Thought for the Day

1)The master of the house makes all the elaborate arrangements for a marriage in the family. He plans meticulously for the wedding ceremony, the reception, the menu, the illumination, the music, the decoration, etc.. These are very exciting when they are being planned and even while they are executed. But in the end when the bills arrive, will the master still be happy? In quite a few places, after the event is done, there may even be angst, disgust and grief. Isn’t it known from such experience that there is more joy in the actual doing than in the result that accrues. So it must be easy to discard the fruits of action, provided you spend some thought on the process ofkarma (performing action), and the worth of its fruit.

2)People seek frantically for peace and happiness in a thousand ways along a thousand roads. Real peace is to be got only in the depths of the spirit, in the discipline of the mind, in faith in the One base of all this seeming multiplicity. And the joy of that experience, the profound exhilaration which accompanies it cannot be communicated in words. All shravanam and kirthanam(hearing and singing God's names) is to take you nearer that experience. Shravanam is the medicine that you take internally and kirthanam is the balm you apply externally. Both are needed. Develop devotion to the Lord using as many means as possible. Your mind and the intellect must be trained and controlled, that is the sole aim.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Practice detachment from now on, slowly and steadily!

There was a man from Puttaparthi who lived in a solitary hut on the banks of the Ganga. He was engaged in severe penance and was admired by other monks. One day, while bathing in the river, he overheard a party of pilgrims who had just alighted from the bus, talking in Telugu. His attachment to his mother tongue dragged him; He asked them where they came from. Slowly, he gathered that they were from Anantapur District, Penukonda Taluk. His ears ached for further details. When they said they were from Puttaparthi, the monk was elated and began enquiring about his lands, family and friends. When he learnt that a few of them had passed away, he started weeping! All his years of penance broke down before the onslaught of language-attachment! Practice detachment from now on, slowly and steadily! Do not continue to add things that bind you to them. Bind yourself to the great liberator, God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

No manifestation of the Lord needs any publicity. What do you know about God? Is your faith unshakable? You praise Him when things go well, and blame when things go wrong. Even before your devotion ripens, you strive to lead others, and plan for subscriptions and associations; all this is mere show which brings more spiritual loss than gain. When you start publicity you descend to the level of those who compete in collecting clientele, decrying others and extolling themselves. Remember, where money is calculated, garnered and exhibited to demonstrate one's achievements, God will not be present. God comes only where sincerity, faith and surrender are valued. Sing with yearning for Him. Hours of shouting do not count; a moment of concentrated prayer from the heart is enough to melt and move God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You must dive deep into the sea to get the pearls. What good is it to dabble among the waves near the shore and swear that the sea has no pearls in it and all tales of its existence are false? So too, if you are determined to get the full benefit from the Sathya Sai Avatar (or any form of the Divine), dive deep and get immersed in full. Half-heartedness, hesitation, doubt, cynicism, listening to tales, etc. is of no avail. Concentrated complete faith alone can bring victory. This is true of any worldly activity, is it not? How much more true must it be in the spiritual field? A hundred people might come to your house and even treat you with affection, but you do not address them as, “Papa or Daddy!” So too, remain attached to the one Name and Form that is dear to you. Have your mind fixed on that form at all times.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You take drugs in a vain attempt to escape from the grip of diseases. But you are unaware of the diseases that eat into the very vitals of your happiness and make you a social danger – the maladies of envy, malice, hatred and greed. Take this best medicine to rid yourself of these diseases! Believe that the Lord is living in every heart and so when you inflict pain, physical or mental, on anyone, you are slighting the Lord Himself. Never entertain hatred or contempt in your heart. Show your resentment, if you must, through carefully selected words but never through action. Introspect and repent for your own errors and pray for strength to refrain from your shortcomings.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

It is to clear the path of spiritual progress of mankind that the Lord incarnates from time to time. The restlessness (ashanthi) in which man is immersed has to be curbed. That is what is meant by, the declaration parithraanaaya saadhoonam - ‘the saving of the good’; the saving of individual beings from the tentacles of restlessness caused by want of knowledge, of the relative unimportance of worldly things. All beings must get peace and true happiness; that is the mission on which the Lord comes again and again on this earth. He selects a place full of holiness and takes on the human form, so that you may meet and talk to Him, understand and appreciate, listen and follow, experience and benefit.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

We must have the awareness of the relative value of things; the discrimination between the real and relatively real. The gifts of reason and conscience must not be wasted through neglect. Your story should not be a repetition of that of the woodcutter, who was given a huge sandalwood forest as a reward, but, who out of sheer ignorance of the value of the trees, burnt the trees and sold them as charcoal at so much per bag! You ignore the Divinity that you really are and waste the opportunity to unfold it. Ignorance (ajnana) is imported from outside; what is native to you, what is within is wisdom (Jnana).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

People seek frantically for peace and happiness in a thousand ways along a thousand roads. Real peace is to be got only in the depths of the spirit, in the discipline of the mind, in faith in the One base of all this seeming multiplicity. And the joy of that experience, the profound exhilaration which accompanies it cannot be communicated in words. All shravanam and kirthanam(hearing and singing God's names) is to take you nearer that experience. Shravanam is the medicine that you take internally and kirthanam is the balm you apply externally. Both are needed. Develop devotion to the Lord using as many means as possible. Your mind and the intellect must be trained and controlled, that is the sole aim.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

In the present times, it is impossible to find virtuous people or virtues holding sway over people’s minds. People have lost the fear of a fall and become worse than animals. During previous centuries, Rajput women immolated themselves rather than fall into the hands of wicked foes. When Hanuman offered to take Sita back to Rama, the virtue of Sita would not allow her to accept the offer. She said that it would best suit her husband's fame if he himself avenges the wrong and rescues her. Hanuman's taking her, would be a repetition of what Ravana did, for he too stole her secretly while Rama was away. She did not consider her immediate relief as more important than the implications of that step to her virtue and her husband's fair name. It all lies in the vision that you command, that you have equipped yourselves with.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba 

Thought for the Day

Be careful to not engage yourself in Iccha Krishi (the cultivation of wants and desires). This is a never ending process of sowing and reaping, you will never reach contentment. For, one desire, when satisfied will fan the thirst for ten more. Be warned! Do not run after devious desires or crooked satisfactions. All roads leading to the realm of the senses are tortuous and blind. Only the road that leads to God is straight. Cultivate straightforwardness (Neethi) in your every act. That will reveal the Divine in due course. It will also enable you to overcome your three Gunas (Rajas, Sathwa and Tamo). Just as you grind chilly, salt and tamarind to get a tasty dish, you must grind all the three Gunas so that the taste of Ananda (bliss) emerges.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

One cannot give adult food to a baby – you have to adjust the food to the needs and the digestive abilities of the child and gradually let the tastes develop with age. So too, you cannot reach the peak, in just one jump! It takes persistent effort and gradual progress to get to the top, is it not? Realize that it is a very hard job to negate the evidence of the senses. You can and must overcome the tendencies that have grown within you from hundreds of births. The truth that the world is an illusion and is a manifestation of the Divine is clear to a few, who have reached their destination. If you are an aspirant, until that realization hits you, you must persist in your path, patiently, with hope and sincere effort.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Repentance saves even sinners from perdition. No ceremony of expiation is as effective as sincere repentance. The shopkeeper may give short measure at times, but he will never accept less money; the bill always has to be settled in full. Pay it through repentance. You cannot deceive the Lord with insincerity. Unless you correct yourself through detachment and sacrifice, you cannot reach God. The Lord can be understood, only if you approach Him, develop attachment to Him, have unswerving loyalty to Him and have full faith in Him. You will easily understand Him when you feel that you are but the instrument and He wills every little movement, everywhere. Give up egoism in full, and develop faith. Then you can most certainly see Him.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Every one of you has in possession a ticket for liberation from the cycle of birth and death. But most do not know the train that has to be boarded; many get down at intermediate stations, imagining them to be the terminus and wander helplessly in the wilderness, or are carried away by sights and scenes. Until the wound heals, and the new skin is formed and hardens, the bandage is essential. So too, until Reality is realized, the balm of faith, holy company and holy thoughts must be applied to the ego-affected mind. It is dedication to the Lord that sanctifies all activities. He is the Prompter, the Executor, the Giver of the required strength and skill, and the Enjoyer of the fruit thereof. So dedication must come naturally to you, for all is His, and nothing is yours. Your duty is to believe that He is the impeller of your activities and draw strength from that belief.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The jeevi (individual soul) has come to this birth in order to reveal the splendour of the spark of Godhead which It is. A rat is attracted by strong smelling cheap little stuff inside the trap; it neglects all other articles of food in the granary, and thus falls a prey to its own foolishness. Similarly people disregard and waste their life in the pursuit of mortal riches. Be aware and alert. Live in the world but develop the skills to wonder and discriminate between the eternal and temporary. Learn to see through this drama and discover the Director behind the scenes, who is none else than God. You can easily develop these skills through devotion (Bhakthi), based on performing duty without any expectation of results (Nishkama Karma).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Real fruit of education

Life is a pilgrimage to God and the path lies before you. But, unless you take the first step forward and follow it with succeeding steps, how can you reach it? Start with courage, faith, joy and steadiness, you will certainly succeed. The mind and the intellect are like two bullocks tied to a cart. The bullocks are not used to the road of Truth, Righteousness, Peace and Love, and so they drag the cart along the road familiar to them, namely, falsehood, injustice, worry and hatred. You have to train the bullocks to tread the right path, so that they may not bring disaster to themselves and to others. Every object or being in the world will give both pleasure and pain. Control and train your mind to see this real nature of the objective world. That is the real fruit of education.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

You must use all the talents awarded to you in a prayerful and humble mood.

A devotee of Hanuman was once driving a cartload of grain to the market. On the way, one wheel got stuck and the cart could not be drawn forward. The cart slanted too, and a few bags fell on the ground. The devotee sat on the cart and started praying to Hanuman. He completed chanting the 108 names and even the 1008 names. When nothing happened, he started blaming the Lord and reviling Him for not rescuing him. Hanuman then appeared and took him to task! “Young man, instead of doing your duty by applying your strength on the job, you sat there, prayed and started reviling Me!” Come on, put your shoulder to the wheel and lift it up chanting My name! First contribute self-effort,” said the Lord. You must use all the talents awarded to you in a prayerful and humble mood. Until then, you have no right to seek the help and intervention of the Lord.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Your duty (Karma) has to be done righteously (in dharma). Those dominated by ignorance (Thamas) do their duty solely for the sake of the fruits thereof and they resort to all sorts of subterfuges in order to gain the results they desire. For this category of people, the end justifies the means. Those dominated by passion (Rajas) are proud and pompous, and boast that they are the doers, the benefactors and the experiencers. Those dominated by qualities of calm serenity (Sathwa) do their duties regardless of the fruits thereof and leave the result to the Lord. They will not worry whether it leads to success or failure, ever conscious of their duties and never of their rights. As a matter of fact, there is more joy in the actual doing, than in the result that accrues. This attitude must be the experience of every true seeker.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the day

Look at Arjuna! When the choice was placed before him to decide which he should receive – the entire army of redoubtable Yadhava war heroes or Lord Krishna alone, unarmed and refusing to fight – without any hesitation, he chose Krishna alone! He knew; he believed; and so, he was saved. What profit will an individual or country make if it accumulates money, gold and grain? The bliss derived from the worship of the Lord which arouses spiritual joy is, any day, far more desirable than the above. Want of faith is a source of true weakness. Love (Prema) is the seed, the overpowering experience of merging with the Divine is the tree (thanmayathwam), and inexhaustible bliss (Anandam) is the fruit. Achieve this consummation with firm faith in the Divine.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The love of the Gopis towards Krishna has led many ignorant people enmeshed in worldly attachments and physical attractions, to turn their faces away from God. Before passing judgement on any subject, you must investigate closely. The love of the Gopis towards Krishna was super-physical, the love of the soul for the Over-soul, of the river for the sea. Their joy when they feel His presence is as supreme as their grief when they feel they are deprived of it. That is why among the songs of the saints, you have Nindhaasthuthi also; that is to say, songs, which blame Him for being cruel, partial, negligent, etc.! Persons deep in this type of love see nothing else, hear nothing else; they behave like mad persons in the world’s view.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Devotion (Bhakthi) is the continuous flow of love which is unchanging, sincere and pure (Nithya, Sathya, Nirmalam). There is no one who is devoid of devotion; deep within the core, everyone has the feeling of kinship with all creatures. If you have no love, you are like the lamp without the flame. The presence or absence of the feeling makes a lonely man miserable or makes one likeable to many. Love of the pure type is like a bright light. It is not polluted by hate nor is contaminated with greed. Faith in God and faith in doing good is very essential. Also you must have faith in the concept of merit and sin (punya and papa). This will help you examine each act and consider its consequences before taking the action. Devotion makes you aware of the Lord, who sustains and supports every being and brings you nearer and dearer to Him.

Baganan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Divinity is above and beyond the intellect and unreachable through the senses. It is its own law; it is independent of all restrictions and modes. Each of the senses can perform only one operation to contribute to gathering knowledge. The ear can inform you of sound; the eyes can speak of colour, the tongue of taste, etc. Know that the Divine is beyond all sensations and systems. Creation, Sustenance and Dissolution (Srishti, Sthithi and Laya) are three expressions of the Divine will. You must penetrate the inner meaning of Creation (Srishti) by performing your duty as worship (Karma Yoga), you must grasp the significance of Sustenance (Sthithi) through Devotion to the Lord (Bhakthi Yoga), and when you attain wisdom (through Jnana Yoga), you arrive at the experience of Laya, Union with Divine.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Treading the Spiritual Path (Sadhana) is very essential because the effects of karma have to be removed by karma alone, as a thorn can be removed only by another thorn. You cannot remove a thorn by a knife, or a hammer or even a sword. The knowledge that the world is unreal was spread by great saints and noble souls, who realised the Divine. But great saints like Shankaracharya persisted in activity in the unreal world, through the establishments of mutts, writing of books and participating in difficult debates. This is to illustrate that you cannot desist from doing karma. However, you must take care that it is saturated with love and promotes the welfare of the world. Soak yourself in Love and purify your thoughts and deeds with Love, then the Lord Himself will awaken your higher consciousness!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Intellectual scholarship is not very essential for a spiritual aspirant. Develop bliss not by merely mastering difficult scriptures but by cultivating love which begins in your very own home and family, and spreads to all creatures in the Universe. Put down the sharp edged weapon that seeks to analyse and chop the arguments of the opponent, cutting the other’s point of view to pieces. Take the delicacy of love and distribute it to one and all; win over recalcitrant hearts and give joy to all. That is the path of love, along which I shall lead you and guide you. God knows your name, your degrees, profession, status and past, and reveals Himself to you many times, only to satisfy you and give you a glimpse of His love, so that you can mix it with a little of your own and make your life joyful.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The Dual or Non-dual approach to Divinity (Dwaitha orAdwaitha) are not distinct; they are stages of mental transformation. The fruit is the same; the sun and soil make it ripen through the intermediate stages of raw, tender and mature fruit. The day you realise that the Lord’s address is as specified in the Gita: “Ishwarah sarva bhutanam, hriddese, Arjuna Thishthati (O Arjuna, the Lord is in the heart of every being)", that day you would have truly attained Him! To realize the Lord in every being, you must cultivate love and drive out the bats of hate, envy and malice that infest the dark caverns of your heart. Let the light of Love illumine your thoughts, your words, your activities, your movements and your judgements. When you are transmuted into love in this manner, the Lord, who is Love-Incarnate, will reveal Himself to you.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Vinayaka is the Lord who removes all obstacles. The elephant is noted for its acute intelligence. Ganesha's elephant head symbolises sharpness of intellect and the highest power of discrimination. In a forest, when an elephant moves through the jungle, it clears all the obstacles, and leads the way for others to follow. Likewise, worship Ganesha at the start of any activity. His Grace is sufficient to clear all the obstacles in your path and grant success in your undertakings. The small mouse is a clever and lively creature. Symbolically it implies that we should be wise, agile and diligent in our actions.Vinayaka is a deity of infinite potency, who encompasses the entire universe within Himself. Accord Him a place of honour and secure His Grace. Then your journey of life will be made smoother and happier.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You ask for Grace, which is rare and is available at a high cost. However, you pay only trash and are disappointed that you are unable to secure it! Isn’t it sheer avarice! You claim that you have been visiting Puttaparthi (or other sacred places) and have served there, longer than 18 years or so and expect huge chunks of Grace. But it is not the years that matter – what matters is the depth to which the roots of Karma (past actions) have grown from your previous births. It takes a long time and systematic effort to clear the field of all those growths - that effort is the sadhana, of good actions and worship (Karma and Upasana).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The Sun is up in the sky during the day. It is the passing clouds that hide it from your vision sometimes, is it not? Similarly, the sensory world is the cloud that hides the Divine (Atma), ever shining in the firmament of your heart. The same mind that gathers the clouds also has the capability to disperse them in an instant! The wind gathers the clouds from all quarters and renders the sky dark. Sometimes, in a few moments, the same wind can change the direction and send the clouds in a scurry to wherever they came from! Then, the Sun becomes visible. So your mind is all powerful. Train it to disperse the clouds, not to gather them. Every aspirant must accomplish this training of their minds by following rigorous and systematic discipline.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

There are two very important statements in the Bhagavad Gita, which you must take to heart and profit from: Shraddhavan Labhate Jnanam (The one steady in faith gains wisdom and liberation) andSamshayaathma Vinashyathi (Doubt leads to perdition, spiritual ruin). Dwell on these axioms and practice the spiritual disciplines of repetition of the Lord’s name and meditation on His form. Gopis of Brindavan yearned for the Lord with purity in their hearts and attained union with Him. You too must fill your mind with His beautiful form and contemplate on the glory of the Lord. Then you can attain Divinity. This is the pursuit that is worthy, not the pursuit of fame, nor the friendship of the famous. Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Teaching is the process in which the teacher and the taught cooperate, a pleasant and useful experience for both. When teachers enter the classroom, children salute them; that is a lesson in humility, in respecting age and scholarship, and in gratitude for the service rendered. The teachers too, should decide to deserve the salutation through their sincere efforts and selfless service. Move the students through your love. Do not win the respect of the student through fear. Education is a slow process, like the unfolding of a flower, the fragrance becoming deeper and more perceptible as the flower silently blossoms, one petal at a time. The unfolding will be helped if the teacher is a fine example of discrimination, humility and clear-sightedness, rather than a person engaged in the task of mere repetitive teaching and coaching for examinations. Example, not precept, is the best teaching aid.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

It is the internal bliss that should matter to any person, not the external, sensory, objective and the worldly temporary joys. If you can develop the inner poise or equilibrium that is undisturbed by the ups and downs every day presents to you, that is a sure sign of real success! Everyday is similar to the previous days, with the rising and setting of the Sun and the waxing and the waning of the Moon. However, when 365 days are over, we call it a New Year and give it a new name and number. The Sun and the Moon mark ascend and descend of the day. They are however, unaffected by the name or the number for the day or the year. Be like the Sun and the Moon. Do not care about the new name or the number, but do care about your duties, your inner poise and bliss derived from within yourself!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Birth as a human being is a unique chance. For, human beings alone are endowed with discriminating intelligence, that is, the power to reason out the best amongst alternative courses. You are, by design, very far from the animal kingdom (pashu) and very near to Divine (Pashupathi). Do not relapse into animality. Imbibe love, nobility and majesty from the scriptures; they are so full of it! For example, look at the grandeur in behaviour portrayed in Ramayana! After the war, when Ravana fell, Rama sent Lakshmana to the battlefield with the message to see that he is treated like the Emperor of Lanka, and not as a despised enemy. The scriptures have in them such lessons that portray the majesty of virtue (Seelam), action (Kriya) and feelings (Bhava).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba