SAI BABA

Sivarathri discourse 24/2/09

When you were born you were a baby, then grew to become a child, moved on to bec
ome a youth and then became an elderly person. All these stages in life are only
for a limited period, but you the individual are there in all the different sta
ges. Avatars come, fulfil their mission, and disappear. You must therefore medit
ate upon Divinity, which is true and eternal.
There are three aspects in sadhana (spiritual practice): concentration, contempl
ation, and meditation. At the moment, you are fixing your gaze on this form; tha
t is concentration. When this form moves away after sometime, you still look at
this form with your mental eye; that is contemplation. As a result of this exerc
ise, this form gets imprinted in your heart permanently. That is meditation. As
you go on meditating thus, the form remains in your heart permanently.
At present, you are confining your sadhana to concentration and contemplation al
one. These two stages are merely transitory. It is true that the first step in y
our sadhana is concentration. Concentration has to be transformed into contempla
tion and later into meditation. In the final stage of meditation, you will conti
nue to visualise the form of God even if you close your eyes. The ancient rishis
adopted this form of meditation. That is why God manifested before them wheneve
r they wished, talked to them, and fulfilled their desires.
Some people tend to misinterpret the sastras and puranas (scriptures and ancient
texts) to suit their convenience and selfish ends. A small story: Once an impos
tor posing as a mendicant stood before a house and begged for food saying, Bhavat
hi bhiksham dehi! (I am hungry, kindly give me food!).
The housewife heard his plea and came out. She told him, Sir! Please go to the ri
ver and have a bath and come back. In the meantime, I get some food ready for yo
u.
Then the sanyasi (mendicant) quoted a line from the puranas, Govindethi sadasnana
m (the constant chanting of the name of Govinda is as good as taking a bath).
The housewife immediately realised that the person standing at the door and begg
ing for food was not a true sanyasi and replied, Dear Son! Govindethi sada bhojan
am (the constant chanting of the name of Govinda is as good as a meal). You may g
o!
It is said that the face is the index of mind. It reflects our inner thoughts an
d feelings. If the so-called sanyasi in this story really believed in the glory
of the divine name, he should have taken a bath before asking for food. He was l
azy. He wanted food to satisfy his hunger but was reluctant to have a bath befor
e the meal. Never believe in such impostors.
Some people sit silently, closing their eyes. They say they are in meditation. T
hat is not meditation. They may sit silently, but their minds may be wandering a
nd thinking about all and sundry. Only a mind that is unwavering and fixed firml
y on the higher reality can be called meditation. Meditation is the next stage t
o contemplation.
A small example: you may have scored first class marks in the half yearly examin
ation, but you will not be eligible to get a degree. Only after passing the fina
l examination will you be eligible to receive a degree. Contemplation and medita
tion are comparable to the half yearly and final examinations. Thus, spiritualit
y represents a higher stage in life.
Today, people are engrossed in the pursuit of physical and worldly objects, forg
etting moral and spiritual goals. How can they attain spiritual progress? If one
wishes to have a spiritual experience, one has to acquire the necessary strengt
h to face the final examination.
To say that this is my body, my house, my property, etc. represents the physical
aspect. When you say, this is my body it means my is separate. That is, you are sep
arate from your body. Similarly, when you say my mind , my buddhi (intellect), my chit
ta (subconscious mind), etc. it means they are all separate from you. Hence, your
true nature is I , which is separate from all that you call my body, my mind, my bu
ddhi etc.
You have to sacrifice all your karma (i.e. the fruit of your actions). That mean
s, you have to perform your karma (actions) with an attitude of Sarva karma Bhaga
vad preethyartham (all actions to be performed in a spirit of surrender to God).
Only then will you become immortal.
If you wish to attain the eternal state, you must realise the Atma Tatwa Atmic P
rinciple). Only the Upanishads delineate the Atma Tatwa extensively, Epics like
Bhagavatha and Ramayana do not do so. The same Atma Tatwa which is, the supreme
reality, incarnates from age to age to restore dharma whenever it is on the decl
ine. This is stated in the Bhagavad Gita:
Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata,
abhyutthanamadharmasya tadatmanam srujamyaham. (Sanskrit verse)
(Oh Arjuna! Whenever there is a decline of righteousness(dharma )and the rise i
n unrighteousness(adharma), I incarnate from age to age for the establishment of
dharma.)
Install God at the altar of your sacred heart and meditate on Him constantly. In
spite of the sorrow, difficulties, and calamities that you may encounter, hold
on to Him firmly. All this will trouble your body, not you; for, you are separat
e from your body. The body is like a box in which the mind, intellect, chitta (s
ubconscious mind), indriyas (senses), and anthakarana (inner psycho-somatic four
fold instruments of mind, intellect, memory, and ego) are packed.
We cultivate qualities like anger, jealousy, envy, and pride due to our contact
with the outside world. Only when we get rid of these qualities do we enjoy peac
e. Therefore, we have to start our sadhana with sathya (truth) and dharma (right
eousness).
When truth and righteousness go together, shanthi (peace) will reign. Peace brin
gs love. Where there is peace, there hatred cannot be. When we develop hatred ag
ainst someone, it means the spring of love has dried up in our heart. When ther
e is love in our heart, we do not get angry, even if someone accuses us.
Normally, we do not care about anyone when we are angry. Many people speak ill o
f Me, accuse Me, and even heckle Me, but I am not disturbed. I am always happy a
nd blissful. That is real love.
Where there is anger, hatred, and jealousy, it means that there is no love. Henc
e, always follow the motto of Love All, Serve All! The foundation for following th
is principle are sathya and dharma (truth and righteousness). Always speak the t
ruth and follow righteousness.
There are lectures galore about dharma being rendered by people who do not follo
w it themselves!. Dharma cannot survive in these circumstances. It is said, Sathy
annasti paro dharmah (there cannot be a greater dharma than speaking the truth).
Sathya and dharma are like the two hands, two legs, and two lips of a human body
. It is only when the two lips work together that a human being can speak. Simil
arly, it is only when Sathya and dharma go together that peace can reign. Where
there is no dharma, there will not be love. Thus, sathya and dharma are the basi
s for all other values like santhi (peace), prema (love), and ahimsa (non-violen
ce).
Embodiments of Love!
Always meditate on the divine name not just contemplation, but meditation. This m
editation should be infused with love for God. Without love, your meditation wil
l not achieve the desired result. Your love for God should be continuous through
the day and the night. It is possible that when you pray to God to fulfil some
desire and things go contrary, you may get angry and develop hatred against Him.
But that has nothing to do with spirituality. Your innate nature and love for G
od should never undergo a change.
Continue to attach yourself to the divine name. That is real meditation. When yo
u are in deep meditation, nothing in the external world should be visible to you
even if you open your eyes.
Another aspect about which you need to be careful is your speech. Too much talk
is very bad. Do not indulge in excessive talk. Try to mend your nature. Observe
silence as far as possible and be quiet. Talk only as much as is needed. Just an
swer to the point. If you talk more, you will be branded as a chatter-box. Talki
ng too much is not good, even from the health point of view. This is very impor
tant, especially in the case of children.
You have to keep your mind steady right from the young age. What is important is
not studying textbooks but steadying your mind. Textbooks you can always study i
n the classroom, in the hostel, etc.
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DEVELOP SELF-CONFIDENCE TO GAIN SUCCESS IN LIFE
February 21, 2009
The beauty of this sacred land of Bharat lies in its Forbearance!. Of all the ri
tuals, adherence to truth is the greatest penance. Character is valued far more
r than the very life itself. People have forgotten the basic principles of this
great culture and are imitating Western culture. Alas! Bharathiyas are not awar
e of the greatness of their cultural heritage just as a mighty elephant is not a
ware of its own strength.
(Telugu poem)
The elephant, unable to realise its innate strength, meekly submits itself to th
e commands of the mahout, who works for a paltry sum of money. It gets up and si
ts down as the mahout bids as it is trained by him.. Similarly Bharathiyas toda
y blindly follow the western culture, quite forgetting their own rich and sacr
ed heritage and culture. The culture of Bharath is very sacred, strong, and anci
ent. It is eternal and a beacon light that has and continues to guide all the co
untries of the world. Then how can the Bharathiyas forget their own great cultu
re?
Embodiments of Love!
As we go on talking for hours together, we tend to forget what we really intend
to communicate. So many deviations and distortions creep into our speech. Today,
the entire world is filled with negative feelings. Whoever you come across, and
in whatever you see, negativity is widespread. All are reflections of your inne
r thoughts and feelings.
But beyond all these, there is one entity, called Atma, which is the Embodiment
of the Divine Self. There is only one Atma, which dwells in every individual, or
should I say in every living being. The Bhagavad Gita declared Mamaivamso jeeva
loke jeevabhuthah Sanathanah (the Eternal Atma present in all beings is a part of
My Being). There is no scope at all for any doubt or duality in this aspect. It
is Ekameva adwitheeyam Brahma (The Atma or Brahma is one without a second). That
is why it is said A man with a dual mind is half blind.
Divinity is described in the Vedas as Sahasra seersha purushaha sahasrakshah saha
sra paad (The Cosmic Being has thousands of heads, eyes and feet.). The significa
nce of this statement is that one Divinity expresses itself through millions of
individuals and therefore all are Divine. We tend to forget this great truth an
d consider each individual as separate from one another. The strife and conflict
s between human beings started the moment humanity forgot its fundamental unity.
It is time that this trend is reversed and the elemental unity among human be
ings is re-established.
Along with unity, there should be purity. When unity and purity go together, the
re is Divinity . The combination of unity, purity and Divinity will result in th
e realisation of the Atma Tathwa (Atmic Principle). The Upanishads, especially t
he Taithreeyopanishad, dealt at length with this Atma Tathwa. The one who develo
ps faith only in this Atma Tathwa will succeed in all his endeavours.
The Atma Tathwa or Divine Consciousness permeates the entire Universe. Even a b
lade of grass cannot move without this Divine Consciousness. Everything in this
Universe is the reflection of this Divine Consciousness. It is the same Atma Ta
thwa which dwells in all human beings irrespective of religion, caste, creed, an
d nationality.
This is true even in the case of Avatars. The Avatars of Rama and Krishna, . may
be different from each other by their names and forms; but the Atma Tathwa whic
h resides within them is only one. They all lived in their human vestures till t
he completion of their Avataric mission, and once their task was completed, they
disappeared. So, physical bodies are not permanent. In fact, nothing in this ep
hemeral world is permanent, not even the great Avatars.
Atma is the only entity that is eternal. It is beyond birth and death. It is cha
ngeless. There is a beginning and an end for everything else in this universe, e
xcept the Atma. Hence, one has to develop firm faith in this Atma Tathwa.
Unfortunately, we today tend to forget this true and eternal Atma Tathwa and de
velop faith in the ephemeral world. We weave a web of imagination around the ple
asures that this transient world would offer. Ultimately, we land ourselves in s
orrow and difficulties.
The Atma Tathwa is the only entity that is true, eternal, and changeless. Everyt
hing else undergoes change from time to time. Even the human body passes through
different stages like childhood, adolescence, youth and old age, but the indivi
dual remains the same through all these changes.
Today, people adapt themselves to continuous changes in time, situations, and en
vironment. People who change themselves thus are not a human beings in the real
sense. Who then is a real human being? One who does not undergo a change; one wh
ose faith in the Atma Tathwa (Self) is firm and steady. That is self-confidence.
One who develops that self confidence can find a place for himselff permanently
in the history of the world.
People cannot reach great heights without self-confidence. Not even the nine for
ms of devotion sravanam (listening), kirtanam (singing), Vishnusmaranam (contemp
lating on Vishnu), Padasevanam (serving His Lotus Feet), vandanam (salutation),
archanam (worship), dasyam (servitude), sneham (friendship), and Atmanivedanam (
self-surrender) can help.
Any amount of sadhana (spiritual practices) without self-confidence will be of l
ittle use. Hence, I wish that all of you should develop self-confidence. Face yo
ur examinations with self-confidence. Without self-confidence, not even your fri
ends can help.
People today do not give due respect and recognition to their mothers. There are
people in high positions who do not hesitate even to put down their mothers in
front of others . There have been instances when they do not hestitate to call
their mother a servant when guests or colleague officers visit their houses and
ask about the mother. This behaviour is totally against the Vedic injunctions,
which urges everyone to treat the mother as God..
We consider foreigners as great. But not all foreigners can be considered great
. Only those who respect their mothers and follow their advice are great.
Magnanimity and sacrifice flourished in this holy land of Bharath The spiritual
outlook of Bharath is unparalleled. In fact, it is this spiritual outlook that
has sustained this country through time and has taken it to to great heights.
People here are enjoying peace and bliss even today, while the whole world is pa
ssing through difficult times. It is for this reason that people from all other
countries visit this country and find solace here. We have to sustain this rich
legacy of spirituality.
Whenever someone asks a student what he is doing, he replies that he is concentr
ating on his studies. But the real meaning of concentration is fixing one s mind o
n a particular object. Contemplation is the next step. The final step is meditat
ion. Thus, concentration, contemplation, and meditation are the three steps in s
adhana. Meditation is not justsitting silent and closing one s eyes. Maintaining
an unwavering and steady mind is meditation.
People think that concentration is a great exercise, but it is just the first st
ep in sadhana, the others being contemplation and meditation. Concentration is l
ike primary school education. Contemplation is high school education and meditat
ion is college level education. Only after reaching the college level is one eli
gible to acquire a degree. All our ancient rishis reached this stage and medita
ted upon Divinity.
When one reaches the stage of meditation, there is no scope for any wavering, an
d one s faith in Divinity becomes steady. You have to attain that stage. You may s
tudy a number of books and pass your examination in the school or college. But,
it is only one who reached the meditation stage that passes the test prescribed
by God.
Dear students! Do not be proud of your achievement in getting a first class or a
rank. It is not the marks that count. See that you do not get remarks, which is
the result of your losing self-confidence. Hence, develop self-confidence to be
come real successes in life.( Or) Develop self confidence and become really suc
cessful in life.
(Bhagawan sang the bhajan, Bhajana bina and continued His discourse.)
Embodiments of Love!
Constantly meditate upon a name and form of God that is to your liking. It does
not matter which name and form you select for your namasmarana. All names and fo
rm belong to the one God. He is Atmaswarupa (Embodiment of divine Atma). God tak
es up different forms and is worshipped by various names. Only God can fulfil th
e desires of devotees. It is He who grants you powers and positions. Without Him
, you cannot achieve any position. All are zeros only! With God s grace, one can b
ecome a hero!
Sai Kulwant Hall, Prasanthi Nilayam
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7th March 2009
Every person is likely to commit mistakes without being aware of it. However bri
ght the fire, black smoke is bound to emanate from it. So also, whatever good de
eds a man may perform, there will be mixed with it, a trace of evil. Efforts sho
uld be made to minimise the evil so that the good is progressively more.
- BABA
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8th March 2009

We generally consider Pratyaksha Pramaana (proof of direct perception) as the mo

st important type of evidence. We are able to see our body. Thus we know that it
exists. Anumaana or inference is another form of proof. We see smoke on the top
of a distant hill. We infer from the smoke that there must be a fire on that hi
ll. Although we see only the smoke, we infer that there is fire. To infer the ex
istence of the 'unseen' from the presence of what is 'seen' is Anumaana Pramaana
(inferential proof). But, these methods of determining facts are applicable onl
y to the external universe. For determining the Divine Principle, we must depend
only on the Shabdha Pramaana (proof of the words) of the Vedas.
- BABA
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9th March 2009

We are unable to comprehend the Atma (spirit) directly. We believe in the existe
nce of the Atma on the strength of the statements made by the great sages who ha
ve had the experience of it and who have conveyed it through their teachings. Wh
en the Divine is described as One without attributes, eternal, pure, free and se
lf-effulgent, this description will not make the Brahman (God) visible to us. It
is only when the state of Brahman is realised by us that its existence is valid
ated to us.
- BABA
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11th March 2009

The real criterion of moral conduct is harmony between one's thoughts, words and
deeds. Morality consists in acting up to the rules of right conduct prescribed
by society at a particular time and place for an individual or group. Of all hum
an values, three are most important. The foremost is love of God. Where there is
love, there is sacrifice. There arises purity of heart. There should be a fusio
n of love, sacrifice and purity. They are not mere human qualities. They constit
ute vital organs of a human being. They are as essential for a human being as th
e head, hands and legs for the body. Without these attributes, no one is a compl
ete human being.
- BABA
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14th March 2009

The Upanishads declare: "Raso vai Sah" (God is the essence). This means that God
is present in subtle form everywhere, like sugar in sugarcane and butter in mil
k. Although it is difficult to have a direct perception of God, His presence can
be experienced in many ways. The sweetness in sugar, the sourness in lime fruit
, the bitterness of the margosa leaf, all testify to the presence of the Divine.

- BABA
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15th March 2009

When you see a mountain, waterfall or forest, you feel happy. All these proclaim
the presence of the Divine. Light shines, the stars twinkle, the sun blazes, th
e planets revolve in their orbits. All these phenomena are manifestations of the
Divine. By understanding the nature of flame, you can understand the nature of
fire. By examining a drop of water, you come to know the nature of the Ganges. L
ikewise by understanding Maanavathvam (the true nature of humanness), you can un
derstand Daivathvam (Divinity).
- BABA
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16th March 2009

Character is the true ornament of man. The loss of this ornament is the source o
f all his suffering and misery. Man does not realize the purpose for which he ha
s been created by God. God s creation is pregnant with profound truths, mysteries
and ideals. But man has forgotten these ideals. He is unable to appreciate the s
ignificance of his legacy. Of all the powers in the world, human power is the gr
eatest. Man assigns value to everything in this world, but he is unable to recog
nize his own value.
- BABA
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17th March 2009

You must realize that Bhajans (devotional singing), Namasmarana (chanting God's
name) and Pooja (ritualistic worship) are not for pleasing or propitiating God,
but for our own spiritual progress. Frequently people flatter the rich and the p
owerful - especially when they are in their employment or are beholden to them f
or some precious help - in order to induce them to shower gifts on them. But God
 does not shower grace on people because they sing His praises. Nor does He come
down upon them because they do not deify Him. Contemplating on the Divine attri
butes enables us to dwell on elevating ideals and brings us nearer to the Divini
ty that is our nature.
- BABA
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18th March 2009

The remembrance of God and repetition of His Name is the only means of liberatio
n that is easily accessible to all. People tend to treat the Name of the Lord ca
sually, not realizing its potency. The power of the entire cosmos is contained i
n it. You must understand the significance of the Name properly and use it in th
e right way. Bhajan is an effective activity by which Kama (desire) and Krodha (
anger) can be kept away.
- BABA
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19th March 2009

It is the duty of every man to realise the purpose of life and utilise his time
in the performance of his duties to sanctify his existence. Given the will, ther
e is nothing that man cannot achieve in this world. But before embarking on any
enterprise, man should recognise his abilities and endowments. Mankind has acqui
red the ability to explore the stars or walk on the moon, but has been unable to
understand its true nature; man has become ignorant of his unity with the integ
ral consciousness. This consciousness is not related to knowledge of the externa
l world. It can be experienced only by turning one's vision inward. Only when he
has Samagratha Bhavam (integral awareness) will he have the right perception. S
uch integral vision alone can confer bliss.
- BABA
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20th March 2009

The true dwelling place of God is the heart of man. You don t need to go in search
of God. Not being able to recognize your innate divinity is Ajnana (ignorance).
You have to enquire into the reason for this ignorance. This is mainly because
you follow the Pravritthi Marga (outward path) all your life under the influence
of the sense organs, which are drawn towards external objects. You are not maki
ng any effort to follow the Nivritthi Marga (inward path). Thus, you are fully e
ngrossed in the outward activities and are completely neglecting the inward path
. You see everything from a worldly point of view and do not recognize the Divin
ity that pervades it. You have to make an effort to change your vision from outw
ard to inward to perceive this Divinity.
 - BABA
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21st March 2009

You are all the indestructible Atma, nothing need discourage you. In your dream,
you suffer so much due to fire, floods, insult, loss of money, etc. But once yo
u wake up, you are not affected at all. When these events happen during the waki
ng state, you feel afflicted. But let me tell you that from the state of Realiza
tion, even the waking state is equally without validity. It is not the real 'you
' that suffers all that. Give up the delusion that you are this physical entity
and you become really free.
- BABA
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22nd March 2009

God is the basis of everything. He is omnipotent, omniscient and pervades all cr

eation. Who can say that only this is Brahman (God) and that is not. The only et
ernal, existent entity is Brahman. The rest is all evanescent. Just as without c
otton, there can be no cloth, similarly, there can be no world without God. Do n
ot mistake this Deha (physical body) as real. It is the Dehi (indwelling Divinit
y) that is the true reality. This Divinity is beyond birth and death, the one wi
thout any beginning or end, and is the eternal witness. Recognise this truth.
- BABA
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23rd March 2009

Service to God has been described as Bhakti (devotion). The heart of the devotee
overflows with love for the Lord through constant remembrance and recitation of
His name. Out of this stream of love, devotion emerges. One who is nourished by
the nectar of Bhakti will not desire anything. To be unaffected by joy or sorro
w, gain or loss, praise or blame, to remain steadfast and unwavering in faith is
the hallmark of true devotion. Affection, attachment, desire are natural to man
. However, when these qualities are directed towards God and when one is continu
ously engaged in good deeds, these qualities acquire purity and sacredness. Then
one becomes not just a great soul but God Himself.
- BABA
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24th March 2009

Neethi means morality or right conduct. It is the path that leads one to the Div
ine. Good character, purity of thought, performance of meritorious deeds and sel
fless sacrifice are all subsumed in the term 'Neethi'. The ancients regarded Nee
thi as fundamental, without which the society will be maimed. Morality is not so
mething that you must force upon yourself; it is your natural quality. Therefore
, first and foremost, cultivate morality. Only then will divinity blossom in you
. The entire world will prosper when man adheres to morality. Wherever you are,
whatever you do, consider morality as the basis of your life. Morality alone gra
nts true and lasting reputation. You can earn divine grace and happiness only wh
en you cultivate morality.
- BABA

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25th March 2009
What is the goal of human life? Is it eating, drinking, sleeping, tasting a litt
le joy and grief, and finally dying like any other bird or beast? No, the goal i
s to realise Brahman (Divinity). Without that, no man can attain Shanti (peace).
He must win that peace and bliss by merging in the consciousness of the Absolut
e by Divine Grace. An aspirant has to first practise the Sadhana (spiritual exer
cise) related to the Saguna (with form) aspect of God. This will endow him with
concentration. He can then merge his mind in the Nirguna (formless) Brahman.
- BABA
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26th March 2009

Develop faith in God. All names are His - be it Rama, Krishna, Christ, Allah or
any other name. Every man is the embodiment of the Divine. True human relations
can grow only when this truth is recognised. The first stage of realization is w
hen you recognise "I am in the Light." Next, you realize, "The Light is in me,"
and finally you realize, "I am the Light." "I" represents love, and light repres
ents Jnana (Supreme Wisdom). When love and light become one, there is Realizatio
n.
- BABA

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27th March 2009 Ugadi

Happiness and sorrow have to be experienced in the worldly life as they are inev
itable like the sunset and sunrise. You think the new year will give better expe
riences. It is not correct. It is the mind that is responsible for pleasure and
pain. If your mind is good, you will find everything good. Without God's Grace,
living itself will be impossible for mankind. Even the troubles you may experien
ce are the gifts of the Divine. You are embodiments of the Divine which is nothi
ng but bliss. While being so, is it not a folly on your part to say that you are
suffering from pain and grieve over this?
 - BABA
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28th March 2009
In the quest for mental peace, you should not be concerned only about your own n
eeds. Apart from such a quest being an index of intense selfishness, it is also
a futile one. Is it possible for an individual alone to achieve peace? If there
is chaos and unrest all around you, how can you alone have peace? Your peace is
dependent on peace in the family, in society and in the world. You have to culti
vate the feeling that your individual peace is intimately related to the peace o
f the world. The ancients perceived this profound truth and hence prescribed the
universal prayer - "Samastha Lokaha Sukhino Bhavanthu" (May all the beings in a
ll the worlds be happy).
- BABA
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29th March 2009

Live in absolute conviction that you are the Atma (spirit). The Atma sees throug
h the eyes, hears through the ears, handles through the fingers and moves throug
h the feet. That is the basic You . That You is not elated by praise or deflated by b
lame. As long as you are overcome with fear and anxiety, you will not be able to
accomplish anything. Be courageous! Know that you are the Atma, not this body;
then you will be without fear. God, can help you achieve great things, but only
if you base your actions on true knowledge and remain fearless.
- BABA
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30th March 2009
Bhagavath Gita mentions 'Udhaseenah' (being unruffled by anything) as one of the
qualities of the devotee who is dear to the Lord. This means that one should be
totally free from selfishness. One must consider the performance of one's dutie
s as the sole purpose of one's existence. One should perform one's duties indiff
erent to fame or blame, not seeking power or position. One must act according to
the dictates of one's conscience, without any other concern. All actions must b
e performed in a spirit of selfless service. This is the true import of being 'U
dhaseenah'.
- BABA
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31st March 2009

Good Sankalpas (thought impulses) can elicit the best out of man and help him to
use all his mental strength for his uplift. Ships at sea are guided by the comp
ass along the desired direction; without it, they risk being wrecked on rocks or
 icebergs. Man has to sail safe across the ocean of Samsara (worldly existence).
So he needs a one-pointed, unruffled mind to guide him and guard him. Man has t
o recognise bad Sankalpas as soon as they arise and render them ineffective by t
he systematic cultivation of beneficial Sankalpas. The latter alone can save a p
erson from disaster and confer Prasanthi (supreme peace).
- BABA
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1st April 2009
There is a creator behind this enchanting cosmos. He is Omniscient, Omnipotent a
nd Omnipresent. He is worshiped as God using many names and in many forms by var
ious people. Unity, brotherhood and devotion are essential for every human being
. To promote these sacred qualities in mankind, some great souls sought to estab
lish different religions. Religion is not a restrictive concept. Religion is int
ended to develop the human personality and indicate the basic guidelines for rig
ht living. Religion brings out the humanness in man and enables him to live in h
armony with his fellowmen. It provides the link between the individual and the D
ivine. It demonstrates the unity that underlies the diversity in creation.
- BABA
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2nd April 2009
If everything is dedicated to the Lord, there will be no room for worry or sorro
w, or even of joy. If you rid yourself thus of attachment, your Shanti (peace) c
an never be disturbed. 'I', 'my', 'mine', 'you', 'yours' - when these ideas take
hold of the mind, Shanti suffers a setback.
- BABA
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3rd April 2009 Sri Rama Navami
Ravana was in no way inferior to Rama in terms of knowledge but sage Valmiki, th
e composer of Ramayana, described Ravana as a fool and extolled Rama as one of w
isdom. The reason was that Rama put His knowledge into practice and led an exemp
lary life. On the other hand, Ravana did not practice the knowledge he acquired,
became a slave to his senses and thus ruined himself, his kingdom, and his enti
re clan. Education is meant not to satisfy the senses but to make one transcend
the senses and set an ideal to society. Human body is bound by senses, which are
responsible for both good and evil. Hence, it is the foremost duty of man to ma
ke proper use of the senses.
- BABA
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4th April 2009
It is only when the mind is completely under control that man can grasp his real
identity. Then all troubles and travails, doubts and dilemmas, come to an end.
Man then overcomes sorrow, delusion and anxiety. He is established in the holy c
almness of Shanti (peace). Spiritual life is not a matter of meaningless talk. I
t is an experience of pure Ananda (bliss).
- BABA
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5th April 2009
The fundamental ignorance called Maya (delusion) plays many tricks with you. It
makes you believe the rope to be a snake and you run away in fright. It makes yo
u imagine a lake of water where there are only the hot sands of the desert, and
you run towards it to slake your thirst! And you call it, "mayaa," meaning, "thr
ough me," "for me," in Sanskrit, thus identifying yourselves with it, as if it i
s real and beneficial. The moment you realize it is illusory, it ceases to bothe
r you. Maya creates the universe; it spreads before the mind the vast parapherna
lia of the objective world. It is a Narthakee (dancer), an enchantress who entic
es the intelligence and traps the senses. This Na-rtha-kee can be subdued by Kee
-rtha-na. Keerthana is the contemplation and singing of the glory of God.
- BABA
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6th April 2009
To win perfect happiness, one has to follow the path of Bhakti (devotion), dedic
ating oneself fully to the Lord. It cannot be got by any other means. The path o
f Jnana (wisdom) is possible for only one in a million. Under present conditions
, Jnana-marga (path of wisdom) is indeed very difficult. The Karma-marga (path o
f action) and Yoga-marga (path of mind control) are also full of obstacles. Ther
efore, Bhakti-marga (path of devotion) is the smoothest, the most conducive to s
uccess and yields infinite bliss.
- BABA
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7th April 2009
The Vedas have taught the means to make life in the world pure and meaningful. T
hey have declared: "Na karmanaa na prajayaa dhane na, thyaagenaike amrutatwamaan
ashuhu" (not through rituals, progeny or wealth, but only through sacrifice can
immortality be achieved). A Thyagi (renunciant) does not hesitate even to sacrif
ice his body for others welfare. Sacrifice means something more than giving up o
f wealth, gold and material objects. Evil qualities like hatred, jealousy, wrath
and malice which have become ingrained in man over many lifetimes should be dis
carded.
- BABA
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8th April 2009
To earn Shanti (peace), its inveterate foe, anger, must be laid low. Anger ensla
ves man and befogs his understanding. When you are full of Bhakti (devotion), un
derstanding becomes easy. The form of Bhakti known as Shanta Bhakti is the best
path leading to eternal, everlasting Ananda (bliss). Live a life of high ideals;
be always happy and contented.
 - BABA
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9th April 2009
You have today in the world, men of wealth, strength, scholarship and virtue. Bu
t there are few who have realized the Self. Ignoring the Self, of what avail are
all other possessions, which are temporary and evanescent? Of what use is the k
nowledge about the world, when you are not aware of yourself? That is why Vedant
a (Vedic Philosophy) calls upon each one to discover the truth about himself. Se
lf-knowledge is the key to all knowledge. For this, you must approach the right
person to teach you the means to discover your true Self. If you are not prepare
d to undertake this self-enquiry, cultivate faith, if not in God, at least in yo
ur own Self. The man who has no faith in himself can have no faith in anybody; h
e cannot have faith in God. Make Vishwasa (faith) your Shwasa (life breath).
- BABA
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10th April 2009

Shanti (peace) is the honey of Prema (love) in the enchanting flower of life. It
is the prime need of the Yogi (spiritual master) and the Sadhaka (spiritual asp
irant). Having acquired it, they can realize the Reality tomorrow, if not today.
They should put up with all the obstacles in the way, and Shanti will give them
the strength needed for this. Through Shanti alone can Bhakti (devotion) and Jn
ana (wisdom) strike root.
- BABA
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11th April 2009
God is love incarnate. This love shines equally in every human being. The fragra
nce of a flower remains the same whether it is held in the right hand or the lef
t. Likewise God has no distinctions such as the favoured and the excluded. But n
arrow-minded persons cannot easily grasp the Divine's equal-mindedness. Everyone
apprehends God's powers and attributes according to his own limited conceptions
and experiences. Different people, depending on their own likes and dislikes, a
ttribute the differences existing in their own minds to the Divine. God does not
make distinctions such as the good and the bad, the desirable and the unwanted,
the wicked and the virtuous. The sandalwood tree imparts its fragrance even to
the axe that fells it. Likewise, God is ever prepared to love, foster and protec
t everyone equally.
- BABA
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12th April 2009
All cravings and impulses rise up with overpowering strength like waves from the
sea, roar in fury, and then subside in to calm waters. They do not confer peace
. Wisdom lies in forgetting these waves and directing one's attention to the cal
m depths within. You can attain Shanti (peace) only if you dive in to the deep a
nd undisturbed depths of the sea within, not by swimming around on the surface.
 - BABA
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DEVELOP LOVE AND CONSIDER ALL AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS
April 03, 2009(RAM NAVAMI DISCOURSE)
Sathya, dharma, santhi, prema, and ahimsa are the five cardinal human values. On
e who practises these human values is a human being in the true sense of the ter
m. One who lacks even one of these cannot be called a perfect human being. There
fore, we should develop all these five values.
Unfortunately, when we look at the present scenario, we do not see truth anywher
e, and we don t even hear the word dharma . Therefore, man today is beset with unrest
. People want peace but what they get is pieces only! Due to the lack of peace,
love has become non-existent in man.
Therefore, we should develop peace. Then only will love develop in us. When love
takes root in us, we will have no enemies. Then all will become our friends. He
nce, man should develop love and consider all as his brothers and sisters. This
is the main essence of the Ramayana.
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13th April 2009
What is 'Moksha'? It is giving up of the 'Anatma', the unreal. Suppose you want
a glass of fruit juice, unless you throw away the water already in the glass, yo
u cannot pour juice in to the glass. Similarly, unless you give up worldly desir
es, 'Atmabhava' (spirituality) cannot take root in you. When you spend your hour
s immersed in thoughts about God, you become free from evil ways. You will not b
e tempted to abuse others or harm them in any way. You begin to live in Love, ac
cepting all events as His gifts. Then your home verily becomes heaven on Earth;
the joy that bubbles in your heart is the symbol of Vaikunta (abode of Lord Vish
nu); the earnestness and care that you evince in your work will symbolize Kailas
a (the abode of Lord Shiva).
- BABA
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14th April 2009 Tamil New Year & Vishu
Every man aspires for happiness and wants to avoid sorrow. But in this world, tr
uth and untruth, righteousness and unrighteousness, joy and sorrow pass and chan
ge with time. Man should have faith in the ultimate principle out of which both
good and evil arise. True man is the one who treats pain and pleasure equally. Y
ou should trust the Divine and experience His love in your hearts. In this world
, the gain from sorrow is more than that out of happiness. The saints and sages
of yore, who have become immortal in history, aspired for hardships rather than
happiness. The joy that arises out of overcoming hardships is more lasting than
that gained from happiness. Hence, we should not be averse to sorrow nor should
we look for happiness alone.
- BABA
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15th April 2009
You should not spend your time in idleness, saying to yourself that the Lord wil
l come to your help when the need arises. You must rise and work. God helps thos
e who help themselves, and He will help no other. Do the work that has fallen to
your lot, and do it sincerely and efficiently.
- BABA
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16th April 2009
It is the nature of a magnet to attract iron. But, if the iron is covered with r
ust, it will be unable to get attracted by that magnetic power. In man, greed fo
r sensual pleasure is one of the causes for this harmful 'rust' to accumulate. H
ence, care has to be taken to ensure that the rust never forms. Then, the iron p
iece called man, by contact with the magnet called God takes on the divine magne
tic quality and attains the object of its quest. The rust of sensual greed can b
e kept at bay by keeping good company, and putting into practice the axioms of g
ood conduct that one can imbibe from such sacred company.
- BABA
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17th April 2009
While the Divine is thus all-pervasive, the ability to recognise this truth is n
ot present in all. The fact is well known that fire is latent in wood. But on th
at basis, if one attempts to cook rice in a vessel, placing it on a lorry load o
f unlit wood, can the rice be cooked? Fire has two states - the inner and the ou
ter. The fire that is invisible and latent is inner fire. This fire, though it i
s present, cannot burn anything. The external fire manifests its true form and c
an burn anything and reduce it to ashes. Likewise, the power to experience the o
mnipresent Divine and envision it internally is possessed by each one, while onl
y some have the capacity to demonstrate it externally.
- BABA
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18th April 2009
The awareness of Swaswaroopa (one's real nature) is true knowledge and devotion
is the means to achieve this knowledge. The light of the sun is reflected by the
moon. While the light from the sun is warm and bright, when the same light is r
adiated by the moon, it is cool and soothing. The same light is present in the s
un and the moon; the principle that illumines both the sun and the moon is the S
pirit (Atma-tatwa). The sun's light has been compared to Jnana (wisdom) and the
moon's light to Bhakti (devotion). Jnana is effulgent, while Bhakti is blissful.
Thus Bhakti and Jnana are the means to the same end.
- BABA
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19th April 2009
The sages of India sought to know that knowledge which when gained, everything e
lse becomes known. The expression of that discovery in practical life is Love; f
or, it is Love that creates, sustains and envelops all. Without Love, no one can
claim to have succeeded in comprehending God and His handiwork, the Universe. G
od is Love, live in Love - that is the teaching of the sages. The heart has to b
e prepared by means of Namasmarana (constant repeating of the Name). This consti
tutes a Yoga in itself, 'Chittha shuddhi yoga', the path of Consciousness-cleans
ing." Charge every second of your time with the powerful Divine current that rad
iates from the Name.
- BABA
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20th April 2009
All the myriad differences that one sees in the world are only varying manifesta
tions of the one basic entity - Brahman (Godhead). A man who seeks to enjoy the
fruit of a tree cannot be content with nourishing only the flowers. He has also
to nourish the roots, the trunk, the branches, the leaves and the flowers. Likew
ise, the man who seeks the highest Jnana (wisdom) has to nourish the body, the s
enses and the feelings appropriately. God is the eternal Reality, without birth,
growth or death, without a beginning or an end, and who is immutable. It is onl
y bodies that are subject to change. The immutable Divine has to be experienced
by making use of the body that is mutable.
- BABA
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21st April 2009
In the heart of man, God resides along with the individual self, just as light a
nd shade co-exist. Shade is caused by Light; it declares the presence of Light.
They are fundamentally inseparable. So too, are the Jivi (individual self) and t
he Brahman (Universal Self) related to each other as One Inseparable Entity. The
Jivi as the shadow exists in and through Brahman and partakes of the same Divin
e splendour. Every individual has to become aware of this identity. When the One
is reflected in the many, in the multitude of Jivis, it appears as the Self in
each, which watches unaffected as the Witness.
- BABA
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22nd April 2009
Man's mind is too full of the world and desires demand too much of his time and
energy. Engrossed in the analysis of the material world, he has lost all sense o
f sweetness and sublimity and truth has become just another word in the dictiona
ry. Humility, patience and reverence have become irrelevant .The only ray of hop
e in this enveloping gloom of fear, hatred and persecution, is the Peace that on
e can win through self-control and Sadhana (spiritual endeavour). That Peace wil
l pervade and purify the inner consciousness as well as the outer atmosphere.
- BABA
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23rd April 2009
The Lord creates hostile forces to demonstrate the power of faith in the Divine
and to confer peace and plenty on the believers. Just as a mother provides toys
and sweets to a child for its pleasure, though they are of no use to her, God cr
eates certain situations for the sake of the devotee, to bring out the depth of
his devotion. Even in small matters, we find that their true nature is discovere
d only by experiencing the elements opposed to them. For instance, if one wants
to develop physical strength, he has to subject the body to strenuous exercises.
Even a diamond requires to be cut and polished to enhance its brilliance and va
lue.
- BABA
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24th April 2009
In rendering seva (selfless service), one should not think that their services s
hould be confined to the poor and the destitute. There is no need to make any ar
tificial distinction between the rich and the poor in the sphere of service. Wha
t matters is the service done to a person who needs it. Your concern should only
be with what kind of service is required, when and where, and not the status or
position of the person concerned. The primary requisite is a genuine spirit of
love and camaraderie. If there is no feeling of kindness and compassion, whateve
r service that is done becomes an artificial exercise, done for getting publicit
y or recognition. Ostentation in rendering service is harmful as it will only in
flate the ego.
- BABA
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25th April 2009
See God in every one you meet; see God in everything you perceive. His Mystery i
s immanent in all that is material and non-material. The Universe is permeated b
y the Divine, it is an expression of His Mystery! Dip into the springs of joy wi
thin you and progress; do not stand still or recede. Every minute must mark a st
ep forward. Rejoice that it is given to you to recognise God in all and welcome
all chances to sing His Glory, to hear His miraculous stories, to share His pres
ence with others.
- BABA
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26th April 2009
Pleasure and sorrow are not inherent in the nature of man. They are products of
the mind. Bliss is the true nature of man. But it can be realised only when the
love of God is experienced. The sense of 'my-ness' has to be totally eradicated.
The man who is filled with love has great peace of mind, purity of heart and is
unruffled by any adverse circumstances, failures or losses. This fortitude is d
erived from love of the Lord, which endows him with self-confidence. Self-confid
ence generates an immense internal power. Everyone has to develop this power. Ev
eryone has to develop this self-confidence so that the Atma-Ananda (bliss of the
Self) may be experienced.
- BABA
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27th April 2009
Realize that human happiness is not to be found in sensory objects or experience
s. Whatever pleasure is derived from these is transient and momentary. Real and
enduring bliss is to be derived from within oneself. The senses should be regard
ed as instruments for rendering service to others. The foolish idea that happine
ss lies only in indulging in sensual pleasures should be given up. Only animals
are content to derive satisfaction from the senses alone. Hence, every man shoul
d firmly declare, "I am a man and not an animal." Only when he has this firm con
viction will man shed his animal nature and assert his humanness. Therefore, it
is only when the senses are brought under control that the nature of Divinity ca
n be comprehended.
- BABA
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28th April 2009
Ponder over all the things for which you have cried so far. You will find that y
ou have craved only for paltry things, for momentary distinctions, for fleeting
fame. Instead, you should cry only for God, for your own cleansing and consummat
ion. You should weep, for the six cobras that have sheltered themselves in your
mind, poisoning it with their venom: Lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and m
alice. Quieten them as the snake charmer does with his swaying flute. The music
that can tame them is the Name of God. Thereafter, they become playthings; you c
an handle them as you please. When these are laid low, you will gain equanimity
and you will remain unaffected by honour or dishonour, profit or loss, joy or gr
ief.
- BABA
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29th April 2009
Love is Supreme. Develop love in your hearts. Let love flow through every part o
f your being. Make love the reigning principle of your life. Develop love throug
h love. This was the prayer that went forth from the hearts of Gopikas: "Oh Kris
hna, play on your flute so that our parched hearts may be flooded with your nect
arine love and we may be filled with love in all that we think and do. Plant the
seeds of love in our arid hearts so that the saplings of love may sprout and gr
ow." To experience this joy, you have to develop firm faith in God and shed all
fear. Cultivate Divine Love and experience this joy. Sanctify your lives by dedi
cating it to the Divine.
- BABA
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30th April 2009
A true devotee should not have desires. But, is it possible for you, endowed as
you are with a body, mind and senses, to be without desires? One is bound to hav
e some desire or the other. On the one hand, there are desires pertaining to the
senses that confer momentary joy. On the other hand, there is a desire to trans
cend the senses. Thus, people are filled with many desires. There is nothing wro
ng in having desires, but all of them must be pleasing to God. You should practi
se the eternal principles based on Truth, and dedicate all your activities to Go
d. Lead your life without the feelings of 'I' and 'mine' and offer everything to
God.
- BABA
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1st May 2009
Life is a long pilgrimage along the rough and torturous road of this world. But,
with the Name of God on his lips, the pilgrim will know no thirst; with the For
m of God in his heart, he will feel no exhaustion. The company of the holy will
inspire him to travel in hope and faith. The assurance that God is ever near wil
l lend strength to his limbs. Remember that with every step, you are nearing God
; and God too, takes ten steps towards you when you take one step towards Him. T
his journey does not have any halts; it is one continuous journey, through tears
and smiles, through birth and death. When the road ends, and the Goal is attain
ed, the pilgrim finds that he has travelled only from himself to himself, that t
he God he sought was all the while in him, around him, with him, and beside him!
He himself was always Divine.
- BABA
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2nd May 2009
Man's foremost duty is to make right use of the time through the bodily vesture
given to him. Man is bound by actions in this phenomenal world. While the Divine
is all-pervasive, man fails to recognise it. He is unable to see the light that
is within him. The Reality which you seek everywhere in the outside world is wi
thin you. Man today looks only at the outside world; this is an animal quality.
To look inward is the mark of the true human being. Obsessed with the external a
nd ignoring his inner vision, man has forfeited his power of discrimination.
- BABA
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3rd May 2009
Do not serve for the sake of rewards, attracting attention, or earning gratitude
, or from a sense of pride at your own superiority in skill, wealth, status or a
uthority. Serve because you are urged by love. When you succeed, ascribe the suc
cess to the Grace of God, who inspired you as the Love principle within you. Whe
n you fail, ascribe the failure to your own inadequacy, insincerity or ignorance
. Examine the springs of action, disinfect them from all traces of ego. Do not b
lame the recipient of the Seva (service), or your collaborators and co-workers,
or God.

- BABA
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4th May 2009
To attain the attitude of surrender, of dedication, you must have Faith in God.
This world is His play; it is not an empty dream; it has its own purpose and use
. It is the means by which one can discover God; see Him in the beauty, the gran
deur, the order, the majesty of Nature. These are but shadows of His Glory and H
is Splendour. Upasana (adoration of God), leads to the knowledge that He is all;
when you experience that there is no Second, that is Jnana (Spiritual Wisdom)!
- BABA
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5th May 2009
It is only by the cultivation of detachment, by denying the senses the thrills t
hey thirst for, and by diving into the depths of one's being with the firm belie
f that there is an immense inner realm that rewards exploration, that one can ca
pture the bliss of the supreme tranquility. This is the highest morality, for, w
hen this is done, man is saturated with love and has no trace of malice, hate, g
reed or lust left in him. Man's vision is purified by the ideal of the unity of
all in One and the proliferation of One as all.
- BABA
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6th May 2009 Easwaramma Day
At this critical hour in the history of the world, when the demoniac forces of f
ear and anxiety, injustice and inequity are raging in wild fury, it is the duty
of every human being to be equipped with spiritual strength so that he may not b
e overwhelmed by the storm. This is an urgent and essential task and I must say
that the women of India have a contribution to render service and a role to play
. They must bring God into the hearts of the child and help it to keep Him there
. For, Faith in God is the tonic that men needs to get back health and happiness
.
- BABA
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7th May 2009
Love God and you see God in every creature. Another way is to start with those a
round you, and then widen the circle of love till it envelops all creation. Let
the mind dwell ever on God; let it see everything as Divine. That is what is des
cribed as one-pointedness. When the mind is so fixed, it will give up its tenden
cy to search for faults and foibles in others; it will not run after the foul an
d the frivolous and it will not accumulate the trivial and the transient. The bo
dy is like the container of the torch, the senses, the bulb and the mind is the
battery. But if you use your intellect as the switch, then, the mind will not be
turned towards the undesirable. It will be used only to help the individual's p
rogress towards his/her Divine destiny.
- BABA
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8th May 2009
The body is a chariot. The charioteer is the principle of Buddhi (intellect). Th
e senses are the horses. The reins that regulate and restrain the horses is the
Manas (mind). When the mind wavers and wanders, not having stability of purpose,
the horses run helter-skelter, endangering even the charioteer, Buddhi (intelle
ct). So, one has to control the mind and not pollute it with greed for sense ple
asures. The mind has to act as the associate of Buddhi. Speech subserving the mi
nd and mind subserving the intellect - this is the way to bring about Prashanthi
, the Supreme Peace. And, slowly and steadily, instruct the intellect to turn to
wards the Atma. Speech guided by a mind, which is in tune with an intellect illu
mined by the Atma - this will lead to us the ultimate goal.
- BABA
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9th May 2009 Buddha Poornima
The Divine is present in man like the unseen thread which holds a garland togeth
er. The entire cosmos is permeated by the Divine and is the visible manifestatio
n of the Divine. Consider yourselves the children of one mother and belonging to
the family of humanity. Do not give room for differences of race, creed and nat
ionality. Believe firmly that all belong to the caste of humanity, follow the re
ligion of love and speak the language of the heart. Water is called by different
names in different languages. Likewise God is one, whatever name you call Him b
y, be it Allah, Jesus, Buddha or Rama - have that faith. Develop this universal
outlook and don't criticize any religion.
- BABA
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10th May 2009
Man's duty is to sanctify his days and nights with the unbroken smarana (recolle
ction) of the Name. Recollect with joy and with true yearning. If you do so, God
is bound to appear before you in the Form and with the Name you have adored Him
. God is all Names and all forms, the blending of all these in harmonious beauty
! The Gods worshipped in different faiths, adored by different human communities
, are all various manifestations of the one Divine principle that really is. Jus
t as the body is the harmonious blending of the senses and the limbs, God is the
harmony of all the forms and names that mankind worships.
- BABA
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11th May 2009
Morality does not merely mean the observance of certain rules in the work-a-day
world. Morality means adherence to the straight and sacred path of right conduct
. The honour of the community rests upon morality. Without morals, a community d
ecays. Only in an individual who is morally strong does the human personality fi
nd its best expression. The term 'personality' can be applied only to one who ma
nifests the hidden unmanifested divinity within him by his conduct. Mere human f
orm does not make one a human personality. It is the behaviour that counts. Only
those who lead well-regulated lives and manifest their true divine nature can b
e regarded as real human beings.
- BABA ************************************************************************
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12th May 2009
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna calls upon Arjuna to regard himself as an ins
trument of the Divine. Every human being is indeed an instrument of God. As such
, he should carry out his duties, leaving the results to God. Men have to do the
ir duties; success or failure is determined by the Divine. Do not esteem yoursel
f as the doer. Develop the conviction that the Indwelling Spirit in you is direc
ting you and enabling you to act.
- BABA
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13th May 2009
You have no need to run about in search of God, for, you are yourself God. God r
esides in your heart. He is the All-pervasive motive force. Have firm faith in t
his truth. Like fire in the matchstick, divinity is latent in man. The fire in t
he stick becomes manifest when it is struck against the side of the box. So too,
when the Jivi (individual) contacts Deva (God), the flame of Jnana (Wisdom) shi
nes brilliantly.
- BABA
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14th May 2009
The mansion called life must be built on strong foundations, the pursuit of arth
a (wealth) and kama (fulfillment of desires) must be regulated by the yardstick
of Dharma. Dharma fosters those who foster it. The strongest foundation is ever-
present Faith in the Almighty. Some may ask, "If He is Almighty, why then is he
not patent?" Well, He reveals Himself only to the person who has the yearning, n
ot the one who puts questions out of impudence or ignorance. He will be patent o
nly in the pure heart that is not clouded by egoism or attachment to worldly obj
ects.
- BABA
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15th May 2009
One may have listened to a number of spiritual discourses, but one should not be
content with mere listening only to forget them later. One must enquire as to h
ow much one has been transformed by attending these discourses. One must try to
put into practice at least one or two of the teachings, get rid of worldly attac
hments gradually and progress on the path towards the Divine. In due course, div
inity will surely blossom in the heart. If, on the contrary, one goes on multipl
ying one's worldly concerns and desires, one will go down to the animal level. O
ne must be content with what one has and put it to good use with faith in the Lo
rd.
BABA
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16th May 2009
Oil is present within the sesame seed. Ghee is present in every drop of milk. Fr
agrance is latent in every flower. A fruit is imbued with sweet juice. In every
piece of wood, fire is latent. In the same manner, the Divine is immanent in the
entire cosmos in a subtle form as Chaitanya (Consciousness). The cosmos is the
visible manifestation of the invisible Supreme Self. The Divine shines effulgent
ly in every man as Sath-Chith-Ananda (Being-Awareness-Bliss). While the Divine i
s in such close proximity to him, man in his ignorance goes about seeking God ou
tside himself.
- BABA
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17th May 2009
The root cause of all difficulties experienced by man is forgetfulness of his sp
iritual reality and identification with his body. The body is only the vesture o
f the Indwelling Spirit. By immersing himself in body-consciousness, man develop
s egoism and possessiveness, which in turn give rise to many other vices. He for
gets his inherent divinity and fails to use the senses and organs he is endowed
with in the right way. Your senses are God-given gifts. They should be used only
for sacred purposes and should not be misused. Entertain only sacred thoughts a
nd engage yourselves only in sacred deeds. Thereby, you will be sanctifying your
lives. There is only one royal road to realizing God. It is the path of Divine
love. You have come from the Divine and your destiny is to merge in the Divine.
- BABA
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18th May 2009
Little children are trained to walk, by means of a walker, which they hold and p
ush along. The Pranava (the sound of "Om") is such a contraption, with the three
wheels of 'A', 'U' and 'M'. Holding it, man can learn to use the two feet of Bh
akti (Devotion) and Vairagya (Detachment). If he gives up his hold on the Omkara
, he plumps down on the ground helplessly. If he walks on with the help of the P
ranava Japa (repetition of "Om"), he can certainly realize the glory of the Brah
man (God), which is the very substance of the Universe.
- BABA
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19th May 2009
Pure and selfless love towards all living beings, considering everyone as embodi
ments of the Divine, with no expectation of reward, is true Love. With this atti
tude, when one regards divinity as present in all beings, he experiences true lo
ve. Whatever be the vicissitudes one may face, whatever be the personal sorrows
and privations one may undergo, true love will remain unaffected. Today, the mom
ent a difficulty arises, love turns into hatred. True love is the sweet fruit th
at grows out of the fragrant flower of good deeds. Love rules without recourse t
o the sword. It binds without laws. Only one who has such true love can be descr
ibed as human, for, divine love is the basic quality of a true human being.
- BABA
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20th May 2009
Thyaga (the spirit of sacrifice) is essential for rendering dedicated service. G
etting rid of bad qualities is true sacrifice; it is also Yoga (spiritual commun
ion). Realize that whoever you may be serving, you are indeed serving the Divine
in various human forms. Those who serve have to cherish this sublime and sacred
feeling. They must strive to see God in everyone.
- BABA
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21st May 2009
Through right action, one achieves purity of heart, which leads to the acquisiti
on of Jnana (wisdom). It is only when attachment to the fruits of one's actions
is discarded that the action becomes Yoga (Divine communion). One should overcom
e the sense of 'mine' and 'thine'. When one embarks on service activities, one s
hould regard it as a privilege to serve others and look upon it as a form of wor
ship of the Divine. One should consider service to society as the means of findi
ng self-fulfilment in life. One should face whatever problems may arise, with fa
ith and courage, and carry on one's service activities without fanfare, in a spi
rit of humility and dedication.
- BABA
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22nd May 2009
Men should lead selfless lives. This may seem difficult. But, in reality, there
is nothing easier than this. It is selfishness that creates all kinds of difficu
lties for man. Selfless love gives no room for any evil. Selfless love may meet
with opposition from one's kith and kin and from worldly persons. But one should
not be deterred by such opposition. Love should be cherished as one's life brea
th. Make love the basis for all your actions. The love of God should be free fro
m any desire for favours.
- BABA
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23rd May 2009
You must realize that your service activities are done for the sake of your own
spiritual purification and uplift. All actions should be done with a view to pur
ify the mind and remove all the dross from it. It is wrong to think that through
actions alone you can attain liberation or redeem your lives. Actions have to b
e done solely for the purification of the Chitta (consciousness). Without purity
of consciousness, life cannot be spiritualized. Human birth is the result of Ka
rma (action). Right action leads to Dharma (Righteousness). Through Dharma, the
Divine has to be realized.
- BABA
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24th May 2009
The cosmos is the creation of the Divine. It is surcharged with energy. This ene
rgy is not localised at a particular point in space or time. Though this energy
is all-pervading, man is unable to recognise its divine nature. As he cannot rec
ognise it, he presumes that it does not exist. Electrical energy flows continuou
sly in the wires. But, its presence is recognized only when a bulb is fitted and
switched on. Likewise, though God is omnipresent. His divine effulgence will sh
ine only in those who adore Him with a pure heart.
- BABA
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************************REALISE THE PRINCIPLE OF UNITY
Creation emerges from truth and merges into truth.
Is there a place in the cosmos where truth does not exist?
Visualise this pure and unsullied truth. (Telugu Poem)
WHEN YOU LOSE FAITH, YOU LOSE GOD
Everyone desires peace and happiness. Nobody wants sorrows and difficulties. In
his speech, Popat has said that all are the embodiments of God. God is one. Ther
e is no second entity. When you think there is a second entity, then it is untru
th. Therefore, there is nothing like a second entity.
All are One
Right from small ants, mosquitoes, and birds to mighty elephants, every being is
the manifestation of God. Even the trees, hills, and mountains are manifestatio
ns of God. Such being the case, how can there be a second entity? A second entit
y is just your imagination and illusion. It is of your own making. Just think wh
ere your body has come from. You say that it has come from your parents. No, no.
You have not come from your parents. You have come from yourself. There is only
one entity. Where is the existence of the second?
But people today put their faith in diversity and not in unity. What does unity
mean? It is not the combination of many; it is the realisation of oneness. When
you have mirrors all around you, you see your many forms. These are all your dif
ferent forms. But this is not the truth. The one who asks the question and the o
ne who gives the reply, both are one and the same. All are one. Daivam manusha r
upena (God is in the form of a human being). The same person appears in many for
ms. To consider these forms as different from each other is a mistake.
When I am speaking in the microphone, you are listening to My voice. The speaker
is only one but the same voice is heard by many ears. Ekoham sarva bhutanam (I
am the only Reality in all beings), Ekam sath viprah bahudha vadanti (truth is o
ne, but the wise refer to it by various names). There is only one sun in the sky
. But we see its reflection in many rivers, tanks, and vessels. Sun is only one.
 But wherever there is water, you see its reflection. Pour water in a plate, and
you can see the reflection of the sun even in that water. Does it mean that the
sun is there in this water? No, no. It is only the reflection of the sun. In th
e same way, Atma is only one. The mind, the intellect, the subconscious mind, an
d the ego sense are like different vessels. Therefore, divinity is one.
God can be seen in pure heart
Everything is God. If you think otherwise, it is only your delusion, i.e. maya.
When the sun is shining above, you can see its reflections in all tanks. Even wh
ere the water is dirty, you can see its reflection. But when the water is totall
y dirty, then, of course, you cannot see its reflection. In the same way, when y
our heart is pure and clear, you can see the direct manifestation of God in it.
But your heart is impure. When you thoroughly clean your heart, you can very wel
l see God.
God is immanent in everyone. Right from a newborn baby to a grown-up and old per
son, He is present in everyone. A small baby grows up and ultimately becomes old
. The baby, the woman, and the old lady are the same person. Because of their th
inking, people see many different forms.
But God does not have different forms. In fact, He has no form. However, He has
many names. Even though He has many names, they all correspond to the many refle
ctions of the same divinity. You can see the reflection of the sun in flowing wa
ter and also in stagnant water. In the flowing water, the reflection appears to
be wavering, but in steady water, the reflection is also steady. Your mind devel
ops attachment to the world because of your delusion. Everything in this world i
s just a projection of maya.
Hiranyakasipu asked his son Prahlada, Where is God? You are always chanting Naray
ana, Narayana. Who is Narayana?
Prahlada replied, Man himself is Narayana. Wherever you see, you see only Naraya
na. He is in me, He is in you, He is in all others.
Hiranyakasipu asked, Is He there in this pillar?
Surely, He is there in it , replied Prahlada.
Hiranyakasipu took a mace and hit the pillar with it. At once he saw the manifes
tation of Lord Vishnu. Therefore, wherever you see, God is there. But people lik
e Hiranyakasipu have no faith in God.
Develop the vision to see unity
Though there is total unity in creation, we look at it from the angle of diversi
ty. We say, He is my father, he is my mother, she is my elder sister, she is my y
ounger sister. We develop relationships on the basis of forms. Where have these r
elationships come from? Nothing can exist without the principle of unity.
Here is an example. A dog entered a room fitted with mirrors and saw many dogs i
n the mirrors. It was afraid to see so many dogs in the room, considering them a
s danger to its life. In order to escape from the situation, it jumped upon one
of the mirrors, considering its own reflection in it to be another dog. As it di
d that, it saw that the dog in the mirror also jumped upon it. In the process, t
he mirror broke. Then, it felt that there was no other dog at the place and esca
ped from the room. It felt greatly relieved that it could save itself from so ma
ny other dogs. But where were so many dogs? It saw its own reflection in so many
mirrors.
The same is the case with people today. If one sees all other forms as his own r
eflection in the mirror of the world, one will realise the principle of unity. S
o, there are no such separate entities like father, mother, brothers, and sister
s. But one develops worldly relationships due to one s delusion and says, She is my
sister, he is my brother, he is my father, she is my mother. These are all only
physical relationships and not the relationships based on your divine reality. T
ry to understand that the same Atma is present in all. But you develop worldly r
elationships, forgetting the principle of the Atma.
You say, She is my wife but prior to the marriage, she is separate and you are sep
arate. Only after the marriage do you say, My wife, my wife. How you have develope
d this relationship of husband and wife? It is due only to your delusion. It is
because of delusion that one makes many mistakes and indulges in many undesirabl
e activities.
Wherever you see, there is God and God is one. People say, He is Rama, He is Kris
hna, He is Shiva, He is Vishnu. What does it mean? Does it mean that Vishnu, Shiv
a, Rama, and Krishna are separate entities? These are the different names of the
same God. God appears before you in a particular form based on your own imagina
tion. When you contemplate on the form of Krishna as portrayed by artists like R
avi Varma, God will manifest before you in the form of Krishna. In the same way,
God will appear before you in the form of Rama. But God is neither Rama nor Kri
shna. Both Rama and Krishna are you only. The forms of Rama and Krishna are noth
ing but your own reflections. When you say, I want Rama , God manifests before you
in the form of Rama. Similarly, when you say, I want Krishna , He appears before yo
u in the form of Krishna. All these forms are nothing but your own reflections.
Reduce the burden of your desires
Both sorrow and happiness are in the world. When you are in difficulty, you say,
Alas! Why has God given me this difficulty? What sin have I committed? On the oth
er hand, when you earn wealth and are happy, you say, It is my good fortune. Neith
er this is your good fortune nor that is bad. When you have good thoughts, you w
ill have good results. On the other hand, if you have bad thoughts, you will hav
e bad results. Good and bad do not come from outside.
Everything is God. When people see a scorpion, they are afraid that it might bit
e them. But, in fact, there is God even in that scorpion. There is no being in w
hom God is not immanent. However, you have to get rid of your delusion.
People have too many desires. These too many desires are the cause of delusion.
Therefore, people should reduce their desires. How should one do so?
All desires are the creation of the mind, which behaves in an arbitrary way. Man
ah eva manushyanam karanam bandhamokshayo (mind is the cause of bondage and libe
ration of man). You should make efforts to follow the path of liberation. Then,
there will be no scope for delusion.
But people are full of desires, and the cause of all desires is the mind. Theref
ore, first and foremost, control the mind. If you do so, you will not have even
a single desire. Therefore, it is said, Less luggage more comfort makes travel a
pleasure. God will be pleased with you only when you reduce the luggage of your
desires. More desires become great burden for life. With less luggage, you will
be more happy.
When one is unmarried, one thinks, Whatever I have, I can manage with it. I am no
t bothered even if I have to starve sometimes. But when one is married and has ch
ildren, one is burdened with so many worries. Where have the wife and children c
ome from? They have come from the same source as you have come. You think someon
e is your wife because you develop attachment to her. Can you call every woman y
our wife? No, no. When you say so, you will be beaten. You cannot talk like this
. The relationship of wife and husband is only a body to body relationship. This p
hysical relationship is the cause of many troubles.
A person with money is called a rich man. But the same person will be called a b
eggar when they lose his money. When you are wealthy, you are considered bigger;
when you are poor, you are treated like a beggar. Therefore, the same person is
bigger as well as beggar.
Develop equal-mindedness, and everything will become good for you. Even if someb
ody beats you, you should think, The person who is beating me is none other than
God. God has beaten me because there is some defect in me. This body has committ
ed a mistake. Therefore, it has to receive punishment.
Whatever we do, it will come back to us as reaction, reflection, and resound. Al
l that we experience is the result of our own actions. It is not given by God. G
od does not give anything to people except ananda (bliss). Having experienced an
anda, do not criticise the One who has provided it to you. Both happiness and so
rrow are the reflection of your own actions. When God loves you, it means that G
od loves Himself.
God has no attributes. God has no such evil qualities like anger, hatred, jealou
sy, and hypocrisy, nor are these evil qualities given to you by God. These are a
ll of your own making. Therefore, get rid of your delusion. If you develop unnec
essary worries, thinking, I don t have this, I don t have that , you will deceive yours
elf. Reduce your desires. Then you will have not to carry too much luggage. Only
then can you be happy.
Know the Atmic Principle
If you have real love for God, always contemplate on Him. If you have liking for
Rama, contemplate on Rama. Similarly, if Krishna is your chosen deity, contempl
ate on Him. But always remember that Rama and Krishna are not outside; Rama is i
n your heart, Krishna is in your heart. Whatever form you consider as Rama, cont
emplate on that form with your eyes closed. You will certainly visualise that fo
rm. Ultimately, you will realise, It is out of my delusion that I considered Rama
and Krishna separate from Me. In fact, I am Rama, I am Krishna.
When you contemplate on Rama, you see that form as a reflection of your thoughts
. Similarly, when you think of Krishna, you see Krishna s form. You think Rama and
Krishna are different from you because of your delusion. Who has seen Rama? Who
has seen Krishna? Artists like Ravi Varma painted the pictures of Rama and Kris
hna on the basis of the descriptions given in the sacred texts. These are mere p
ictures; they do not reveal the truth.
Everyone can call God by any name of their choice, like Rama, Krishna, Govinda,
etc., and contemplate on a particular name and form. There is no mistake in that
. I don t ask you to give up this practice. But you should have firm conviction, I
am God. My Atma is God. The Atma has no form. It has only a name. The Atma shines
in everyone like the sun. It can be seen only in a heart that is pure. In the h
eart that is impure, you cannot see it.
Many Avatars came to propagate this truth. Divine incarnations come not for thei
r own sake but to impart the knowledge of truth to everyone. Follow their teachi
ngs and understand the principle of the Atma.
The Vedanta proclaims that the Atma is the only reality. Waves are formed out of
water. There can be no waves when there is no water. In the same way, there can
be no form without the Atma. You should contemplate on the Atma and chant the m
antra Om Namo Narayanaya, Om Namo Narayanaya, Om Namo Narayanaya . If you are unabl
e to chant the entire mantra, it is enough to recite Om , because everything is imm
anent in Om. The word Om denotes pranava (primordial sound). The Upanishads desc
ribe it as the Atma.
The Taittiriyopanishad deals extensively with the principle of the Atma. The Ram
ayana, the Bhagavata, and the Mahabharata reveal the same truth through the stor
ies of the Avatars. Everything is within you. Nothing is outside. The entire cre
ation is one. Get rid of your delusion and try to understand the truth behind na
mes and forms.
Name and form are inseparable. You chant, Sai Ram, Sai Ram, Sai Ram The name Sai Ra
m has been given to Me. I am not born with this name. Similarly, the names Rama a
nd Krishna were given to them by their parents. They were not born with these na
mes. Did Rama come and say, I am Rama? No, no. He was the son of Dasaratha and was
given the name Rama.
What does the word Dasaratha mean? It means the chariot of human body with its t
en senses. Have control over your senses. When you have total control over your
senses, there is no need for anything else. You even forget yourself. You forget
even your physical body.
It is the mind that controls the body and the senses. The body and the senses ar
e temporary. Even the mind is also subject to annihilation. We say, mind, mind, m
ind. Where is the mind? What is the form of the mind? It has no form. Mind itself
is an illusion. Enquire on these lines and realise that God is one. This is the
only truth. Everything else is delusion. In a cinema, you see many scenes on th
e screen. You see Sita getting married to Rama, Ravana abducting Sita, Rama wagi
ng a war against Ravana, and many friends of Rama taking part in the war. But al
l these are mere pictures. They are not happening in reality.
There are not many people. All are one. Ekam Sath When you follow sathya (truth)
, dharma (right action) will emerge from it. When sathya and dharma come togethe
r, santhi (peace) will manifest. Where there is peace, there is bliss. Light is
produced when negative and positive charges come together.
Love emerges from peace. One who lacks peace cannot have love. When love manifes
ts in us, we consider everyone as our own. All are our own forms. All are one. B
e alike to everyone. Make efforts to realise this truth.
When the wind blows, the dry leaves are blown away, but not the green leaves. Th
ey remain with the branches. Your humanness should not be like a dry leaf, which
is blown away by the wind. Everything is a divine mystery.
The stories of Lord Rama are amazing,
It purifies the lives of the people in all the three worlds,
It is like the sickle that cuts the creepers of worldly bondage,
It is like a good friend who helps you in times of need,
It is like a shelter for the sages and seers doing penance in the forest.
(Telugu Poem)
Develop steady devotion
Do not allow your mind to become like a dog, which is deluded by its own reflect
ion. The dog is deluded thinking its reflections in many mirrors as many dogs. T
here are not many dogs. You may consider a dog a dog, but God is in it also. Wit
hout vibration, even a dog cannot live. What is that vibration? It is the vibrat
ion of life. Due to this life principle, the dog eats and moves around.
Do not observe any differences such as He is an outsider, he is a rich person, he
is a beggar. All are one. See unity in all. Only then will you have steady and t
rue devotion. Otherwise, you will have bumps and jumps. Your devotion will waver
from moment to moment.
Many people consider themselves as devotees. As long as they have faith in God,
their devotion remains steady. When their devotion wavers, their mind also waver
s. Real faith does not waver under any circumstances. Come what may, your devoti
on should not waver, even if you are cut to pieces. That is steady, unwavering,
and unsullied devotion. Develop such steady and selfless devotion.
The same is the teaching of Jesus also. God is one. You have to cut your individ
ual ego to attain Him. This is what the cross symbolises.
Never give up your faith. Hold on to it firmly. Then you will certainly realise
your true identity. Man is born to establish humanness and not to destroy it. De
velop human qualities of sathya, dharma, santhi, prema (love) and ahimsa (nonvio
lence). When sathya combines with dharma, santhi and prema are born there. It is
love that unites all. Will you kill your son in a fit of anger? No, no. You wil
l scold him, but you will not harm him. Likewise, when you have love, you will t
reat everyone as your own. Treat all woman as your mothers and sisters.
Forbearance is the real beauty in this sacred land of Bharat.
Of all the rituals, adherence to truth is the greatest penance.
The nectarine feeling in this country is the feeling of love toward one s mother.
(Telugu Poem)
Develop such sacred feelings toward all women. When you marry a woman, only then
do you call her your wife. Otherwise, all women are like your mothers and siste
rs. Similarly, all men are like your brothers. God is one. He is the only purush
a (male). There is no other male except Him.
Once the gopikas (cowherd maidens) came to Krishna s house to meet Him. When they
tried to enter the house, the watchman prevented them, saying women cannot enter
the house. The gopikas questioned him, How come you are there? Then he replied, I
am a male. The gopikas said, You cannot call yourself a male merely because you ar
e wearing a male dress. The five elements and the five life principles are the s
ame in you and us. Merely because you are wearing a male dress and we are wearin
g a female dress, we can be different from each other. The same divinity is pres
ent in you and us. In fact, Krishna alone is the Purusha, all others are females
.
To Love God is the Main Goal of Life
Today this equality and unity have become extinct in this world. Due to lack of
unity, we are unable to see divinity. Consequently, hatred is on the rise. Today
the world is in the grip of differences and fighting due to lack of love. Man t
oday has forgotten even his humanness.
First of all, understand that you are essentially divine. When you say, I am pers
on and He is God , you observe duality. When there are two entities, the third wil
l also find place there, and that is the mind. That will bring about your total
ruination.
Husband should be treated as husband and wife should be treated as wife. Each on
e should discharge their duty. In English, duty refers to a particular work. The
duty of a human being is not merely doing some work. Duty connotes nishkama kar
ma (selfless work).
A selfish person is worse than a fish. Fish is better than selfish. Therefore, n
ever give room to selfishness. You can realise the Self only when you give up se
lfishness. When you become a slave to your senses, you will always remain selfis
h. Therefore, give up selfishness. Help everyone.
As I said on the day of Rama Navami, God is one. There is apparent diversity in
the world. In fact, man is God Himself. Develop faith in this truth. Let your fa
ith not waver even a bit. When you lose faith, you lose God. Whatever may happen
to you, never become selfish. When you conduct yourself in this manner, you wil
l realise your divinity. Then you will have no delusion that Rama, Krishna, Easw
ara, and Vishnu are different from each other.
The names like Rama and Krishna are given by us. In fact, all names are given by
us. Everybody is born from God. God is one, not two. Right from today, make eff
orts to do away with all differences. When you love God, worship and follow Him.
This is the main goal and true purpose of your life.
- From Bhagawan s Divine Discourse in Sai Sruthi, Kodaikanal on 29 April 2009.
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25th May 2009
Caught in the coils of the creation, man is blind to the fact that he is part of
the Divine Creator. Identifying himself with the physical sheath in which he is
encased, he is blind to the unity of all beings in the One Universal Absolute.
Man has written and studied countless texts on spiritual discipline and discover
y, and confounded the confusion indulging in dialectical rivalries and argumenta
tion. But, he who has put at least a page or two of these tomes into practise, i
s rendered silent and innocent of any desire for fame or victory. He is happy in
the depths of his being. He ploughs the field of his heart, sows the seeds of l
ove and reaps the harvest of fortitude and equanimity.
- BABA
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26th May 2009
From ancient times, various terms have been used to describe the Divine, but no
one has been able to demonstrate the true nature of the Divine. The Divine is pr
esent in all things, and all forms are His. How can such an omnipresent Divine b
e described or demonstrated? Can anyone declare that something is Brahman (God)
and something else is not Brahman? What is the form of the Divine? If you wish t
o see the Divine, the form you envisage will be only a caricature. Consider your
own form as the manifestation of the Divine. Esteem yourself as divine. Respect
others. Love yourself and love others. This is true worship.
- BABA
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27th May 2009
The most important cause for bondage to the world is giving too much freedom to
the mind. For example, when an animal is tethered to a post, it will not be able
to roam over various fields, destroy the crops and cause loss and harm to other
s, and thereafter get beaten for the mischief done by it. Hence, the mind must b
e bound by certain regulations and limits. As long as man lives a disciplined li
fe, bound by certain rules and regulations, he will be able to earn a good reput
ation and lead a happy and fruitful life. Once he crosses these limits, he will
go astray.
- BABA
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28th May 2009
Service should not be done in a spirit of condescension or to achieve some selfi
sh objective. Not recognising the sacredness and purifying power of service, peo
ple hesitate to embark on social service. It should not be imagined that one is
promoting the well-being of the nation by one's service activities. One should r
ealise that ultimately one is only bettering oneself by rendering service. Servi
ce should proceed from an awareness of what one owes to society. Gratitude deman
ds that one should serve society which is the source of all benefits enjoyed by
man. Men without gratitude are worse than wild animals. What is required for ser
vice is not money and materials; a loving heart is the first requisite. All serv
ice done without a heart filled with love is useless.
- BABA
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29th May 2009
One may claim to have surrendered all his wealth, power and position to God. But
, when one truly surrenders, one realizes one's relationship with God saying, "I
am in You, You are in me." The sense of separation between God and the individu
al should vanish. Devotion does not consist merely in offering worship in variou
s ways. It means offering oneself to the Lord with dedication and unsullied love
. You have come from the Divine who is the embodiment of love. Hence, base your
life on that love.
- BABA
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30th May 2009 (VERY IMP)//*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
Saturate every breath of yours with love. Love knows no fear. Fear drags man int
o falsehood, injustice and evil. Love does not crave for praise. Only those who
have no Love in them itch for reward and reputation. Love is its own reward. Whe
n you are eager to place offerings before the Lord, let it be love instead of me
re material objects. Love is no merchandise; do not bargain about its cost. Let
it flow clear from the heart, as a stream of Truth, a river of wisdom. Let it no
t emanate from the head, nor from the tongue. Let it emerge, full and free, from
the heart.
- BABA
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31st May 2009 (VERY IMP)/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
Where is righteousness? It is in your conduct, thoughts, words and deeds. Righte
ousness dwells in your heart. When the impulses arising from the heart are expre
ssed in words, that is Sathya (Truth). To translate those words into action is D
harma (Righteousness). For all these, Love is the primary requisite. Love in act
ion is righteousness. Love in speech is Truth. Love in thought is Peace. Love in
understanding is Non-violence. When you realise that God is in everyone, you wi
ll practise non-violence. God is one, though He may be worshipped in different f
orms and by different names - Rama or Krishna, Allah or Jesus, Hari or Sai.
- BABA
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1st June 2009
During summer, the land gets heated up and is rendered uncultivable. As soon as
there is rainfall, saplings sprout and the land looks green. From where did the
sprouts come? From the seeds sowed in the earth. If there had been no seeds at a
ll, the sprouting would never have occurred. Likewise, Karma (past deeds) is the
seed for human birth. Your present life is a reaction, resound and reflection o
f your past actions. Therefore, you are advised, "Be good, see good and do good.
"
- BABA
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2nd June 2009 (VERY IMP)/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
There are three stages of wisdom: Jnana, Sujnana and Vijnana. Knowledge that is
gained by the analysis of the objective world is Jnana. When this knowledge is f
urther studied and practised to serve the best interests of the individual socie
ty, it becomes Sujnana, or beneficial wisdom. The intentions and urges that aris
e from the purified consciousness saturated with Divine qualities is Vijnana, th
e Highest Wisdom. Intelligence, intellect, intuition - these three govern the th
oughts and actions of man. One leads to another.
- BABA
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3rd June 2009
Why does man wail when he arrives into the world, whimper throughout his life an
d groan out, into the beyond, lamenting that his sojourn here was a waste of yea
rs? Man does so, because he is unaware of his glory, of his high destiny! He is
the Divine poured into the human mould. It is the privilege of man alone, to be
able to become aware of this precious truth! This is the message of the Upanisha
ds to man, echoed in scriptures, and in the declarations of countless saints. Ye
t, man turns a deaf ear to it, perhaps, due to his own misfortune created by his
own misdeeds in past lives. What an inexhaustible source of bliss lies within y
ou! You only have to develop the mind that will respond to the call, that will r
ecognise the Truth.
- BABA
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************************Bhagawan said: The children must be properly cared for a
nd disciplined. What is most important is Daiva Preeti (love for God), Paapa Bhe
ethi (fear of sin) and Sangha Neethi (morality in society). These values have to
be cultivated in every individual. Discipline is a must and must be strictly en
forced; discipline brings fear of sin. However, the first and foremost is Daiva
Preeti. If one inculcates Love for God, the other two will automatically follow.
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4th June 2009
When you perform any action, you seldom think about the long-term consequences.
You are preoccupied with the concerns of the moment. But when you are finally co
nfronted with the results, you become frightened. Whether the results are pleasa
nt or unpleasant, they are inescapable. If sugar is dissolved in water, even if
you think it is poison, it will only do you good. But if poison is added to wate
r and you drink it, thinking that it is sugarcane juice, it will be fatal. The r
esults are based on your actions and not on your fancies.
- BABA
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5th June 2009
Brahman is the immovable Totality, the Eternal, the True, the Pure and the Attri
buteless. Just as the road, though itself stationary, enables the car to move ov
er it, the Brahman principle is the basis for the existence and activities of Ji
vis (individual beings). In fact, there is only One that appears as two. Look ou
tward, it is Jivi; look inward, it is God. The outer vision makes you forget; th
e inner makes you remember. When man seeks to rise to the divinity which is his
reality, he struggles to recollect and experience his true nature. When he grove
ls in the lower levels of consciousness and is enmeshed in the world, he is caug
ht in the coils of forgetfulness. Removing selfish desires and expanding one's u
rge to love and serve is the most effective way to merge in the Supreme Consciou
sness.
- BABA
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6th June 2009
Dhrishti (sight) decides attachment, sorrow, passion, etc. You are the noblest b
eing ever created, and so, you have to develop the vision that sees no high or l
ow, that sees all as suffused with divinity, and therefore, not different from o
ne another. Adi Shankara declared, "Make your Dhrishti charged with Jnana (wisdo
m); then, the seen will appear in its true light as Brahman". The God in you is
in each of them, too. Do not imagine the others to be distinct, they are only yo
u, in so many different forms. The world is filled with your kith and kin; all a
re sparks from the same flame.
- BABA
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7th June 2009
Love should come from within, not enforced from the outside. Love must be sponta
neous. The attitude of petitioning God for favours should be given up. Love of G
od should not be based on seeking favours in exchange for prayers and offerings
to God. Love is the most important element. Through love alone can you unify the
world. It is the absence of love that is the cause of hatred. It is this hatred
that undermines human nature.
- BABA
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8th June 2009
The world is today suffering from disorder and violence because people have lost
Atma-Vishwasa (faith in the Self). They are fostering attachment to the body an
d ignoring the Spirit. Man should not follow the senses which are wayward, the b
ody which is perishable, or the mind which is fickle. He must follow the conscie
nce, which tells him what is right or wrong. Man has to rise above the animal na
ture. He has to express his divine potencies. For this, man has to acquire knowl
edge of the Divine Self. Atma is the all-pervading Universal Consciousness. It i
s immanent in everyone. Only as long as this consciousness is present in the hum
an body, it is called Shivam (auspiciousness). Once the consciousness leaves the
body, it becomes Shavam (a corpse).
- BABA
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9th June 2009
It is conduct that is most important for every person. Conduct is determined by
the state of the mind. Instead of giving way to the promptings of the senses, ev
ery action should be done as a sacred offering to the Divine. One should be indi
fferent to censure or praise. Such equanimity can come only from unwavering fait
h in God. Lacking this faith and filled with the conceit that he is the doer of
everything, man gets immersed in sorrow and trouble. The one who boasts about hi
s achievements should equally recognise that he is the author of his misfortunes
. He cannot claim to be the doer and at the same time deny responsibility for th
e consequences of his actions. Hence, in all your actions whether good or bad, d
o your duty, leaving the results to God.
- BABA
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10th June 2009
There is no action in the world which is devoid of consequence. This is the law
of nature. For instance, when a finger is cut by a knife, immediately the finger
starts bleeding. The result of the cut is instantaneous. However, when you sow
a seed, it becomes a sapling after some days. But to bear fruit, it takes some y
ears. Thus, every action has a consequence, but the time interval between action
 and result varies. One who is aware of this truth is unlikely to commit any wro
ng deeds because he knows that good deeds produce good results and bad deeds lea
d to bad consequences. Recognition of the law of Karma will make men lead proper
lives.
- BABA
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11th June 2009
There is only one important thing that you have to take note of - give up the de
lusion that the Divine is in some remote place. Have the faith that you are God.
When you have the faith that you are Divine, you will never go astray. You will
pursue the right path. Believe that God is in every human being. Have the firm
faith that Divinity is present in every human form. Perform right actions befitt
ing the human form. Eschew selfishness, and the attachments and hatred arising f
rom it. The way to get rid of selfishness is adoration of God.
- BABA
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12th June 2009
God is said to be a stealer of hearts! The whole world is God's. All of you belo
ng to Him, though you may not know it. Therefore, He can take anything from anyo
ne. He is the Master of the ether, wind, fire, water and earth; He can change th
e sky into the earth and the earth into the sky. He can also take hold of the he
arts of people and fill them with Love. Once people taste the sweetness of His L
ove, they will not desire anything else. That is why He is called Chittha Chora
(stealer of hearts). Pray to Him, "O God! Enter my heart too and fill it with Lo
ve, so that I may love all your children, in all lands. Never covet what belongs
to others. Do not talk about others but, if you must, talk only of the good in
them.
- BABA
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13th June 2009
Bhakti (devotion) means Paripurna Prema (all-encompassing love). This love is mo
tiveless. Love based on an ulterior motive cannot be real love. As a river seeks
to join the ocean by a natural impulse, as a creeper winds itself naturally aro
und a tree to climb upwards, the devotee's love is a spontaneous expression of t
he yearning to realize God, free from worldly desires of any kind. It proclaims
that it needs no one except God. It is oblivious to all other things. It regards
the Divine as the One that pervades everything. You must realise that the Divin
e is present in everything. Only when you can recognise the omnipresence of the
Divine will you be able to experience the Divine.
- BABA
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14th June 2009
Every object in nature, every incident in time, is really speaking, teaching you
a lesson. Lord Dakshinamurthy was one morning walking in slow steps along the b
each. He saw the waves slowly, but systematically, carrying towards the shore a
bit of straw, passing it on from one crest to another, until it was deposited on
land! The sea is a broad expanse, it is deep and mighty. But, yet, it is consta
ntly engaged in purging itself from all extraneous things. You too must therefor
e not permit even a small desire to enter the mind. Force it out of your being,
so that it can do you no harm. Eternal vigilance is the price of peace and happi
ness.
- BABA
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15th June 2009
By Dhyana (meditation), you develop Jnana (spiritual wisdom) and by Japam (recit
ation of God's Name) you develop Bhakti (devotion) and by both, you cleanse your
heart of the canker of ego. You can link yourselves with God, by a chain of lov
e, through the recitation of the name, in silence and with full awareness of the
meaning and its nuances. Each time you utter the Divine Name; the more the link
s the longer the chain, the firmer the bond. But, each link has to be well forge
d out of well tempered steel. One false link, that is to say, the Name once utte
red in sloth or slight, indifference or anger, resentment or rancour, will const
itute a weak link and the bond will not bind.
- BABA
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16th June 2009
Simple faith in the words of the wise is more profitable than years of study and
discussion. Contemplate on the Vedic dictum - Tat Twam Asi (You are That). As y
ou ruminate over it, meanings will dawn upon you without the help of any comment
ary. Commentaries only tend to confuse you. Think of 'Tat' ("That" standing for
Divinity), analyse 'Twam' (you), and then you will be convinced that 'Asi' (are)
is the only solution. You are in the Light; the Light is in you; you are the Li
ght - these are three successive steps to realisation.
- BABA
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17th June 2009
The importance of the mind in the process of transformation should be properly u
nderstood, because it is the mind that is the cause of both bondage and liberati
on. Your own actions are the cause of your happiness or sorrow. Do not blame oth
ers for your condition. Every thought, every word and every action has its refle
ction, resound and reaction. It is a sign of weakness to blame others for your t
roubles. You have to bear the consequences of your own actions. If they are unbe
arable, pray to God for relief. God alone can give relief in such cases.
- BABA
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18th June 2009
Character is the true ornament of man. The loss of this ornament is the source o
f all his suffering and misery. Man does not realize the purpose for which he ha
s been created by God. God s creation is pregnant with profound truths, mysteries
and ideals. But man has forgotten these ideals. He is unable to appreciate the s
ignificance of his legacy. Of all the powers in the world, human power is the gr
eatest. Man assigns value to everything in this world, but he is unable to recog
nize his own value.
- BABA
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19th June 2009
Without God, there is no universe. To ask for physical proof of the existence of
bliss or love or the fragrance of a flower is impracticable. To deny the realit
y of love on the ground that it has no recognizable form is meaningless. Love ma
y have no form, but the mother who exhibits love has a form. All beings are mani
festations of the Cosmic Divine. The forms are different, but the spirit that an
imates them all is One, like the current that illumines bulbs of different colou
rs and wattage. Cultivate this feeling of oneness and do not be critical of any
faith or religion. Dedicate your lives to the service of your fellow beings. The
reby, you will be redeeming your lives.
- BABA
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20th June 2009
You have to make your love pure. To do so, you must develop Kshama (forbearance)
, which implies remaining serene, patient and observing self-restraint under all
circumstances, doing good to all, even to those who may want to harm you. There
is nothing greater than Kshama. Kshama is equivalent to truth itself. It is the
heart of Dharma (righteousness). It is non-violence in practice. Kshama is cont
entment, compassion; truly, it is everything in all the worlds. Only when you ha
ve developed Kshama will you be able to attain the Lord.
- BABA
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21st June 2009
Why does man wail when he arrives into the world, whimper throughout his life an
d groan out, into the beyond, lamenting that his sojourn here was a waste of yea
rs? Man does so, because he is unaware of his glory, of his high destiny! He is
the Divine poured into the human mould. It is the privilege of man alone, to be
able to become aware of this precious truth! This is the message of the Upanisha
ds to man, echoed in scriptures, and in the declarations of countless saints. Ye
t, man turns a deaf ear to it, perhaps, due to his own misfortune created by his
own misdeeds in past lives. What an inexhaustible source of bliss lies within y
ou! You only have to develop the mind that will respond to the call, that will r
ecognise the Truth.
- BABA
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22nd June 2009
Why do you repeat the word Shanti (peace) thrice? You pray that you may have peace
at all the three levels - physical, mental and spiritual. You are not one, but
three: the one you think you are - physical body, the one others think you are -
mind and the one you really are - Atma. All the three aspects of your being mus
t be in a state of peace. This can be achieved only through love. The evil trait
s of hatred, jealousy and pride should be cast aside. These are not human qualit
ies, but animal traits. You are a human being. Love is the chief quality of man,
truth is his basis and righteousness is his very life. When you cultivate these
three, you will definitely attain peace.
- BABA
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23rd June 2009
When Bhaktas (devotees) pray to Bhagawan (God) sincerely making all their action
s as offering to God, they will certainly receive appropriate grace from the Div
ine. There are nine types of devotion. Shravanam (listening to the glory of the
Lord), Keerthanam (singing), Vishnusmaranam (remembering), Padasevanam (adoratio
n), Vandanam (saluting), Archanam (worshipping), Dasyam (obedient service), Sneh
am (friendship) and Atmanivedanam (self-surrender). In whichever way you offer w
orship, God responds in the same way. When you surrender all your actions, you w
ill surely receive His Grace.
- BABA
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24th June 2009
Prema (Love) has been described as beyond speech and mind. It is said to be Anir
vachaneeyam (indescribable). This love cannot be got through scholarship, wealth
or physical prowess. God, who is the embodiment of love, can be attained only t
hrough love, just as the effulgent sun can be seen only by its own light. There
is nothing more precious in this world than Divine love. God is beyond all Gunas
(attributes). Hence, His love too is beyond attributes. Since human love is gov
erned by attributes, it results in either attachment or aversion. Love should no
t be based on expectations of reward or return. Love based on such expectations
makes it a business deal. Love is not an article of commerce; it is not like len
ding a loan and getting it back. It is a spontaneous offering. Pure love of this
kind can emanate only from a pure heart.
- BABA
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25th June 2009
The true dwelling place of God is the heart of man. You don t need to go in search
of God. Not being able to recognize your innate divinity is Ajnana (ignorance).
You have to enquire into the reason for this ignorance. This is mainly because
you follow the Pravritthi Marga (outward path) all your life under the influence
of the sense organs, which are drawn towards external objects. You are not maki
ng any effort to follow the Nivritthi Marga (inward path). Thus, you are fully e
ngrossed in the outward activities and are completely neglecting the inward path
. You see everything from a worldly point of view and do not recognize the divin
ity that pervades it. You have to make an effort to change your vision from outw
ard to inward to perceive this divinity.
- BABA
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26th June 2009
Once the organs of the body like eyes, ears, limbs became jealous of the tongue,
saying that they make all efforts for securing food, but the tongue enjoys this
. They stopped working and never sent any food. Tongue is the one that tastes th
e food and passes only palatable items of food inside, which is converted by the
internal organs into energy giving blood. The tongue does not retain it. But fo
r this vital part played by the tongue, the other organs would not be able to fu
nction at all. When the other organs became jealous of the tongue and stopped se
nding food with a view to harm it, they spelt their own ruin by such action, as
they could not function when there was no food and consequently no supply of ene
rgy for these organs to function. Similarly, jealousy on the part of a person ul
timately results in his own ruin.
- BABA
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27th June 2009
Caught in the coils of the 'created,' man is blind to the fact that he is part o
f the Divine Creator. Identifying himself with the physical sheath in which he i
s encased, he is blind to the unity of all beings in the One Universal Absolute.
Man has written and studied countless texts on spiritual discipline and discove
ry, and confounded the confusion, indulging in dialectical rivalries and argumen
tation. But, he who has put at least a page or two of these tomes into practise,
is rendered silent and innocent of any desire for fame or victory. He is happy
in the depths of his being. He ploughs the field of his heart, sows the seeds of
love and reaps the harvest of fortitude and equanimity.
- BABA
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28th June 2009
What is the message of SAI? S stands for Spirituality, A for Association and I for In
ividual. It means that you must give first priority to spirituality; next, to so
ciety (association) and only lastly attend to one's individual interest. But, to
day man follows the reverse order, i.e., he holds his individual interest above
his social responsibilities and gives least priority to spirituality. Consequent
ly, he is distancing himself from God. In the first instance, man should take to
the path of spirituality and then serve society, understanding the principle of
unity. Only then will there be progress at the individual level.
- BABA
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29th June 2009
The Universe is visible to the naked eye. It is called Prapancha because it is a
manifestation of the Pancha Bhutas (five elements). There is no world without t
he five elements. They are the very forms of the Divine. That is why people reve
rentially refer to the five elements, namely, earth, water, air, fire and ether,
as Bhudevi, Gangadevi, Vayudeva, Agnideva and Shabda Brahman, respectively. The
five elements are present in every being. The Spirit or the Atma which is the v
ery form of God, is not visible to the naked eye, but the Pancha Bhutas can be s
een, heard, felt and experienced by one and all. They are highly potent. Man is
the embodiment of the five elements. He is their master. One who understands the
principle of these five elements becomes God Himself.
- BABA
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30th June 2009
Ahimsa (non-violence) means not causing harm to anyone, but it is not merely ref
raining from inflicting injuries on others with one s limbs or weapons. Non-violen
ce also has to be practiced with purity of mind, tongue and body. There should b
e no ill-feelings, for that too is a form of violence. To cause bodily harm to a
nother is violence, but so is speaking harshly. Your speech should be sweet, ple
asing and wholesome. All your actions should be helpful to others.
- BABA
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1st July 2009
It does not matter what your activity is, or what name and form you have chosen.
A chain is a chain whether of iron or gold. So, too, whether the work is of thi
s type or that, so long as Atma Tatwa (Principle of Self) is the root, it is an
act of Dharma (righteousness) beyond doubt. Such work will bless one with the fr
uit of Shanti (peace).
- BABA
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2nd July 2009
Whatever activity you undertake, dedicate it to God. All the powers in your body
are the gifts of God. In fact, divinity pervades every inch, every cell and eve
ry atom of your body. If you waste such a divine power, it amounts to sacrilege.
Dedicate your body, mind and intellect, in fact, everything of yours, to God. W
herever you are, in whatever circumstances you are placed in, do not ever forget
God. Sarvada Sarvakaleshu Sarvatra Hari Chintanam (Everywhere, at all times, un
der all circumstances contemplate on God).
- BABA
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3rd July 2009 Ashadi Ekadashi
Be devoted to Me and receive grace from Me. To the extent to which you enthusias
tically intensify and quicken this process of surrender, to that extent you will
be successful and happy. Deliver all your anxieties, troubles, travails and des
ires to Me and in return receive joy, peace and strength from Me.
- BABA
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4th July 2009
The service activities that you perform and the Bhajans that you sing will not s
uffice by themselves. You should first give up the feeling that you are serving
others. That is very important. You are serving your own self when you serve oth
ers. You should consider all as yours. In fact, all beings are but the very form
s of God. Hence, service rendered to humanity is service rendered to God. All se
rvice activities are meant to foster this feeling in you. You should plunge into
the field of service with selfless love. The best way to love God is to love al
l and serve all. Your acts of service should be suffused with the spirit of love
. Without the positive aspect of love, all the service you render becomes negati
ve in nature.
- BABA
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5th July 2009 (V.IMP.)
It is only when the mind realises that all this is Maya (illusion) that it will
draw back its feelers from the sensory world and give up its worldly, selfish at
titude. The nature of the mind is to waver, hesitate and flutter in its search f
or happiness and peace. When it realises that the objects it runs after are tran
sitory and meaningless, it gets suddenly ashamed and disillusioned. Then it begi
ns to follow the Inner Consciousness.
- BABA
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6th July 2009
Sath-Chith-Ananda (being-awareness-bliss) is the very nature of man. But man has
forgotten his true nature and is wasting his time in the vain pursuit of fleeti
ng pleasures. He is not able to realise the value of his innate nature. Once he
realises its value and experiences it, he can reach an exalted state. In fact, h
e becomes verily God. Man can accomplish any mighty task when he realises his in
nate divinity. But man is not making any effort in this direction. He has become
a slave to his senses, and is wasting his time on trivial matters. The primary
duty of man therefore is to understand his true nature and put it into practice.
- BABA
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7th July 2009 Guru Poornima
As long as you are overcome with fear and anxiety, you will not be able to accom
plish anything. Be courageous! Know that you are the Atma, not this body; then y
ou will be without fear. God can help you achieve great things, but only if you
base your actions on true knowledge and remain fearless. Love God with steadfast
devotion and faith, have fear of sin and practise morality in society. If you w
ant morality in society, you should develop love for God. If you love God, you w
ill have fear of sin. Today people without fear of sin commit heinous acts. This
 contradicts the very human nature.
- BABA
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8th July 2009
Destroy Ajnana (ignorance) by means of instruction in the knowledge of the Atma.
Strengthen the interest you are already endowed with towards the realisation of
Brahman (God). Give up the attraction for evanescent and the false, the mirages
created by fancy and fantasy. Turn your attention inwards, away from the extern
al world.
- BABA
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9th July 2009
Regard yourselves as children of God. There is really no difference between the
Avatars (Divine Incarnations) and yourselves except with regard to the number of
aspects of the Divine present in each one. These aspects can be enhanced by rig
ht conduct and by developing Divine love. That is not true love which wanes from
moment to moment and waxes from time to time. True love is unchanging and shine
s brightly in the heart for all time. It is unaffected by joy and sorrow, praise
and blame. Such love is true devotion. Love that grows or declines according to
varying circumstances is not true love at all.
- BABA
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************************Love my uncertainty, said the Lord time and again.
Music is verily Divine! and to entrap the Divine there is no better tool than mus
ic. You sing your heart out adding music for rhythm and there gushes forth the i
nnate feeling of Love for God!
Once he asked Swami, How am I to understand You? Bhagawan told him, Don t understand
Me, experience Me.
it is the means that are adopted for earning money that result in accumulation o
f virtue or sin.You may hide your actions from society, but the omnipresent God
knows everything. You will have to suffer the consequences of your actions. It
is an immutable law. Hence, if you can do help to others, it is alright. Otherw
ise just keep silent. Do not harm others. Do not commit a mistake by thought, wo
rd and deed. Sometimes, you may not get the result of your actions immediately.
It will take some time. But surely the result will follow.
This trend has to continue in the future also. Without begging anybody, we have
made fixed deposits to the tune of twenty or thirty crores for each institute, a
nd they are running on the interest accrued from these deposits. I have made nec
essary arrangements in this regard. We are paying at par with the Government sal
aries. Students of our institutes or patients in our hospitals need not worry ab
out anything. We take care of everything.
Some people are deprived of homely food because there is no one at home to cook
food. So they eat whatever they get. Thus, they are spoiling their own health. T
here is no happiness for a woman who is employed in an office. They spend their
valuable time in some clubs. They do not have any consideration for their childr
en in the house and for their timely food. One should give priority to the foste
ring of the children.
An officer gives a phone call to his house and tells the cook, We have arranged a
tea party at home today. Make all arrangements for the party. But there is no te
a powder, no sugar, no material for making chapathis or pakodas in the house. Th
is is the kind of situation they have at home. Also, the children s health gets sp
oiled because of inconsistent food habits and lack of parental care. They drink
contaminated water and spoil their health, because there is no one at home to gu
ide them.
Why should the wife go out and work? When she goes to school to teach other chil
dren, who will teach her own children? So it is your own duty to take care of yo
ur children. It is equivalent to earning a good salary if you can teach your own
children and bring them up well. One feels sorry at the state of a woman who fa
ils to take care of her husband and children. It is enough if you are able to pr
ovide proper timely food to your children and take care of their health. If you
take up jobs, leaving your children at home, your entire earnings will go toward
cooks, baby sitters, and cleaners. The house gets mismanaged. What you spend to
ward the cook, caretaker, and others will work out to be more than what you earn
. You can save so much money if only you attend to your own work. This is the wa
y of life all women must adopt.
The children should also learn to render necessary help at home. As soon as you
come home, find out what is available and what is not available? What is needed
immediately? When there is shortage of water, the boy should not keep quiet. He
should immediately rush out with a container and fetch water from the available
source. He should not feel, I am educated. Why should I carry water? Family life i
nvolves such domestic chores.
It is a mistake to think that whatever you wish becomes fruitful. If that is so,
there would be no human effort at all! There would be no meaning for human exis
tence.
Where there is sathya, there will be dharma. Where sathya and dharma go together
, peace is the result. Where there is peace, there cannot be krodha (anger), taa
pa (agitation), eershya (envy), asuya (jealousy) and damba (conceit)
One does a lot of practice even for attaining simple things in daily life. Witho
ut practice, nothing can be achieved in life; you will commit mistakes.
First and foremost, learn to live like real human beings, constantly reminding y
ourself, I am a human being, I am not an animal, I am not a cruel beast. From huma
nness, you have to rise to the level of Divinity. Do not degenerate to the level
of an animal or beast. In fact, all Avatars come only to raise the level of con
sciousness of human beings to that of Divinity, only to transform humans into di
vine beings.
When you follow God s instructions meticulously and undertake activities that woul
d please Him, you will surely become God, verily. It is not a difficult task. Co
nstant practice will enable you to reach your goal. On the other hand, if you fo
llow bad people, you will also become bad. Tell me your company, I shall tell you
what you are, is the saying. As is your company, so you shall become.
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10th July 2009
Treat your mind as a little boy. Bring up this boy lovingly so that it becomes w
iser day by day. Caress it in to good ways making it aware that objects which ar
e seen are products of one's illusion. Remove all its fears and foibles. Focus i
ts attention on the Ultimate Goal only. Never deal forcibly with the mind. It wi
ll yield only to tenderness and patient handling. Correct its waywardness by inc
ulcating the attitude of renunciation.
- BABA
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11th July 2009
Do not lead a pompous life. Adambara (pomposity) is the root cause of Ashanti (r
estlessness). Give up Adambara and strive to attain Ananda (bliss). True bliss c
annot be acquired from outside; it lies in your heart. In fact, bliss pervades t
he entire world. Your mental perversions are responsible for seeing evil in it.
Hence, purify your mind. Only then can you become a true human being. Perform me
ritorious deeds. Speak good words. Lead a sacred life. In this manner, you can f
ind fulfilment in life.
- BABA
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12th July 2009
When the mind gives up attachment to the external objects, when it is filled wit
h remorse, renunciation and understanding, when it is saturated with repentance
for past foolishness, when it fosters progressive qualities of head and heart, t
hen it truly becomes fit for merging with the divinity. In that state, it contem
plates on divinity alone.
- BABA
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13th July 2009
We see various objects in this world and are deluded that they are permanent. It
is a grave mistake. Whatever is seen by the eyes is impermanent. Even our body
is seen by the eyes; hence, it is also not permanent. It is a sign of ignorance
to identify oneself with the body. For ages, man has been under the delusion tha
t physical and ephemeral objects will give him happiness. True happiness results
when man recognises the underlying eternal principle of Atma in this ephemeral
world.
- BABA
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14th July 2009
For the little sweetness that material objects give, Brahman (Divinity), the oce
an of nectar is the cause. Association with the knowers of Brahman, discussion w
ith them on the nature of the Absolute in a spirit of humility and earnestness,
a thirst for realising the Reality, unwavering Prema (love) towards the Lord - t
hese are characteristics of those established on the path of spirituality. Such
people will not be affected by praise or derision, joy or sorrow, honour or dish
onour, heat or cold, etc. They will tread the path of liberation free from all a
ttachment.
- BABA
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15th July 2009
You are born again and again, seeing, doing and experiencing what you have alrea
dy seen, done, and experienced. You should realise that you are born not to be b
orn again. You should see and experience that by which your life will find fulfi
lment. Once you have experienced the Atma, you do not need to experience anythin
g else. That is the oneness of Atmic principle. In order to experience this eter
nal principle, you should give up body attachment and understand the truth that
the Atma in you is the same as the one in others.
- BABA
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16th July 2009
Every man and every living being aspires to attain peace and happiness. People p
ursue various paths to experience the everlasting bliss. Everyone aspires to kno
w the objective of life. But they are not able to succeed in their endeavour. On
e in a million will persist with strong determination and will not give up till
he realises the goal. Ordinary mortals will not make any efforts in this directi
on as they think it is something beyond their reach. They spend their lives in t
he pursuit of physical and ephemeral pleasures. They are under the delusion that
food, raiment and shelter are the three main objectives of human life. They fai
l to realise that there is a higher purpose in life than this.
- BABA
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17th July 2009
Difficulties come and go like passing clouds. You don't need to worry about them
. Keep your vision fixed on the sun. Sometimes, clouds cover the sun. But, have
patience. When the clouds move away, the sun will be visible again. In the same
manner, the clouds of worldly delusion come in the way of Atmic vision. In such
situations, you should not let your mind waver. Have patience. The 'clouds' will
recede and the 'sun' will reappear in all its brilliance.
- BABA
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18th July 2009
The same God dwells in all beings. There is no justification for differences on
the basis of religion. It is attachment to the body which accounts for religious
differences. Do not regard the body as permanent. It is a water bubble. The min
d too is like a mad monkey. Don't follow either of them. Follow the conscience.
Recognise the fact that the whole universe is within you. You have all the power
s in you. They are derived from the Divine Spirit within you. Forgetting the sup
reme power of the Spirit, people rely on the powers of the body, the mind and th
e intellect.
- BABA
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19th July 2009
Tell me your company and I shall tell you what you are. When you associate yours
elf with ephemeral things, the results also are bound to be so. You should devel
op friendship with Divinity, which alone is true and eternal. Divinity is very m
uch present in you. The external world is subject to change. The world is nothin
g but a combination of matter. Everything in this world is transitory. Nothing i
s permanent. The unseen Atmic principle alone is true and eternal.
- BABA
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20th July 2009
For transforming one's life, the first requisite is proper vision. This means th
at one should avoid seeing what is undesirable. Having been bestowed with the gr
eat gift of vision, one should strive to see only that which is sacred and pure.
What man sees is like seeds sown in the heart. The heart determines the nature
of one s thoughts. The thoughts influence one's life. Evil scenes give rise to evi
l thoughts. Good scenes evoke good thoughts. When sacred scenes are implanted in
the heart, there will be no room for bad feelings or thoughts to grow in it.
- BABA
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21st July 2009
Any mighty task can be achieved by chanting the Divine Name. For spiritual pract
ices like meditation and penance, a specific time and place are required. But fo
r chanting the Divine Name, no such restriction need be followed. Wherever you a
re, whatever you may be doing, you can chant the Divine Name. Sarvada Sarva Kale
shu Sarvatra Hari Chintanam (everywhere, at all times and under all circumstance
s, contemplate on God).
- BABA
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22nd July 2009
Though axed and maimed by man, trees selflessly serve him by providing him fruit
s and shade. Rivers carry water to quench man's thirst and to cleanse his body.
The cow also selflessly serves man by providing milk. Man should, in the first p
lace, realize the truth that he has been endowed with the human body not for see
king his selfish ends but for serving others. Since man has gained his wealth, k
nowledge and skills from society, he has to discharge his debt to society by doi
ng some good in return. A man without this supreme virtue of gratitude is worse
than a cruel animal; his education and skills are a sheer waste. It is indeed by
serving society that these acquire splendour and significance.
- BABA
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23rd July 2009
Man should bring under his control the source of pleasure and pain. More than pl
easure, it is pain that awakens the wisdom in man. If you study the lives of gre
at men, you will find that it is out of trouble and pain that they derived wisdo
m. Without sorrow, there can be no wisdom. It is pain that teaches many lessons
to man. Not realizing this profound truth, man pursues pleasure endlessly. No do
ubt, man needs to be happy. But how is happiness to be achieved? It is only when
sorrow is overcome that man realizes happiness. Hence everyone should welcome s
orrow in the same spirit in which he greets happiness. Pain and pleasure are int
ermingled. No one can separate them. Pleasure is never found separately by itsel
f. When one is relieved of pain, one experiences pleasure.
- BABA
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24th July 2009
When there is a downpour, the water that comes down is pure. The rain falls on m
ountains, plains and valleys. According to the region through which the rain wat
er passes, its name and form undergoes changes. But due to these variations, it
should not be thought that the water itself is different. Based on the teachings
of the founders of different faiths, having regard to the requirements of the t
ime and circumstance of particular countries, and keeping in view the specific n
eeds of the people concerned, certain rules and regulations were laid down. On t
his account, one faith should not be considered superior and another inferior. M
an's primary duty is to bear in mind the sacred truths they espouse and practise
them in his life.
- BABA
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25th July 2009
Yad bhavam thad bhavathi (One becomes what one thinks). Hence, people should see
that their thoughts are pure and good. Human life is the expression of one's th
oughts. Thoughts arising in the mind fill the atmosphere with waves of energy. T
hought waves are very powerful. Hence, our thoughts should be sublime and sacred
. No evil ideas should affect our thoughts. Evil thoughts inevitably lead to evi
l actions. When cruel thoughts enter the mind, men behave like cruel animals. Wh
en, instead, there are good and loving thoughts in a man, they divinise him and
enable him to perform good and sacred acts. Hence, every man's heart should be f
illed with love, compassion and kindness.
- BABA
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/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/(very imp)
Sathyam bruyath, priyam bruyath, na bruyath sathyamapriyam (speak truth, speak p
leasantly, and do not speak unpalatable truth).
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26th July 2009
If a man today is under the sway of sorrow and misery, his mind is responsible f
or it. Happiness and sorrow, affections and aversions, and the sensual pleasures
that man experiences arise out of his mind. Since the mind is filled with the s
ense of duality you suffer all these. When the mind is trained to see the onenes
s of all creation, there will not be perversions of any kind. You should face ev
erything in life with a smile. In this dualistic world, it is natural that gain
and pain alternate. You cannot avoid it. You should neither despair when adversi
ties confront you nor exult when fortune smiles on you. Adversity is a stepping-
stone to eternal bliss.
- BABA
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27th July 2009
Human body is meant to serve others, not to indulge in selfish deeds. Due to sel
fishness, one indulges in many sinful activities. Eschew selfishness, take to se
lfless service. Give up attachment to the body. Become attached to the Self. Und
erstand that the same Atma (Self) exists in everybody. Though you find myriad bu
lbs glowing, the current that is passing through them is the same. Bodies are li
ke bulbs, the principle of the Atma is the current that is present in them. With
such a feeling of oneness, make efforts to alleviate the suffering of your fell
owmen.
- BABA
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28th July 2009
The same Atma, the same love and the same divinity is present in all beings. All
are one. The heart is like a tank and all the senses are like taps. When the 't
ank' is full of love, all that comes out of the 'taps' will also be love. Whatev
er you see in others is only a reflection of your inner being. Understand this t
ruth. If you see evil in others, it is actually the reflection of your own evil
feelings. What is outside is only the reflection, reaction, and resound of what
is within you. If you wear blue glasses, you see everything blue. If you wear re
d glasses, you see everything red. If you are a good person, you will see goodne
ss all around.
- BABA
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29th July 2009
The body is made up of five elements and is bound to perish one day or the other
. But in such a transient body there exists the eternal divinity in the form of
the Atma (Self). The all-pervasive divinity is known as consciousness, the limit
ed form of which exists in the body as conscience. Consciousness and conscience
are the same in terms of quality, only the quantity differs. You may collect wat
er from the ocean in a cup, pot and a big tank. The water in these three differs
only in quantity, the salinity is the same in all of them. The body may be comp
ared to a pot. The all-pervasive consciousness exists in it as conscience.
- BABA
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30th July 2009 */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*(very imp)
Brahman (God) is full of love and, in fact, is the embodiment of love. Your love
should merge with this love. In fact, there is only one and no second; it is th
e non-dual state. The essential nature of love is sacrifice. Under any circumsta
nce, it does not give room for hatred. It is love that drives away the feeling o
f separateness and promotes the feeling of oneness. Love also raises a person fr
om the animal to the human. Prema (Love) is the Prana (Life Force) of man, and t
he Prana itself is Prema. One without love is like a lifeless corpse. Love and l
ife are therefore inter-related and intimately connected.
- BABA
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31st July 2009 /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/(imp)
God is ready to grant you happiness. Are you prepared to receive what He wishes
to offer? Banish all worries. They are temporary like passing clouds. Happiness
is union with God. God is eternal bliss. Get rid of your evil tendencies and fil
l your hearts with love of God. You will then become one with God. Do not allow
anyone to come between you and your duty to God. Your allegiance to the Lord sho
uld transcend all other obligations. God takes care of such devotees. Surrender
yourselves to God and dedicate yourselves to the service of mankind.
- BABA
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My walking amongst you is a gift yearned for by the Gods of the Highest Heaven a
nd here you are receiving this grace. Be grateful. But also remember that to who
m much is given - from him much will be demanded .
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1st August 2009 /*/*/*/*/*/*(very imp)
Truth and Righteousness alone are lasting and all other things, including this b
ody, wealth and kinsfolk are impermanent. Manifest the truth within you and put
that truth into practice. What you need for spiritual progress are three things:
a heart free from attachment and hatred, a tongue that is not tainted by untrut
h, a body not polluted by violence. Without these three, all penance and religio
us practice is of no use. You have to pray incessantly to the Divine to confer t
hese qualities on you. Realise that the Divine is within you. Life is given to y
ou to realise lasting bliss by the right use of the body, the mind and the intel
lect. You have to acquire the wisdom to lead such a life based on the love of Go
d.
- BABA
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2nd August 2009 /*/*/*/*/(imp)
Jnana in Vedantic parlance has been defined as "Advaita Darshanam". That is to s
ee the One in the many, unity in diversity. There may be many names and forms, b
ut you have to recognise that the Atma Principle in all of them is one and the s
ame. It is not enough to say this in words. You must make it a living experience
. Only then can one experience enduring Ananda (bliss). Such a person alone can
be called a true Jnani (Knower of the Supreme).
- BABA
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3rd August 2009 /*/*/*/*/*/*/(very imp)
The ultimate purpose of all spiritual exercises is to realize the love of the Di
vine. To foster love is the purpose of all spiritual endeavour. Under no circums
tances should love be given up or ignored. Where there is love, there can be no
hatred, grief or want. See that your love for God does not fluctuate according t
o whether your wishes are fulfilled or not. Love of God alone can confer endurin
g bliss. There is nothing greater than love in this world. Everything has a pric
e. The price to be paid for everlasting happiness is Divine love.
- BABA
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4th August 2009 /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*(very imp)
The Upanishads declare that immortality can be experienced only through Thyaga (
renunciation or sacrifice). This renunciation does not mean giving up hearth and
home, kith and kin. It means giving up the transient and impermanent things of
the world. This calls for discrimination between what is permanent and what is p
erishable, what is good and what is bad. Only then can man discover the Divine p
rinciple within him.
- BABA
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5th August 2009
Most people in the world do not understand the purpose of life. Preoccupied with
the pursuit of external objects, men do not strive to explore the inner realms
of the Atma. Standing on the seashore, one can see only the waves on the surface
and not the pearls lying in the depths below. Only the brave man who can dive d
eep into the ocean will be able to gather the pearls and not others. Likewise, A
tma Jnana (knowledge of the Atma) can be gained only by those who turn away from
the exploration of the phenomenal world to inquire into the truth of the Spirit
.
- BABA
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6th August 2009 (/*/*/*/imp.)
A 'Manishi' (ordinary man) gets transformed into a 'Maharishi' by engaging in se
lfless service. Truly speaking, the merit that can be obtained from service cann
ot be acquired even by the practice of rigorous austerities. Service brings huma
n beings closer to each other and promotes affection and friendship. Without thi
s feeling of friendship and love towards one's fellowmen, one cannot attain inti
macy with the Lord. Install in your heart the feeling that the service you rende
r to your fellowmen is service to God.
- BABA
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7th August 2009
Considering the material world as the only reality, man loses himself in the pur
suit of material objects. But, if the truth about these material objects is full
y explored, it will be found that they have no reality at all. They are temporar
y and ephemeral. They do not have the stamp of permanent reality. They do not co
nfer enduring bliss. Every human being seeks to enjoy bliss. To realize everlast
ing bliss, man has to make the requisite effort. He should find out - "Who am I?
" When he has found the answer to this question, there will be no need for him t
o understand what is Sath-Chith-Ananda (Being-Awareness-Bliss). He will realize
that he is the very embodiment of Sath-Chith-Ananda.
- BABA
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8th August 2009
There are different kinds of Jnana (knowledge). What is implied by the 'Jnana' i
s the knowledge of the Atma. It is not concerned with the physical, sensory or w
orldly knowledge. Atma Jnana (knowledge of the Atma) can be got only by enquirin
g into the nature of the Atma and not by any other means. It cannot be taught by
preceptors or learnt by studying texts. It cannot be received from anyone or of
fered to anyone. It has to emerge from the inner consciousness. Preceptors and t
exts can only help to some extent. The aspirant who seeks Atma Jnana has to emba
rk on self-enquiry to experience this Self-awareness. He should explore and inve
stigate the whole gamut of spiritual experience and arrive at the Ultimate Reali
ty.
- BABA
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9th August 2009
To be established in Dhyana (meditation), a spiritual aspirant should control hi
s senses and passions, and perform action without any desire for the fruit of th
e action. Whoever is adept in this can easily see with the mind's eye the form o
f Brahman (Divinity) as soon as he hears the exposition of its nature. When Vair
agya (detachment) is rooted deep, the heart becomes pure and withdrawal of the s
enses from the objective world becomes possible.
- BABA
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10th August 2009 (/*/*/*/*/*/*imp.)
When the obstacles in the path of truth are laid low, deliverance is achieved. T
hat is why Moksha (liberation) is something that can be won, here and now; one n
eed not wait for the dissolution of the physical body for that. Action must not
be felt as a burden, for that feeling is a sure sign that the particular action
is ill-advised. No deed that helps your progress will weigh heavily on you. It i
s only when you go counter to your innermost nature that you feel it a burden. A
time comes when you look back on your achievement and sigh at the futility of i
t all. Entrust your mind to the Lord, before it is too late, and let Him shape i
t as He thinks best.
- BABA
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11th August 2009 (/*/*/*/*imp.)
Deha Vasana (attachment to the body) impels one to seek physical strength and he
alth and an attractive physique. All the efforts to make up one's face will not
serve to alter its natural features. Only that which has been given by the Lord
will be enduring. You must be content with that. While taking as much care of th
e body as is essential, you should not have excessive attachment to that which i
s inherently perishable and temporary. The body must be taken care of only for r
ealizing the Divinity within. It is no doubt necessary to maintain good health a
s long as one lives, but obsessive concern for the body is misconceived.
- BABA
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12th August 2009 (imp.)
The sanctification of the five senses is the way to Truth. If the senses are pol
luted, of what avail are spiritual exercises? When the water in a tank is pollut
ed, all taps will give only polluted water. Your heart is the tank. When the hea
rt is polluted, the senses are bound to be sullied. When the heart is filled wit
h good thoughts and feelings, all that comes out of the senses - your speech, yo
ur vision, your actions - will be pure. The secret of spiritual wisdom is not to
be got from scholars or by study. Spiritual understanding can only come from ma
stery of the senses.
- BABA
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13th August 2009 (imp.)
The Lord declared in the Bhagavath Gita, "Whenever there is decline of Dharma, a
nd Adharma raises its hood, I incarnate Myself". Sathya (Truth) and Dharma (Righ
teousness) are eternal. They remain unchanged through all the three periods of t
ime past, present and future. It may be asked: What is the need to propagate ide
als that are eternal? When righteousness is not practiced, it appears as if it h
as decayed. But Dharma cannot decay or disappear, it is imperishable. It is the
practice of righteousness that declines, not righteousness itself. It is like th
e sun being covered by a cloud. The sun is not apparently visible. But it is alw
ays there and shines brightly again when the cloud moves away.
- BABA
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14th August 2009 Sri Krishna Ashtami
When Sri Krishna was being weighed in a balance, all the jewels of Sathyabhama c
ould not balance His weight. Rukmini then came and declared that the mere chanti
ng of the name of Krishna would be equal to His weight. By the weight of an addi
tional offering of a leaf, a flower or a little water, the scales will be tilted
against Krishna. So saying she placed a Tulasi (Basil) leaf on the scale. And l
o! It went down. Such is the power of the Lord's name and a love-filled offering
to the Lord. The Lord is not swayed by wealth or scholarship, power or position
. Love alone can move Him.
- BABA
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15th August 2009
Man should strive to become good and virtuous. Only when a man is filled with go
od thoughts and feelings, and performs good deeds will his life become meaningfu
l. You have to busy yourselves with activity in order to use your time and skill
to the best advantage. That is your duty, and duty is God. Every man should rec
ognise that the body has been given to him to render service to others. One must
use the body for promoting the welfare of society. A mind that is not utilized
for imparting joy to others or a body that is not used in service of others is t
otally useless. The way to love God is to love all and serve all.
- BABA
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16th August 2009
All men in all countries are pilgrims proceeding along the path to God. The prog
ress of each is decided by the discipline adopted, the character formed, the ide
al kept in view, the leadership chosen and the faith implanted. Just as trees an
d plants, birds and beasts differ from one region to another, the rituals, pract
ices, disciplines and ideals may differ from community to community; each is goo
d for that region and that stage of development. You cannot transplant one, from
one human community to another. The atmosphere in which you have grown up is th
e most congenial for you.
- BABA
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17th August 2009
All that one sees in the entire universe is a manifestation of Brahman (Godhead)
. Some people ask: "How can we petty human beings be equal to the all encompassi
ng Brahman?" This is not correct. You are that omnipotent, all-pervading Brahman
. Due to your worldly attitude, you are not recognising the Reality. You are sep
arating yourself from the Divine. All that you see is Brahman. To search for God
as something different from you is a mistake. But this truth is not easily reco
gnised by man. When you look at the ocean, its endless series of waves and the f
rothing foam on the waves, they all appear separate from each other. But the tru
th is they are all one. The water in the waves and in the foam comes from the sa
me ocean and has the same qualities as the ocean.
- BABA
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18th August 2009 (*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*very imp.)
Vedanta (Vedic philosophy) declares: "Brahman is Sathya (Truth); the Cosmos is M
ithya (illusory)". Your primary concern must be to understand whether you are re
al or unreal or what in you is real and what is unreal. It is only when you have
recognised the truth of your own being that you can recognise the world as illu
sory and your own self as the only reality. The realized person asserts: "I am B
rahman". Wherefrom has this statement emanated? What does it mean? It is a spont
aneous expression and not the result of a thought or feeling. The "I" is boundle
ss Infinite. When the finite individual merges in the Infinite "I", the "I" alon
e remains.
- BABA
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19th August 2009 /*/*/*/*/*/*/*(imp.)
Self-realization should be the goal of human existence. It has to be reached thr
ough three stages: Self-confidence, self-satisfaction and self-sacrifice. Man sh
ould regard himself as the master of the body, the senses and the mind. He has t
o use the intellect to experience his oneness with the divine, the cosmic all-pe
rvading consciousness. The flame of Prajnana (constant integrated awareness) whi
ch is in everyone is covered by the ash of worldly desires. When the ash is blow
n off, the fire of Brahman (Absolute Divinity) reveals itself in all its glory.
- BABA
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20th August 2009 /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/(very imp.)
It is attachment to property or position born out of a sense of possessiveness t
hat is the cause of man's sorrow and unhappiness. Man must strive to get rid of
this feeling of "I" and "mine" in order to experience enduring happiness. When e
verything appears to be going well, man forgets everything including himself. Hi
s ego gets inflated as a result of his achievements and acquisitions. He should
realize that he is only a temporary beneficiary of what he possesses and has no
permanent title to them. He should regard power or position as a moral responsib
ility carrying the obligation to discharge the duties relating to it. It is only
when all actions are done in this spirit of moral imperative that man can exper
ience genuine happiness and satisfaction.
- BABA
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21st August 2009 /*/*/*/*/*/*(imp.)
Peace cannot be found in the external world but within oneself. One should reali
ze that the whole universe is pervaded by the Divine. Today the world is filled
with strife. It is not possible to make a distinction between a human being and
a demon. Man, who evolved from the animal, instead of proceeding towards Divinit
y, is regressing to animality. Man's primary duty is to uphold the human values
of Truth, Righteousness, Peace and Love. However, man today is enveloped in atta
chment and hatred. The moment he casts them off, he will realize his divinity.
- BABA
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22nd August 2009 /*/*/*/*/*/*/*(very imp.)
The entire universe has been created out of the Will of God. God creates the uni
verse and sustains it. The universe ultimately merges in God, the source of its
origin. The universe is known as Vishwam. The correct meaning of Vishwam is that
which is self-expansive and full of bliss. Vishwam is not merely a manifestatio
n of physical matter; it is a direct manifestation of God. It is the very embodi
ment of the Cosmic Personality, with all His limbs. God is the primal cause behi
nd the universe. The universe is the reflection of God. Vishwam and Vishnu (God)
are not different from each other. This can be understood only through Viveka (
discrimination).
- BABA
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23rd August 2009 Ganesha Chaturti/*/*/*/**/(imp.)
What is the inner significance of worshipping the elephant-faced deity Ganesha?
The elephant is a symbol of might and magnitude. The elephant's foot is larger t
han that of any other animal. The elephant can make its way through the densest
jungle. In this way, it signifies the quality of a leader who shows the way for
others. The elephant is also known for its faithfulness and gratitude. These are
the lessons man should learn from the elephant. Intelligence without gratitude
is valueless. Every man should be grateful to those who have helped him.
- BABA
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24th August 2009 (imp.)
We become what we contemplate. By constant thought an ideal gets imprinted on ou
r heart. When we fix our thoughts all the time on the evil that others do, our m
ind gets polluted by the evil. When, on the contrary, we fix our mind on the vir
tues or well-being of others, our mind is cleansed of wrong and entertains only
good thoughts. No evil thought can penetrate the mind of a person wholly given t
o love and compassion. The thoughts we indulge in shape our nature; along with o
thers, they affect us too.
- BABA
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25th August 2009 (imp.)
Without the sanction of the Lord, man cannot achieve anything in the world. The
Divine is the basis for everything. Man, however, is filled with conceit that he
is the one who is doing everything. This pride is the cause of his ruin. It is
the cause of his frustration and disappointment. Man today is basing his life on
nature and is hence forgetting God. This is a grievous mistake. You must place
your faith in God, the Creator of the universe, and then enjoy what nature provi
des. Faith in God is the primary requisite for man.
- BABA
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26th August 2009 /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/**(very imp.)
Education must lead to illumination; the darkness of ignorance and the dusk of d
oubt will flee before that splendour. Then it is easy to cultivate good thoughts
and feelings in the heart thus illumined. Education does not end with the accum
ulation of information; it must result in transformation of the habits, characte
r and aspirations of the individual. Knowledge has to be tested in daily life. N
ow, man has no inkling of the most precious heritage that he has within him. He
is interested in everyone except his own self. If only he becomes aware of his s
elf, he can have vast strength, abiding peace and great joy added unto himself.
- BABA
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27th August 2009
Spiritual love has to be distinguished from love or attachment related to the bo
dy, the mind or the intellect. The latter are related to the world and are a sou
rce of sorrow. True love is pure, selfless, free from ego and is full of bliss.
Worldly attachments are not real love at all. They are transient, whereas the ev
erlasting, pure love arises from the heart. How is it that man is unable to reco
gnise this all-pervading love? It is because man's heart has become barren and p
olluted. The heart is filled with all kinds of desires and there is no room in i
t for pure, unsullied love to enter. It is only when worldly attachments are exp
elled from the heart that there will be room for true love to abide in it and to
grow.
- BABA
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***************************************Indian culture believes in the concept of
pantheism - God can be identified with all the forces of nature and with all na
tural things. That is why our ancients worshipped trees. People worship snakes a
nd elephants and our Indian mythology speaks volumes to testify this fact. Among
the Indian gods and goddesses, Lord Vinayaka is given the prime place and is wo
rshipped as the prime deity, believed to be the remover of all obstacles.
Whole-hearted, dedicated offering done without any trace of selfishness is bound
to yield reciprocal action from the Divine. Lavishly praising the collective ef
fort to make the preceding day s Ganesha Immersion ceremony a grand success, Bhagawa
n exhorted the students to celebrate all festivals in cognizance with the underl
ying principles of the same.Expounding on the significance of immersion of Vinayak
a Idols during Vinayaka Chaturthi celebrations, Bhagawan continued, such Vinayaka
is brought here and later immersed in Chitravati by students. The Idols that ar
e immersed get mixed up with water and when water spreads in water it spreads ev
erywhere. Thus the immersion of Vinayaka Idols signifies the spreading of the Vi
nayaka principle everywhere.Referring to Vinayaka s children, stressing on the gre
ater importance of mutual love and care and adoration towards one s own parents, B
hagawan said citing Vinayaka as a perfect example: Vinayaka never stays away fro
m His children; His sole property is His children. Therefore, it is most essenti
al for every man to consider one s own children as his sole property.
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28th August 2009
Every object in creation has five aspects, namely, Sath, Chith, Ananda, Rupa and
Nama (existence, consciousness, bliss, form and name). The first three are eter
nal principles, whereas name and form are ephemeral. Sath, Chith and Ananda are
the basis for name and form. People attribute various names and forms to God on
the basis of their own feelings. They forget the three main principles of Sath,
Chith and Ananda, and assume name and form to be the sole reality. In reality, n
ame and form are not permanent. But people are overwhelmed by name and form, and
ignore the eternal principles of Sath, Chith and Ananda. Consequently, they are
 deluded and tend to forget the mighty power of God behind the name and form.
- BABA
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29th August 2009
Without unwavering faith in an all-knowing God, life becomes dry and drab, darke
ned by the ever-present shadow of despair and doom. Love for God and fear of sin
are the two primary needs for a happy life. Without these two, man becomes a mo
nster. Man must be ever ready to sacrifice his selfish needs for the sake of the
larger community. There is nothing as glorious as renunciation. Be honest, be d
etached, and with God installed in your heart march forward to offer your talent
s and skills in discharging your duties. Do not strive for your happiness alone,
but strive for the happiness of all.
- BABA
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************************DASARA DIVINE DISCOURSE(/*/*/*/*/*/*/***/**/*/*/**veryve
ryveryveryveryIMP.)
RESPECT MOTHER FIRST AND FOREMOST
Aeons ago, there was darkness everywhere. There were no human beings or any othe
r creatures. It was pitch darkness all over. Then there was torrential rain for
years together and, as a result of this deluge, oceans were formed and mountains
arose. Gradually the stars appeared in the sky. The sun too shone and shed its
rays on the earth. The oceans and the sky became blue. The colour blue is indica
tive of the vastness of oceans and the sky. God is also vast; hence He is portra
yed as blue in appearance. Gradually forests and hills, insects and creatures, b
irds and beasts grew on the earth. Millions of creatures of different species as
also humans started inhabiting the earth.
Once several years ago, I visited Anantapur. I was very young then. I stayed in
the bungalow of the District collector. He came to Me and requested, Swami! There
are a number of deer here. Please take two of them along with You and keep them
in Your Ashram. The Prasanthi Nilayam building was not built yet. I brought thos
e two deer and kept them in Bangalore first. Gradually, they multiplied into hun
dreds. There was not enough space for their movement there. Hence, they were shi
fted later to Prasanthi Nilayam and kept in a separate deer park. Thus, God s crea
tion multiplies day by day.
It is raining outside. I find some ladies getting drenched in the rain. You allo
w those ladies inside. The gents too! I am sorry that so many devotees on the la
dies and gents side are standing in the rain to have the darshan of Swami and he
ar His discourse. No one can fathom the mystery of God s actions.
When I was studying in the Middle school in Kamalapuram, a small town near Kadap
a, a district headquarters in the present state of Andhra Pradesh, I was very yo
ung and short. A village fair used to be held on a grand scale every year in a p
lace called Pushpagiri, which was located between Kamalapuram and Kadapa. One da
y the drill teacher in our school told us, There will be a grand cattle fair in P
ushpagiri next week. Several people from all over the district and neighbouring
villages will come to participate in that fair. We have to send volunteers from
our school to regulate the crowds and also do some service to them.
The drill teacher was also our scoutmaster. He insisted that all the boys of our
school participate in the scout camp and help the people visiting the fair. He
particularly told Me, Raju! You must be the leader of this scout camp.
I protested saying, Sir! They are all older in age than Me. How can I control tho
se boys? I cannot. Then all the boys and teachers unanimously supported the idea
of My being the leader of the camp.
The next day our drill teacher called all the boys and instructed that all of us
shall wear a khaki shirt and knickers, along with a leather belt and a whistle.
He also insisted that each one of us should wear boots and carry a stick and a
torchlight. How could I procure all these items? I did not have even a paisa in
My pocket.
Two of My classmates by name Ramesh and Suresh and Myself used to sit on a three
-seater bench in our classroom, the two boys on either side of Me. Ramesh was th
e son of a wealthy Sirasthadar (a revenue official). He was of the same height a
s I was. He went to his father and asked him, Father! I like the khaki dress very
much. Please get two pairs of khaki shirt and knicker stitched for me. He did no
t however reveal the fact that he proposed to give the second pair to someone el
se.
The next day he brought one pair in a cloth bag and put it under My desk along w
ith a small chit. He wrote, Raju! You are my brother. If You don t mind, please tak
e this dress. Do not return it to me. If You do so, I will feel very bad and com
mit suicide.
My policy is that I do not accept anything from anyone. I strongly felt that fri
endship between two people will not last long on the basis of give-and-take-rela
tionship. I therefore returned the clothes with a note, If you and I are to conti
nue as good friends, take these clothes back. Ramesh was literally in tears at My
insistence. He took the clothes back, very reluctantly.
All the boys volunteering for the scout service were to start for Pushpagiri, th
e next day. It was a journey of eleven miles by walk, since no buses plied that
route those days. The boys contributed five rupees each for meeting the expenses
during the period, but I had no money, not even a paisa. I therefore thought of
a plan. I used to keep My books always neat and tidy. In those days, very few b
oys were in a position to purchase new books when they were promoted to a higher
class. Hence, they used to purchase secondhand textbooks at a reduced cost. A p
oor boy approached Me to buy My textbooks. There used to be a heavy syllabus eve
n for lower classes in subjects like History, Geography, Civics, etc. The cost o
f My books totaled to eighteen rupees and My books looked like brand new ones. T
he boy was not in a position to pay that amount. Hence, I told him Don t feel sorry
. Just pay Me five rupees and take the books. The boy felt very happy and immedia
tely paid the amount.
In those days, currency notes were rare, and he paid the entire amount in small
coins packed in a piece of cloth. It was tied in an old cloth, which gave way un
able to bear the weight of the coins. The coins were strewn all over the room, m
aking a big sound. On hearing the sound, the lady of the house came there and as
ked, Where did You get all this money? Did You steal from my trunk? She began admo
nishing Me.
I explained to her, No, mother! I sold My books to this boy. He gave Me the coins
. The poor boy witnessing this incident told her, Mother! I gave those coins to Ra
ju towards the cost of His books, which I purchased from Him. The lady did not be
lieve his words and punished him too. She took away all the coins and I was left
with not even a paisa.
The boys participating in the scout camp were all rich and well-dressed. They ca
me to My house to take Me along with them. In the circumstances in which I was p
laced at that time, I was not in a position to go along with them. If I tell the
m I am suffering from fever, they will bring a thermometer and read My temperatu
re. If I tell them I am suffering from some ailment, they will take Me to a doct
or and get Me examined by him. Hence, I told them, I am suffering from stomachach
e. I cannot come with you today.
The boys felt sorry and reluctantly left for the scout camp without Me. Thereaft
er, I started alone the same night in the moonlight. I walked and walked and rea
ched Pushpagiri at daybreak. I was very much tired, having walked for eleven mil
es at a stretch. I was hungry and thirsty. I wanted to wash My hands and mouth a
nd looked around for water. There was no water anywhere near. There was a masonr
y tank nearby in which water was stored for bathing cows and buffaloes. The wate
r was very dirty. Feeling helpless, I washed My face with that dirty water itsel
f and drank some to quench My thirst.
Then I noticed that someone had left behind a packet of beedies (country cigaret
tes) and a one anna coin on the tank there. The beedies were, of course, of no u
se to Me. Hence, I threw them away. I took the one anna coin and exchanged it fo
r four smaller coins (bottu). As I was returning, I noticed a person sitting on
the roadside playing cards spread over a cloth, inviting passersby to bet on the
cards, shouting, Club, Spade, Diamond, etc. He invited Me, saying, Raju! You are a
lucky boy. Come, come! Bet some amount on any card of Your choice and I will gi
ve You double that amount, if You win. No doubt it was a sort of gambling, but I
was helpless at that time. I started putting one coin each on a different card a
t each time. Every time I was winning the bet and getting double the amount I pu
t. I played the game till I could make sixteen annas. Then I decided that that w
as enough and left the game and returned with the money I already earned.
Since I was feeling hungry, I purchased three dosas with one bottu. In those day
s, dosas were available at the rate of one for a dammidi (1/3 of a bottu). Thus,
I managed with two bottus a day eating dosas. Though I was attending the servic
e activities normally just like any of the other boys, in My heart of hearts I w
as aware of the fact that betting (gambling) was a bad practice and I should not
have resorted to it. I knew of the story of Dharmaraja losing his everything in
cluding his wife, brothers, and kingdom in the Mahabharata.
At the end of the scout camp, I was left with one bottu. I purchased some sweets
, fruits, flowers, kumkum, and some bangles for My sister-in-law. Seshama Raju,
the elder brother of this body went for a course of teacher-training and just re
turned. As soon as I stepped into the house, I noticed that he was drawing lines
in a notebook with the help of a wooden ruler. He was very angry that his wife
had to fetch water during My absence for 3 days and therefore she was very much
tired. When I offered her the sweets and fruits brought by Me from Pushpagiri, s
he threw them on the floor. She refused to accept even kumkum, which is a sign o
f auspiciousness.
Seshama Raju was furious after this incident. He took the ruler into his hands a
nd beat Me on the forearm with the ruler, which broke into three pieces. My hand
was swollen. I did not reveal this incident to anybody. I tied a bandage Myself
with a wet cloth to the swollen hand. The next day, Seshama Raju s son died. He s
ent a telegram to father to come immediately. In those days, there was no post o
ffice or telegraph office in Puttaparthi. The telegrams were sent to Bukkapatnam
and from there a messenger would take it to Puttaparthi. Pedda Venkama Raju, th
e father of this body, used to go to Bukkapatnam regularly to purchase necessary
items in the village fair. He saw that telegram there and immediately rushed to
Kamalapuram. He spoke to the members of the family first and then asked why My
hand was swollen and bandaged.
I tried to explain away the incident as insignificant and told him that I hit a
door in the house accidentally and nothing serious had happened. The lady in the
neighbouring house intervened then and informed Pedda Venkama Raju, Sir! It is n
ot an isolated incident. Your elder son beats the boy everyday. We are very much
pained to witness His suffering.
Seshama Raju used to be very angry with Me since his wife used to make complaint
s against Me daily saying I did not attend to this work, that work, etc. My dail
y chores in their house included making hot water for bath, preparing coffee ear
ly in the morning for Seshama Raju and his wife, doing odd jobs in the house and
most important, fetching drinking water two times both in the morning and eveni
ng from a canal, which was at some distance from the house. In order that I fini
sh all these jobs and attend to school as per schedule, I had to get up very ear
ly in the morning, that is, at about 3 o clock.
In spite of all this hectic schedule, I was very happy that the people in the vi
llage were of good nature and used to love Me very much. They used to make affec
tionate enquiries about My welfare daily. They were very fond of My singing. Whe
n I went to Pushpagiri to participate in the scout camp, all this busy schedule
came to a standstill. Though the neighbours were very considerate toward Me for
My hard work and good nature, people in the Seshama Raju family could not put up
with My absence and disruption in the daily routine. They used to shout at Me i
f on any day I was a little late in bringing water from the canal. Of course, I
used to ignore that shouting and carry on My work as usual, patiently.
The Griham Abbayi (father) informed Me that night that he had to go out for answ
ering his nature call. There was no light. There was darkness all around. I held
a small kerosene lamp in one hand and a jug of water in the other and accompani
ed him to an isolated place. I put those things on the ground and tried to retur
n, but he held My hand and with great agony told Me, Sathya! Did I ever beat You
on any day in all these years? You are undergoing so much of suffering at the ha
nds of these people here. You come away from this house. Come! Let us leave for
our village early in the morning.
I tried to pacify him saying, It is not proper for Me to leave the house now, esp
ecially when they are immersed in grief at the death of their son. Please go fir
st. I will come later. Thereupon, Griham Abbayi left for Puttaparthi, very reluct
antly.
On reaching home, he informed Griham Ammayi (mother) about the situation prevail
ing here. She could not contain her agony and shed tears at My plight. She told
Griham Abbayi, Sathya is a very good boy. I never beat Him on any day. I now unde
rstand that Seshama Raju is beating Him regularly, listening to others words. I c
annot bear this any more. We can bring up Sathya somehow, even by selling salt i
f need be. He need not depend on others for His upbringing. Please go and bring
back Sathya to our house. Griham Abbayi tried to explain his inability, but she w
as insistent. He therefore gave a telegram, Mother serious, come down to Puttapar
thi. Then, I had no option but to return to Puttaparthi.
There used to be a merchant by name Kotte Subbanna in Kamalapuram those days, wh
o used to sell the famous children s tonic, Bala Bhaskara . He gave us some amount fo
r our journey to Puttaparthi, since neither I nor Griham Abbayi had any money wi
th us. We reached Anantapuram with great difficulty. There used to be a lawyer s f
amily in Anantapur, who were all good people. The entire family was devoted to S
wami. They invited us to partake lunch in their house.
We had our lunch in their house and finally returned to Puttaparthi. As soon as
we entered our house, Griham Ammayi held My hand and asked, There is swelling sti
ll. Does it hurt? Thereafter, she applied several home-made medicines including a
paste of rice bran on the affected part and also gave hot water fomentation. Po
or lady! She tried her best to make Me cheerful. Every one around Me cried on se
eing My swollen hand. I told them, Nothing to worry; everything is healed up.
Since then I decided to stay in Puttaparthi, permanently. Seshama Raju came on a
visit during holidays. Griham Abbayi and Griham Ammayi both chided him profusel
y saying, You took this boy along with you to get Him educated; but you put Him t
o great torture. What kind of an education is this? Go away! We don t give You foo
d even!
Thereafter, Seshama Raju was transferred to Uravakonda. He took Me again with hi
m in order to admit Me in the High school there. There were good teachers there,
especially Sri Tammiraju and another by name H.S. Ramana who used to teach us E
nglish language. He was so fond of Me that he used to take Me to his house. Not
only these two, all our teachers used to be very affectionate toward Me since I
was a good singer with a melodious voice. One day they put Me on the stage durin
g a function and asked Me to sing a song. I sang the following song:
Take any vegetable of your choice, only one anna a measure,
Take brinjals; they are very tasty,
The well was deep and it was difficult to draw water,
So too, the life in Uravakonda was difficult to forget. (Telugu song)
All the teachers praised the song and congratulated Me for singing that song. La
ter, they asked Me to sing the daily prayer song in the school assembly. I sang
thus:
Moment to moment, thy clarion call resounds
Hearing thy magnanimous words,
The Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, Muslims, and Christians
Come to thy throne from east and west,
Making a garland of love
Hail to thee who unites all humanity!
Hail to thee who controls the destiny of Bharat!
Hail to thee! Hail to thee!
That was our prayer song which I used to sing daily in the school assembly. The
teachers of our school used to stand on either side of Me during the assembly an
d shed tears of joy at My melodious singing. I used to have a very good voice.
One day, I announced to the people around Me that it was time for Me to leave th
e school as well as the house and embark on My mission to alleviate the sufferin
g of humanity. I revealed My true nature earlier thus:
Know that I am Sai, verily
Cast off your worldly relationships
Give up your efforts to restrain Me
The worldly attachment can no longer bind Me
None, however great can hold Me.
(Telugu poem)
Everyone cried aloud, unable to bear separation from Me. The headmaster of our s
chool, Lakshmipathi, declared a holiday for the day. Everyone, including the tea
chers, students, and public, felt very sad at My decision to leave them.
The next day, one Muslim boy was asked to go up the stage to sing the prayer son
g. He too was a good singer with a melodious voice. But the moment he went up th
e stage, he became highly emotional and wept uncontrollably, unable to bear sepa
ration from Me. He sat down expressing his inability to sing the prayer. The dai
ly singing of the prayer was discontinued from then on. Instead, the headmaster
of the school used to say a few words and conclude.
I gave up studies since then. At the time I discontinued studies, I was only in
the third form (eighth class), but people around Me used to wonder at My scholar
ship thinking that I might have obtained a degree or so. I used to write poetry
and kept Myself aloof from people. I used to maintain silence. Even when I was i
n the house, I maintained the same profile. I just used to have food and come ou
t and sit on the Chitravathi sands. There is a hill by the side of the river whe
re I used to go up and sit silently.
everal people including children from the neighbouring villages and also from Ur
avakonda used to visit this Sai Baba . Subbamma used to cook and serve food for the
m. She used to feel very happy at her service, thinking that she was serving Swa
mi s classmates. Since then, the number of people visiting Swami has increased by
leaps and bounds.
Once the Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wodayar came by his car. The motorabl
e road was only up to Penukonda. He therefore travelled in a bullock cart from P
enukonda to Karnatanagepalli and from there to Puttaparthi by walk. He pleaded w
ith Me, Swami! Why are You putting Yourself to trouble, residing in Puttaparthi?
You please come to Mysore. I will arrange to build a big mansion for You. I told
him, A tree must grow in the same place where it was born. If it is plucked out a
nd transplanted elsewhere, it will not grow. This tree must also grow in the sam
e place where it was born. The Maharaja was a great devotee. He used to visit the
Chamundeswari temple daily in the morning and evening and sing a song specially
composed in praise of Goddess Chamundeswari.
The Maharaja of Mysore visited Puttaparthi again on another occasion. By that ti
me, a motorable road was laid from Penukonda to Bukkapatnam. He telephoned to th
e Governor of Andhra Pradesh saying, Why don t you lay a good road to reach Puttapa
rthi? How much money is being wasted on all and sundry schemes! Please arrange t
o lay a good road to Puttaparthi immediately.
The Governor instructed the Government accordingly and after a protracted corres
pondence, a chief engineer by name Tiruvannai Iyengar was finally sent to undert
ake a survey of the project. It was planned to lay a bypass road direct to the M
andir, without touching the Chitravathi Road. The Maharaja of Mysore offered to
bear the entire expenditure for the project. Before starting the work, the Chief
Engineer surveyed the area travelling in a bullock cart. He found that the rive
r encircled the village on three sides and only the fourth side was available fo
r laying a road. He stayed for three to four days here and reached Mandir in tha
t route by a bullock cart. He confirmed that route and passed orders finally to
lay a black top road in that route, drilling a big hole in a hill blocking the w
ay.
At last, a direct road to reach the Mandir in Puttaparthi was ready, without tou
ching the Chitravathi River. Once the road was made ready, a number of people in
cluding Rajas and Maharajas with their families started visiting Puttaparthi. No
table among them were the Rajas of Bobbili and Venkatagiri. They used to bring t
ents along with them and stay in those tents. Gradually, the number of people vi
siting Puttaparthi increased by leaps and bounds. The people in the villages aro
und Puttaparthi used to argue with them saying, Should we not have an opportunity
to have Swami s darshan, sparshan,and sambhashan? Is He meant only for the Rajas,
Maharajas? I used to pacify them saying that all are My devotees and I don t make
any distinction between rich and poor.
Later, the Rajas of Bobbili, Trivandrum and the younger brother of Trivandrum Ra
ja, who was a film director, made a lot of conveniences here like building house
s for the visiting devotees. The former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, the la
te Dr Bezwada Gopala Reddy, built a hospital in Puttaparthi. In spite of his bus
y schedule as the Chief Minister, he used to make regular visits to Puttaparthi.
He continued the same till his last breath. He used to attend every function he
ld in Prasanthi Nilayam. In due course, millions of devotees from all over India
and all parts of the world started coming to Prasanthi Nilayam.
In fact, I have not come down to deliver discourses on any particular form of Go
d. Divinity is only one by whatever name and form people refer to Him. The goal
is one and love is one. The names and forms may be different. Some may refer to
Divinity as Atma ; others as Aum . Yet, both are same. The names Rama, Krishna, Govind
a, Narayana, etc. may be different, but God is only one. You may contemplate on
any name, but God is only one. The Upanishads exhort, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru De
vo Bhava, Acharya Devo Bhava, Atithi Devo Bhava (revere your mother, father, pre
ceptor, and guest as God). First and foremost, respect your mother. She is very
important!
Forbearance is the real beauty in this sacred land of Bharat.
The nectarine feeling in this country is the feeling of love toward one s mother.
(Telugu poem)
Even if the mother and son go to a court in a property dispute, the mother would
tell the lawyer, he is my son, and the son would say, she is my mother. Hence the r
elationship between a person and their parents is lasting. Even after the physic
al body ceases to exist the motherly relationship exists. A mother is a mother.
Hence, there can be no greater, respectable, and sweet feeling than motherhood.
Many people write letters to Me addressing Me as Mother Sai. They refer to Me as t
heir revered mother. I also address all of you as children.
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14th October 2009
The body and mind are very closely interlinked and are vital to man's evolution.
A complete man is one who has both a pure mind and a healthy body. The body mus
t certainly be fostered and protected, but no attachment must be developed towar
ds it. The Atma within the body is more fundamental. While the body is bound to
perish sometime, the Atma within is eternal. A healthy body and a pure mind in t
urn combine to give 'Lavanya' - true beauty. True beauty is that of the characte
r and not of the body. It is this Lavanya that gives one an eternal youthful cou
ntenance and bliss.
- BABA
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16th October 2009
The pilgrim must traverse and go beyond the vast wastelands of worldly desires,
overcome the thick slushy overgrowths of anger and hate, and negotiate the cliff
s of ego and malice so that he can relax on the lush green pastures of harmony a
nd love. Having thus become master of his inner foes, he must rest in the silenc
e of his own heart, with all the agitations of his inner realm stilled. When the
seeker is fixed thus in the undisturbed calm of his deepest consciousness, the
flame of wisdom lights itself. At that moment, the seeker realizes that he is on
e with Universe, that he is the Indivisible Brahman.
- BABA
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25th October 2009
Wherever there is a vacuum in any heart, love flows into it and is glad that it
can fill the emptiness. It is never held back; it is offered in abundance withou
t guile or deceit. It does not wear the cloak of falsehood, flattery or fear. Th
e tendrils of love aspire to cling only to the garments of God. It senses that G
od resides in all His splendour in every heart. To discover that seat of God is
real devotion.
- BABA
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29th October 2009
A sincere seeker and devotee can have no interest in the worldly pleasures and p
assions. These inferior desires have to be renounced, for they lie at the root o
f all misery. What exactly is Moksha or liberation? It is the Shanti (unruffled
peace) obtained through the Sadhana (spiritual endeavour) of Chittha Shuddhi or
cleansing of the heart. It is the negation of the impressions one gets through t
he senses.
- BABA
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11th November 2009
Sandalwood gives more and more fragrance when it is subjected to more and more g
rinding. The sugarcane yields juice as it is chewed more and more. Gold gets ref
ined when it is melted in the fire. So also, a true devotee will not falter in h
is love for God even when he faces troubles and obstacles in his life. God tests
His devotees only to take them to a higher level on the spiritual ladder.
- BABA
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15th November 2009
Detachment, faith and love these are the pillars upon which peace rests. Of thes
e, faith is crucial, for without it all spiritual discipline is empty. Detachmen
t alone can make spiritual discipline effective, and love is what leads one quic
kly to God. Faith feeds the agony of separation from God; detachment canalises i
t along the path of God, and love lights the way. God will grant you what you ne
ed and deserve; there is no need to ask, no reason to grumble. Be content. Nothi
ng can happen against His will.
- BABA
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The bird with you the wings with Me
The foot with you -- the way with Me,
The eye with you -- the form with Me,
The thing with you -- the dream with Me,
The world with you -- the heaven with Me,
So are we free, so are we bound,
So we begin, and so we end,
You in me, and I in you.
Be happy!"
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Posted at 21:53:43 Hrs. IST on 27 Nov 2009
In an unusual gesture, towards the end of His Divine Benedictory Address on the
occasion of XXVIII Annual Convocation of Sri Sathya Sai University, Bhagawan had
asked His students to sing a song in unison. Reciprocating to the Divine Comman
d, the students sang in chorus the song Hum ko tum se pyar kitna ... Receiving the
love of the students, Bhagawan declared that their song had given Him immense h
appiness.
Calling students from the university 'good' compared to other students Bhagawan
exhorted them to earn good names for themselves, parents and for the institution
. Read on for Bhagawan's precious pearls of wisdom as delivered during the XVIII
Annual Convcocation of Sri Sathya Sai University on 22nd Nov 2009.
BE GOOD, DO GOOD AND SEE GOOD
Bereft of truth, righteousness, peace, and love, the value of all your education
is zero; bereft of truth, righteousness, peace, and love, the benefit of all yo
ur acts of charity and kindness is zero; bereft of truth, righteousness peace, a
nd love, the utility of all your positions of power is zero; and bereft of truth
, righteousness, peace, and love, the result of all your good deeds is zero. Sat
hya, dharma, santhi, and prema (truth, righteousness, peace, and love) are veril
y the pillars of the mansion of Sanathana Dharma. What else is to be conveyed to
this assembly of noble souls. (Telugu p
oem)

In spite of his education and intelligence, a foolish man will not know his true
Self and a mean-minded person will not give up his evil qualities. What is the
use of acquiring education that cannot lead you to immortality? Acquire the know
ledge that will make you immortal.
(Telugu poem)
People pursue education and obtain high degrees in different disciplines. But, i
n their day-to-day life, their behaviour is totally at variance to the principle
s they learnt. In spite of their high academic qualifications, they woefully lac
k knowledge about the essence of education. What they acquire is only worldly, e
vanescent, and unreal education.
There are millions of students and highly educated people in the world. They obt
ain all sorts of degrees starting from A to Z. But, of what use are their degree
s? What is their contribution to the welfare of the world? Do they help the poor
and forlorn at least to a small extent? They earn crores of rupees; but they do
n t give even a penny in charity. They are too selfish. They do not at all control
their desires. One who controls his desires can work wonders in the world. Peop
le are not at all satisfied with their earnings. They accumulate huge amount of
wealth and still crave to earn more.
The Vedas declare Na karmana na prajaya dhanena thyagenaike amrutatthwamanasu (i
mmortality is not attained through action, progeny, or wealth; it is attained on
ly by sacrifice). People do not at all strive to attain immortality. Wherever yo
u see and whomever you come across, you find selfishness, selfishness, and selfi
shness alone. Of what use is the education of such selfish people?
No doubt, education has to be pursued and some activities have to be undertaken
in the world for leading a comfortable life. One has to take care of the worldly
needs for oneself and one s family, like food, clothing, and shelter. But to what
extent? These are all activities that one undertakes for the sake of oneself an
d one s family, not for others.
Modern education is breeding selfishness. It is for acquiring goods and services
for one s own comfort. These are worldly pleasures. The qualities of kama, krodha
, lobha, moha, mada, and matsarya (desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride, and en
vy) drive man s efforts in pursuit of worldly pleasures. No doubt worldly educatio
n helps to provide comfort and joy in the objective world, but it does not at al
l contribute to inner bliss.
Only the five human values of sathya (truth), dharma (righteousness), santhi (pe
ace), prema (love), and ahimsa (nonviolence) confer inner bliss. A person who cu
ltivates these five human values will always be happy. The five senses of action
provide external pleasure; but the five human values confer inner bliss. Educat
ion helps to obtain various conveniences for external pleasure, whereas inner bl
iss can be experienced only by Educare. There is a lot of difference between Edu
cation and Educare. Education involves reading of books written by someone and l
istening to the lectures delivered by someone. Educare, however, has nothing to
do with books. It has no form at all! It is Truth that has no form. The Upanisha
ds ordain Sathyam vada, dharmam chara (speak truth, practise righteousness). Truth
 has to be spoken and righteousness has to be practised. But, nowadays, people l
ecture about these values but do not follow. This is not correct.
Love is one quality that is common to all human beings, nay, animals, birds, bea
sts, and even insects. Every living being loves its progeny. And, love is divine
. Whoever cultivates love, God manifests in them. It is only the divine quality
of love that saves us from sorrows, difficulties, and calamities. Unfortunately,
people do not cultivate love and instead go after transient things. Love is God,
live in love. Worldly possessions give momentary pleasure, but love confers eter
nal bliss. Real love manifests from the depth of one s own heart. One has to atta
in such divine love. Wherever you go, whatever activity you may undertake, let y
our heart be filled with love. Such a person, wherever he is, whether in the tow
n or in the forest or in the sky or in a deep sea will surely be protected. Divi
ne love neither grows nor diminishes. It always remains the same.
Ekameva adviteeyam Brahma (God is one without a second). To attribute various na
mes to God such as Rama, Krishna, Govinda, etc., is only your imagination. That
which has neither birth nor death is one and only one. It has no beginning and n
o end. That is Brahma. Hence, whenever someone enquires, Who are you? What is you
r name? , reply with Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman). There is nothing real and eterna
l except Brahman. Hence, do not waste his time in pursuit of transient things. W
hat is the use of acquiring such objects? No doubt worldly education is necessar
y. However, always remind yourself that it is all temporary.
Brahman is ONE without a second. Zero gains value only when it is placed after t
he digit one. Likewise, the zero of samsara (worldly life) will have value only
if it is associated with the ONE that is Brahman. We are going after the imperma
nent and transitory things forgetting the ONE.
We think that the qualities of anger, envy, jealousy, pride, etc., are God-given
, but it is not true. God does not make any distinction between people by granti
ng positive attributes to some and negative qualities to others. All these diffe
rences are man-made. God has nothing to do with them. When our wish is fulfilled
, we praise God. On the other hand, if something goes wrong, we attribute our fa
ilure to God and blame Him. God is only a witness to everything that goes on in
the world, good or bad. He neither gives nor receives anything. All our sorrows
and difficulties are of our own making.
The thoughts that flow from our mind are expressed through speech. Hence, mind i
s the source for our speech. This mind has its origin in our breath (inhaling an
d exhaling). Therefore, the inhaling and exhaling (soham) is Brahman verily, and
the mind represents Vishnu.
It is said, Manomoolam idam jagat (the world is a projection of the mind). Our v
ak (speech) represents Shiva. Hence, we need not go in search of the Trinity (Br
ahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara) somewhere in a distant place. God is in us, with u
s, above, below, and around us. In fact, you are God. Your mind alone is respons
ible for your joy or sorrow. We think these are thrust on us by someone from out
side. No, all these experiences flow from you only. You are responsible for ever
ything. If you realize that these experiences emanate from your own mind and thi
nk that you are God, you will become God. On the other hand, if you identify you
rself with the world and think I am so and so, you will remain separate from God.
Do not cultivate excessive desires. Less luggage, more comfort makes travel a ple
asure. Hence, reduce the luggage of your desires. It is natural for people to hav
e some desires, but one has to enquire which one of those desires is good for on
e and which causes harm. Unfortunately, this sense of discrimination is lost in
present times. All these desires, which are the result of kama, krodha, lobha, m
oha, mada, and matsarya (desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride and envy), have t
heir origin in the mind.
When you marry a girl, you develop love for her in the beginning. After sometime
, if for any reason she goes against your wishes, you develop hatred for her. Yo
ur anger and hatred will ultimately land you in difficulties. If you can reduce
your desires and expectations, you will be able to lead a happy married life.
Students too behave in the same way. As one goes on acquiring degrees, one loses
one s peace because of limitless desires. Whatever may be one s expectations in pur
suing higher education, one has to put into practice what one has learnt in the
college or University. Merely acquiring a number of degrees without putting into
practice what one has learnt through education is a waste. It does not help him
in any way. Education without practising the principles of education leads to l
oss and worry. Hence, practice (abhyasa) is of utmost importance.
For example, you are enacting a drama. Is it not true that you do a number of re
hearsals before finally performing on the stage? It is the practice that makes y
ou perfect. Hence, practice is needed in all your endeavours reading, writing, m
edicine, surgery, etc. The Gita says:
Sreyohi Jnanamabhyasat,
Jnanaddhyanam vishishyate,
Dhyanat karmaphala thyaga,
Thyagat santhiranantaram.
Better indeed is knowledge than practice. Better than knowledge is meditation on
God. But better than meditation is renunciation of the desire for the fruits of
actions. For peace follows immediately. Where is peace? Peace is very much in u
s only. It is futile to search for peace somewhere in the outer world. If you wa
nt to attain peace, search for it in oneself.
You have acquired all this knowledge from text books and your teachers. This is
bookish knowledge. If you put it into practice, it becomes practical knowledge,
which will remain with you permanently.
Rain water is pure. When you place a vessel while it is raining, you can collect
pure water. It is like distilled water. By drinking that water, you will not be
troubled by any ailment. When the same water is mixed up with other substances,
it gets polluted. In the same manner, the mind which is always pure is polluted
by desires.
Hence, do not pollute your mind by cultivating desires. Keep the mind always pur
e. Whenever a desire arises in your mind, brush it aside to keep your mind free
from pollution. Apart from reading your text books and acquiring knowledge, keep
your mind always pure and free from pollution. This is what you have to learn t
oday.
You may or may not worship God, but you must respect your mother and father, who
are responsible for your birth. Respect your mother. Keep her always happy. No
one can estimate or describe a mother s love. No one can pollute it. If only you a
re able to win the love of your mother, it amounts to acquiring all degrees. Our
scriptures enjoin on us to respect mother, father, teacher, and God in that ord
er. First and foremost is the mother, who gave you birth. The father brings you
up and puts you on the road to development. The mother is the foundation for the
mansion of your life; father represents the wall and the guru (teacher) is the
roof. And, finally, God is your life itself. Hence, those who yearn for God must
love their mother first. If only you keep her happy, all other things of happin
ess will be added unto you.
Nowadays, people keep their aged parents in the old age homes. This is not corre
ct. The Upanishads exhort one: Mathrudevo bhava! Pithrudevo bhava! Acharyadevo b
hava! One who forsakes his mother is not a human being at all! It is your mother
 who brought you up to this stage. Hence, love your mother and serve her when sh
e falls sick. You must develop the feeling that whatever your mother says is for
your good only. Do not get angry when she chides you. Even her anger is for you
r good only.
Once Kuchela, a poor Brahmin, went to meet his childhood friend Krishna. He was
afraid that the guards standing at the gate of Krishna s palace might not let him
in. But God is so compassionate that He will not forsake any individual. Lord Kr
ishna Himself came to him and enquired, Dear friend Kuchela, what do you want? Kuc
hela replied, Swami, I do not want anything. I will be happy if I have Your love
and grace. Oh Lord! That is enough . When Kuchela returned to his place after taki
ng leave of Krishna, he could not recognise his house. In place of his hut stood
a palatial building. His wife and children were moving about in gorgeous clothe
s, wearing glittering ornaments. This is the gift of love from God. Hence, if on
ly we are able to win God s love, everything else will be added unto us. Therefor
e develop firm faith in God.
You will not come up in life unless you get rid of your bad qualities. Even if y
ou have accumulated wealth and attained positions of power, they will not last l
ong. It is not wealth but noble qualities that are important for a human being.
Hence, develop human qualities.
You call yourself a human being. Unless there are values in you, how can you be
called a human being? Only when you develop noble qualities are you entitled to
be called a human. God will protect a person with human values by constantly gua
rding and guiding him. Hence, develop human values; do not crave for money.
We often come across people changing jobs with a hope of getting high salaries.
Do not develop this craze for money. Money comes and goes, morality comes and gr
ows. Develop morality and love for God. When you develop love for God, the demon
ic qualities in you will be removed. When people get rid of demonic qualities, s
ociety itself will change into a better society. You will earn a good name. Peop
le will praise you, so and so is a good man. We must have people like him .
If you wish to earn such a good name, you must be fully involved in prayer to Go
d. The prayer must constantly ring in your heart. Love for God, fear of sin, and
morality in society, these are the qualities that you have to develop. Then onl
y you will be entitled to be called a good person. Be good, do good, and see goo
d. Never entertain bad thoughts. It is quite common to get bad thoughts in your
age, but do not give them a place in your heart. Just brush them aside.
You may be a boy now, but you will grow into an old man after some years. Child,
boy, man, grandfather these are all the different stages in one s life. They all
belong to the same person. Only the names and the body change, but the individua
l is one. Similarly, God is one in whichever name and form He is worshipped. The
names and forms ascribed to God may differ but God is one, as per the saying Eka
m Sath viprah bahudha vadanthi . Develop total faith in this maxim.
Wherever you are and whatever activity you are engaged in, constantly contemplat
e on God. Then only will your life be fruitful. May you all develop good qualiti
es, good behaviour, good thoughts, and good feelings. Be happy. Our boys are alw
ays good boys.
Today, wherever you see, you find people spending time watching cinemas and TV s
hows and hearing cinema music from tape recorders. In addition, almost everyone,
regardless of sex and status in society, is using cell phones. People waste a l
ot of time talking to someone using cell phones. They even talk to strangers. Be
cause of the proliferation of the entertainment media and the indiscriminate use
of cell phones, human beings have lost their value. Very often, due to the misu
se of cell phones, people, especially the younger generation, land themselves in
serious trouble. Most often, cell phones are put to misuse than proper use.
I would advise you, particularly the boys and girls, not to give your cell numbe
r to anyone. You will face great danger by doing so. Try to avoid using cell pho
nes. Even if you buy one, do not give your number to others indiscriminately. Th
ere are some people who continuously talk over cell phone for hours together. Th
is is totally wrong. By doing so, you will be committing sin. Once you give your
cell number to others, they will call you back. You will feel happy in the begi
nning. Later, they will be talking to you frequently. Unnecessary contacts will
develop by doing so. Finally, they mislead you and spoil your life. In the begin
ning, they introduce themselves to you saying, I am your friend . The friendship gr
adually leads to establishing relationship. You will be deceived and you will la
nd in deep trouble in the end. Hence, do not give scope for such unnecessary con
tacts. Always spend your time in the contemplation of the divine name or reading
good books.
Today is convocation day. Some of you might be entering the outside world, havin
g acquired degrees. Let your contact with the outside world be good. It is possi
ble that there may be significant changes in the lives of most of the students f
rom today. I wish you all to earn good name for yourselves, your parents, and th
e institution in which you studied. Samuel Sandweiss also told you the same thin
g in his convocation address. He talks about his divine experiences. The advice
of these elders must be imprinted in your hearts. They always speak good words.
I am very happy. It is not possible for Me to talk to you all, individually. Hen
ce, I gave a discourse that is applicable to all. Our students are all good when
compared to those in the other institutions. Let that good name be upheld. I am
very happy.
(Bhagawan wanted all the students to sing a song. The students sang in chorus th
e song Hum ko tum se pyar kitna ... )
Your song has given Me immense happiness.
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9th December 2009
Life on earth is, as on the ocean, ever restless, with the waves of joy and grie
f, and of loss and gain, the swirling currents of desires and the whirlpools of
passion, greed and hate. To cross the ocean, the only reliable raft is a heart f
illed with the Love of God and man. Man is born for a high destiny, as the inher
itor of a rich heritage. He should not fritter away his days in low pursuits and
vulgar vanities. His destiny is to know the Truth, live in it and for it. The T
ruth alone can make man free and happy. If he is not prompted by this high purpo
se, life is a waste and a mere tossing on the waves, for the sea of life is neve
r calm.
- BABA
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12th December 2009 */*/*/*/*/**imp.
Sorrows and disasters are the clouds that flit across the sky; they cannot injur
e the blue depths of space of faith. Look upon joy and sorrow as teachers of har
dihood and balance. Grief is a friendly reminder, a good taskmaster, even a bett
er teacher than joy. Do not flinch in the face of grief. Welcome the test becaus
e thereafter you are awarded the certificate. It is to measure your progress tha
t tests are imposed.
- BABA
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24th December 2009 */*/*/*/*/imp.
If a man wishes to be happy, the first exercise he must do is to remove from his
mind every bad thought, feeling and habit. Grief and joy are obverse and revers
e sides of the same experience. Joy is when grief ends; grief is when joy ends.
What exactly is grief? It is merely a reaction to the loss of something gained o
r the failure to gain something desired. Therefore, the only way to escape grief
and sorrow is to conquer desire for the illusory. The secret of happiness is no
t in doing what one likes but in liking what one has to do. Whatever work you ha
ve to do, you should do it with pleasure and liking.
- BABA
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10th January 2010
Always enjoy the peace that is the result of the cessation of all mental agitati
ons. Do not allow the mind to run after this and that. Train it to keep quiet. K
eep away and afar, the mental reactions caused by the contact with the external
world. Then you can become mere Existence, Sath. That is the state beyond the re
alm of senses. This is the real Sakshaathkaara, the Goal of Life.
- BABA
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9th January 2010
By mere force of intention, one can imagine in an instant, a scene in America. H
owever, can it also be experienced in actual, at that very instant? No, one cann
ot! There is no use imagining and framing in the fancy. It must be experienced i
n mind, word and body. Similarly genuine peace cannot be obtained by merely know
ing and learning about Divine Self. You may even firmly believe that joy is pres
ent in these, but that is of no avail. You must dedicate your life to win that j
oy and experience it and enter upon the discipline needed to acquire it. Only th
en do you deserve the Grace of the Lord and from that, you receive eternal love
and peace.
- BABA
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4th January 2010
Unknowingly, you may create and develop in yourself an abounding variety of self
ish habits and attitudes that cause great discontent for you. The impulse for th
is comes from the power complex; the greed for power and riches. You may feel el
ated that you are very wealthy, talented and knowledgeable. From where did you a
cquire these? You may even claim that you earned all this through your own effor
ts, but surely, you received it from someone. The source from which all power or
iginates is Sarweshwara (Lord of All). Omnipotence belongs only to the Lord of a
ll beings. Ignoring the Omnipotence and deluding oneself that the little power t
hat one has acquired is one's own is indeed Ahamkara (conceit). Ahamkara causes
grief and must be uprooted from within. It will not subsist in an individual fil
led with genuine devotion, recognized by the characteristics of kindness, love,
patience, forbearance and gratefulness. Seek therefore, to develop these virtues
in you.
- BABA
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2nd January 2010
The blemishes of the heart have to be washed by the moral life and the discharge
of one's duty. A time may come when you become tired or weak, then you should p
ray thus: "Oh Lord, things have gone beyond my capacity. I feel further effort i
s too great a strain. Please give me strength." At first, God stands at a distan
ce, watching your efforts like the teacher who stands apart when the student wri
tes the answer to his questions. Then, when you shed your attachment to enjoymen
t and take to good deeds and service, God comes encouragingly near. For, He is l
ike the Sun God, who stands waiting outside a closed door. God does not announce
His presence or bang the door; He simply waits! When you open the door just a l
ittle, the sunlight rushes in and promptly drives out the darkness from within.
So too, when God's help is sought, He is present by your side, with His hands ex
tended to render assistance. All that is needed is the wisdom to remember Him an
d the discrimination to pray and ask Him.
- BABA
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29th December 2009
The questions that haunt us and pressurise us while we live- whence have we come
, to where are we proceeding, how did the universe originate, etc. All religions
try to answer these questions. Man has set down in all lands certain rules and
regulations in order to secure orderly and smooth running of his daily schedule
of activities, directed to the actual process of living. Since they have become
part of the code of conduct, they are also described as 'Discipline'.
- BABA
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27th December 2009
Man does not live by food alone. In fact he lives by the power of the Atma. So y
ou must use your strength of body and mind, wealth and education with intelligen
ce, in order to realize the power of the soul. Without discrimination, what is t
he use of physical strength? Everyday, when you take food, you are offering eata
bles to the fire that God has put in you to digest food. You have to eat in a pr
ayerful mood, in profound gratitude. The Gita says that the fire that cooked the
meal is God; the meal is God, the eater is God; the purpose of eating is to car
ry on the work entrusted by God, or pleasing to God; and the fruit of that work
is, progress towards God.
- BABA
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12th January 2010
You must understand the distinction between Education and Educare. Education is
information-oriented. Educare is transformation-oriented. Education is limited t
o physical and mental levels. Education has its roots in Educare. Educare is rel
ated to our inner feelings and purity of heart. Our speech, song and way of life
(Maata, Paata and Baata) should originate from the heart. That is the essence o
f Educare. Only those endowed with the practical knowledge and wisdom will be ab
le to understand and appreciate the concept of Educare. Even after acquiring a n
umber of degrees, if you lack purity in your heart, you cannot be called truly e
ducated.
- BABA
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19th January 2010
Every aspirant must strive to keep himself away from the turmoil, falsehood and
cruelties of the world, and practice truth, righteousness, love and peace at all
times. This is truly the path of devotion. Those who seek union with God must d
iscard as worthless both praise and blame, appreciation and derision, prosperity
and adversity. No great soul or even Avatar (Divine Incarnation) can ever escap
e criticism and blame. In such instances, they do not bend but hold on to the tr
uth. With this realization, immerse yourself in holy books and in the company of
 the devotees of the Lord. Desist from discussing your belief or conviction with
ignorant persons. When you are rich with the experience of realization and devo
tion, then you can mix freely and even endeavour to direct others to the truth y
ou have seen and experienced.
- BABA
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27th January 2010
Until devotion is fully developed, you must practice listening to scriptures and
singing God s glory, without any interruption. Sometimes, devotees deal with God
in a bargaining spirit or in the spirit of a businessman. This attitude should b
e given up. Whoever you may be, you should not ask from your beloved Lord anythi
ng other than devotion or love for Him. Uninterrupted flow of love towards the f
eet of the Lord is real surrender. Such surrender guarantees genuine and everlas
ting peace.
- BABA
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10th February 2010
Clay alone is real. How can a pot exist without clay? How can an effect exist se
parate from its cause? To the wise, it is the Divine Self that permeates everyth
ing and everyone. When such wisdom dawns, the darks shadows of the three types o
f Karma namely: Agama Karma (the consequences of our actions which are yet to co
me), Prarabdha Karma (the consequences of our current actions) and Sanchitha Kar
ma (consequences of cumulative actions from the past) will flee away from you, m
aking you pure and free! For, the will of God has no limits or exceptions. Resol
ve through your spiritual practices that you must win the Grace of the Lord. Do
not be discouraged on any score.
- BABA
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5th February 2010
When someone whose ways you do not appreciate comes near you, there is no need t
o find fault with him or her. There is no need either to laugh at them or show t
hem your contempt. It is enough if you continue to do your work unaffected by th
eir arrival. Let them follow their path, leave them alone. This is the attitude
of Udaseenabhava , the attitude of unaffectedness. When you practice and attain thi
s state of mind, you will have unchanging love for God. This attitude will besto
w on you everlasting peace, self-control and purity of mind.
- BABA
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Posted at 11:50:34 Hrs. IST on Feb 12, 2010
"I am Nataraja the dance master, the first among dancers. You are all dance pupils
. I alone know the agony of teaching you each step in the dance!"
-Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
On Shivarathri how fortunate and deserving one would be, to be in the precincts
of Prasanthi Nilayam that is blessed by the presence of Shiva himself in His phy
sical frame! Yet, are we ready to embrace this fact. Or, will it be conceived to
be a pseudo world that lures one with a temporary, so called, heaven? Well, it
is not an insignificant piece of information that is to be sidelined in favour
for the petty, ephemeral and mundane choices of the world. Instead, it is an awa
reness that one should accept and assimilate. Our being contemporaries of Sathya
 Sai Baba is neither a biological accident nor a mere co-incidence. It is His me
rciful compassion His love for mankind. As Bhagawan has mentioned time and again,
it is the good acts of many previous births that has brought us close to this di
vine phenomenon. So, let us reciprocate, remain vigil and be grateful...
When Bhagawan says He is Nataraja, it is not a claim, but a revelation the highest
Truth. Hence, a Shivarathri with Shiva serves as a reminder of the eternal link
between human and the Divine. This is the holy occasion when the jiva remembers
and adores Shiva, who is the Lord of all souls. And this has been so from the 1
940 s. Bhagawan has said: All that you find in this world, mobile and immobile, is
nothing but the Cosmic Dance of Shiva. This is wonderful, blissful and beyond hu
man comprehension
This foremost dance master, the constructor , who fondles and kindles the constructe
d , has come down in person, attracting millions and billions, making this festivi
ty of Shivarathri a real happening, a spiritual carnival on planet earth even th
ough the depth of this holy occasion is realised by ordinary mortals only to the
ir degree of understanding and perception. As Dr. V.K. Gokak has said in one of
the Shivarathri occasions in Prasanthi Nilayam, "We all feel one with each other
under the Fatherhood of God.
Maha Shivarathri, which means the Great Night of Shiva, falls on the Krishna Cha
thurdasi day which is the fourteenth day during the waning of the moon in the mo
nth of Megha, though in some years it may occur in Phalguna also.
The Legend
This festival has a unique tale that dates back to the ancient times. The legend
has it that in the ancient city of Srisailam a thief with a keen desire to plun
der a Shiva Temple went there with this intention and patiently waited behind th
e Lamp of the Lingam.' Crowds came and went and the hours passed on. At last when
everybody left the temple the thief was left alone but there was a cyclonic wea
ther! An unknown fear enveloped the thief suddenly and in spite of himself being
a thief, he started muttering Shiva, Shiva'! This little Japa proved sufficient.
In his great concentration in invoking Lord Shiva to protect him, the Lord appe
ared. And pleased with his devotion, Shiva liberated him!
How the festivity is celebrated?
This festivity adorns varied styles in different parts of the country. In the So
uth it is usually celebrated as a day of fasting and worship to Lord Shiva. At n
ight they break the fast and take food (non-cereals) that is offered to the Lord
. The whole night is spent in the invocation of Lord Shiva in various ways like
Akhanda Japam, Akhanda Bhajan etc. In the Malabar area of Kerala, this is celebr
ated more or less similarly, with slight variations, giving more importance to t
he fast and going through the various pujas with an elaborate evening function c
alled the 'Sheeveli'. During Sheeveli the deity (Lord Shiva) is adorned on top o
f a majestic temple elephant and taken in procession along with other elephants
around the Divine Abode. After this, the night would start, and people after wor
shipping and witnessing the ritual, would break their fast by taking the 'abhish
ekam' water of tender coconut.
In Benares, the Abode of Lord Viswanatha, the festivity reaches its climax when
thousands and thousands of Hindus of all shades, sects and sections throng, prac
tically transforming the ancient city into a 'Sea of Humanity'. On this day Lord
Viswanatha is practically covered with all the Bilwa leaves of India!
And in the Highest Abode of Peace, at Prasanthi Nilayam, the festivity takes a d
ifferent dimension and it has all the reasons to be so. What is so charismatic t
hat attracts millions and billions to this remote hamlet-turned-township in the
southern part of India?
Those who battle their way to Prasanthi Nilayam to be in the towering presence o
f Bhagawan know the pulsating feeling that the festivity of Shivarathri injects.
In the olden days
Shivarathri is supposedly one of the major festivals in Prashanti Nilayam that d
raw maximum assemblage of devotees and significantly it has valid reason, backin
g up the claim. Shivarathri of those days used to be completely different in sty
le from the festivity that is celebrated today. Bhagawan would hoist the Prasant
hi Flag atop the Prasanthi Mandir which would be followed by short discourses. I
nvariably, there used to be scholarly speeches by prominent personalities also w
ho would talk on the significance of fasting, the night vigil and the worship th
at was laid down by the Sastras as obli gatory on Shivaratri Day.
The Prasanthi Flag is symbolic of a successful sadhaka who achieves realisation
through the conquest of evil qualities namely, attachment, anger and jealousy et
c... and through the expansion of Love and the practice of Yoga they ascend thro
ugh various stages of Sadhana, resulting in the blossoming of the Lotus in his h
eart, and thereby attaining Pra-kanthi, Higher Illumination, Prasanthi, Highest
Tranquility and Param-Jyothi, the Higher Splendour of Realisation, merging his im
agined self into the Universal Self; conquering sleep, sloth, thamas and clamorou
s demands of the senses Rajas and winning the unshakable equipoises of the wise Satw
a. During one of the Shivarathri Divine Discourse, after hoisting the Prasanthi
Flag, while speaking on the symbolic significance of hoisting the flag, Bhagawan
exhorted that the flag should be hoisted over every heart, simultaneously with
the hoisting on the Prasanthi Nilayam Mandir. Those days there used to be a sea
of expectant faith in the vast open space in front of the Shanti Vedika (a newly
construc ted hexagonal Mantapam, with friezes of Gitopadesam and of Sita-Rama w
ith Lakshmana and Hanuman, and with the Sivalinga represented on every pillar) w
aiting to witness the grand hoisting ceremony.
About the mysterious Lingodbhavam
It is the Form emanating from the Formless. The Linga creates itself in Him; He c
reates Himself in the Linga.
- Prof. N. Kasturi
Browsing through the past editions of Sanathana Sarathi one would get a glimpse
of the unique Divine Phenomenon, Lingodhbavam of yester years. The then Editor-i
n-Chief and the chosen biographer of Bhagawan, Prof. N. Kasturi, had written abo
ut the Shivarathri of those days: Shivarathri is the festival which manifests mos
t of the God that Baba is. The miracle of the formation, in His stomach, of ston
e or metal spheroids during the week previous to the holy date, was enough to el
ectrify the atmosphere of Prasanthi Nilayam. Days ahead, a broad aura of dazzlin
g white with pink border enveloped Him wherever He was. He Himself announced tha
t the Lingam was growing, and if the growing pains were unusually perceptible, t
he number, He foretold, was more than one.
Every year, since 1940, when Bhagawan declared that He had come to restore Dharm
a and foster His Bhaktas, the indisputably Divine Emergence of the Linga, (one o
r many, emerald or crystal or silver) has happened on Maha Shivarathri night in th
e earlier days it would happen at round 9:00 p.m.
Quoting an incident wherein Prof. Kasturi prayed to Bhagawan for directions abou
t a cover design for the 1967 Shivarathri Special, Kasturi wrote referring to th
e All Religious Symbol that Bhagawan drew on the occasion as a response to his p
rayer, Baba says His Grace is so vast and limitless that He claims the whole worl
d to be His mission, every state being but a Hall within it. He continues, This i
s the reason for the emergence of the Linga from Him on Shivarathri, for the Lin
ga is the most universal symbol of God, the simplest, the most easy to comprehen
d and transcend.
Reminding one of the crucifixion that Jesus had taken upon Himself as the son of
God, for the benefit of humanity, this very form of God also goes through the or
deal in its minute detail enabling humanity to partake the highest benefit of thi
s most dignified spiritual drama of the modern age. Notwithstanding the travails
that would be expected during the olden days due to lack of proper transportati
on, lodging and other facilities, there used to be a congregation of anything b
etween twenty to thirty thousand people thronging in to celebrate Shivarathri in
His hallowed Divine Presence.
How observant how conscious how eager were the devotees ensuring that they would not
miss the most coveted Divine Melodrama? Read on the exhilarating, yet most inco
mprehensible account of the episode in 1969
The Divine ordeal was never a choice for the devotees but a compelling benediction i
ndeed a blessing in disguise
Excerpts from Sathyam Shivam Sundaram
Every year, since 1940 when He announced that He was Sai Baba 'come again', the
emergence of one Linga (or many) from His Body through His mouth has taken place
, during the Lingodbhava muhurtha (the auspicious moment for the exterior manife
station of the symbol of the all-pervasive Divine Principle). This is an inscrut
able mystery: how the Lingas of various types of stone or metal are formed withi
n Him and how they emerge at that particular moment, every year, calculated acco
rding to the ancient texts of Jothishasastra! Nine lingas, of 'silver' have come
out one year; in other years, there have emerged five or seven or three or two,
all in a lump or in succession. Until that illustrious moment, no one can prono
unce on the number, size, or composition of the lingas that are undergoing concr
etization in Him. It is all so normal, until the Lingodbhava muhurtha arrives.
"Until 1956, the Shivaratri all-night vigil and Bhajan could be held in the Pray
er Hall itself. Baba sat on the silver chair placed on over a tiger skin on a lo
w platform. When the slower hand of the clock hovered near eight, the Linga or L
ingas indicated the desire to emerge and Baba showed signs of physical struggle
to smoothen their way out. Year after year, 1 have stood on His left, holding si
lver jug of water. Seshagiri Rao stood on the right with a silver plate to recei
ve the Linga as it fell out. At predetermined moments, proceeding through the gu
llet, the Linga presented itself for public view and personal use. One year elev
en Lingas emerged in a row, one behind the other. Another year, there were nine.
He has given Me one of the nine. It is worshipped with Mantras prescribed in th
e scriptures. The Linga miracle does happen annually on every Shivaratri day whe
rever Baba happens to be.
On one Shivarathri Baba spoke for about forty minutes on the mind and its manifo
ld tactics to confuse and confound, and how man has to discover the strategy by
which it can be controlled and made subservient to the intellect, thereby leadin
g to the realization of the Atmic reality. Suddenly the gushing stream of superb
eloquence and supreme guidance was interrupted by gasps and gutterings - premon
itions of the emergence of the Lingam - which Baba endeavored to put down, a lit
tle while; then, He signaled for Bhajan to start and Himself sat on the chair, b
ehind the table. No one heard the Bhajan, though they were mechanically uttering
the words in the tune allotted to them. For, the crucial moment was fast approa
ching and no one in the gathering wanted to miss it. All senses were now concent
rating their efficiency on the eye, so as not to miss the Divine Event!
Baba was under the flood lights, squirming, turning, twisting, sitting forward a
nd leaning backward, sipping water and showing signs of exhaustion, all parts of
the amazing Drama that He was now allowing these thousands to witness, so that
they may stand witness in their own lives to the glory of being contemporaneous
with the Avatar! Fifty thousand eyes were focused on that serene Mouth - for ove
r fifteen long laborious minutes! "Ah! It has emerged, in one leap; a blue shaft
of light, was it? No it was the blue Lingam oval shaped, oval sized gem, celebr
ated in the Sastras as specially sacred, on account of the color and the size."
It has fallen from His mouth into the cupped palm of Baba. He held the Wonder in
his Hand, high in the light, to be seen better by the vast gathering, now in th
e height of Bliss.
Baba continued sitting in the chair. He would, usually, descend from the Dais on
the Santhi Vedika and move into the Nilayam; but, He sat in the chair and remai
ned motionless. We thought that another Lingam may emerge after a little while.
But, no! He was getting stiffer, and motionless. The right hand was lying flat o
n the table. The left was erect, the elbow fixed on the table, fingers near the
eye, the head was slightly inclined to the left, the thumb held apart, the ring
finger and the little finger folded, and the other two straight up - the breathi
ng was slow; it became slower.
Who dare touch Him? Who had the courage to draw His attention away from the plac
e or mission on which He had gone? I was sitting on the left of the chair and Dr
. Bhagavantham and Dr. Bhaskaran Nair on the right. Five minutes sped by - I exp
ected Him to return from wherever He had gone. For, this is special occasion, wh
ere anxious souls were getting alarmed. At no time previous had He left His Body
on a transcorporeal journey when so many were looking on!
But, His Compassion knows no limitations of festival or gatherings. When the dev
otee calls out in agony He rushes to his side, whoever may be with Him or whatev
er the work he is engaged in, at that time. On other occasions, He has fallen on
to the floor, but this unusual posture amazed everyone; anxiety was imprinted u
pon each face.
After twenty minutes, I could restrain myself no more. I leaned towards Him on m
y knees and, in a subdued voice called 'Swami! Swami!', as if He would come back
when we call, from where He had gone in response to the sincere yearning of som
e one in pain. His mission of Bhaktharakshana knows no bounds of class, creed or
nationality. He blesses, whatever be the name by which He is called.

Thirty minutes ... all eyes were now watching the face for the slightest sign of
any movement; they prayed as never before ... The fortitude of the devotees was
being transformed into nervousness ... the hand was stiff, upright, the finger
did not jerk or come together... the angle of the head was the same since the pa
st fifty minutes.
One or two from the Bhajan party came on to the dais ... a few began to weep, he
re and there ... courage faltered before the onslaught of concern!
Fifty five ... Ah ... a slight movement of the fingers ... of the left hand! The
hand came down ... I broke into tears ... His eyes opened ... He saw! He smiled
!
Fear and doubt vanished shamefacedly from the gathering. Baba rose ... the fatef
ul minutes were over!
Baba went into the Nilayam, and when some of us, including Dr. Bhagavantham foll
owed Him, He said that He had gone on a Manasa-sanchara, round the World!
He went in order to give signs in every home or hall where Sivarathri was celebr
ated that hour, that the Lord is here, that His Grace is available in plenty for
all who need it, and pray for it, with pure and sincere faith. He showers mercy
; and they become humble, wise, victorious.
What we were privileged to see that night was the sight of Baba journeying far a
nd wide to confer peace, to foster the erring brood of willful, peevish, half-bl
ind children, into ways of justice, peace, love and righteousness. He was conver
ting the Rathri of Rajas and Thamas that was darkening the horizon of man into t
he Sivam, the splendor of love and joy. We saw two Udbhavas (oncomings) that day
- the Lingodbhava and the Premodbhava.
In an apparent reference to the skeptic minds, unable to assimilate the phenomen
on called Lingodhbavam, Bhagawan aired a word of caution. He said: "Why do you d
iscuss and debate among yourselves about My nature, My Mystery, My miracle, My r
eality? Fish cannot gauge the sky; the gross can grasp only the gross. The eye c
annot see the ear, though it is so near. When you cannot reach down to your own
reality, why waste time trying to explore the essence of God? You are like a Tel
ugu audience sitting through a Tamil picture or a Malayali sitting through a Jap
anese picture. The nuances, the subtler significances, the deeper meanings and i
nter-relationships, the inner patterns of the fabric, are beyond his understandi
ng. Sit through the entire film; master the language and the technique; watch ea
rnestly and vigilantly and try to imbibe the meaning of every gesture and act an
d word; then, you may know Me, a little."
The gathering of 20 or 25 thousand sit expectant and worshipful, listening to th
e discourses by Pundits on some scriptural text or spiritual discipline. The tal
ks are mostly on Siva, the Aspect of the Godhead that destroys the basic ignoran
ce, that awards enlightenment, overwhelms the accumulated consequences of the pa
st, and wipes off all traces of one's ancestry, in order to cleanse the mighty s
tream, called the mind. When the Pundits have finished, Baba takes up the trend
and sweetens the programme with one of His inimitable discourses. At some point
during that discourse or at the end of it, during the Bhajan sessions which Baba
leads with a few songs, people become aware of His slight cough which, as many
of them know, is the harbinger of the precious Linga. The empyrean eloquence is
interrupted off and on, by gasps until the internal thrust can no longer be chec
ked. Then, amidst the paean of Praise, Om Namah Sivaya, [Om, I bow with devotion
for Siva] rising from many thousands of hearts, the Lingas travel to the mouth
and fall on to a silver plate. Baba invariably holds them aloft for all to see a
nd revere; they are kept for public view the whole night and in the morning, Bab
a takes them in His Palm and passes along the serried ranks of bhakthas, who are
stunned by the size which could not, without a miracle, pass through the tiny p
assage of His throat.
In 1966, after about 20 minutes of swaying and heaving, gasping and coughing, in
order to ease the passage, an emerald Linga, three inches high, fixed on a pede
stal five inches broad, that had formed itself in Him emerged from His mouth, to
the unspeakable joy and relief of the huge gathering, which was watching His fa
ce with single pointed attention.
In 1965, fifteen to eighteen thousand people watched this unique and solemn proc
ess in deep silence and tension; their eyes as riveted on the spare resplendent
figure on the dais. The tension mounted to a climax, as a shining smooth, transp
arent Linga, emerged from His Mouth, its green sheen almost dazzling the eyes -
a symbol of Brahmanda, the Universe over which Siva keeps eternal vigil; it was
a symbol of something too infinite, too stupendous, for our little minds to gras
p. Its green glory moved us into tears of joy and gratitude, it spoke to us of t
he beauty and light that resides in every thing and being, in the star-studded s
ky and the human heart.
Mahashivarathri, 1970! A flood of devotees flowed into Prasanthi Nilayam. There
was tremendous rush, but, absolute silence. Baba told the young men and women of
the Seva Dals, selected by the Sathya Sai Seva Samithis from the different Stat
es of India, "You yearn to do some Seva in My Name, don't you? Well I have a tho
usand heads, eyes and feet! The Vedas proclaim that God is 'Sahasra Seershaa Pur
ushah,' 'He has a thousand heads!' The thousands who have come here, the aged, t
he children, the diseased, the afflicted - they are all Me. Serve them, you serv
e Me!"
Baba hoisted the flag on the Nilayam, and said that loyalty to higher truths has
to be built up from childhood, even through the lessons learnt while in the mot
her's lap. At noon the creation of the huge stream of Vibhuti caused wonder and
amazement, even to those who know that it was part of the Sivarathri Festival.
Baba's compassion led Him to begin His discourse with a Sanskrit verse, meaning,
"I am not a human being nor a god or a superman. I am neither a Brahmin, nor a
Ksatriya, nor a Vaisya nor a Sudra! Then you may ask Me who I am. Well, I am the
Teacher of Truth; I am Truth, Goodness, and Beauty!"
During the discourse the Linga that was growing in the stomach of Baba since abo
ut a week announced itself as ready to emerge, and so Baba sat on the chair. The
huge gathering sensed the cosmic undertones of the movement and sang with eager
excitement a song in praise of Shiva, the God represented by the Linga, for who
m Sivarathri was dedicated.
Fifteen minutes later, a heavy oval Linga of a substance akin to an opal came up
and out; the enormous gathering shouted Jai in adoration and uncontrollable bli
ss, when Baba held it in His hand for all to see. Throughout the night, the Bhaj
an continued, the divine offspring was placed in full view of all, so that it ma
y inspire them in their vigil and fast.
Prof. Kasturi writes in Bhagawan s biograpahy, a beautiful incident that had happe
ned during the epoch making Divine Visit to the North Indian Pilgrim spots Varan
asi and Badrinath. Baba visited the foremost Saivite shrine of India, Varanasi a
nd the foremost Vaishnava shrine, Badrinath in 1961 in order to infuse spiritual
power in those dynamos of Grace. At Varanasi, He created a unique jewel to be p
laced on the idol of Visweswara declaring that it has the mystic might to charge
that symbol of the Lord with Divine potency. At Badrinath, He drew from under t
he present Narayana image, a Nethra-linga which according to Him was brought fro
m Mount Kailasa (!) and ceremonially installed there, by no less a person than S
ankaracharya about twelve hundred years ago! This Nethralinga when it emerged at
the call of Baba, created a chapter in history; a Linga as the basis of the cel
ebrated Vaishnava shrine was a welcome reminder of the basic harmony of Saivites
and Vaishnavites. .. and more to come Bhagawan revealed that the particular linga
was one of the five lingas Shankaracharya had brought from Kailasa and installe
d in India
As is the biblical saying, a simple man believes anything, but a prudent man giv
es thought to his step, there was one scholarly person whose intellectual brain
wanted an authentic proof from the scriptures to vouchsafe what was revealed by
Bhagawan Kasturi ji goes on record saying that the person who wanted to testify t
he revelation of Bhagawan got a reply from the Sringeri Math, the monastery esta
blished by Shankaracharya, that mention was made about the lingams in the Sivara
hasya Mathethihas. In the XVI chapter of the IX Section of this book, it is said
that Lord Siva welcomed Sankara at Kailas and blessed him with the words, "You
are marked out for the establishment in the world of the true teaching of the Ve
das, viz., Adwaitha. Spend 32 years of your earthly existence spreading this fai
th and overwhelming those who decry or deny it. Accept these five Lingas that I
am giving you now. Worship them with the Panchakshari and with Satharudrabhishek
a. Offer the sacred Bilva leaf and Ash and recite the holy Pranava. Complete you
r three Tours of Victory dispelling the darkness of Dwaitha and then, install th
ese Lingas from this thrice-holy Kailasa, marked by the effulgence of the Cresce
nt, named Yoga Bhoga Vara Mukthi and Moksha, in sacred sites chosen by you, befo
re you shed this mortal frame at Kanchipuram." So, the story of the Linga at Bad
rinath was authentic!
This Shiva of the present age has a special mission and He has revealed the same
while materialising the Nethralinga. Baba announced that the Nethralinga was th
e original nucleus which had to be "energized" by Him (with suitable rites and c
eremonial ablutions with the sacred waters of the Gangothri, the golden Bilva le
aves and the actual Thumme flowers which He miraculously procured on the spot) e
ven the Trustees of the Badrinath temple were pleasantly surprised!
A similar feat was performed in the ancient Mallikarjuna Temple at Srisailam. Wh
ile inside the innermost shrine, Baba showered on the Mallikarjuna, golden thumm
e (Leucas Linifolia) flowers which He created on the spot by a wave of His Hand.
That was the ceremonial rite of multiplying the potency and improving the sanct
ity of the focus of worship.
Who else could one expect to perform such a feat, pulling out the Lingam that or
iginated at Kailasha which was sent with a mission by the Lord of all Lords, and
ceremonially installed over a millennium ago, by the Great Shankaracharya himse
lf? Who else would you expect could see through the base of the holy idol at the
most revered temple at Badrinath? Whom else would you qualify to empower, to mu
ltiply the potency of an idol that had a legend which dates back to ancient time
s and has millions of worshippers? Even a mystic yogi would not be qualified to s
how up with such a rare feat and it could be expected only from the One who presid
es over the very holy shrine at Badrinath or Srisailam
In 1963, Sai declared: "I have been keeping back from you all these years one se
cret about Me; the time has come when I can reveal it to you. This is a sacred d
ay. I am Siva-Sakthi," He declared, "born in the gothra of Bharadwaja, according
to a boon won by that sage from Siva and Sakthi. Shiva Himself was born in the
gothra of that sage as Sai Baba of Shirdi; Siva and Sakthi have incarnated as My
self in his gothra now; Shakthi alone will incarnate as the third Sai (Prema Sai
Baba) in the same gothra in Mysore State." of course the Divine Gestures were m
uch more in the years followed by and the word of caution was indeed an advice to
be ever focussed alert to catch the glimpses of Divinity uncovered over the years in g
reater proportions in varied fashion
The festival of Mahasivarathri in 1971 was celebrated on 23rd February. Though P
rasanthi Nilayam gets overcrowded during that time, the peace of that Abode is m
aintained, due to the holy rays emanating from that holiest of places. Speaking
from Santhivedika, Baba raised a very interesting question and answered it Himse
lf. "Why does Swami produce the Linga from Himself this day? Let me tell you tha
t it is impossible to understand the attributes of the Divine. You cannot measur
e Its potentialities, nor gauge the significance of Its Mahima; it is Agamya: un
reachable, Agochara: un-understandable. Because of these, you get an example of
Divine attributes. In order to bear witness to this Divinity that is amidst you,
for your benefit and benediction, the Linga emerges. If even these glimpses are
denied, faith in the Supreme will vanish and an atmosphere of greed, hatred, cr
uelty, violence and irreverence will overwhelm the good, the humble and the piou
s."
In a discourse on Shivarathri a few years ago, Baba recited a verse, such as He
is used to composing and reciting at the commencement of a discourse, in which H
e recounted the aims and purposes of His own Avatâr at Puttaparthi. "Vâsudeva, who l
ives in all has come in this body at Puttaparthi to show to the Kali age the pat
h of truth; to eliminate hate and greed; to save the good and humble from pain a
nd shame; to reveal the significance that lies obscured in ancient texts; to des
troy the pomp and pride of little men; and to redeem the pledge of Grace given t
o mankind." He has declared that He is the Divine Essence that is known and wors
hipped in many Names and Forms all over the world.
On various types of Lingas, the Earth Principle Linga, the Water Principle Linga
, the Fire Principle Linga, the Wind Principle Linga and the Sky Principle Linga
:
He spoke of the places sanctified by the installation of these Lingas and referr
ing to the Akasa Linga in a temple, He explained that the Linga there hangs in m
id-air with no support! Devotees stared in awe for they could not understand how
this could happen, and continue to happen. Baba explained that the Linga is of
some ferrous material and that two magnets, one on top, on the underside of the
roof and another fixed on the floor, exercise equal and opposite pulls on the Li
nga, so that it remains in the center, in mid-air, without support. Then, He ask
ed, "O! Do you desire to see it? I can dislodge it from the pulls and bring it h
ere!" Saying so, He waved His Hand and Lo! The egg-shaped ferrous ball was in th
e Hand. It was passed from one person to another until all had the feel of it an
d the thrill. Then Baba wrapped it in a kerchief and gave it to a young man to b
e kept with him. The entire group of three hundred sat for dinner on the sands,
with Baba in their midst, joking and keeping every one in the best of spirits. I
t was about eleven at night when the launches returned to Rajahmundry. The young
man was shocked to find the ferrous Lingam gone!
Some of us prefer as the symbol of God, neither Fire, nor Sun, nor the Living La
borious Brother called Banyan Tree, but the Linga. During Dasara, a pundit can b
e seen on the altar at the Auditorium shaping 1000 Lingas every day, and after w
orshiping them with utmost devotion rolling the black clay back into a ball, for
use the next day! The permanent static base, pure existence, is Shiva. Its proj
ection as dynamic energy is Sakthi. Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi used to write an 'O
' at the beginning of the letter he sent to people, says Yogi Shuddhananda Bhara
thi. Maharshi explained it as the Lingam, the symbol of the ultimate principle w
hich is beyond the triple entities of life, world and God!
The 17th of 1970 was an epoch-making day. Baba 'charged the Somanath Shrine' tha
t day with Divine potency. He also fulfilled the prayers of the late Jamsahed of
Nawanagar, the person primarily responsible for the renovation of that historic
temple, by visiting the place and allowing His Name to be associated with a str
ucture that is a limb of that complex. The Rajamata succeeded in persuading Baba
to inaugurate the imposing architectural gem called Dig Vijaya Dwar (after Sri
Digvijaya Singh, the late Jamsaheb), the Gateway of Victory.
This temple is situated on a spot celebrated in the Vedas and Epics. The shrine
is of Shiva, as Sauma, with Uma, as Shiva-Sakthi. Baba has come as Shiva-Sakthi
in human form to charge the ancient shrine with Divine potency. The Shivayogis w
ho specialized in Soma Vidya and the followers of the Pasupatha cult founded by
sage Lakulisa about 200 AD, spread the fame of this temple from sea to sea. They
established Somanaths with Somesvara Shrines all over the land, in Ratnagiri, E
ast Godavari, Purnea, Jodhpur, Mysore, and South Kanara Districts.
Somanath was one of the richest temples of India. When the Muslims conquered and
ruled over the Punjab and Sindh, it attracted the plunderers. Depredation, dese
cration, destruction, reconstruction and rededication became recurring chapters
of its long history. The infamous raid by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026 AD was the th
ird in the long list of catastrophes. The fifth temple too met with a similar fa
te, at the hands of the rulers of Delhi.
On Diwali Day, 1947, when the Indian Army entered Nawabdom of Junagadh and liber
ated the pathetically dilapidated pile of stone recognized by many as Somanath,
it was rescued from those who could not appreciate the value and validity of ido
ls, images and symbols of the Unknown and the Unknowable. Sardar Vallabhbhai Pat
el announced that day, amidst the joyous roar of the waves of human and saline s
eas, "We have decided that Somanath should be reconstructed. This is a holy task
 in which all should participate."
The new temple (named Mahameru Prasad, like the previous ones) was planned close
ly on the basis of the earlier temples and now, the Gopuram, the main gateway th
rough which seekers would enter into the portals of Jyothirlinga, was to be inau
gurated by Someswara, come in human form: Shiva-Sakthi, come as Sathya Sai!
Baba declared that He would reveal, that day the genuine Somanath! This declarat
ion filled us with wonder and enthusiastic exuberance. So all roads converging f
rom Jamnagar to Somanath were shouting Jais in exhilaration. Baba was received a
t the decorated Shamiana in front of the Digvijayadwar by the trustees of the So
manath temple, as well as by the high officers of the District and States. Amids
t strains of temple music, He walked on the red carpet laid on the steps, and op
ened the lock on the artistically carved and silver-embossed door with a silver
key. Then, He proceeded along the festooned pathway, between rows of fresh banan
a trees, to the main shrine of Someshwar, the focal point of the faith of millio
ns for millennia!
He entered the holy of holies; Brahmin Pandits were reciting Vedic Hymns which r
everberated from the arched and conical roof, from the finial 150 feet above the
ground! He directed that a plate be brought. He spread the fingers of His right
hand and shook it over the plate, 108 silver Bilva leaves and 108 golden flower
s fell from His hand in a clinking shower. They were reverentially touched by de
votees 'for it is on their behalf and for their sake that the process of 'chargi
ng the 3 feet high Lingam' was being undertaken by Him. This Lingam had been rec
ently installed, when Babu Rajendra Prasad, President of India, inaugurated the
Temple. He poured the leaves of silver and flowers of gold on the Linga, as He h
ad done at Srisailam when He was set on revitalizing the Linga there. It was lik
e Ganga water poured into the stream of the Ganga.
Within seconds, He waved that Divine hand! Lo and behold, a ball of brilliant li
ght manifested in His palm. I was at that time reciting within myself the Dwadas
a-Jyothirlinga-Stotram, the verses in praise of the twelve "Lingas of Light" whi
ch every Hindu is exhorted to remember reverentially. The twelve include Viswesa
or Varanasi, Kedarnath in the Himalayas, Rameswaram in the extreme south, Srisa
ilam in Andhra Pradesh, Mahakala at Ujjaini and Tryambaka in Nasik. But the very
first in the list is "Sowrashtra Somanatha," Somanath of Sowrashtra. The Somana
tha Linga is the only one of the twelve which is adored as Jyothirmayam, "Imbued
with the splendor of light." And, Baba had the "Linga of Light" right now in Hi
s grasp! What a great moment was this, I wondered.
Then I remembered Baba's announcement: "I shall show you the genuine Somesvara L
inga today!" so, this was It, the Genuine One, installed, as legend says, by Bra
hma Himself, and worshiped by the Moon-God, the God who presides over the mind o
f man.
In a pamphlet issued by the tourist department, it is said that Skanda Purana me
ntioned thousands of years ago that "the Sparsa Linga of Somanath is a 'Swayam-B
hu' (self-originated) Linga, of great prowess, as bright as the sun, of the size
of an egg of a hen, which is situated underground." It is a characteristic of V
ayu, air. These are the other Lingas representing the other four elements: Akash
, Tejas, water and earth.
So the oval ball of light in His hand was the authentic Somesvara He had resolve
d to bring up from its underground niche, kept away since many centuries from de
predation and desecration. The Sparsa (touch) Lingam was nestling for centuries
under the Linga in the Shrine. This information was given to us by Baba, as well
as by the priests and trustees. Baba waved His hand again and created a silver
stand on which it could be placed. He gave it to the chief priest, "Let it be in
the full light of day hereafter! Let pious eyes admire its brilliance and impri
nt its glory on their hearts. There is no need any more to keep it away. The ava
tar has come to remove all fear," Baba declared.
To make the triumphant emergence of Somesvara, Baba unfurled the flag on the tow
ering finial over the central shrine. Thousands acclaimed 'Jai Bhagwan' as He ga
ve Darsan on the temple steps. Baba left for Rajendra Bhavan at Veeraval and at
2 p.m. He motored to Keshod aerodrome from where He enplaned for Bombay. Over 30
,000 devotees were awaiting the arrival of Baba at Dharmakshetra, Bombay.
A poem:
To Kailash
Here was a mountain a huge, white, snowy expanse. I stood at its foot. What vastne
ss! Miles and miles of engulfing white, disappearing beyond my sight. In that cl
oud of pure stillness, I stood at its foot. But, somehow, I was not lonely. Ther
e was life: breath and life. Life in every granular snow I saw. How? I do not kn
ow. I looked up and, up in those heights was that ultimate truth. Up above the wo
rld so high , for ages it had been sung the glory and the beauty of that which is hi
gh and beyond. And from it I picked the essence, the truth we cherish It to be. An
d so, up and beyond my imagination, I walked. Walked through those mental lanes,
to see the glory I had wanted to see.
I climbed the mountain and stepping into that snow, I sank, I eased. Hey, I expe
cted solid below! But What shall I say? It was soft liquid, no, wait it was milk. Sn
ow as light as milk! I put my next foot forward. Milk again. I sank peacefully u
p to my knee. And thus I stepped, the next foot and the next, and up that milky
path I climbed to the truth. With every step I took I breathed-in the silence an
d gasped in anticipation to see that long-sung-glory.
As I climbed, there was a light a crescent. Its rays, they were bright yet calm in
the distance. A glow rather than a ray. And the higher up I climbed, on a mound
it perched. A mound or rather a mound on a mound. And then, there was water fal
l beside, a gigantic fall!
Hey wait! It s it! I accelerated up exclaiming And behold!
Immense in stature, tranquil, silent,
Look! He rested cross-legged on a height.
The atmospheric grandeur, the energy, the love,
No word can capture, no film shall display.
The sight, the thought, the breath, the power,
The only sound, the fall of Ganges.
The only sound, listen: frothing and bubbling,
It s mother, peace and nothing else.
And that light, Oh! The moon I had known,
So near are you to this blissful bliss!
Illuminating this aura within your shine,
Oh God, what grandeur, what love, what beauty!
The very posture, serene to the eye,
There was coolness around, a breeze.
A breeze around, a breeze within,
Every joint exuded love.
The hair, the curls, how perfect, how calm.
Untroubled to the minutest.
A meditation through years, through yugas in time,
The peace, can you measure, the immensity of it?
I saw, I felt, but there was much, much more,
The completeness definitely I failed to realize.
Calm and soothing, his eyes were in prayer,
The lids, there was light from within those lashes,
Light around, light within, I bowed in obeisance,
Bowed up to my foot.
Was there a stillness as lovely as this,
The air I breathed, it had love in it!
Thus lighted in love, I devoured the sight,
My mind kept wavering, I wanted to hold,
The scene, was it blurring, shivering, oh, its gone,
Left to myself Om Namah Shivayah!
What aura, power, there is so much unknown!
But sure, dear Shambo, I know it from heart,
There is love up there, love, peace, love!
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17th February 2010
Twenty hammer-strokes might not succeed in breaking a rock; the twenty first str
oke might break it. But does that mean that the twenty blows were of no avail? N
o, each of those twenty strokes contributed its share to the final success. The
final result was the cumulative effect of all the twenty one strokes. Infuse eve
ry moment of your life with love for God. Then, evil tendencies will not hamper
your path. The object of all spiritual practices is the annihilation of the mind
and some day, some good deed will succeed in annihilating it completely. This t
riumph is the result of all the good deeds done in the past. So, never give up a
nd, remember, no good deed will be a waste!
- BABA
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10
When one desires to rid coal of its black colour, what can soap and water do? No
r can washing it in milk help. The only means is to put it in a fire. That will
turn it into a heap of white ash. In the same manner, when one is anxious to des
troy the darkness of ignorance and the dirt of desire, the knowledge of the Self
is required. Darkness can be ended only with the help of Light. We cannot overw
helm darkness by attacking it with more darkness. Knowledge of the Self is the i
llumination that one needs to destroy the inner darkness. Each one of you must w
in it for yourself through steady faith and ardent devotion.
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10
While struggling in the spiritual path, you must take the Lord Himself as your p
rotector. To instill courage in the child, the mother persuades the child to wal
k a few steps and turn about, but she will not allow it to fall. If it totters a
nd is about to lose balance, she hurries from behind it and holds it before it f
alls. God too has his eyes fixed on you, His devotee. He has in His hand the str
ing with which He holds you like a kite. The string is the bond of love and grac
e. He may give it a pull and sometimes, He may loosen the hold. Whatever He does
, be confident and carefree, for it is He who holds you and gives you the streng
th.
- BABA
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6th March 2010
Veda is the name for a mass of Divine Knowledge. They teach the truth that canno
t be revised or reversed by the passage of time through three periods - past, pr
esent and future. Vedas are a collection of words that are truth, which were vis
ualized by sages who had attained the capacity to receive them in their enlighte
ned awareness. Vedas are really the very breath of God. The unique importance of
Vedas rest in this fact: Vedas confer peace and security on the entire society.
They ensure welfare and happiness for the whole world.
- BABA
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3rd March 2010
Your daily duties (Samskaras) make or mar your life. These are the steps that ta
ke all beings to their goals. The evil actions you perform result in loss and gr
ief. Through good actions alone you can attain the Lord. So every individual mus
t be wholly engaged in doing good tasks. Performing your duties sincerely is the
authentic form of worship. It is the best form of remembering the Lord. It is t
he highest Bhajan. It spreads love without any distinction or difference. Your d
aily duties are nothing but acts of service. Be engaged in them, remembering uni
nterruptedly, the goal of reaching the Lord. This is the royal road to your succ
ess.
- BABA
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18th April 2010
Work done with no concern or desire for the profit therefrom, purely out of love
or from a sense of duty, is Yoga. Such work destroys your animal nature and wil
l transform you into a Divine Being. Serve others, visualizing them as Divine So
uls. That will help your progress and will save you from sliding down the spirit
ual stage you've attained. Service is far more salutary than even vows and worsh
ip. Service disintegrates the selfishness latent in you and opens your heart wid
e. It makes your heart blossom.
- BABA
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17th April 2010
Those devoid of Pure Love are sub-humans. The holy quality of Love is that it is
ever present; not something which manifests off and on. Love is one and indivis
ible. Those saturated with Love are incapable of spite, selfishness, injustice,
wrong and misconduct. Those who trample on Love and consider inferior qualities
as important should destroy their evil qualities. Bad conduct and habits distort
your humanness. Hearts filled with the nectar of Love indicate genuineness. You
must possess Love that is unsullied, unselfish, devoid of impurity and that whi
ch is demonstrated continuously.
- BABA
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15th April 2010
A 'manava' (human being) is soft, sweet and immortal, whereas 'danavas' (Demonic
-natured persons) are merciless, lawless and have no sweetness in them. They may
 look like good people; however bereft of kindness and righteousness, how can th
ey be called as human beings? Good human beings are those, who engage themselves
in soft and sweet deeds of kindness, righteousness, and tread the path of love
and truth. Their good nature is resplendent and reflects on their faces which be
am with joy at all times.
- BABA
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25th April 2010
Your devotion to God has to be continuous, uninterrupted, like the flow of oil f
rom one vessel to another. You may have observed that the young monkey relies on
its own strength to protect itself. Wherever its mother might jump, it has to a
ttach itself fast to the mother's belly and should not release its hold, even if
pulled apart. So too, as a devotee you must stand the test at the hands of the
Lord and hold on to the Lord's Name at all times and under all conditions, tirel
essly, without the slightest trace of dislike or disgust, bearing ridicule, crit
icism of the world and overcoming the feelings of shame and defeat. Practice of
devotion of this kind is called Markatakishora Marga. Prahlada, a great child de
votee of the Lord, practiced this kind of devotion.
- BABA
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24th April 2010
Vidya (true knowledge) impels one to pour into the sacrificial fire one's narrow
ego and foster in its place, universal Love, which is the foundation for the su
perstructure of spiritual victory. Unbounded Love purifies and sanctifies the mi
nd. Let your thoughts centre around God, the feelings and emotions be holy, and
activities be the expression of selfless service. Let the mind, the heart and th
e hand be thus saturated with goodness. True education must accomplish this task
of sublimation. Service rendered to another, has to confer full joy in all ways
. Vidya must emphasize that in the name of service, no harm, or pain or grief sh
ould be inflicted on another.
- BABA
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23rd April 2010
If you want to be a devotee, you must surrender completely to the Lord. Mere rea
ding of scriptures is of no avail. One can experience joy only as a result of ac
tion. To have devotion, there is no restriction on caste, creed or gender. For t
he Lord's mission, the kinship with Him is attained only on account of devotion.
Of what use is it to have status, wealth and character without loving devotion
to the Lord? Like the cloud that does not bear rain, but wanders in the sky, peo
ple without devotion are at the mercy of the winds, irrespective of their caste
or wealth, power and fame they possess.
- BABA
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22nd April 2010
Prompted by the urge to advance the progress of others, you must dedicate your w
ealth, skill, position and status for the wellbeing of all. Then, you will becom
e truly great. You must fulfill unfailingly, the vow of selfless service. If you
are conscious of your basic duties and obligations, and spend your days in carr
ying them out, you will be in supreme peace, wherever you are. Through your infl
uence, your neighborhood too, will share that peace.
- BABA
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21st April 2010
Anyone who is engaged in meditation, spiritual practices and is imbued with self
-control and discipline is dear to the Lord. Such devotees will also epitomize f
aith, patience, comradeship, kindness, joy and have unalloyed love for God. They
possess discrimination, humility, wisdom and renunciation, and are always aware
of their inner Self. They are constantly immersed in the contemplation of Leela
s (Divine play). Whoever dwells on Lord's Name at all times and under all condit
ions, and sheds tears of Love when the Lord's Name is heard from any lip, know t
hem to be genuine devotees.
- BABA
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20th April 2010
Whoever assigns his wealth, strength, intellect and devotion towards the promoti
on of humankind is worthy of reverence. They are those who are born for a noble
purpose. They observe the holy vow of service, unsullied by thoughts of self. Th
is ideal of service and the urge to practice it forms the very heart of educatio
n. This is Pure Love in its chief manifestation. God loves those individuals who
undertake activities for the benefit of other people, as His dear children. The
se are ideal brothers and sisters for their countrymen.
- BABA
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3rd May 2010
A farmer clears and levels the land, removes the stones and thorns, ploughs and
prepares the field, manures and nourishes the soil, waters and applies fertilize
rs on it. Then he sows the seeds and transplants the saplings. This is followed
by the process of weeding and spraying of pesticides. Finally, after a long wait
, he reaps the harvest. Once the crop is harvested, he then winnows it, threshes
it and finally stacks the produce. All these various processes are for the sake
of feeding the stomach. So too, one must feel that hunger, thirst, joy and sorr
ow, grief and loss, suffering and anger, food and appetite are but impulses that
impel us towards attaining the Presence of the Lord. If you have this attitude,
no sin will ever tarnish your actions. Over time, these impulses too will vanis
h, without a trace.
- BABA
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10th May 2010
Eating food is a holy ritual, a Yajna. It should not be performed during moments
of anxiety or emotional upheavals. Food should be considered as medicine for th
e illness of hunger and as the sustenance for life. Treat each trouble you encou
nter as a fortunate opportunity to develop your strength of mind and toughen you
spiritually.
- BABA
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12th May 2010
In the garden of your heart, you must plant and foster the rose of Divinity, the
jasmine of humility and the lily of generosity. In your medicine chest, you mus
t keep in readiness, the tablets of discrimination, drops of self-control and th
ree key powders of faith, devotion and patience. Through the use of these drugs,
you can escape the serious illness called Ajnana (ignorance).
- BABA
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13th May 2010
In this world, there is no penance higher than fortitude, no happiness greater t
han contentment and no blessing holier than mercy and no weapon more effective t
han patience. Devotees should consider the body as a field, the good deeds as se
eds and cultivate the Name of the Lord. Take the help of the Heart as the farmer
in order to get the harvest - which is the Lord Himself. Like cream in the milk
, fire in the fuel, the Lord is in everything. Have full faith in this.
- BABA
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14th May 2010
There are many destructive forces in the world. But, luckily along with them, th
ere are also constructive forces. As students of Vidya (True Knowledge) you shou
ld not turn yourself into worshippers of bombs and machines. You must transform
yourself into active persons, worshipping the Divine. Authority and power are po
werful intoxicants. They will pollute one until he/she is completely destroyed.
They breed misfortune. But, genuine knowledge will confer on you fullness and fo
rtune.
- BABA
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17th May 2010
Miserliness is like the behavior of a dog. It has to be transformed. Anger is th
e first enemy of every aspirant. And untruth - it is even more disgusting! Throu
gh untruth, all the vital powers are destroyed! Thievery ruins life, it makes th
e priceless human life cheaper than a pie. Moderate food, moderate sleep, love a
nd fortitude - these will help in the upkeep of the health of both body and mind
. Whoever you are, whatever condition you may be in, if you give no room for dis
piritedness and fear, remember the Lord with unshaken faith and without any ulte
rior motive, all suffering and sorrow will fall away from you!
- BABA
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21st May 2010
If Vedanta (Vedic Philosophy) is spoken parrot-like to others without any attemp
t to put it into practice in one's own conduct, it is not just deceiving others
but deceiving oneself, which is even worse. Therefore you must be as you want ot
hers to be. It is not the nature of a Sadhaka (spiritual aspirant) to search for
faults in others and hide his/her own. If your faults are pointed out to you by
anyone, do not argue and try to prove that it is right or do not bear a grudge
against him/her for it. Reason out within yourself how you are at fault and set
right your behaviour. Instead, rationalizing it for your own satisfaction or wre
aking vengeance on the person who pointed it out - these are certainly not the t
raits of a Sadhaka or Bhaktha (devotee).
- BABA
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19th May 2010
Every person is prone to commit mistakes without being aware of it. However brig
ht the fire some smoke is bound to emanate from it. So also, whatever good deed
one might do, there is likely to be a trace of evil in it. However, efforts shou
ld be made to ensure that evil is minimized so that the good is more and bad is
less in due course of time. You must also carefully think over the consequences
of what you do, talk or execute. In whatever way you want others to honour you,
or to behave with you, in the same way, you should first behave with others, lov
e and honour them. Then only will they honour you. Instead, if you don t love and
honour others, and complain that they are not treating you properly, it is surel
y a wrong conclusion.
- BABA
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7th June 2010
You have to achieve many objectives during this life. The highest and the most v
aluable of these is winning the mercy and love of God. The love of God will add
unto you the wisdom you need for attaining unshakeable inner peace. Everyone sho
uld endeavour to have an understanding of the true nature of the Divine. If you
want to succeed in this pursuit, you have to cultivate the spirit of service and
be engaged in good deeds which will earn you the gratitude of all people. Thus,
you not only accomplish the task of cleansing your consciousness, but also beco
me a fit candidate for achieving spiritual victory.
- BABA
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6th June 2010
For establishing oneself in the contemplation of the Omnipresent Lord, there are
no limitations of time or space. There is nothing like a special time or a holy
place. Wherever the mind revels in the contemplation of the Divine, that become
s the holy place. Whenever the mind meditates on the Lord, that becomes the most
auspicious moment. The world can achieve prosperity through disciplined souls w
hose hearts are pure and who represent the salt of the earth. Everyone, from thi
s very moment, should pray for the advent of such holy souls, try to deserve the
blessings of the great, endeavour to forget one s sufferings and promote the welf
are of the world.
- BABA
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The role of a Sanyasi (monk) can be likened to a species of fish. The fish moves
around in the depth of the lake; it will not be stationary at one spot. And whi
le moving around, the fish eats up worms and the eggs of pests, thus cleansing t
he water. So too, the Sanyasi should always be on the move, journeying into the
far corners of the land. His duty is to cleanse the society of evil by his examp
le and precept. He must transform it by his teachings into a society free from v
ice and wickedness.
- BABA
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Involvement in objective pleasure leads ultimately to grief. So, you must direct
yourself towards the right means to attain bliss. Where can you gain bliss from
? It is not inherent in external objects. Though external objects appear to brin
g pleasure, they bring in grief as well. The Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and t
he Bhagavad Gita clarify the truth that YOU are the very embodiment of bliss. Th
e scriptures clarify the truth and help everyone attain the highest wisdom.
- BABA
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If the intellect is dull and derives happiness from sleep, slothfulness and poin
ting out other s faults, it characterises Thamasic nature. This nature will make o
ne ignore the knowledge of self throughout one s life. True education is that whic
h directs and counsels the mind and intellect of man towards earning Sathwic hap
piness. The scriptures declare "Na Sukath Labhyathe Suhkam , that by undergoing un
happiness alone can happiness be won. This truth has to be instilled through Vid
ya (Self-knowledge or education). If you understand the joy of Sathwic happiness
, true Vidya will be found to be easy and palatable.
- BABA
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28th June 2010
The word Sutra means that which, through a few words, reveals vast meanings. The S
utras discuss contrary points of view in order to remove all possible doubts abo
ut the validity and meaning of the sacred texts. The word Mimamsa , as used in anci
ent Indian philosophy, means the conclusion arrived at after inquiry and investi
gation, the inference adopted as correct after deep consideration of possible do
ubts and alternatives. The Vedas deal with two concepts: Dharma (Righteous actio
ns) and Brahma (God). The Purva Mimamsa deals with Dharma or performing the rite
s and rituals in daily life in a righteous manner. The Uttara Mimamsa deals with
Brahma (God) and its emphasis is on Jnana (experiential wisdom).
- BABA
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29th June 2010
Even the most comfortable house equipped with all the luxuries man craves for; e
ven heaps of treasures are helpless to endow one with Shanti (Peace). Shanti can
be won only by surrender to God, who is the very core of one's being, the very
source of all life and living. Consider this: Are those lucky enough to possess
wealth, gold, property and comfort having Shanti? NO! Are persons of high schola
rship or extraordinary beauty or super-human physical strength at peace with the
mselves and the world? NO! What is the reason for the misery of even these peopl
e? The reason is: they have forgotten the Divine basis of Creation; they have ig
nored the one Absolute Underlying Principle. All lives lived without faith and d
evotion to the One Supreme Overlord are despicable; lives spent without tasting
the Nectar of the Divine Principle are all wasted chances.
- BABA
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30th June 2010
Everything in this world is ephemeral, transitory; it is here today, but it may
not be here tomorrow. So, if you desire for something, seek the Lord, who has no
decline. Instead, if you crave for progeny, wealth and all comforts, you will s
uffer untold misery when you are called upon to leave everything and depart. At
that moment, you would lament, Oh, did I love so deep that I may weep so loud? In
this transitory life, joy and pain are also perforce transitory. There is nothin
g here fit to be worshipped as eternal. So, to get immersed in this search for t
he evanescent and to forget the Supreme and the Everlasting is indeed unbecoming
of man.
- BABA
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****************************************************************1st July 2010
Man creates and develops in himself an abounding variety of selfish habits and a
ttitudes that leads to great discontent for himself. A person might feel elated
that he has become the master of all arts, or owner of all wealth, or possessor
of all knowledge; but from whom did he acquire all these? That source must indee
d be greater. He might even claim that he earned all this through his own effort
s. But surely someone gives it to him, in some form or other. This he cannot gai
nsay. The source from which all power originates is God. Ignoring the omnipotent
Lord and deluding oneself thinking that the little power one has acquired is on
e's own is indeed egoism.
- BABA
2nd July 2010
Ignoring Madhava (God) who is free from Maya (delusion) and spending time immers
ed in Maya is fruitless; sorrow alone is the final gain. Whomsoever you love, th
at love has to come to an end. The self-same Lord gives and takes, as and when H
e wishes. Everything is His; so how foolish it is to lament when things belongin
g to Him are taken back by Him? The wise man will therefore not pine over any on
e or feel undue attachment to anything. Let all the pining and all the attachmen
t be reserved for the Lord; He alone is eternal; He is the source of all joy. Fo
r the rest, love a thing as a thing, not more. Love man as man, not more. If you
love them more, it is a sign that you have been deceived about their real natur
e.
- BABA
3rd July 2010
Generally speaking, one gets easily drawn to sense objects, as one becomes a vic
tim of instincts. Instincts readily seek sense objects. Instincts come along wit
h the body and do not require any training, just as an infant seeks milk from th
e mother's breast and the new born calf nestles at the udder. But for the infant
to walk and talk, training is necessary. They are not automatic. These skills a
re prompted by example and imitation by others. So also, training is essential f
or the proper pursuit of sense pleasure, for it is the wild, untrained search fo
r such pleasure that promotes anger, hatred, envy, malice and conceit. To train
them along salutary lines and to hold them under control, certain good disciplin
es such as Japa (Repetition of God s Name), Dhyana, (Meditation) and Upavasa (Fast
ing) are essential.
- BABA
4th July 2010
Ajnana (Ignorance) and Dukha (Sorrow) cannot be destroyed by rituals and rites.
This is the lesson the scriptures teach us. However, what is happening now is th
at people have forgotten their real nature. They believe that they are the body
and the senses, and crave for objective pleasures. They delude themselves that t
hey can secure joy by catering to the body and senses. Such attempts cannot earn
bliss. Instead, they earn disillusionment, defeat and disaster; they reap sorro
w and joy in quick succession. The Ajnana can only be destroyed with the knowled
ge of the Divine Self. When illusion disappears, the sorrow produced by one's in
volvement in the ups and downs of the world is destroyed and one can realize tha
t humanity is the Embodiment of Bliss.
- BABA
5th July 2010
The capacity to overcome the Gunas (tendencies) of Prakriti (Nature) is not inhe
rent in any one; it comes to one with the Grace of the Lord. And that Grace is t
o be won by Japa (Repetition of God s Name) and Dhyana (Meditation). The truth has
to be experienced, in order that it might not slip away from consciousness; and
the discipline needed for this is also Japa and Dhyana. This must first be clea
rly understood: it is impossible for every one to control the tendencies of Prak
riti; the power is possessed only by those who have Prakriti in their grip and w
hose commands Prakriti does obey. Prakriti is the basis of everything in the Uni
verse. It is the basis of Creation and Existence. All this is Prakriti: men or w
omen, beasts or birds, trees or plants; in fact, all that can be seen is insepar
able from Prakriti.
- BABA
10th July 2010
Mind control is very hard to attain. The mind can cause bondage as well as confe
r liberation. It is an amalgam of the passionate and ignorant attitudes, and can
be easily polluted. It relishes in hiding the real nature of things and casting
on them the forms and values that it desires. So you must regulate the activity
of the mind. Understand the first characteristic of the mind: it runs helplessl
y after the senses. Whichever sense the mind follows, it is to invite disaster.
When a pot of water becomes empty, we need not infer that it has leaked away thr
ough ten holes - one hole is enough to empty it! So too, even if one sense is no
t under control, you will be thrown into bondage. So, every sense has to be mast
ered.
- BABA
13th July 2010
Reading and enjoying the stories of the glory of the Lord in some sacred spot li
ke temple, prayer hall, shrine, hermitage of a saint, or in the company of virtu
ous and good people, is a source of great inspiration and joy. It will make you
forget everything else. Taste for such wholesome literature is the result of acc
umulated merit and endeavour. You can even approach pious men, serve them and li
sten to their exposition of the glory of God. Listening alone will be enough in
the beginning. Later, the stories will arouse interest in the nature and charact
eristics of God and the aspirants will find and seek for themselves the path to
Self-realization.
- BABA
14th July 2010
Knowledge was compared to light and ignorance to darkness by the ancients. Vid is
the root of the word Vidya . Vid means light . Ya means what . So, the meaning of th
ya is that which gives light. From this term, it is evident that Brahma Vidya (kn
owledge of the Self) alone deserves to be known as Vidya, as it illumines our mi
nds. Just as light and darkness cannot co-exist in the same place at the same ti
me, Vidya and Avidya (ignorance) cannot be together. So, when you journey along
the path of progress, you must purify your consciousness and illumine yourself w
ith Brahma Vidya.
- BABA
16th July 2010
Control of the body and senses can be achieved only by spiritual practices and n
ot by any other means. You must avoid wasting precious time in useless pursuits.
You must be ever vigilant. You must engage the senses of perception and action
by performing congenial and noble tasks to keep yourself busy. There should be n
o room for sloth to creep in. Also, every act must promote the good of others. T
hus, while performing your daily duties (Swa-dharma) in this manner, you can sub
limate the body and senses, and uplift yourself.
- BABA
17th July 2010
Knowledge can be considered as having two aspects: Baahya Vidya and Brahma Vidya
. Baahya Vidya provides the wherewithal for human livelihood. You can study many
subjects, earn valuable degrees, acquire lucrative job and manage to spend your
life with no worry and fear. This type of Vidya helps you perform whatever job
you may doing, be it that of a humble clerk or a Prime Minister. Brahma Vidya, o
n the other hand, endows you with the strength, that will enable you to discharg
e successfully the duty you owe to yourself. It lays down the path which leads b
oth to joy in worldly relations and bliss in the life beyond. Therefore, Brahma
Vidya is far superior to all Vidya available to man on earth.
- BABA
19th July 2010
The mind is a bundle of thoughts, a complex collection of wants and wishes. As s
oon as a thought, desire or wish raises its head in the mind, the intellect must
probe its value and validity. Is it good or bad? Will it help or hinder? Where
will this lead? Where will it end? If the mind does NOT submit to this probe, it
will land itself on the path of ruin. If it does and obeys the intelligence, it
will move along the right path.
- BABA
20th July 2010
If you desire to wash off the dirt accumulated from the clothes you wear, you ne
ed both soap and clean water. So too, if you are anxious to remove the impuritie
s that have got accumulated in the mind, both Vidya (spiritual knowledge) and Th
apas (penance) are essential. Only when both are used can the levels of consciou
sness be thoroughly cleansed. No vehicle can move without at least two wheels, n
or can a bird fly with just one wing. So too, no one can be rendered holy or pur
ified without Vidya and Thapas.
- BABA
21st July 2010 Ashadi Ekadashi
Your very nature is Prema (Love). You cannot survive even for a moment, when dep
rived of Love. It is the very breadth of your life. When the six vices, to which
you were attached so long, disappear, Love becomes the only occupant of your he
art. Love has to find an object, a loved one. It cannot remain alone. You will t
hen direct it to the charming, sweet Lord, who is Purity Personified, who is the
embodiment of service, sacrifice and selflessness and who has taken residence i
n the cleansed altar of your heart. Then, there will be no scope for any other a
ttachment to grow. Step by step, this love for God becomes deeper, purer, more s
elf-denying, until at last, there is no need for thoughts, and the individual is
merged in the Universal.
- BABA
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Withdrawal from sensory objects is an important virtue. It implies a state of mi
nd that is above and beyond all dualities that agitate and affect common people,
 such as joy and grief. Withdrawal from sensory objects can be achieved while en
gaged in day to day living. Do not look at the world with a worldly eye. Then, e
ven you can escape from the opposites of grief and joy, and attain balance and e
qual mindedness. You experience the One as many because of the mind playing its
games. Practice seeing everything as a projection/extension of the Loving Lord.
Then, you will be able to cross the horizon of dualities into the region of One.
- BABA
24th July 2010
Today people have lost the precious virtue of fear of sin. It is only lack of fe
ar of sin that is responsible for the present plight of the society. Today peopl
e are committing several sins with the belief that God is kind and will ultimate
ly forgive their sins. With this belief, they are indulging in more and more sin
ful acts. They have developed a sort of complacency and think that they can esca
pe punishment. But the fact is otherwise. Though God is compassionate and may fo
rgive all sinful acts, every human being has to necessarily pay for his/her sins
. For morality to exist in society, fear of sin is essential. Hence everyone mus
t develop the three qualities of: love for God, fear of sin and morality in soci
ety.
- BABA
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*********************************************25th July 2010 Guru Poornima
Guru Poornima is sacred for many reasons. Today, the seeker who suffers from the
false identification with the objective world is initiated into the reality of
the unseen motivator of the world, God. On this day, those who have no urge to t
read the spiritual path are inspired to seek the path of bliss. With the rise of
the sun, the world is bathed in light and heat. So too, with the coming of Guru
Poornima, the human heart is bathed in peace and security. Guru Poornima is not
just a day in the year marked in a calendar. It is the day when your mind, whos
e presiding deity is the moon, becomes full of pleasantness and coolness, and is
fully illumined with the light of intellect and discrimination.
- BABA
26th July 2010
The contemplation of death is the very foundation of spiritual discipline. Witho
ut it, you are certain to fall into falsehood, pursuing the objects of sense-ple
asure and trying to accumulate worldly riches. Death is no ominous calamity. It
is a step into the auspicious brightness beyond. It is inescapable; it cannot be
bribed away or adjourned by certificates of good conduct or testimonials from t
he great. Once born, death is inevitable. You must perform deeds which breed no
bad consequences. Engage every day in every activity as an offering to God. Then
you need not be born again and again and can escape death. This inquiry is the
very core of spiritual path and will help you achieve immortality.
- BABA
27th July 2010
Thapas (penance) does not mean positioning oneself upside down, head on the grou
nd and feet held up, like a bat. Nor is it the renunciation of possessions and p
roperties, wife and children, emaciating one s body or holding the nose to regulat
e one s breath. NO. Physical actions, oral assertions and mental resolves all three
have to be in unison. The thought, the speech and the act all have to be pure. T
his is the real Thapas. And they have to be co-ordinated not by the compulsion o
f duty. The effort must be undertaken for satisfying one s inner yearnings, for th
e contentment of the self. This struggle is the essence of Thapas.
- BABA
31st July 2010
The story of the Lord's adventures is all nectar. It has no other component, no
other taste, no other content. Everyone can drink their fill from any part of th
at ocean of nectar, just as sugar is sweet irrespective of whether it is eaten d
uring the day or night. For, it is day or night only for the person who eats, no
t for the sugar. Sugar behaves uniformly always. So too, the love of God and the
love for God are both eternally sweet and pure, whatever the method of acceptin
g or attaining them. The same sweetness exists, everywhere, at all times, in eve
ry particle.
- BABA
1st August 2010
True devotion consists in offering all your thoughts and actions to God and year
ning for His grace. Devotion confined to a brief spell in the Pooja room (shrine
) or temple is not true devotion. During that time, devotion seems to swell with
in you and you feel at peace but, once outside, the peace is lost and anger take
s its place. This cannot be called devotion. Bhakti (Devotion) has been describe
d as a state of non-separation from God. Regardless of time, space or circumstan
ce, one should feel closeness to God that is Bhakti. True devotion transcends th
e limitations imposed by one s daily routines and the obligations of life.
- BABA
2nd August 2010
The timeless soul which is beyond delusion and darkness has to be cognised by ev
ery person through his/her own efforts. You have taken birth as inheritors of th
is estate of Eternal Bliss. You are the dearly loved children of the Lord. You a
re as pure and as sacred as air. Do not condemn yourselves as sinners. You are l
ion cubs, not sheep. You are wavelets of Immortality, not bodies compounded from
matter. Material objects are there to serve you and do your bidding. You should
not serve them and do their bidding.
- BABA
3rd August 2010
Sacred activities like rituals and sacrifices that are laid down in the Vedas (s
criptures) cannot confer Moksha (liberation). They only help to cleanse one s cons
ciousness. It is said that they raise people to heaven. But in the ultimate anal
ysis, even heaven is bondage; it does not promise eternal freedom. The freedom t
hat makes one aware of the truth, of one s own truth, can be gained only through S
hravana (listening to the Guru), Manana (ruminating over what has been listened
to) and Nididhyasana (meditating on its validity and significance). Only those w
ho have detached their minds from desire can benefit from Guru s guidance; others
cannot.
- BABA
4th August 2010
Do not think that the Vedas (scriptures) lay down a bundle of frightening rules
and regulations and laws. Every one of them has been laid down by the Lord, as t
he lawgiver. All elements in the Cosmos, every particle everywhere, are acting e
very moment as ordained by Him. This is what the Vedas inform us. No worship can
be higher and more beneficial than serving the Lord. One has to offer Love to H
im, more Love than one bears to anything else in this world and the next. He mus
t be loved as the One and Only. He has to be remembered adoringly with such Love
. That is the fruit that real education must result in.
- BABA
5th August 2010
The attitude of forbearance is to refuse to be affected or pained when inflicted
with sorrow, loss, and the ingratitude and wickedness of others. In fact, you s
hould be happy and calm, for you should know that these are the results of your
own actions now recoiling on you, and you should view those who caused the miser
y as friends and well-wishers. You should not retaliate or wish them ill. You mu
st bear all blows patiently and gladly. The natural reactions of people, whoever
they may be, when someone injures them is to injure in return; when someone cau
ses harm, to do harm; and when someone insults them, to insult back by some mean
s or other. This is the characteristic of the Pravritti (worldly path) the path
of objective involvement. If you seek Nivritti (the inner path of sublimation an
d purification) you must avoid such reaction and exhibit Thithiksha (forbearance
).
- BABA
6th August 2010
The lotus leaf is born under water; it floats on water; but it does not get wet.
You too, must be in the world likewise in it, by it, for it, but not of it. This
is the special feature of the Vidya (higher education), to prepare you for this
role. That is to say, with the heart immersed in the Divine and the hands busy i
n work, you must live thus on earth. Love should not degenerate into an article
of commerce. Love fulfils itself in Love.
- BABA
12th August 2010
The one who devotes his/her life to earn the knowledge of the Atma that is their
true Self, must possess holy virtues, and they must mould their conduct and con
tacts sacrosanct. For no knowledge can be higher than virtuous character. Charac
ter is power, really speaking. For persons who have dedicated their years to the
acquisition of higher learning, sterling character is an indispensable qualific
ation. Every religion emphasizes the same need, not as a special creedal conditi
on but as the basis of spiritual life and conduct itself. Those who lead lives o
n these lines can never come to harm. They will be endowed with sacred merit.
- BABA
14th August 2010
Codes of behaviour, spiritual practices and manifestations of Love - all have en
ormous virtues which promote the progress of man. The basic truth of Creation is
unity in multiplicity. The Bharathiya mode of worship is based on the awareness t
hat the One manifests through many discrete forms and many discrete attributes w
hen confronted by many discrete situations and conditions. So Bharathiyas have t
he intellectual tolerance among all peoples of the world to proclaim to all the
quarters that God exists and can be found in every religion. This is their uniqu
e good fortune.
- BABA
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*********************************************15th August 2010
When it is desired to promote the prosperity of the nation, every one of you mus
t gather into yourself all the spiritual resources that you can. This implies th
at all the spiritual inclinations, beliefs and urges which are now feeble and di
ssipated must be united and reinforced. As part of religions, many creeds and cu
lts may exist just as many branches are present in a tree. You should not condem
n them as wrong and no branch should fight against another or compete with anoth
er. Realize the truth in the maxim, Ekam Sath; Vipraah Bahudhaa Vadanthi (Only One
exists; the wise describe it in many ways).
- BABA
16th August 2010
We see the outer circumstances, the processes which result in the final event an
d in our ignorance we judge that this set of causes produced these effects. But
circumstances, events, emotions and feelings are all simply instruments in His Div
ine Hands, serving His Will and His Purpose. The world is the stage on which eac
h one acts the role He has allotted. Every one struts about for the time given b
y Him and obeys His instructions without fail or falter. We may proudly think th
at we have done this or that by ourselves, but the truth is that everything happ
ens as He wills.
- BABA
17th August 2010
People may have performed a variety of Vedic rites and sacrifices; they might ev
en be expounding the contents of a variety of sacred scriptures that they have m
astered; they might be endowed with prosperity, owning vast wealth and heaps of
grain; they might teach the Vedas and their complementary disciplines with due e
xposition of meanings. But without moral character, they have no place where Bra
hman (Divinity) is taught or learned. This is the important lesson conveyed by a
phorisms.
- BABA
18th August 2010
If you condemn yourself, day and night as petty and weak, you can never accompli
sh anything. If you think that you are luckless and low, thereby you become luck
less and low. Instead, when you cultivate the awareness that you are a spark of
God; that you have as your reality Divinity Itself, then you can really become D
ivine, and you can have command over all powers. Yad Bhaavam, Thad Bhavathi (As yo
u feel, so you become). It is how you feel that matters the most. That is the ba
sis for all that you are. Have faith in the Atma, the Divine Self that you reall
y are! This is a must for every one of you!
- BABA
19th August 2010
Not even the tiniest event can happen unless willed by the Lord. Be fully convin
ced of this. He is the Suthradhari, the holder of the strings that move the pupp
ets and make them act their roles; but He seats Himself among the spectators and
pretends He is unaware of the plot or story or cast. The characters cannot devi
ate a dot from His directions. His Will guides and determines every single movem
ent and gesture. The varying emotions affect the hearts of those who witness the
play; but they do not cause a ruffle in the heart of the Suthradhari. He decide
s what this person should say or that person should do and He prompts in them th
e appropriate words and deeds.
- BABA
20th August 2010
The stage of equanimity is essential for spiritual progress. It can be gained on
ly when the Buddhi (intellect) is cleansed of the blot of deluding attachments a
nd involvements. Without that serenity, the intellect cannot proceed on the trai
l of Brahman (God). Why? The term virtue is only another name for the intelligence t
hat follows the promptings of the Atma, the Self that is your Reality. Only one
who has such virtue can win awareness of Atma. And, once awareness is gained, yo
u will no longer be caught in delusion or desire.
- BABA
21st August 2010
Your forefathers achieved prosperity, peace and joy and succeeded in attaining t
heir goals through faith alone. If you lose faith, you are certain to fall. For,
faith is the very breath of life. When there is no breath, one becomes a Shavam
(corpse). With the breath of faith, you become Shivam (Divine), the same as the
Lord Himself. Faith can endow you with all forms of power and render you Poorna
(full and complete). For, Atma, by its very nature, is self-sufficient and full
. No other Sadhana (spiritual exercise) is needed to realise that state. Paripoo
rnatha (purity and self-sufficiency) is also your true nature. Impurity and insu
fficiency are alien to mankind. You should not ignore or forget this fact. Real
education must arouse this faith and infuse the awareness of this fullness in ev
ery activity. This is the essential aim, the core of the right type of education
.
- BABA
23rd August 2010 Onam
Desire and bondage to the objects desired and the plans to secure them are attri
butes of the Jeevis (individualized selves), not of the Self or Atma resident in
the body. The sense of me and mine and the emotions of lust and anger originate in
the body-mind complex. Only when this complex is conquered and outgrown can true
virtue emanate and manifest. The sense of doer and enjoyer , of being an agent might
appear to affect the Atma, but they are not part of the genuine nature of the A
tma. Things get mirrored and produce images, but the mirror is not tarnished or
even affected thereby. It remains as clear as it was. Every Jeevi has these as g
enuine, basic attributes: purity, serenity, and joy. Every individual is ebullie
nt with these qualities.
- BABA
24th August 2010
Since the Vedas and Shastras (scriptures) were won by penance and travail by sag
es and seers who were interested in the welfare of humanity and the liberation o
f man, they are the greatest repositories of Hitha (beneficence). They advise th
at man must regulate his 'outer-look' and develop the 'inner-look'; the inner re
ality is the foundation on which the outer reality is built. It is like the stee
ring wheel inside the car which directs the outer wheels. Know that the basic re
ality is God. Become aware of it and stay in that awareness always. Whatever be
the stress and the storm, do not waver from that faith.
- BABA
25th August 2010
We have to learn good things from others. We sow seeds in the ground. We provide
it with manure and water. The seed sprouts, becomes a sapling and grows into a
huge tree. It does not become soil when placed therein, nor manure when it feeds
thereon, nor water when it partakes thereof. It only imbibes from each of them
whatever it can benefit from them. It grows into what is essentially IT, namely,
a huge tree! May you too grow likewise. You have to learn much from others. Lea
rn about the Supreme and the means of attaining it from even the lowest. Learn f
rom others how to practise progressive Sadhana (spiritual exercise) and saturate
yourselves with it. But do not be transformed into others.
- BABA
27th August 2010
It is due to the gift of His Divine Grace that we survive in this world. Every d
rop of blood coursing through our veins is but a drop from the shower of His Gra
ce. Every muscle is but a lump of His Love. Every bone and cartilage is but a pi
ece of His mercy. It is clear that without Him we are but bags of skin. But, una
ble to understand this secret, we strut about, boasting I achieved this, and I acco
mplished this.
- BABA
28th August 2010
Education is rendered noble when the spirit of service is inculcated. The servic
e rendered must be free of the slightest trace of narrow selfishness. That is no
t enough. The thought of service should not be marred by the desire for somethin
g in return. You have to perform the service as you would perform an important Y
ajna (sacrificial ritual). As trees do not eat their fruits but offer them to be
eaten by others in an attitude of detachment; as rivers, without drinking the w
aters they carry, quench the thirst and cool the heat from which others suffer;
as cows offer their milk, produced primarily for their calves, in a spirit of ge
nerosity born of Thyaga (renunciation), to be shared by others, so too you shoul
d offer yourself to others prompted by the motive of service and without conside
ration of selfish interests. Only then can you justify your status as Sajjana (n
oble men).
- BABA
29th August 2010
Consider what happens when a person sees a dry stump of a tree at night: he/she
is afraid that it is a ghost or a bizarre human being. It is neither, though it
is perceived as either. The reason for this misperception is darkness. Darkness
superimposes on something another thing that is not there. In the same manner, t
he darkness that is spread through Maya (false perception) veils and renders unn
oticeable the Primal Cause, Brahman (Divine Self), and imposes the cosmos on It,
as a perceptible reality. This deceptive vision is corrected by the Jnana (awak
ened consciousness) and transmuted into the vision of Prema (universal love).
- BABA
30th August 2010
A true scholar should not entertain egoism in his thoughts at any time. However,
the misfortune is that scholars as a class are today afflicted with unbounded e
goism. As a consequence, they follow wrong ideals and take to wrong paths. They
confer the benefits of education only on themselves and on their kith and kin. A
s a result, they forgo their position among Sajjans (noble men) and the respect
it can bring. One must grant generously to others the knowledge, skill and insig
ht that one has acquired. If this is not done, human progress itself is endanger
ed. In order to promote the best interest of mankind, one has to cultivate the h
oly urge of Paropakaaram (service to others) and the attitude of sharing.
- BABA
31st August 2010
There is a technique by which the Immortal Spirit can be discovered. Though it m
ay appear difficult, each step forward makes the next one easier, and a mind tha
t is made ready by discipline is able to discover the Divine basis of man and cr
eation in a flash. There is no short-cut to this consummation. One has to give u
p all the tendencies that one has accumulated so far and become light for the jo
urney. Lust, greed, anger, malice, conceit, envy, hate all these tendencies have
to be shed. It is not enough to listen to spiritual discourses and count the nu
mber you have listened to. The only thing that counts is practising at least one
of those teachings.
- BABA
1st September 2010
You must not forget the fact that God is in perceptible form in all beings. Serv
ice rendered to any being is service offered to God. This has to be the chief go
al of all educated. Nara is Narayana (Man is God). Every single act of yours has
to be elevated as an act of service to God. You must not only serve those who h
elp you but also those who harm you. This attitude makes the service doubly holy
. Serving those who do service to us is but a natural reaction. Serving those wh
o harm us is the greater virtue. For, this latter course of action involves deep
er understanding of your best interest and an alert sense of time, place and cir
cumstance. Education must confer and cultivate these qualities.
- BABA
2nd September 2010 Sri Krishna Ashtami
Even the smallest acts of Lord Sri Krishna were saturated with supreme sweetness
. Krishna was everyone's dearest kinsman and fastest comrade. The Leelas (Divine
Sport) of Krishna were sweet and meaningful. All activities of Krishna were for
the wellbeing of the world. His advent was for the uplift of the world from wic
kedness and unrighteousness. It was also for fulfilling the needs of those who w
ere devoted to Him, for the establishment of righteousness and the revival of th
e Vedas. Though people caught in the coils of ignorance perceived the Leelas as
self-centred and even motivated by delusion, genuine devotees cherished each one
of these as significant and sustaining examples of His Divine Grace. The Lord s
howers grace on each and every one in such a way that suits the time, the person
and their aspirations.
- BABA
4th September 2010 *****(Very Important)
While dealing with uncultured folks, you must exercise caution. So too, you must
be careful with ungrateful fellows, who forget the good done to them. The law i
s the instrument that Government will use to punish those who do wrong. As educa
ted persons and students, you should not condemn difficult people outright. You
must manifest your natural virtue of detachment and practise your characteristic
attitude of helpfulness.
- BABA
********************************************************************************
***************
Published on Thursday, Sept 02, 2010 at 1230 Hrs. IST
In the backdrop of "Sevaamrutham", the function organised to honour those who ar
e engaged in service in the ashram, it would be appropriate to recall what Bhaga
wan had envisioned about the concept of service in Prasanthi Nilayam.
In 1965, the year which saw the 40th Birthday celebrations of the Advent of the
Sai Avatar, the small township of Prasanthi Nilayam was teeming with pilgrims. T
he Sevadal volunteers, as always, had a huge role to play to ensure that all the
celebrations are conducted with ease and efficiency. And Swami in that year per
sonally gave the volunteer badges to every chosen member. Not only this, He also
delivered two exclusive discourses to guide these inspired men and women so tha
t they tread on this sacred path of service in the right manner. Here are excerp
ts from those two divine discourses, one of which was delivered in the month of
February and the other in November.
I have called all of you here today so that I may tell you something about the a
ttitude you must cultivate while doing volunteer service at Prasanthi Nilayam. I
Myself have selected you for this and that itself is a rare privilege. There ar
e so many who are pleading with all their heart to be given the chance; but you
have caught My eye and you alone have been picked. I must tell you that voluntee
ring is not just a momentary spurt of interest to do service; it can never be do
ne well without deep discipline, long training and humility. You cannot be ready
for that role, all of a sudden, as soon as the badge is pinned on your vesture.
Aajna and Prema Two Necessary Virtues for a Volunteer
First, you must be conscious of the value of aajna (command), which so far as I
am concerned, is more a Direction, than an Order. The Geetha was the aajna of Kr
ishna, though Lord Krishna supplemented it with copious explanations of the why
and the wherefore. Arjuna admitted that he was a prapanna, one who had surrender
ed to His will. So, there was no need for Krishna to argue with him or convince
him about the correctness of His Command. Still, in order that Arjuna might figh
t with a full heart, He gave him the reasons which supported the course He laid
down for him. Likewise, I too want you to know why I desire that you should act
in a particular way and also why I do not like you to behave in another manner.
Next, you must develop prema (Love) for all. Do not think that a volunteer is a
superior person, more devoted than the rest. Do not look down upon the others as
disturbances and nuisances. If you have prema towards Me, you will have prema t
owards all, since Sai is in everyone. During bhajans, you sing Anthaa Sayi maaya
m; ee jagamantha Sayi mayam Everything is full of Sai; this world is filled with
Sai. Then, how can you have love for this Sai alone? On the walls of this Prayer
Hall there are many pictures of Swami. You revere these photos and take each of
them to be Me. You stand before these pictures and exclaim in joy, O, Swami! If so
meone speaks unfavourably about any of them you do not like it. Remember every h
uman being is My picture; why, every being is Me - Anthaa Sayi mayam. So, when y
ou treat anyone harshly, you are being discourteous to Me; when you insult anyon
e, you are ridiculing Me.
Prasanthi Nilayam is Your Home - Swami
This is your home and all those who have gathered for these festivals are atithi
s (guests) or your kith and kin. There are six duties that every grihastha (hous
eholder) has to perform every day: snaana, sandhya, japa, homa, puja and atithi
sathkaara, that is, take shower, venerate the Lord in the morning, noon and even
ing, recite the Name of the Divine, present sacred oblations to the sacrificial
fire, worship God ritualistically, and offer hospitality to guests. It is in thi
s spirit that the guests are to be served. You are a sevaka, one dedicated to se
rvice. Whether the people whom you serve thank you or traduce you, you must glad
ly do the task allotted to you. For, remember you are serving yourselves, not th
em. Be it bouquets or brickbats, receive them with equal calm. It is only those
who identify themselves with the body who experience exultation or pain. You mus
t feel that you are the dehi (the Self or the Indweller) and not the deha (the b
ody); this will give you the strength to serve best.
When you are performing your work do not argue about a particular task being in
your jurisdiction and the other being not. Do not be sticklers for boundaries an
d limits. Support and supplement each other in joyful co-operation so that everyo
ne is strengthened. Act like an ideal satsang (spiritual community), where each
one infuses energy and enthusiasm into another. This however does not mean that
you should carry a greater load than that is allotted to you. Do not interfere w
ithout reason with the work of the other person or sullenly criticise. Be worthy
of the status of persons associated with Prasanthi Nilayam. There should be no
place in your hearts for malice, envy or even competition. Spread around you the
atmosphere of Prasanthi, that is, tranquility. Do not be in haste and create ac
cidents or discover faults where there are none; this is misdirected enthusiasm.
The Rules of Prasanthi Nilayam are Sacrosanct
Do nothing to disturb the calm of others. For, you know how valuable peace and q
uietness are in your own case; I hope you recognise this. Behave towards others
as you would wish them to behave with you; this is the measure of your Love. See
k out the old, those sitting under the sun or in darkness, outside the auditoriu
m, for they are too weak to push themselves to the lines in the front. Look out
for those who are visually or aurally challenged, bring them gently near the dai
s and ask younger persons to vacate their seats and make room for these people.
You should not claim any special privilege for your badges in the Bhajan Hall or
at the Auditorium. Those who come early have the first chance; there is no need
to argue and create a scene. Let people sit quietly wherever seats are availabl
e. When they arrive, each must earn their place and claim it, not in the Auditor
ium, but in My heart. Do not assert for it in these brick and mortar halls.
In the rules of Prasanthi Nilayam, it is laid down that those who come after the
bhajan or discourse begins, must not distract the focus of those who are immers
ed in it by striding up to the front lines or striving to occupy some empty spac
e near the dais. Please see that this is strictly observed. Nothing should be do
ne by anyone to disturb attention once the programme starts. You have come here,
away from kith and kin, eager to uplift yourself and progress on the spiritual
path. Then, why should you slide into old habits that breed egoism and hatred?
Seek the Opportunities to Serve
Volunteers must not wait for chances of service to come to them. They must be on
the lookout for them, always alert and ready. Then, they can find them all arou
nd. It is the heart of stone that blinds the eye to the pain that others endure.
I have directed all residents of the ashram to enquire of their neighbours if th
ey are well; this is the first task of the day. And it should not just be a cour
tesy call, but a genuine act of Love. Among the thousands who have gathered here
, there are many who would be thankful for some help - someone kind enough who w
ill lead them to food or shelter, the river or the Mandir, the auditorium or the
hospital. Speak to them gently and offer to be of use to them.
Do you not see Me and hear Me when I move among them? I speak softly and endeari
ngly, for, I Love them ardently in spite of all their faults. Then, why should y
ou be harsh and rude? There is no kinship as dear as the bond forged by spiritua
l ties. Family relationships are not so firmly based on commonality of aims and
likeness of effort. You are bound by links that are more long-standing and pleas
ant. Let these people return home and exult in the discovery that at Prasanthi N
ilayam they have a close associate who respects and loves them as no relative h
as done so far.
Volunteers Should Forsake a Life of Pleasure and Possessions
You must realise now that this badge which I gave you is not a passport for easy
life; it means strenuous routine, the foregoing of comfort, and the acceptance
of hard toil, sleeplessness and sacrifice. If you are accustomed to a soft life
you are of little use as a volunteer or for anything else for that matter. Reduc
e your wants to the minimum. Examine your room, table, wardrobe, and so on, and
find out how many superfluous things you have accumulated. You have acquired the
m because you saw someone having them and felt that unless you too possessed the
m you will look small in their company.
A foolish desire to be esteemed as up-to-date and in tune with fashion has made
you gather habits and articles that are unnecessary. Man can be happy with much
less assets than you seem to think as essential. Once an object is with you for
a while, you feel it is indispensable; you do not know how to live without it. L
ike the silkworm, you weave a cocoon for yourself out of your fancy. Therefore,
do not allow for the growth of expensive habits in you; they are costly from the
monetary as well as spiritual point of view. Watch your likes and dislikes with
a vigilant eye and discard anything that threatens to encumber your path.
Volunteer's Role is a Call for Personal Improvement
Detachment is generally called vairagya, or the absence of raaga. It is a precio
us spiritual quality, which, if it must sustain you must be based on jnaana or w
isdom. You have here this silver image of Shirdi Sai Baba. Looking at the statue
, when you think of the silver - its fineness, cost, quality, etc., there is no
Sai in it for you. On the other hand, when you dwell on Sai His leela and mahima
(Divine play, power and glory), there is no silver!
At Tirupati, when you stand before the idol, if you think about the stone - its
colour, geological structure, weight, etc., you will have no thought of Lord Ven
kateswara in your mind. On the contrary, fill yourself with the sacred glory of
the Lord of the Seven Hills, and then, there is no stone before you! In exactly
the same manner, see everywhere in this carpet, towel, vessel, wall, and so on t
he basic Brahman (the Eternal Absolute), and you will be filled with knowledge o
r jnaana. You will experience no attachment; this is the state of Sarvam Brahmam
ayam (All is filled with Brahman) - the finale of all sadhana (spiritual practic
es). Do not despair; practise this from now on, one step at a time. At least see
everything as His; offer everything to Him. Do everything as for Him and leave
everything to Him. Be an instrument a tool has no likes and dislikes; just be a
tool but an efficient one.
Spread joy at all times. Do not pour into others ears your tales of woe and worr
y. Carry a smile on your face so that everyone who sees you can catch the exhila
ration. When you tell others of your success, your purpose is to create envy in
them. You must not only love others, but also be so good that others too love yo
u. Try to console, encourage, strengthen and enlighten those who are miserable,
down-hearted, weak or ill-informed. Get yourselves equipped for this role. This
is the role into which you are ushered in now. This chance that I have given you
, to move about as a volunteer here, is a call for personal improvement and sadh
ana. When thousands are thirsty for this chance, imagine how lucky you are and h
ow great is the responsibility!
When you assist some eager aspirant to do meditation undisturbed, you earn not o
nly gratitude, but also even a share of the merit. For example, a mother may has
ten into the hall when the bell strikes at 4:30 a.m. for the pranava (Om) recita
l leaving her child sleeping in the shed. If the little one wakes up in the mean
while and starts crying and screaming, a lady volunteer, without calling the mot
her out, can herself take the child on her lap and pacify it with a soft lullaby
until the mother arrives. Serve others gladly. Do not help with an air of super
iority or the sour face of disgust. Let people know that you are genuinely happy
at the chance to help.
Prasanthi Nilayam is a Workshop
Do not pretend or patronise. If you simply say, Do not talk loudly or give some ot
her such blank direction, you are patronising and treating people with disdain.
They deserve to be told why. Tell them that silence is the very first rung in th
e ladder of sadhana; that it is the hallmark of Prashanthi Nilayam; that they mu
st learn to make every place where they are, a Prashanthi Nilayam; that loud tal
k disturbs those who practise Naamasmarana (remembrance of Lord's name) or dhyan
a (meditation) or japam (recitation); that noise breeds further noise. This is a
workshop where damaged minds and hearts come for repair or overhaul. In such a
place, there will be the din of hammer, the clang of wheel, the whir of engine a
nd the clatter of chains. However in this workshop there must be heard only the
whisper of the Name of God. With replaced parts and fresh coats of paint, cars
emerge out of the garage as good as new and run smoothly, without trouble, for m
iles together. People must find this place too as an overhaul cell for persons w
ho are travel-worn, weary, or are about to undertake a long journey.
The Sacrifice a Volunteer Should Make
You as volunteers have to forgo your comforts and even chances to have darshan o
r listen to My discourses when service calls you somewhere else. This tyaga or r
enunciation gladly undertaken is a very important qualification for the sadhaka.
If you feel the urge, My need is first, the other person's is later then, what yo
u perform is not seva, it is strategy. Give up your seat to someone who is older
or infirm, or more deserving, this is seva; not, sticking to it when there are
people desperate for space and accommodation.
You will earn My grace more by such service and sacrifice than by sitting in the
front line and nodding to whatever I say. Do not push or pull people. Speak sof
tly and sweetly. I have known many volunteers who reel off the excuse, Swami, the
y won't obey if we speak softly. They are used to only rough treatment. I will ne
ver pardon such sevaks. The fault is always in their manner of speaking, the way
in which they explain their actions, their temper, attitude, and approach.
The Unique Prospect to be Prasanthi Nilayam Representatives
Have you reflected on the responsibility which is now being endowed on you? You a
re being invested with the chance to be Prashanthi Nilayam Representatives entrus
ted with the traditional duty of extending hospitality towards your brethren who
arrive to this holy town. Therefore, you must have Prasanthi in your hearts and
not be agitated, worried, angry or upset. Conduct in keeping with the dignity c
onferred on you. When guests come to the house, does the wife tell the husband, W
e shall feed them after we have eaten ? Their needs take precedence, and they have
to be attended to with care and consideration. It is the same here too. The men
and women who have come are to be met with love and care, irrespective of your
convenience and comfort. That is the way to please Me and win My grace.
You must have not merely enthusiasm to serve, but also the intelligence and the
skill. Only then can you be efficient and useful. Enthusiasm without efficiency
is often a source of loss and grief. You must do the seva that is delegated to y
ou intelligently and to a successful finish. It does not matter if the recipient
is not fully satisfied. You must have done your best, without hesitation or fav
our.
What is the use of hurrying along the ranks of persons who are sitting for meals
with a basket of laddus shouting, Laddus, laddus, who wants laddus? without pausi
ng and serving even one laddu on the plate of a single person? The diners in thi
s case have the benefit of only the name, not the substance. Nowadays, service h
as become more talk and less deed. But the Lord cannot be deceived; He is vigila
nt and all-knowing.
Sai Himself Serves so that We May Learn
Observe Me. What benefit can I derive from all My activity when it is I who assi
gns the rewards to all actions according to what they deserve? But yet, you will
find Me busy from dawn to dusk, night and day. I finish My lunch or dinner with
in minutes so that I can teach you the value of time; I attend to the smallest d
etail of all the various items of work, for I try to set an example for you, in
meticulous attention to, and careful anticipation of, all contingencies. I know
many of you idle away hours on end, wasting precious time in gossip, purposeless
talk and debate. When you practise the attitude that God is everywhere as the w
itness of every act of yours; that God is in every being you meet and serve, the
n you will certainly be rewarded by a Vision of the Lord.
The Blessed Chance of a Lifetime
When you have the brilliant chance, do not let it go through ignorance or neglig
ence. Grasp the opportunity and advance! The best way to win Grace is to obey in
structions, to follow the advice and submit to the controls exercised with lots
of Love. I am worried that people are not benefiting from Me as much as I would
like to confer. In the lotus pond there are many frogs. The bees coming from afa
r partake the nectar of the lotus blooms but the frogs do not seem to realise th
e value of what is there in their midst.
Seva done lovingly and well to the people who gather here to have darshan and to
listen to the discourses is a great opportunity for you to acquire discriminati
on and non-attachment, to widen and deepen your bhakthi, and to realise how Sai
is the Inner Motivator of all beings. I wish you well. Be humble, sweet and sinc
ere.
*************************************************************

Published on Thursday, Sept 02, 2010 at 0245 Hrs. IST

Who else other than Bhagawan can describe the attributes and features Lord Krish
na who was born over five thousand years ago during the Dwapara? He being The On
e with many forms and names does know anything and everything and hence His disc
ourse on Krishnavataar detailing the birth and related event of Bhagawan Sri Kri
shna as if it was orchestrated by Him...yes, it was His Own Divine plan to desce
nd...Read on an exclusive Divine Discourse delivered on 6th September 1977 in th
e Brindavan Hostel, Whitefield, Bangalore.
This day is being celebrated as the Birthday of Krishna, not for the reason that
Krishna is being born every year, but, because the hour, the asterisk, the month
and the season during which he was born ages ago, recur every year, and this day
, we have the same conjunction as happened when he was born millennia ago.
Krishna was born in prison! This fact teaches us that God has to incarnate or pr
esent himself in the dark and narrow prison house of our hearts, so that we may de
rive light and earn freedom. Maya is the delusion that hides the truth of Being;
is tends to identify one's truth as the physical body with its appurtenances an
d prompts us to cater to the cravings of the flesh. Man forgets the Divine in hi
m; he listens to the call of the animal in him; and, he falls from his high dest
iny. But, when Krishna is born in the cellar of the mind, he is saved; man must
become aware of God within the cavity of his heart. Yesterday, while returning fr
om Ooty, we halted at Bandipur Wild Life Sanctuary and, riding on a tame elephan
t, we moved into the forest to catch a glimpse of wild elephants. Imagine, sitti
ng on an elephant, we were seeking elephants! When we caught a glimpse of a trun
k in a bush, we were overcome with delight. Sitting on a tame, domesticated eleph
ant, we were eagerly searching for an elephant in its natural surroundings, unaf
fected by artificial habits and skills. Man too is everywhere ignoring the Atma w
ithin himself in its natural environment and trying to seek the shadows that att
ract him.
Sri Krishna was born as the eighth child of Devaki. This is significant, for Sam
adhi is the eighth stage of spiritual effort, coming after Yama, Niyama, Asana,
and Pranayama. Pratyahara, Dharana and Dhyana. These are grouped as Ashtanga Yog
a, the Eightfold Discipline. The Lord can be visualised only after the seven step
s are successfully negotiated and the mind purified in the process. The term, Sa
madhi, is generally identified with a temporary loss of consciousness, or even mo
re, a temporary heightening of the consciousness. But, we have to judge the state
by the effect it has on the person and his attitude towards himself and others.
Samadhi means, sama (equal) dhi (intelligence) that is say, intelligence, graspi
ng the equality (fundamental) of every being. Not only will all idea of differenc
e and distinction disappear, but, even the idea of duality heat and cold, grief an
d joy, good and bad disappears. And, when man reaches that state, the Lord is born
, automatically in his consciousness.
The moment Krishna was born, the chains that bound his father fell off; the doo
rs that had been bolted flew open, the prison guards were immersed in the ocean
of bliss, so that they could not recognise any event or thing in the material wo
rld. The fire of hatred that was burning in them was cooled; darkness gave place
to the dawn of wisdom. The sky showered raindrops to soften the earth and suppre
ss the dust. How can the elements operate against the Divine will? Sound, touch,
light, taste, and smell all became sublime to celebrate the new Era of Peace and P
lenty. Vasudeva, as instructed by the Voice, placed the child in a basket and ca
rried it on his head across the Yamuna river (which parted to give him the right
of way) to Gokul where at the same time, Yasoda, Consort of Nanda, had given, b
irth to female child. Just when he emerged from the prison, a donkey brayed to i
ndicate a good omen! But, Vasudeva was afraid it will waken the guards; so, he h
eld its feet with both his hands (after placing the basket on the ground) and
prayed that it keep silent. That was the depth of his devotion to the Lord whom
he was transporting, as per His directions.
When he went to Nanda's house and entered the lying-in-room, she had just deliver
ed a baby-girl. There was no one there, except, the sister of Nanda, Radha, who
was at that time nine years old. Vasudeva brought the babe over and placed the L
ord by her side. The female child is Maya Shakti, for, she ushers the Avatar of
the Lord. Yogashakti too has to be ever with the Avatar, and it too had come as
Balarama, born to Rohini, another wife of Vasudeva. Mayashakti played her ruse a
s soon as she was placed in the bed of Devaki. She cried aloud, awakening the gu
ards; they reported the arrival of the child, to Kamsa. He expected that the eig
hth child would be a boy; but, nevertheless, he took hold of the girl and smashe
d it upon a rock. Mayashakti flew up into the air, declaring that the person who
was to kill Kamsa was growing up safe in Gokulam.
Though Kamsa slaughtered a number of babies from Gokulam, Krishna escaped his ey
e; Krishna systematically overpowered and killed various emissaries sent by Kams
a, to Gokulam under various pretexts. Putana, a demoness assumed a charming huma
n form, and came to Nanda's house, offering to breast-feed the child. She said,
"Mother! You have lost a number of newborn kids. Perhaps, my breast milk might s
ave this one, and Yasoda believed that she was a woman of true compassion and tha
t her milk might have the holy effect she claimed it had. She handed the baby Kr
ishna over to Putana; but, Krishna knew her intentions; he drew out her breath i
tself and left her dead.
But, let us pay more attention to the boy Krishna than to his exploits. All thes
e exploits reveal that Krishna being Divine, no one could harm Him or suppress H
im. According to the folk-belief, they bored the ears and nose of Krishna, in or
der to ward off the death that had carried away many children from the family. O
n the nose they put a golden wire.
The nose-ring had a small-sized pearl. The pearl is won by diving into the depth
s of the sea; so, it symbolises the Viveka or discrimination that is won, after
diving into the secrets of the objective world. And, since it marked the tip of
the nose, it also sought to emphasise the need to concentrate, to meditate on th
e tip of the nose the eye should not be fully open, for, it will distract the atte
ntion, nor should it be closed, for sleep would intervene and put an end to the
process of meditation. It should be half-open, the sight of both eyes being dire
cted to the tip of the nose, where Krishna wore the pearl.
Krishna's complexion was neither fair nor dark; it was three parts dark and one-
part fair, an amalgam of both. Since they were Vaishnavas, the parents placed a
line of musk on the centre of the brow. He wore silver bangles on His wrists, su
ch as cowherd boys wore those days in that part of the country. But, the kankans
that Krishna wore were not mere bangles or kankans. They had profound implicatio
ns. One rite that every Hindu has to honour before entering on any enterprise of
a sacred nature, like performing a Yajna or undertaking a vow, or taking on a n
ew stage of life, was the tying of a kankan to the wrist, in memory of the deter
mination that he evinces to fulfill that vow or carry out the duties of that sta
ge of life. Krishna had taken three vows, and the kankans were symbolic of his d
etermination to fulfill them. They were as mentioned by Him in the Gita: (1) Dha
rma samsthapanarthaya Sambhavami yuge yuge. I shall incarnate myself in every ag
e, to revive and resurrect Dharma (2) Yogakshemam vahamyham. I shall bear the bu
rden of ensuring peace and prosperity of all who rely on Me and (3) Mokshayishya
mi maa sucha. I shall save all those who surrender wholeheartedly to Me and I sh
all liberate them from the cycle of birth and death. Therefore, Krishna has assu
red man that He would save him from penury and grief, and from sin and its terrib
le consequences, provided He adheres to Him and adores Him; He has also assured
the world that He would come in human form and lead mankind into the Dharmic pat
h and thus, liberate them from grief and the succession of births and deaths.
He says, when promising His Grace to all who adore Him with no other thought, th
at all who do so will receive His Grace; there is no restriction of caste, creed
or colour or country of origin; no one receives special favour as a result of e
rudition or age or caste. Krishna was the embodiment of Prema; His Prema had no
bounds. How fortunate you are that you have today the same Krishna, the full Pre
ma Avatar, moving among you! I shall show you the very Kaustubha that I was wear
ing at that time. (Here, Baba waved His hand and in a trice, a brilliant flash o
f light revealed a unique jewel in His palm the Kaustubha, famed in the Bhagavata
and the Puranas. A big-sized Emerald of unexcelled green blue, rectangular in sh
ape, bordered by splendorous diamonds, hung on a gold chain. (Baba moved among t
he students, teachers and others and graciously allowed every one of them to see
the sacred jewel very close).
Krishna moved among men as an ordinary person and drew them to the observance of
His prescriptions by means of His Divine Prema. He refrained from parading His
Divine Insignia, the Conch, the Wheel, the Mace and the Lotus. He did not wear e
ven a Crown. While a boy, He followed the cows into the pastures with just a tow
el bound round His head. (Here, Baba called for a longish towel, and He wound it
round His head, to show how Krishna appeared at that time. He announced that, i
n those days, as now, there were peacocks in plenty in and around Brindavan and
Gokul, and so, when He came across a feather fallen from its wing, He stuck it b
etween the folds of the towel. It was a moment of rarest and finest delight, whe
n Baba stood revealed as the boy Gopala, before hundreds of awestruck but adoring
devotees) When the Pandavas celebrated the Ashwamedha and the Rajasuya Yajnas,
Krishna asked for some assignment being given Him, so that He might be of servic
e. Though He could destroy the entire Kaurava brood, He tried His best to instill
good sense into them in order to save them. Then as well as now, the teaching a
nd the message are the same: "Know thyself, that is the only right way to know M
e. Being associated ardently with men, winning their Love through Love, and, thro
ugh a process of correcting their vision and purifying their consciousness, lead
ing them to the realisation of the God which is their core this is the task, then
as well as now. Unless the human form is assumed, no one will come near; if the
appearance is super-human, people will keep away. So, as the Sastras say, Daivam
Maanusba rupena, the Divine in the Form of Man, has to come, to save mankind.
The Five Elements are the products of the Lord's Will; so, they obey the Will of
Krishna. Whatever Krishna said came true. The only correct definition of Truth
is, 'that which Krishna speaks'. Believe in that. Be firm in that belief. One da
y, when Krishna went on a stroll with Arjuna, He pointed to a bird perching on t
he branch of a tree; He asked Arjuna, "Do you see that peacock?" and Arjuna answ
ered, "Sure. I do, "Oh. Arjuna. It is not a peacock. It is an eagle," said Krishn
a and Arjuna promptly agreed that it was an eagle. Soon, Krishna corrected Himsel
f and pointing to the same bird, said, "I am sorry. It is a dove. Arjuna too corr
ected himself and said, "Yes. I see now it is a dove, all right. Krishna laughed
at Arjuna and said, "It is not a dove at all; it is a crow, and Arjuna agreed wit
hout demur, "Undoubtedly it is a crow. Krishna then accused Arjuna of stupidity,
because he was saying 'Yes' to whatever he said the bird was peacock, eagle, dove,
crow. Arjuna said, "What you say is the Truth, for me. You can make a crow a do
ve, a peacock an eagle. Why should I differ from whatever you declare? Your word
is the Truth I go by.
You too, must develop that faith and not be turned away by your egoism or others
' cynicism. Develop Viveka and Vairagya and then, your hearts will bloom into fr
agrant beauty. You have here a picture of Sai standing on a Lotus. Sai Krishna w
ill install Himself in the Lotus of your heart. He will be ever with you as guar
d and guide and he will shower Grace on you. He will be the Mother, Father, Prec
eptor and God, He will be the nearest kinsman, He will be your All.
Therefore, I desire that you learn well the subjects taught you as part of the c
urriculum; discharge your duties as students to the best of your skill and intell
igence. Follow the disciplines imposed for your betterment. Practise Japa and Dh
yana and cultivate the attitude of Seva. Become good sons and good citizens, and
bring honour to the family, the society and the country.
********************************************************************************
*********
5th September 2010
Teachers reveal the direction and the goal to their students. The skill and the
strength, the status and stature of humankind are shaped and furthered in propor
tion to the quality and character of its teachers. Teachers must dedicate their
learning and wisdom to the great task of uplifting pupils to higher levels of kn
owledge and action. The virtues which they help to inculcate in their pupils are
essential for the uplift of the society. Character is the hallmark of every per
son. When virtues are deep-rooted in the heart, everyone in the society can shin
e with full glory.
- BABA
7th September 2010
One may be subjected to calumny, insult and dishonour; one may be plunged into p
overty or pain; but the person who has surrendered to the Will of God will welco
me each of these gladly and bear it with equanimity. The Lord will never give up
His children. Those devoted to God have to be patient and calm, under the most
poignant provocation. The fact is, the pious and the God-fearing are those who a
re most visited by travails and troubles: in order to teach mankind these great
truths, Krishna enacted the drama in Mahabharatha, with the Pandavas as the cast
. Every incident in their lives is but a scene in His Play.
- BABA
8th September 2010
Every educated person and student must cultivate simplicity and must discard ost
entation. If they are addicted to ostentation, they lose their genuine nature or
individuality. Even if a person is a master of all sciences or famous as a grea
t intellectual, he is certain to be counted out of scholars and pundits if he ha
s no humility and discipline in his dealings with others. They may win respect f
or some time but that attitude will decline pretty soon. Alertness to serve and
simplicity alone will earn honour. When one gives up ostentation, one can get pe
rmanent respect from people. Real education imparts a spirit of renunciation, a
dislike for ostentation, and the yearning for serving others.
- BABA
9th September 2010
Every being has its own Dharma or innate specialty or individuality or special c
haracteristics. This rule applies equally to blades of grass and the stars. The
cosmos is not one continuous flux. It progresses persistently towards achieving
a totality in the qualities and circumstances. But if you are too immersed in th
e all-pervasive delusion, you cannot elevate yourself. When in delusion, you are
not aware of the path of peace and harmony in the world. You will also not be a
ble to hold on to the good and avoid the bad, and establish yourself in the righ
teous path. However, you can transform yourself from the present status through
self effort and discrimination. The moral forces permeating the cosmos will cert
ainly promote your achievement!
- BABA
10th September 2010
If you seek Vidya (knowledge), you must possess kindness, compassion and love to
wards all living beings. Kindness to all beings should be your very nature. If i
t is absent, you become a boor. Vidya means, more than anything else, the qualit
y of compassion towards all living beings. If you bear ill-will against any bein
g, your education has no meaning. The advice given in the Gita, Adweshta Sarva Bh
oothanam, (with no ill-will towards any being), conveys the same message. Love an
d compassion must not be limited to mankind only. They must embrace every living
being.
- BABA
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Duniya me
7 kaam aasan he
0r mushkil bhi
1.DOSTI karna
aasan,NIBHANA mushkil
2.PYAR karna aasanPANA mushkil
3.BHAROSA todna aasan KARNA mushkil
4.YAAD karna asan
BHULNA. mushkil
5.JHOOT bolna Aasan,SUCH sun'na mushkil
6.KISI ko rulana aasan,HASANA mushkil
7.Kisi k Bagar MARNA aasan
JINA mushkil
in me se jo muskil kam karta he vohi is duniya me jine ka matlab samajta hai
********************************************************************************
***
12th September 2010
The genuine characteristics, the Swaroopa Lakshana, never undergoes change. It a
bides in all. The form, name, time or space may suffer change; but the core of t
ruth, the Swaroopa Lakshana, will not change. That core is denoted as Asthi (exi
stence), Bhathi (luminescence) and Priyam (attractiveness) in Vedanta texts. Exi
stence is the unchanging truth. It may change its form and name, in time and spa
ce, but the is-ness is genuine. It makes itself known as existing, through the nat
ive characteristic of Prakasha (luminosity) or capacity to attract our awareness
and confer knowledge. We can know it because it has luminescence; all things we
know have this innate characteristic. Each thing also has the characteristic of
likeability, the capacity to invoke attachment and love as a result of usabilit
y. The above three together are the nature of God.
- BABA
13th September 2010
The Gita warns that any insult or injury or even neglect directed against any li
ving being is an act that insults, injures or neglects the Divine. Sarva Jeeva Th
iraskaaram Keshavam Prathigachchathi. The Gita clearly says, Sunee chaiva svapaake
cha, pandithaah sama darshinah. That is to say, the learned man who has acquired
humility through Vidya (knowledge) must deal with equal compassion and considera
tion all living beings alike. Uniform compassion shown in this manner transforms
itself into uniform welfare for the recipients. Wishing well for all is the sig
n of one who has earned Vidya. The narrow vision that is limited to one communit
y must be given up. Bhaarathiya culture thus emphasises the highest truth, the b
roadest vision.
- BABA
14th September 2010
The hearts of the great will be so full of divine content and equanimity, that t
hey will not be affected by the ups and downs of fortune. A fragrant flower will
please one with its captivating scent, whether it is held in the left hand or i
n the right. So too, whether in the sky or in the forest, village or city, on th
e heights or the valley, the great will be equally happy. They know no change, a
s demonstrated by the Pandavas in the epic Mahabharatha. Even though they were i
n the jungle, they were able to spend their days happily by the grace of Lord Kr
ishna.
- BABA
15th September 2010
Brahman (Divinity) is the source of the scriptures and is therefore all-knowing.
Brahman is the very source of illumination. Only the Omniscient One can be the
source of the Vedas. Only the scriptures can liberate people through that illumi
nation, named knowledge. They regulate one's life and foster it, guarding it fro
m grief. The Vedas offer comforting counsel; they deal with people affectionatel
y and lead them forward, for they are received through venerable personages who
attained the highest knowledge, Brahman.
- BABA
16th September 2010
Students have to pay great attention to an important quality cleanliness, both out
er and inner. When either of these is absent, that person becomes useless for an
y task. The clothes you wear, the books you read and the environment around you
must be clean. This is the outer cleanliness. That is to say, every material obj
ect you deal with for living has to be kept clean. The body has to be scrubbed a
nd washed every day, or else, it may cause infection to you and others. The teet
h and eyes, the food and drink, all should be free from dirt. You can then lead
a healthy life.
- BABA
17th September 2010
When the ruler becomes cognizant of the activities of evil times, Kali , he must in
vestigate into the conditions favourable for its spread. Emperor Parikshit analy
zed the situation and declared that Kali or wickedness can have sway only throug
h the incompetence of the ruler, the loss of self-reliance among the people and
the decline in the earning of Grace. These three are the factors that promote th
e plans of Kali. Without them, man cannot fall a prey to its wiles. Hence, Parik
shit promoted alertness and leadership through personal example to his people. Ya
tha raja, thatha praja (As the ruler, so the ruled) is the proverb, he said. As t
heir king, he attempted to give no room to injustice, force, evil character, unt
ruth and violence; he formulated preventive plans to effectively check the influ
ence of Kali.
- BABA
18th September 2010
Many feel that it is human to err and that Bhagawan should forgive their lapses.
In fact, if they were truly human, they should not commit mistakes at all. Even
if sometimes a mistake is committed, willingly or unwillingly, it should not be
repeated. It is a grievous error to think that it is natural for a human being
to err. To follow the directives of the senses is the mark of an animal. To be g
uided by the Atma is the sign of a human being. None should attempt to justify h
is or her weaknesses and lapses as natural to a human being. They should be rega
rded as signs of mental debility. When you have truly acquired sense-control, yo
u will experience the power of the Divine in you.
- BABA
19th September 2010
What is spirituality? It is the resolute pursuit of cosmic consciousness. Spirit
uality aims at enabling a person to manifest in all its fullness the Chaitanya (
Divine Cosmic Consciousness) that is present both within and outside oneself. It
means getting rid of one s animal nature and developing the divine tendencies wit
hin one. It means breaking down the barriers between God and Nature and establis
hing their essential oneness. Today, people think that spirituality has no relat
ion to mundane life, and vice versa. This is a big mistake. True divinity is a c
ombination of spirituality and social obligations. National unity and social har
mony are founded upon spirituality. It is the Divine that links spirituality and
social existence.
- BABA
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*********************************************20th September 2010
Everyone is endowed with a Hridaya (spiritual heart). When you fill your heart w
ith love and compassion, peace will reign supreme in the world. There will be lo
ve everywhere. There will be no jealousy, hatred or anger in the world. Restless
ness will disappear from the face of the earth. One who has filled his heart wit
h compassion will always remain in peace. It is most essential to know this trut
h. People mistake Hridaya for the physical heart. Hridaya is nothing but the all
-pervasive Atmic principle, in other words, the Aham . So you should keep your hear
t absolutely pure and sacred.
- BABA

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