Interview to Group of Journalists from Mumbai

[Guest guest]

Pradesh or a massive educational complex.The high and the mighty of the land

touch his feet and seek his blessings, so do ordinary people from all walks of

life. Baba gives them all the same message of love. He has never given an

interview to a journalist in the past 25 years. But, recently, he spoke to S.

Balakrishnan and a group of journalists from Mumbai in a small room at his

ashram in Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh. Questioner: How do you relate

yourself to Saibaba of Shirdi? Swami: This body has not seen him. Questioner:

Indians are increasingly turning to godmen and godwomen. Is this a sign of

growing insecurity within them? Or is it something else? Swami: This

is basically a search for God. The Divine is there within each person. The

search is for this divinity. God realisation cannot be seen as a sign of

insecurity. It is a positive aspiration to be one with God. It is a good sign.

Questioner: Even as mankind is relentlessly searching for God, he finds himself

engulfed by more and more misery. What is the reason for this state of affairs?

Swami: Attachment to the body is the root cause of all suffering and misery.

Once this attachment ends, then one can experience divine Bliss. There is no

doubt about that. Since God does not have any bodily attachment, he does not

attach any importance to the suffering of His body. Questioner: What is the

best way to serve God? Swami: Serve the poor, the weak, the downtrodden and

the underprivileged. There is divinity in each of us, hence love and serve

fellow human beings selflessly. Give those around you pure love. Religion can

be best pursued through the axiom, "Dil mein Ram, Haath mein Kaam." There is

only one religion - the religion of love;one caste - the caste of humanity;one

language - the language of the heart;one law - the law of Karma;and there is

only one God - He is omnipresent. All of us should remember these simple yet

profound truths. These truths lead us to God. Questioner: Is there no escape

from human misery? Swami: It is all Karma. The need is to adopt the path of

righteousness. One should surrender oneself to the Almighty. Questioner: Why do

you perform miracles like materialising a ring, a medallion, a necklace, vibhuti

and other objects? What are you trying to prove by performing these miracles?

Swami: Chamatkaar or miracle is a cheap word for what I do. A magician performs

his tricks to earn a livelihood and worldly fame. But, I materialise these

talismans as my visiting cards, as evidence that divinity can transform earth

into the sky and vice versa. To doubt this is to betray an inability to grasp

the grandeur of the universe. I get lot of satisfaction while gifting these

talismans to my devotees. Questioner: The suffering millions flock to you.

They want to pass on their problems and suffering to you. How much of these

suffering can you take on? Swami: I am only performing a Divine mission.

Questioner: How do you spend your day? Swami: My day begins with granting

darshan to my devotees, interviews to people, bhajans, attending to all

projects taken up for human welfare. Same cycle is repeated from post noon till

evening. Although I know the contents of all letters which I receive, I read all

of them for the Trupti or satisfaction of my devotees. I avoid milk, green

fruits, dry fruits, sweets, ghee, butter, tea, coffee, etc. I take a skimpy

meal of ragi and green grams. For the past 60 years my weight has remained

unchanged at 108 pounds. When the world sleeps, I go to my devotees, give them

my vision, comfort them, console them and solve their problems. I willingly

take on the sufferings of my devotees on myself. Questioner: Have you gone

abroad any time? Swami: Yes, only once - to East Africa, that too because of

the pure love of a devotee, who is no more now. I did not go at the invitation

of the government. Questioner: Do you have any plans to visit foreign nations

and spread your message? Swami: No. Where there is sugar, the ants come there;

the sugar does not go chasing after the ants. My first task is to clean up our

own country first, then go to other countries. Questioner: You wield enormous

influence over the top politicians of the country. Why don't you impress on

them the need to inculcate values in public life? If this is done, India will

be a much better place. Swami: Politicians have a choice to

pursue good or bad governance; they do covet power with a frenzy. But I tell

them that: Politics without principles,Science without humanity,Education

without character,And commerce without morality,Are not only useless,But can

prove to be positively dangerousAnd harm people at large. Questioner: Do you

read newspapers? Swami: I never read them. Even though I do not read any

newspaper, I am aware about everything that is happening round the globe. What

is necessary today is that the newspapers should be more careful and

responsible in their reporting. Publishing of sensational and baseless news

must be avoided. No negative and baseless reporting, specially of those at the

helm of affairs of the country, should be done since it has lot of

repercussions abroad. If there are any doubts, then they should be cleared

after free and frank discussions with the persons concerned. Truth should not

be compromised under any circumstance. Questioner: You are the chancellor of

the Sathya Sai University and you attach tremendous importance to education.

Why do you think that education in India has now become a mechanical exercise?

Swami: This is because that education has been divorced from values. Education

bereft of values is meaningless. The need is to restore values to education.

Questioner: What are your views on different political parties in India?

Swami: All parties do good work as well as bad; the problem lies with

ourselves. We should insist on principles. Questioner: Who will lead the

Sathya Sai movement after you? Swami: My devotees. God will continue to guide

them. Reproduced verbatim from The Times of India, 12th March, 1999Sharing

With Sai Love Ram ChuganiKobe, Japanrgcjp

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