Thought for the Day

1.It is not possible to limit the freedom of God in assuming Forms. He adopts endless Forms to manifest Himself to save the world. His incarnation is in conformity with the need of the crisis at the time. When the Earth moaned under the injustice of the demon Hiranyaksha, He had to appear as a boar, taking Form and equipped with Attributes, though in essence, He is without Form and Attribute. The will of God cannot be explained by categories or as consequences. It is according to the needs of the situation, in the Forms best suited for the destruction of the wicked and for the protection of the good and godly.

2.The Upanishads prescribe certain sadhanas (spiritual exercises) to achieve inner peace. One of that is engaging in Karma or beneficial activity - that is to say, service to people which will help diminish the sense of ego; this refers to acts that are good and godly. When one’s thoughts are engaged in such activities, the mind turns away from the talk it indulges in. Listening to spiritual advice, reflection on spiritual directions, and discovering ways and means of confirming faith in the Lord, recital of the names of God and withdrawing the mind from sensual pursuits have been prescribed by the scriptures for silencing the mental chatter, this inner talk, as a preparation for attaining the Supreme Lord. For it is only when the mind is cleansed and clarified that it can achieve such a profound task. Only then the lessons taught and the experiences undergo ne can be pure and unsullied.

3.The rain falling on the mountain range slides down the sides into many valleys and flows as turbid streams. The same rain falling on fresh water lakes or limpid rivers remains pure and clear. The sages who are cognizant of their Atmic reality are transformed into the purity, equanimity, and charity that it represents. They are ever in the full awareness of the Atma, their inner core. In the purified consciousness of these persons, there is the experience of identification. Likes and dislikes, sense of “I” and “mine”, anxiety and calmness, elation when praised and depression when blamed - these cannot contaminate or agitate a person who has attained that state. These opposites become balanced and are accepted with equanimity as waves on the Atmic consciousness. This is the authentic Atmic attitude, the Brahman inner-look, the unitary vision.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba