Thought for the Day

Keeping God as your guide and saviour, whatever work you do, will yield sure success. God is your only true friend. Your friends may be with you only until you have wealth, but the moment you lose everything, they will desert you. God is the only friend who will always be with you, in you, beside you and will never leave you. Therefore, the only way to prosper is to develop friendship with the Lord. Being a human, make others happy. This is love. Your heart is full of love. On this New Year’s day, resolve that you will start every day with love, spend the day with love, fill the day with love, and end the day with love. Share it with at least five persons each day. Practice, experience and share Divine Love with all, with no difference in caste, creed, colour, religion or nationality. Countries and the world will prosper and everyone will be happy.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

People make every effort to accumulate wealth. An equal effort is needed to acquire the wealth of love. Human beings today invest their assets of love in pitiful ventures. Instead they should invest all their love in the divine bank of devotion. This deposit is not only safe but will yield you increasing returns in terms of bliss. Your heart is the bank where your love for God should be deposited. Deposits elsewhere are insecure. Deposits of money may be in danger of being lost. But the deposit in your heart is immune from any kind of theft or loss. Make your deposit safe by insuring it within your heart. This love has been characterised as the form of eternal nectar (amrita-swarupa). Nectar pleases only the palate. But Divine Love confers eternal bliss which is sweeter than nectar. Resolve to acquire this nectarous love.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Divine Love is the only panacea for all your troubles and miseries arising from insatiable desires and frustrated ambitions. If you are really filled with devotion, manifest your love for God who is the embodiment of love. If you are genuinely hungering and thirsting for God, partake of Divine love to appease your hunger and quench your thirst. God’s love is like a lighthouse beacon. It shows you the right path. Divert the boat of your life towards the lighthouse of Divine Love. You are then bound to gain the shore of bliss. You do not need to do any special type of penance. Fill your mind with love. While attending to your daily chores, regard all of them as offerings to the Divine. God is omnipresent. See God in everything and every being. Let steadfast love be enshrined in your heart. As Tukaram said, “Dil me Ram, hath me kam” (Rama in your heart and work in your hands).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Wealth (Artha) is one of the Purusharthas or legitimate objects of human endeavour. The four purusharthas are Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. They have been listed so in that order on purpose. Righteousness (Dharma) must direct and control the process of earning wealth (Artha) and liberation (Moksha) is to be the regulating factor of desire (kama). All wealth accruing from sources tainted by unrighteousness (Adharma) is to be treated with contempt and is unworthy of you. All desires that do not subserve the one supreme need for liberation are to be given up as beneath your dignity. So the spiritual basis, Dharma and Moksha, must be the root of Artha and Kama. Without this order, earning degenerates into plundering; desire degenerates into death.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The most valuable message the scriptures convey is this: Carry on your legitimate duties, discharge your obligations, and live up to your rights; but do not allow attachment to grow. Be like a trustee so far as family, riches, reputation, knowledge and skills are concerned. Leave them gladly aside, when the call of death comes. Death is pictured by some as a terror-striking God who rides a monster-buffalo, and pounces on you with a noose (Lord Yama in Indian scriptures). No, the noose is of your own making. He does not pounce; he gives advance notice of his arrival to take you - in the form of intimations like grey hair, falling teeth, failing vision, deafness, wrinkles, etc. He does not ride any beast; he is only another name for Time. It is Time that creeps steadily towards you and shears the cord of life. So utilise your capacity for karma (action) which you are endowed with to liberate yourself from the clutches of Time.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Like a lighted lamp, God’s grace spreads all around on everyone who approaches Him and loves to be near Him; but if you interpose a shade which shuts out the light from you, you only have yourself to blame if grace does not shine. Open the doors of your heart, so that Sun may shine through, disinfect the vices therein and illumine its corners. You must initiate that little effort, at least. The Sun will not open your doors and enter. To get the correct programme and enjoy, you must switch on and tune the receiver. That effort cannot be dispensed with. Believe, Strive, Succeed - this is the essence of the scriptures. God is immanent in the Universe. He is the core of every being, as butter is in every drop of the milk. You can see Him, provided you curdle this Universe with viveka (discrimination), churn it with vairagya (detachment) and collect it with sraddha (earnestness).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

What is it that people should acquire today? It is the broadening of the heart so that it may be filled with all-embracing love. Only then the sense of spiritual oneness of all mankind can be experienced. Out of that sense of unity will be born the love for God. This love will generate pure bliss in the heart that is boundless, indescribable and everlasting. For all forms of bliss, love is the source. A heart without love is like a barren land. Foster love in your hearts and redeem your lives. Whatever be your scholarship or wealth, they are valueless without love. Without devotion all other accomplishments are of no avail for realising God. People aspire for liberation. True liberation is freedom from desires. Today one cannot go to forests for penance or engage themselves in meditation and other spiritual exercises. The easiest spiritual path is dedicating all actions to God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Jesus taught that God is Love. Instead of recognising this basic truth, people are allowing hatred, envy and other evil qualities to pollute their love. You are gifted with the quality of love, not to express it for selfish purposes but to direct it towards God. Jesus clearly declared that there was nothing great about returning good for good. You should do good even to those who harm you. Love is the means of developing devotion and achieving liberation, apart from other things. Only the love of God is real love. The royal road for man is to realise the divinity within and in everyone. Where there is faith there is Love; Where there is Love there is Peace; Where there is Peace there is Truth; Where there is Truth there is Bliss; Where there is Bliss there is God. Hence, faith has to be strengthened.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Two thousand years ago, when narrow pride and thick ignorance defiled mankind, Jesus came as an embodiment of Love and compassion and lived amongst men, holding forth the highest ideals of life. You must pay attention to the lessons He elaborated throughout His life. 'I am the Messenger of God,' He declared first. Yes. All of you too must accept that role of messenger and live as examples of Divine Love and Charity. Jesus knew that God wills all. So, even on the cross, when He suffered agony, He bore no ill-will towards anyone and He exhorted those with Him to treat all as instruments of God’s Will. "All are one; be alike to everyone" - practise this attitude in your daily lives. As you celebrate Christmas, bring to mind the words He uttered, the advice He offered, the warning He gave, and decide to direct your daily lives along the path He laid down. His words must be imprinted on your hearts and you must resolve to practise all that He taught.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

When Jesus was born in a manger, three kings were led by a star to Jesus' birthplace. One of them, seeing infant Jesus observed: "This child will love God." The second one said: "No, God will love Him." The third one said: "Verily He is God Himself." The true significance of these three statements is - "To love God is to be His Messenger. To be loved by God is to be God’s child. The final state is to be one with God.” And Jesus said, "I and my Father are One." These three statements are applicable to all of you. Understand that you are also a messenger of God. When can you afford to call yourself ‘God’s child’? God does only pure actions, selflessly for the sake of all without any trace of self-interest in Him. To become God’s messenger and God’s child, and attain oneness with Him, manifest the qualities of the Father and divinise yourself.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Of what use is a mountain of bookish knowledge, if you cannot secure real happiness as a human being? Will not God take care if one places faith in the Divine? What is it that is achieved by ceaseless preoccupation with earning a living, forgetting the all-pervading Lord? Everybody clamours for peace saying, "I want peace." But can peace be found in the external world, which is only filled with pieces? Peace has to be found within oneself by getting rid of the ‘I’ and desire. Peace is being destroyed by the ego and by insatiable desires. Restrain your desires. You have to reduce desires and cultivate vairagya (detachment) so that you can have real peace of mind. Man is haunted by endless worries of many kinds. Only by turning one’s mind towards God can one get rid of the worries. While the Lord is ever by the side of man, he is searching for God all over the world. By exploring the external, you can never purify the internal. 

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The centre of every home must be the shrine room; the fragrance of flower and incense emanating from there must pervade the home and purify it. The mother must set the example in making the shrine the heart of the household. She must enforce discipline over the children in personal cleanliness, in humility and hospitality, in good manners and acts of service. She must persuade the children by example and precept to revere elders and to allot some time both in the morning and evening for prayer, and silent meditation. The shrine room must be clean and consecrated; special festival days should be observed, so that their significance will impress the young minds. However self-centred and haughty the husband is, by systematic regulation of the domestic time-table with worship of God as its focal point, he will soon realise how a God-centered home is a home of peace and joy. He too will follow soon and be a pillar of faith.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

It is not enough if your home budget is balanced; you must learn the art of having a balanced view of life, which will not be affected by triumphs and troubles, gains or losses, victory or defeat. This balance can be got only by reliance on God and faith in the indwelling God. You must learn to steer clear of hatred, malice, greed, anger, anxiety, pride and other obstacles that come in the way of your inner peace. Education must render you a monarch of your talents and your tools for acquiring knowledge. The eye, the ear, the tongue, etc. are like wild horses that have no bridle between the teeth; learn the art of meditation (dhyana) through which the senses can be controlled and the will directed inwards towards the mastery of feelings and emotions. You must heed one discipline - controlling of your senses; if you give them free rein, they will drag you into calamity.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Desires that cling to the mind are the blemishes that tarnish the inner consciousness. Control your senses; do not yield to their insistent demands for satisfaction. When a corpse is placed on a pyre, and when it is lit, both the corpse and the pyre are reduced to ashes. So too, when senses are negated, mind too disappears. When mind disappears, delusion dies and liberation is achieved. Faith in God is the best reinforcement for spiritual victory. When you revel in contemplation of the Lord’s splendour, nothing material can attract you. All else will seem inferior; the company of the godly and humble alone will be relished. When you act with faith and surrender, grace flows through you into every act of yours. Then they will no longer be yours, they are His, and you will have no concern about the consequences thereof. All words, thoughts and actions emanating from you will be saturated with love and conducive to peace.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Many educated women are converting their homes into a hotel, with cook, gardener and maids, who clutter the home! She makes herself a scintillating doll, darting in and through the rooms and is often a millstone round the husband’s neck, whom she leads about and lords over, to his discomfiture. She engages herself in spending money, shopping for wayward fancy things and idles away time in lazy lounging and medicating herself for imaginary illness. Beware! Mothers must look after their children during their early years; if the child is handed over to servants, they will learn their habits of living and speech, and will weep only when they die, not when the mother dies! For, the child starts loving the maid more than the mother who takes care of them! The mother must herself prepare food at home; for, food prepared with love and served with a smile is much more sustaining and strengthening than food purchased from elsewhere!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

A human being is not just a creature with hands, feet, eyes, ears, head and a trunk. One is much more than the total of all these organs and parts. These are merely like the crude image that comes out of the mould. Later, they must be ground, scraped, polished, perfected, smoothed, and softened through the higher impulses of the intellect, and pure intentions and ideals. Then one becomes the ideal candidate for Divinity, which is one’s true destiny. The impulses will be rendered pure and the intentions will be raised to the higher level, if and when one decides to dedicate all deeds, words and thoughts to the Lord. For this, faith in One Supreme Intelligence, which conceived, conserves and consumes this Universe, is essential. The next step is to be convinced of one's own helplessness and distress at one's own grief. Then surrender to that Intelligence is easily achieved.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

India's culture seeks to strike roots through mothers and the children on their laps. Women have been its custodians and promoters; men have a secondary role. And among women, girl students who will be women leaders in the coming days, must understand and practise this culture, so that it may be preserved and it may flourish. The keenness to acquire education is now very evident among the daughters of the nation and so, great hope can be placed on them in this field of reconstruction. Education must be for life, not for a living. Women in Indian history have proved throughout the centuries that they have the courage, the vision, and the intelligence needed to dive into the depths of spiritual science and discipline. Meera, Aandal, Maitreyi, Gargi, Sulabha, Choodala and Mahadevi are sterling examples of mighty heroines who undertook the spiritual adventure of God-realisation.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

To get happiness and peace, you must develop a pure and unsullied mind, free from egoism and its progenies – lust, greed, anger, hatred, envy and the rest. For this, you must seek noble company (satsanga), perform good deeds (satkarma), entertain only good thoughts (sat alochana) and read only noble and elevating books (sat granthas). You may see a thousand good things or listen to a thousand inspirational speeches or read a thousand good books, but unless you put at least one of their teachings into practice, the blemishes in the mirror of your heart will not be wiped off! The Lord cannot be reflected if the mirror of the heart is not clean. Remember, you are but a wave of the sea. Know this, and you are free. Constant practice with full faith will transmute a human (Nara) into God (Narayana), for Divinity is your real nature, your real essence!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

An individual, according to ancient scriptures is not merely a coordinated collection of limbs, senses and sensations. He is all these, and is governed by intelligence, which is sharpened by the modes and memories earned through many births. That intelligence in itself is an instrument with a limited range of efficiency; there are many goals it cannot achieve. These precious goals can be reached only through the descent of the Grace and Power from above. Complete surrender of the ego to that Divine Power will win grace for you in bounty. Vibheeshana was capable of that surrender and so he was immediately accepted and he received the Lord’s Grace. Sugreeva took much longer to reach that stage, for his faith to Lord Rama was clogged by doubts. He thought: ‘Does Lord Rama have the skill He professes to possess? Can He kill such a formidable adversary such as Vali?’ He surrendered only when his doubts were cleared.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

A true human being is one who follows and practices the principle of righteousness (dharma). Burning is the nature (dharma) of fire. Coolness is the dharma of ice. Fire is no fire without burning. Ice is no ice without coolness. Similarly, the dharma of a human being lies in performing actions with the body and following the commands of the heart. Every act performed with thought, word, and deed in harmony is an act of righteousness (dharma). A righteous (dharmic) life is a divine life. We say the word dharma without knowing its true nature and majesty. Dharma is of various kinds: dharma of a householder, a celibate, a recluse, and a renunciate. But the dharma of the heart is the supreme dharma. This dharma of the heart is verily the dharmaof life as well. The Ramayana enshrines in itself the very essence of the dharma of the individual, family, and society. In fact every human, who embodies the ideals of Rama, in a way, is Rama Himself. Hence, it is imperative on the part of every individual to cultivate the ideals of Rama.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Just as the human body will collapse without the spinal column, human life also will sink without morality and spirituality. Your spinal column is made of thirty-three rings, and it supports the entire human body. Similarly, moral and spiritual principles constitute the very rings of the backbone of human life. What is immortality? The removal of immorality is immortality. Human life, which is mortal, is bound to perish one day or the other. Hence we must strive for morality, which is imperishable. This moral splendour is the need of the hour. My earnest wish is that youth should cultivate moral splendour and strive for the welfare and upliftment of the country especially when selfishness and self-interest are so rampant. Students and youth must evince keen interest in the moral and spiritual principles of the Ramayana and fully benefit from it. Elders too should mould their lives in consonance with morality and spirituality.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Remember, if you pray to God with a pure heart, God will use someone to respond to your prayer. It is indeed small-mindedness to ask questions such as, “Where is God”, “How will He help me?” and so on. By raising such inappropriate questions, only our faith is weakened. That is the reason, the great sage Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said, “If you want to pray to God sincerely, you must be like an innocent child.” Lord Jesus also gave the same message. He used to say: "Even if I am like a child for even a brief moment of the day, how pure can I become!" It is such innocence and purity that we must possess in our hearts. There is no use in preaching to others, if your own thoughts and conduct have not changed. Engage yourself in Sadhana to cleanse your heart and mind to fill them with pure thoughts and loving feelings.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Just as the human body will collapse without the spinal column, human life also will sink without morality and spirituality. Your spinal column is made of thirty-three rings, and it supports the entire human body. Similarly, moral and spiritual principles constitute the very rings of the backbone of human life. What is immortality? The removal of immorality is immortality. Human life, which is mortal, is bound to perish one day or the other. Hence we must strive for morality, which is imperishable. This moral splendour is the need of the hour. My earnest wish is that youth should cultivate moral splendour and strive for the welfare and upliftment of the country especially when selfishness and self-interest are so rampant. Students and youth must evince keen interest in the moral and spiritual principles of the Ramayana and fully benefit from it. Elders too should mould their lives in consonance with morality and spirituality.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Dharma (Righteousness) is not a casual word to be bandied about. Repeating often quoted phrases such as “Righteousness is that which sustains” (Dharayateeti Dharmaha) or Righteousness protects its protectors (Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitaha) is a very common practice, but is not enough. What is needed is the practice of righteousness. Right conduct alone constitutes Dharma. The person who leads a righteous life is bound to find peace. Whoever goes into towns and villages to propagate righteousness must remember and practice these four important injunctions, “Do not cause harm to anyone”, “Do not abuse anybody”, “Perform your duties with loving devotion” and “Make your heart pure”. Even though most of our actions are related to worldly concerns, realisation of Divine is the goal. The only way to sanctify all our actions while leading our daily life is to do every act as an act of worship, as an offering to the Divine. Thus your whole life will be transformed into a sacred existence.
Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Dharma (Righteousness) is not a casual word to be bandied about. Repeating often quoted phrases such as “Righteousness is that which sustains” (Dharayateeti Dharmaha) or Righteousness protects its protectors (Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitaha) is a very common practice, but is not enough. What is needed is the practice of righteousness. Right conduct alone constitutes Dharma. The person who leads a righteous life is bound to find peace. Whoever goes into towns and villages to propagate righteousness must remember and practice these four important injunctions, “Do not cause harm to anyone”, “Do not abuse anybody”, “Perform your duties with loving devotion” and “Make your heart pure”. Even though most of our actions are related to worldly concerns, realisation of Divine is the goal. The only way to sanctify all our actions while leading our daily life is to do every act as an act of worship, as an offering to the Divine. Thus your whole life will be transformed into a sacred existence.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Ego

A game of football is played by two teams, with each team striving to score a goal by shooting the ball to the goal post. Life is also a game between the two goal posts of secular and spiritual education. While playing football, one kicks the ball as long as it is filled with air. Once the football is deflated, no one will kick it. The air in the football signifies the presence of ego. A person swayed by ego would have to receive blows until they become devoid of ego. Only a deflated ball is picked up by the hands, whereas an inflated ball is kicked mercilessly. Similarly, a person who has destroyed the ego is well respected, whereas the person who allows free sway of ego becomes the target of all sorts of attacks. Only when you are free from ego can you transform yourself into an ideal person. Secular things come and go, whereas spiritual gains stay forever.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Your life should be marked by discipline and morality, wherever you live. Lead your life in consonance with the command of your conscience. Your actions should remain the same, whether observed or unobserved, noticed or unnoticed. Though it is hard to restrain your mind, it can be diverted. When the mind steeped in the secular world is diverted toward Divinity, it gains in moral strength. The mind steeped in the worldly matters makes you a prisoner of the world, whereas a mind steeped in God liberates you. Your heart is the lock and your mind is the key. When you turn the key to the left, it locks. But if you turn it right, it unlocks. It is the turning of the key that makes the difference. Hence your mind is the cause for your liberation and bondage. What then is liberation (moksha)? It is not an air-conditioned mansion, but a state devoid of delusion (moha)

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Culture is universal in its scope and significance. We should not claim and contend that Indian culture is superior to all the other cultures of the world. Instead, we should have firm faith in the injunctions like: a) “All are one. Be alike to everyone.” b) “Together we shall live. Together we shall move. Together we shall grow in splendour. Together we shall live in amity and harmony, without conflict and skirmish.” We should foster the noble sentiments expressed in vedic statements of this kind. Unfortunately, the educational institutions of today do not nourish these noble sentiments in students. They are purely academically oriented and disregard the finer values of life. Secular learning should be coupled with spirituality. It is only such a harmonious blend of the secular and the spiritual that would lend beauty and radiance to life. We should not learn merely to fill our bellies but also to fill our hearts with bliss. The food eaten fills only the stomach but does not fill the mind, but spiritual food fills the mind and gives eternal Bliss.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

To develop kshama (forbearance), you must practice four kinds of purity – 1. Dravya Soucham (purity of materials); 2. Manasika Soucham (purity of mind); 3. Vak Soucham (purity in speech); 4. Kriya Soucham(purity in action or purity of body). Purity of materials covers all things used by a person, from clothes, food and cooking utensils to houses, and all the varied things used by a person. Everything that is in daily use should be completely pure. Purity of the mind calls for total elimination of attachments and aversions from the mind. Purity in speech implies avoidance of falsehood, and avoiding abusive language, slanderous gossip and speech that causes pain to others. A vile tongue fouls the mind and dehumanises man. The body has to be purified by performing Achamana with water (this ritual involves uttering the names of the Lord thrice and drinking three spoonfuls of water from the palm).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

There is no love between husband and wife before their wedding or between the mother and the child before its birth. Only Divine Love exists before birth and lasts after death.

Culture lies in seeing unity in diversity, with a deep-seated faith in the unity of life. Nourish faith in the feeling of the caste of humanity and the culture of love. Here love does not refer to the bodily affection that marks the relationship between a wife and husband, between children and parents, or between friends. The son, though he loved his mother with all his heart, flings her body onto the burning pyre and consigns her to flames without any mercy after her death. How can such love be called true Love? All such relationships can at best be termed ‘attachment’! Attachments, like passing clouds that sail away, come in the middle and pass off in the middle. But Love existed even before birth and will last after death. There is no love between husband and wife before their wedding or between the mother and the child before its birth. Only Divine Love exists before birth and lasts after death.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

இவர்களல்லவோ நடமாடும் தெய்வங்கள்!!!

நாட்டில் அழிந்துபோன நதிகள், தூர்ந்து போன ஏரிகள், காணாமல் போன குளங்கள் போன்ற வரலாற்றைத்தான் கேட்டிருக்கிறோம். அவற்றை மீட்டதாக சரித்திரம் இல்லை. ஆனால், இருந்த இடம் தெரியாமல், தண்ணீர் தங்கிய தடம் தெரியாமல் மொத்தமாக மண்ணுக்குள் புதைந்துபோன பிரம்மாண்டமான ஏரி ஒன்று மீட்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
மீட்கப்பட்ட ஏரியில் தற்போது கடல்போல ததும்பி நிற்கிறது தண்ணீர்.
கடந்த 50 ஆண்டுகளுக்கும் மேலாக வறட்சியில் தவித்துக்கொண்டிருந்த 15 கிராமங்கள் இந்த மாதம் முதல் நெல், கரும்பு, வாழை என இருபோகத்துக்கு மாறியிருக்கின்றன. அரை நூற்றாண்டு கழித்து அங்கே வசந்தம் பிறந்திருக்கிறது. சத்தமில்லாமல் இந்தச் சாதனை நடந்திருப்பது நம் தமிழகத்தின் கடலூர் மாவட்டம், நெய்வேலி அருகேயிருக்கும் கரைமேடு கிராமத்தில்தான். வாருங்கள், சாதனைக் கதையை திரும்பிப் பார்ப்போம்!

2005-ம் ஆண்டு. கண்ணுக்கெட்டிய தூரம்வரை விரிந்துகிடந்தது புதர்க் காடு. தூரத்தில் நிலக்கரி சுரங்க எரிகோபுரங்களில் இருந்து வெண்புகை கசிந்துக்கொண்டிருந்தது. அப்போது நெய்வேலி சுற்றுவட்டார கிராமங்களில் கடும் வறட்சி நிலவிக்கொண்டிருந்தது. பரவனாற்றில் தண்ணீர் பார்த்து பல ஆண்டுகளாகிவிட்டதால் கம்மாபுரம், கொம்பாடிகுப்பம் ஆகிய ஏரிகள் அழிந்தேபோயிருந்தன. ஓரளவாவது தண்ணீர் இருக்கும் வெலிங்டன் ஏரியும் பெருமாள் ஏரியும்கூட காய்ந்துக்கிடந்தன.

ககன் தீப் சிங் பேடி கண்ட கனவு

கடலூர் மாவட்ட ஆட்சியராக இருந்த ககன் தீப் சிங் பேடி ஒரு முறை, நெய்வேலி நிலக்கரி சுரங்க திட்ட பொறியாளர் துரைக்கண்ணுவிடம் ஒரு விஷயத்தை சொல்லியிருந்தார். அவர் சொன்னது இதுதான்: “நிலக்கரி சுரங்கத்திலிருந்து சேற்றை வெளியேற்றுகிற அந்த இடம் சாதாரணமானது கிடையாது. சுமார் 60 வருஷத்துக்கு முன்பு அழிந்து போன 1,664 ஏக்கர் பரப்பளவு கொண்ட பிரம்மாண்டமான ஏரி அது.

அதில் 12 வாய்க்கால்கள், 15 கதவுகள் கொண்ட கதவணை இருந்திருக்கின்றன. ஆவணங்களில் ‘வாலாஜா ஏரி’ என்கிற குறிப்பை தவிர, வேறு எதுவும் இல்லை. ஒருகாலத்தில் அந்த ஏரியின் மூலம் முப்போகம் விளைவித்திருக்கிறார்கள். இன்றும் ஏரியின் மதகுகள், இரும்புக் கதவுகள் எங்கேயோ புதருக்குள் கிடக்கலாம். மீண்டும் அங்கே ஆழப்படுத்தி ஏரியை மீட்டுவிட்டால் கடலூரில் வறட்சிக்கே இடமிருக்காது.”

வாலாஜாவின் நீராதாரம் பரவனாறு, காவிரி

கடலூர் மாவட்டத்தில் ஓடும் பரவனாறுதான் அங்கிருக்கும் ஏரிகளுக்கெல்லாம் நீர் ஆதாரம். கம்மாபுரம் ஏரி, கொம்பாடிகுப்பம் ஏரி, வாலாஜா ஏரி, பெருமாள் ஏரி ஒவ்வொன்றாக நிரப்பிவிட்டே பரவனாறு கடலுக்கு செல்கிறது. வாலாஜா ஏரிக்கு பரவனாற்றின் தண்ணீர் மட்டுமின்றி, கூடுதலாக வெள்ளாறு - ராஜன் வாய்க்கால் மூலம் மேட்டூர் - கல்லணை வழியாக காவிரியின் தண்ணீரும் கிடைத்துக்கொண்டிருந்தது. இதிலிருந்தே தமிழகத்தின் ஆறுகளுக்கும் ஏரிகளுக்கும் இருந்த அல்லது அறுந்துபோன தொடர்புகளை புரிந்து கொள்ளலாம்.
நெய்வேலி லிக்னைட் நிறுவனம் நிலக்கரி வெட்டி எடுக்கும்போது வெளியேறும் நிலத்தடி நீரை சேற்றுடன் பரவனாற்றில் வெளியேற்றியது. அது வாலாஜா ஏரி வழியாக பெருமாள் ஏரிக்குச் சென்று கடலில் கலந்தது. இதனால் வாலாஜா ஏரி தூர்ந்து, ஒருகட்டத்தில் இருந்த இடம் தெரியாமல் மண்மேடாகி அழிந்தேபோனது. எனவே, சுரங்க நிர்வாகமே அந்த ஏரியை மீட்க வேண்டும் என்பதில் உறுதியாக இருந்தார் அன்றைய கடலூர் மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் ககன்தீப் சிங் பேடி.

சமூக பொறுப்புணர்வுத் திட்டம்

அனைத்துப் பொதுத் துறை நிறுவனங்களும் தங்களது லாபத்தில் குறிப்பிட்ட சதவீதத்தை, அந்த நிறுவனம் இயங்கும் பகுதி மக்களின் கல்வி, சமூகம் மற்றும் வாழ்வாதார மேம் பாட்டுக்கென ‘சமூக பொறுப்புணர்வு நிதி’யாக செலவிட வேண்டும் என்பது அரசு விதி. அதன்படி நெய்வேலி சுரங்க நிறுவனமும் ஆண்டுதோறும் தனது லாபத்தில் 10சதவீதத்தை செலவிட்டு வந்தது. ஆனாலும், அவை தையல் இயந்திரங்கள் கொடுப்பது, குடிநீர் தொட்டி கட்டுவது, இலவச நோட்டுப் புத்தகங்கள் கொடுப்பது என்பதாக மட்டுமே இருந்தன.

பத்தாண்டு பொறுமை

வாலாஜா ஏரியின் மொத்தப் பரப்பான 1664 ஏக்கரையும் மீட்க வேண்டும் என்றால் அதற்கு ரூ.60 கோடிக்கும் அதிகமாக நிதி தேவை. அவ்வளவு பெரிய நிதியை என்.எல்.சி. ஒதுக்குவது சாத்தியமில்லை. எனவே, பகுதி பகுதியாகவேனும் ஏரியை மீட்க வேண்டும் என்பது ககன் தீப் சிங் பேடியின் திட்டமாக இருந்தது. ஆனால், 2003-ம் ஆண்டு தொடங்கி 2013-ம் ஆண்டு வரை 10 ஆண்டுகள் அவர் எவ்வளவோ முயற்சித்தும் பணிகள் நகரவில்லை.

இன்னொரு பக்கம் கடும் வறட்சியால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டது கடலூர் மாவட்டம். விவசாயிகள் தொடர் போராட்டங்களை நடத்தினார்கள். மிகப் பெரிய திட்டம் என்பதால் ஏரியின் நான்கில் ஒரு பகுதியை மீட்க வேண்டும் என்றாலும்கூட குறைந்தது ரூ.10 கோடி தேவை. ஏரிப் பகுதியை ஆய்வு செய்த மாவட்ட நிர்வாகம் ரூ.13.72 கோடிக்கு திட்ட மதிப்பீட்டை தயார் செய்தது. நீண்ட இழுபறிகளுக்குப் பிறகு முழுப் பணத்தையும் ஒதுக்கீடு செய்வதாக சம்மதம் தெரிவித்தது என்.எல்.சி. நிர்வாகம்.
பணி தொடங்கியது

ஒருவழியாக 2014-ம் ஆண்டு மார்ச் மாதம் 13-ம் தேதி ஏரியை தோண்டும் பணிகள் தொடங்கின. பணியை முன்னின்று செய்தவர் திட்டப் பொறியாளர் துரைக்கண்ணு.

- துரைக்கண்ணு

‘தி இந்து’விடம் அவர் கூறும்போது, “மிகப் பெரிய ராட்சத இயந்திரங்களா லேயே அந்த புதர்க் காட்டுக்குள்ள நுழைய முடியலை. தவிர, அந்த இடம் சதுப்பு நிலமாக இருந்ததால் வண்டிச் சக்கரங்கள் மண்ணுக்குள் புதைந்து விடும். பல சமயம் பாம்புகள் வண்டிக்குள்ளேயே ஏறிடும். புதர்களை வெட்டி போட்டுட்டே வந்தப்ப ஒரு இடத்துல துருப்பிடிச்சுப்போன நிலையில 15 கதவுகள் கொண்ட மிகப் பெரிய ஷட்டர் கிடந்தது. அங்கே ‘1851’ன்னு பொறிக்கப்பட்ட ஒரு கல்வெட்டு இருந்தது. ஏரியை உருவாக்கின ஆண்டு அது.

வேலை தொடங்கிய 10-வது நாளிலேயே பெரிய மழை. ஏற்கெனவே சதுப்பு நிலத்துல மண்ணைத் தோண்டி குவிச்சிருந்ததால அதுவும் சரிஞ்சு பெரிய புதைகுழிபோல ஆகிடுச்சு. கொஞ்சம் தவறினாலும் வண்டிகள் பூமிக்குள்ள புதைஞ்சுடும். வேலை மொத்தமா நின்னுப்போச்சு. ஆழம் தெரியாம காலை விட்டுட்டோமாங்கிற சந்தேகம் வந்துடுச்சு.

புதுசா ஒரு திட்டம் போட்ேடாம். ஏரியை இரண்டா பிரிச்சோம். ஏரியோட ஒரு பக்கம் ஓரளவு காய்ந்த நிலமா இருந்தது. இன்னொரு பக்கத்துக்கு சுரங்கத்துல இருந்த வெளியேத்துற தண்ணீர் வந்தபடி இருந்தது. ரெண்டுக்கும் நடுவுல மிகப் பெரிய மண் சுவரை எழுப்பினோம். முதலில் காய்ந்த நிலத்துல தூர் வாரத் தொடங்கினோம். சதுப்பு நிலப் பகுதியில் சில நவீனத் தொழில்நுட்பங்களைப் பயன்படுத்தி சேத்துல இருந்து தண்ணீரை மட்டும் வடிகட்டி அதை பெருமாள் ஏரிக்கு அனுப்பினோம். காய்ந்த நிலத்தை வெட்டி முடிக்கிறதுக்குள்ள சதுப்பு நிலம் முழுமையாக காய்ஞ்சிடுச்சு. அதையும் வெட்டி முடிச்சோம்.

விவசாயிகளின் தியாகம்

அடுத்து கால்வாய்கள் தூர் வாரும் பணி. மொத்தம் 12 கால்வாய்கள். ராஜன் கால்வாய் தண்ணீரும், சுரங்கத்தில் இருந்து வெளியேற்று கிற நிலத்தடி தண்ணீ ரும் அந்தக் கால்வாய்களில் விவசாயத்துக்காக போய்க் கொண்டிருந்தது. 12 கால்வாய்களையும் தூர் வார ஒரு வருஷ மாகும். வேலையைத் தொடங்கினால் ஒரு வருஷத்துக்கு விவசாயிகளுக்கு தண்ணீர் கிடைக்காது. சுமார் 15 கிராமங்கள். எல்லோ ரும் வறட்சியால பாதிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிற சிறு விவசாயிகள். ஒரு வருஷம் விளைச்சல் இல்லைன்னா அவங்க வயித் துப்பாடு என்னாகு மோன்னு கலக்கமாக இருந்தது. ஒருநாள் ஊர் கூட்டத்தை கூட்டி இதை தயக்கத்தோட விவசாயிகள்கிட்ட சொன்னோம்.

ஆனால், நாங்களே எதிர்பார்க்காத மாதிரி, “ஊர் நன்மைக்காக ரெண்டு வருஷம்கூட வயித்தைக் காயப்போட நாங்க தயார்”னு சொன்னாங்க. எங்களுக்கு கண்ணீர் வந்துடுச்சி. கலெக்டரும் கண் கலங்கிட்டாரு. எங்களுக்கு இதுவரை இல்லாத அளவுக்கு மிகப் பெரிய வேகம் தொத்திக்கிச்சு.

கூலி தொழிலாளர்கள் தொடங்கி இன்ஜினீயருங்க வரைக்கும் பல நாட்கள் யாரும் வீட்டுக்கே போகலை. ஏரிக்கரையிலேயே கொட்டகையை போட்டு அங்கேயே தங்கினோம். அங்கேயே சாப்பிட்டோம். ராப்பகல் பார்க்காம பேய் மாதிரி வேலை நடந்தது. ஒரு வருஷம்ன்னு நிர்ணயிச்ச வேலையை நாலே மாசத்துல முடிச்சோம். பழைய ஷட்டரை பெயர்த்து எடுத்துட்டு புதுசா 15 கதவுகளைக் கொண்ட ஷட்டரை பொருத்தினோம்.

புதுப்பொலிவடைந்த ஷட்டர

இறுதியாக கரைகளை எழுப்புற வேலை. ஏரியில வாருன மண்ணைக் கொண்டே நான்கு கிலோ மீட்டர் நீளத்துக்கு மிகப் பெரிய கரையை எழுப்பினோம். கரை சரிவுல வனத்துறையினர் 40,000 தேக்கு மரக் கன்றுகளை நட்டாங்க. ஏரியின் ஒரு பக்கம் ஒன்றரை மீட்டர் ஆழம் தொடங்கி மறுபக்கம் அரை மீட்டர் வரை 23 லட்சம் கனமீட்டர் (400 ஏக்கர்) தோண்டி முடிச்சோம். இதன் மூலம் ஏரியின் மொத்த ஆழம் 5 மீட்டர் ஆனது. இதில் 4.5 மீட்டர் வரைக்கும் 22 லட்சம் கனமீட்டர் தண்ணீர் தேக்கலாம்” என்றார் பூரிப்புடன்.

‘எனது ஆயுளுக்குள் பார்த்துவிட்டேன்’

இதுகுறித்து வாலாஜா ஏரி விவசாயிகள் நலச் சங்கச் செயலாளர் எஸ்.ராமானுஜம் கூறும்போது, “எனது இளம் வயதில் அந்த ஏரியில் குதித்து நீந்தியிருக்கிறேன். அதன் பின்பு பொட்டல் காடாக அந்த இடம் மண் மூடிவிட்டது. எனது ஆயுளுக்குள் அந்த ஏரியை மீண்டும் பார்ப்பேன் என்று நினைத்துக்கூட பார்க்கவில்லை. இப்போது ஏரி கடல் போல காட்சியளிக்கிறது. இதனால், எங்கள் பகுதியில் 12,000 ஏக்கர் நன்செய் நிலங்கள் பாசன வசதி பெறுகின்றன. 2015 ஜூலை - டிசம்பர் பட்டத்தில் 12,000 ஏக்கர் முழுவதும் சம்பா பயிரிடப்பட்டு பயிர்கள் நல்ல நிலையில் காட்சியளிக் கின்றன. சம்பா சாகுபடிக்குப் பின் குறுவை நடப்படாத பகுதியிலும் பிப்ரவரி - ஜூன் பட்டத்தில் 2-ம் போகமும் செய்ய திட்டமிட்டுள்ளோம்” என்றார்.

ஏரியை வெட்டியது யார்?

வாலாஜா ஏரியை வெட்டியது யார் என்பது குறித்த தகவல்கள் தெளிவாக இல்லை. 17-ம் நூற்றாண்டில் ஒடிசா முதல் தமிழகத்தின் தென்பகுதி வரை முகமது அலிகான் வாலாஜா நவாப் ஆட்சி செய்தார்.

இவர் விருப்பத்தின் பெயரில்தான் ஆங்கிலேயர்கள் சென்னையில் ஜார்ஜ் கோட்டையைக் கட்டினர். அதன் பிறகு 1825 - 1855 வரை 13-வது நவாபாக ஆட்சிக்கு வந்தவர் குலாம் முகம்மது கவுஸ்கான். இவர் வாரிசு இன்றி இறந்ததால் ஆட்சி ஆங்கிலேயர் வசம் சென்றது. அதேசமயம் ஆங்கிலேயர் வருகைக்கு முன்பு 1780-ல் கடலூர் நகரம், ஹைதர் அலியின் கட்டுப்பாட்டில் இஸ்லாமாபாத் என்று அழைக்கப்பட்டது. அவரது மறைவுக்கு பின்பு 1783-ல் நடந்த கடலூர் போரில் ஆங்கிலேயர்கள் இந்த நகரை தங்கள் கட்டுப்பாட்டுக்குள் கொண்டு வந்தனர்.

இதனால், ஏரியை ஆங்கிலேயர் வெட்டியிருக்கலாம்; ஆனால், வாலாஜா மன்னர் மீதிருந்த அபிமானம் காரணமாக மக்கள் இந்த ஏரியை ‘வாலாஜா ஏரி’ என்று அழைத்திருக்கலாம் என்று கூறப்படுகிறது.
எல்லா பெருமையும் விவசாயிகளுக்கே..

- ககன் தீப் சிங் பேடி

திட்டத்துக்கு வித்திட்ட ககன் தீப் சிங் பேடி தற்போது தமிழக அரசின் ஊரக வளர்ச்சி மற்றும் ஊராட்சித் துறைச் செயலாளராக இருக்கிறார். அவரிடம் பேசினோம். “எல்லா பெருமையும் விவசாயிகளையும் என்.எல்.சி. நிர்வாகத்தையுமே சேரும். எனக்கு தெரிந்து இப்படி ஏரி நம் நாட்டிலேயே வேறு எங்கேயும் மீட்கப்பட்டது இல்லை. இப்படி ஒரு ஏரி இருந்தது என்பதை முதன்முதலில் விவசாயிகள் சிலர் என் கவனத்துக்குக் கொண்டு வந்தனர். கடலூர் மாவட்டம் அப்போது கடும் வறட்சியில் இருந்தது. அதேசமயம் ஏரி மண் மூடிக்கிடந்ததால் மழைக்காலத்தில் அங்கு வெள்ளம் ஏற்பட்டு பெரும் சேதம் ஏற்பட்டது.

இதனால், எப்படியாவது இந்த ஏரியை மீட்க வேண்டும் என்று நினைத்தோம். என்.எல்.சி. நிறுவனத்தை சமூக பொறுப்புணர்வு திட்ட நிதியின் கீழ் அதை செய்ய வைத்தோம். மீதமுள்ள ஏரியையும் அந்த நிறுவனம் மூலம் மீட்க முயற்சி எடுக்க வேண்டும்.

தமிழகத்தில் பல்வேறு ஏரிகள் அழிந்துவருகின்றன. அரசை மட்டுமே நம்பாமல் லாபத்தில் இயங்கும் தனியார் மற்றும் பொதுத்துறை நிறுவனங்கள் தங்கள் சமூக பொறுப்புணர்வு திட்ட நிதியை நீர் நிலைகளை மீட்க செலவிட வேண்டும்”

Thought for the Day

Amongst the qualities that are needed to realise your Divinity, the foremost is ‘Kshama’, forbearance or forgiveness. It is essential for every human being. It is supreme amongst virtues. Forbearance is truth, righteousness, compassion and nonviolence; Kshamacomprehends every other quality. Purity of mind must be practiced to acquire Kshama. Purity of mind requires total elimination of attachments and aversions from the mind. Hatred and envy should have no place. Today people cannot bear to see others happy or prosperous; this is the sign of a polluted mind. To be truly human, you must have a pure and unsullied mind. You must cultivate large-heartedness to return good for evil and not to cause pain to anyone in any circumstance. This is the mark of a pure mind. Recognise that the same Divinity - the same pure Spirit that dwells in you and the Power that animates you - is present equally in every human being.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

It is the foremost duty of everyone to transform every activity of their life into one of strength and beauty. Unfortunately, the education system of today fails to nourish the qualities of wholesomeness, unity and love, which are the hallmarks of true education. All of you should realise that your life span is fast melting away like ice, whether you care to improve yourselves or not. Many people feel that the acquisition of food, clothing, shelter, wealth, conveniences and comforts constitute the very purpose of life. Life remains a tragedy as long as people labour under this delusion. Many are blind to the goal of life, some do not even feel the pain of being ignorant about this. Only one in a million strives to realise it. This striving is the stepping stone for the realisation of the purpose of life. The day one realises the purpose of life, they undergo a total transformation, from agony (vedana) to freedom from pain (nirvedana). 

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The human heart is very soft when it is young. It responds to grief and pain in fellow beings. It is the example of elders, the lessons they receive from parents, the company they get into and the training they get in school and society that harden these hearts into stone! Keep those hearts soft. Share with others their grief and their joy. Do not be jealous when others are happier or appreciated or rewarded with prizes. Emulate their hard-working nature, pray for a higher share of intelligence or a sharper memory, but never give room to envy and malice in your hearts. Envy is a deadly poison, it will contaminate your character, ruin health and rob you of peace. Like a pest that destroys growing crops, envy enters slyly and spreads quickly causing rampant damage. So, even in small matters, be vigilant to ensure you do not fall a prey to envy. Be unaffected by envy (anasuya) and you can please God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Company of the pious (Satsanga) leads you to gradually withdraw from entangling worldly activities. When a bit of cold coal is placed in the midst of glowing cinders and when the fire is fanned, the coal too glows with fire. Fire of Wisdom (Jnana agni) operates similarly. Individual effort and Divine Grace are both interdependent. Without effort, there will be no conferment of grace; without grace there can be no taste in the effort. To win that precious Grace from the Lord, all you need is only faith and virtues. You need not praise Him to win His favour. Praise feeds the fire of egoism and fogs genuine faith. God does not like mere external verbal praise and offerings of kind. He is yours and you are His. The entire mankind is God’s family. Knock with faith: the doors of Grace will open. Open your door! The Sun’s rays waiting outside will flow silently in and flood your room with light.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the day

Youth and students should go to the four corners of the country, cleanse the place and keep away from doctors by themselves being clean. If the aim is to do good to others, then God Himself will take care of the selfless aim of doing good. This is the essence of Vyasa’s eighteen Puranas. To be able to do good to others is a great virtue (punya) and to be able to keep away from doing harm to others is also a merit. Therefore, even if you are not able to do good, just sit quietly and keep silent; but do no harm to others. You must take care to see that all the five organs are without any blemish. You should not see any bad with your eyes. You should not talk anything unworthy with your mouth; and you should not touch anything unclean. You should thus keep all your five organs in a sathwik (or sacred) state.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Come out of the well of ego into the sea of Universal Spirit, of which you are a part. Force your mind to breathe the grander atmosphere of the Eternal, by reminding it of God and His Glory, every second, with every breath, when you repeat any one of His many names. Or engage yourself in some work, which will take you out of your narrow self into the vaster magnificence, where you dedicate the fruit of your actions (karma) to God, where you devote your time and energy to share your joy, skill or knowledge with your fellow-beings. Or keep yourself surrounded always by persons devoted to the higher life - those who will encourage you to move forward towards the goal. Through these means, attain Chitta Suddhi (purity of mind) and then the Truth will be reflected clearly therein.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Today, the commodities available are limited, and desires are unlimited. As our wants and desires are increasing beyond availability, there is an economic imbalance in the world. Many people are attempting to fix this by increasing the availability of commodities. Instead, if people learn to curb their wants and desires, there is neither need for increase in effort nor expenditure. This aspect of decreasing our desires and wants is called ‘Vairagya’ (detachment) in scriptures. The word Vairagya does not mean that you should run away from your family, sit in a forest, close your nose and put yourself to physical torture. The true meaning of detachment (vairagya) is you must stay in the society, do your duties, and learn to contain your desires and wants. Our life is a long journey. In this long journey of life, make every effort to diminish your wants and desires. Practice of Vairagya also includes taking sufficient food, avoiding wastage.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You had a house and lived in it. You take great care to see that it is comfortable, charming and impressive. You get angry when some poster is pasted on its walls! Then one day you sell it. It is no longer the object of your attachment. Indeed, even if lightning strikes it you are not disturbed! Now you call the money you got yours; you put it in a bank and become attached to the passbook issued by the bank. You keep it in an iron safe and scan its pages lovingly. The money you gave the bank may be loaned by them to someone you do not like, but you do not care. You have the pass book with you. Now what exactly is yours? To which are you attached so deeply? The house, the money, or the pass book? You were attached to prestige, comfort, show, and greed - things that arose in your mind as desire; you were attached to your own ego, basically. That was the thing which induced you to claim these things, one after the other, as yours! Each of you must take up some spiritual effort in order to cleanse the mind of lust and greed, of envy and hate.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

True adherence to your conscience is righteousness prope

You should make your own conscience secure, and you should have confidence in yourself. Your conscience is your guide and it should dictate your behavior. Either for the good or for the bad, it is your conscience that is responsible. The guilt in you causes the bad; the strength and confidence in you should, therefore, do such things which will promote your confidence in your own self. That is why I have repeatedly told you, that you should follow the four F’s. “Follow the Master” and that is your conscience. The second thing is to “Face the devil”. The third is “Fight to the end”. Then you should “Finish the game”. If you remember all these four injunctions such that they are resounding every moment in you, there can be nothing more sacred than this in your life.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Remember, there is no special merit in so-called spiritual exercises. Every act in your daily life must be sanctified by performing it as an offering to God. A farmer tilling his field should feel that he is tilling the field of his heart. While sowing seeds, he should sow the seeds of good qualities in his heart. While watering the field, he should think he is watering the field of his heart with love. In this way, everyone must pursue the spiritual path without the aid of rosary or going to the forest. Irrespective of physical and ideological differences, the Divine principle (Atma) is common to all. You must recognise that every being in the Universe is integrally related to society like different organs in a body. Humanity itself is a limb of Nature and Nature is a limb of God. If this integral relationship is understood, where is the ground for hatred? Hence conduct yourself in an exemplary manner.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The true man is one who believes in equanimity - in the same way as one welcomes happiness, one should be able to welcome sorrows also.

Embodiments of Divine Love! Everyone aspires for happiness and wants to avoid sorrow. But in this world, truth and untruth, righteousness and unrighteousness, justice and injustice pass and change with time. One should have faith in the ultimate principle out of which both good and evil arise. Everyday one experiences happiness and sorrow, welcomes affections and aversions and invites worries and misery. How can one be at peace under these conditions? The true man is one who believes in equanimity - in the same way as one welcomes happiness, one should be able to welcome sorrows also. You should trust the Divine and experience His love in your hearts. If you want to be respected by everyone, you should respect everyone. Whether rich or poor, noble or ignoble, everyone has self-respect. One should put in effort to safeguard one’s self-respect. One who has true self-respect respects all. There is nothing new that I can tell you today. Everyone should attain bliss and conquer sorrow; develop true love and experience Divinity. This is My principal message to you today.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Education is an ornament for you, it is your secret wealth that confers prosperity and fame. It is one's unfailing kinsman in foreign travel. More than wealth, this secures the respect of rulers. Education is the basis for leading a purposeful life in the physical world, in the realm of the mind and in society. It equips you with mental strength and steadiness to face the challenges in life and understand the myriad manifestations in Nature. Only when you understand the power of your mind, you can recognise the relationship between the world and society. Education should promote discrimination and humility, and enable you to recognise your obligations to your parents and others who have made you who you are today. Gratitude is a supreme virtue. Be grateful to your parents. Broaden your vision. Be aware of the Divinity that is inherent in every being. Cultivate the spirit of love and fill your life with joy.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Students! Embodiments of love! Where the six qualities of zeal, determination, courage, intelligence, ability and heroism are present, there Divine help will manifest! In any field, at any time, for anyone who is endowed with all these six precious qualities, success is assured. They will ensure your all-round prosperity. However these qualities confront various difficulties from time to time. Just as a student faces various exams to graduate, these noble qualities are also subject to trials. Such trials should be regarded as stepping stones to one's high achievements. These trials are in the form of losses, troubles, pains, sufferings and calumny. You must overcome these troubles with courage and self-confidence and go ahead. Without self-confidence the six qualities cannot be acquired. Students should develop self-confidence and embark on the journey of life with faith in God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

No one should consider themselves as insignificant or unimportant. Everyone, small or big, is a vital part of the whole and has an essential role in the world, like all the parts in a rocket. Any small defective part may cause the rocket to explode. Likewise in this vast Cosmos every being has a significant role to play to ensure its smooth functioning. Today, there is no unity, purity or awareness of Divinity. When there is discord between thought, word and deed, humanness is undermined. Unity must be promoted to foster humanness. We celebrate many festivals and birthdays. It is not the festivities that are important, not the dresses or the speeches. Feelings are what are important. Without purity of thought, purity of wisdom cannot be got. Seek to purify your minds. Cultivate selfless love towards all and engage yourself in social service. Service to the villagers is service to Rama (Grama Seva is Rama Seva).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

In the present times, many men look down upon women and treat them as mere servitors. This is a big mistake. The more a man respects women, the more he will be respected. Men should not behave in an arrogant way towards women thinking themselves to be more strong and powerful. Today people are conferred various titles of repute like Padmashri, Padma Vibhushan, etc. But the titles conferred on women since ancient times are Grihalakshmi (Goddess of the house), Illalu, Dharmapatni (righteous consort), Ardhangani (one half of the man), etc. These are very high and sacred titles. How can women with such exalted titles to their credit be inferior to men? Every man should see to it that the women at their homes do not shed tears. The husband has the right to point out the mistakes of his wife, but he must not use harsh words and hurt her feelings. Never use harsh words with anyone. Talk sweetly and softly. Your family will attain peace and prosperity once you observe these principles.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Today the food you eat, water you drink and air you inhale are all polluted. People themselves are highly polluted because their minds are filled with negative feelings and worldly desires. No doubt, you can have desires, but they should be under limits. Many human hearts are a den of evil qualities like anger, hatred, greed, jealousy, pomp and show. Love alone can drive away these negative qualities. Desire, anger, greed, jealousy, etc., arise only out of body attachment and improper food habits. So control your attachment and desires. The letters that you write will appear blue when the pen is filled with blue ink and red when it is filled with red ink. Similarly all that you see, hear and say will be negative if your heart has negative feelings. Hence fill your heart with love. Then all that you see, hear, say and do will be suffused with love and you will experience a world suffused with love.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba