsha of Vayu (air), Rupa of Agni

(fire), rasa of Jala (water), and gandha of the Earth. Man is prompted by the

element of Space in him to seek sweet sounds that satisfy the ear, by the

element of Air in him to run after smooth and soft things that yield pleasure

to the skin, by the element of Fire in him to pursue things that by beauty of

form appeal to the eye, the Water element in him to crave for food and drink

that are tasty to the tongue, and by the inner urge of the element of Earth in

him to cater to the nose, by trying to enjoy perfume and fragrance and pleasant

smells. Kama (desire) has a two-headed son, Krodha Lobha by name, the

twin-headed monster anger-greed. Through the malignant designs of these three,

you are robbed of lasting happiness.

Be the Prince you really are

Unaware of your Divine Status, you revel in low company;, you toil and sweat as

the slave of mean passions which drag you into disgrace. Be the Prince you

really are. Be like the lotus, which though born in the slush at the bottom of

the lake, by sheer will-power rises above the waters to see the Sun and be

inspired by its rays. The lotus discards contact with water, though it is born

and bred in that element; so, you too should avoid being attached to the

elemental passions, that the elements constituting you urge you into. How long

are you to sit content with the minor role of a clown or a clout? Are you not

ashamed? Have you no ambition? Why smother your genuine talents under a

self-imposed mask? All these are zero roles; take on the role of the hero which

is your right, and shine!

I shall tell you how to deserve that role, how to earn it from the Suuthradhara,

the Director of this play. Enter on a course of spiritual discipline; your

experience itself will tell you the validity and the value of that course.

Install a radio receiver, select the wavelength of the station you propose to

listen to, switch on correctly to that wavelength, and you hear the programme

clear and distinct. Your ear will tell you the accuracy with which you have

tuned. Similarly, take on a form of mantra (manthraswaruupam); pronounce it and

meditate on it with accurate care and steady attention; tune in to the Voice of

within you. One of the obstacles in the way of the spiritual aspirant is the

satire and criticism poured on him by quacks that crowd round him. Do not pay

heed to their advice or their barbs. They are experts only in the silly

short-lived trivialities of social life or sensual pleasure. Most people

nowadays are more interested in the history of film stars than in the history

of Yogis and Paramahamsas (ascetics of the highest order) who can save you from

the disaster of deep-seated ignorance.

Three-stranded rope of Yama

Yama or the God of Death is described as dragging his victims to his abode by

means of the rope of paasa (snare). Well. He has no rope factory there, for

supplying him with the rope he needs. You manufacture the rope yourself and

have it ready round your neck; he has only to take hold of the rope and pull

you along! It is a three-stranded rope, the strands being Ahamkaara,

Vishayavaasana and Kama (Egoism, Sense-attachment and Desire).

Do not respect men who are caught up in the tangle of the senses. Give respect

according to the knowledge each possesses of himself, i.e., of the Immanent and

the Transcendent. How do you fix the price of cane? According to the sugar

content, is it not? You evaluate oranges in proportion to the juice they

contain, is it not? So too, a man is worthy of honour in proportion to the

knowledge of the Self he has acquired. This knowledge alone can confer

steadiness and strength. Without it, all profession of renunciation, all

pretence of devotion, all performance of charity are but tongue-deep or

skin-deep!

It is not the resolution that matters; it is resoluteness. Resolution is just a

string of words. You may know the 700 slokas of the Bhagawad Geetha by heart;

but, believe Me, the time you spent in learning it by rote, and in reciting it,

is all a waste, if you do not resolutely act upon even a single sloka. Why? That

learning might even be handicap; for the skill has affected your head, and made

it swell with pride.

Dharma will never play false

Bhagawad Geetha is a means by which you can get immersed in your own

Bhagavadh-bhaava (relationship with God). If you are so immersed, you will have

undiminished, undiminishable Aanandham, Nithyaanandham (Eternal Bliss). Now, in

your ignorance, you feel small, you feel miserable, you feel that the wicked,

the greedy, the cruel, are all happier than you and unjustifiably so. You feel

it is unjust that you who are so truthful, so loving, so good, should suffer.

Just ponder over this. Are they as happy as you imagine, and is your condition

so bad as you picture? Just investigate and you will find out for yourself.

They are only painted pots of poison; the paint of honey is just a thin

coating, a mere show. Their hearts know no peace; they are as miserable as you,

if not more.

Believe that Dharma or Moral Rectitude will never play false; it will ensure

greater joy than can be gained through all other means. Rama destroyed Ravana;

it was a victory of one head over ten; concentration over distraction. Ravana

craved for Prakrithi (Seetha) discarding the Purusha (Spirit) which gave it

values and meaning, viz., Rama. If you crave for Prakrithi, the objective

world, you degrade yourself, you deny your reality, and you join Ravana’s brood

Do not also imagine that the Lord is outside Prakrithi, or even of you, who are

really a part of the objective world. He is in you, behind you, beside you,

before you. He is the eye of your eye; the I of your I. Yearn for the yoga or

union with Him, through the unwavering awareness of His being the real You.

Yearn for yoga; and whatever bhoga

(pleasure) you really need will be offered to you In due course. If on the other

hand, you yearn for bhoga itself, you are gone! You are blessed only with toga

(disease), remember!

Live in the consuming conviction that you are the Atman. That is the hard core

of the Eternal Teaching. The Atma it is that sees through the eyes, hears

through the ears, handles through the fingers, moves through the feet. That is

the basic 'you.' That 'you' is not elated by praise or deflated by blame. When

some one carps at you, reason out thus within yourself:. 'Is he casting

aspersions on my body? Well. Why should I be worried? He is doing just what I

should myself do, casting out the attachment to the flesh, to this paltry

prison. Or, is he throwing them at the Atma? Nothing can affect its purist, or

tarnish its glory. So remain calm and unperturbed.' You may ask, what happens

then to the strings of abuse? Like the letter sent by post and refused by the

addressee, it returns to the sender!

I enjoin you to go home and ruminate over these suggestions and ideas. Reflect

upon what you have heard, especially from these who convey to you the gems

contained in the ancient scriptures, tested on the touch-stone of experience

all along the centuries. Sanathana Dharma recommends the three-fold course of

listening, recapitulating, concentrating. Listening makes you learned only.

Concentrated meditation on the meaning of the thing heard gives you the fruit

of the teaching as intended by the Teacher.

Venkatagiri, 19-2-1964

 

TO BE CONTINUED…

With Sai love from Sai brothers – ‘’

Source and Courtesy: http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume04/sss04

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