Thought for the Day

It is not enough if you claim to be a devotee of the Lord. The Lord must recognise you as a devotee. Only then does one's devotion acquire value. Bhagavatam and other scriptures demonstrate how this kind of dedicated life can be led by any person who wishes to be devoted to the Lord. No one should feel that it is beyond his or her capacity to surrender themselves completely to the Lord. If there is firm determination, this can be accomplished. It is only through earnest endeavour that Divine wisdom can be got (Shraddhavan Labhate Jnanam). Today the world is afflicted with the epidemic of egoism (Ahamkara). There is really no basis for this kind of self-conceit. It is born of ignorance. It has to be totally eradicated. If everyone realises that the body has been given for the pursuit of righteousness and acts on that basis, they will most certainly realise the Divine.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Once Krishna feigned that he was suffering from headache for which the cure was the application of the dust from the feet of a devotee on His head. Sage Narada sought to collect the dust from Satyabhama, Rukmini and others, whom he regarded as great devotees of the Lord. But all of them declined to give the dust from their feet because they considered it sinful to offer their dust to be placed on the Lord's head. Ultimately Narada went to the Gopikas, who did not have the slightest hesitation to offer the dust from their feet, if only it would give immediate relief to the Lord, regardless of the consequences to themselves. The Gopikas did not consider whether it was right or wrong for them to offer the dust of their feet. Their only concern was relief to their Lord by any means. They declared, "Our entire life is dedicated to Krishna. His joy is ours." This was the spirit of oneness with which they offered the dust of their feet. At that very moment Krishna was rid of His ailment and Sage Naradha too learnt a lesson!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Love seeks no reward; Love is its own reward

You may consider that the love within you and the Divine Love represented by God are the same. There is a difference. God's Love is totally selfless, absolutely pure, eternal and flawless. Most people seek things in the world, including God, only for selfish reasons. Human love is self-centred and tainted. Such selfish love cannot merge with God's love. It is only when it is free from egoism, pride, hatred and envy that God will abide in you. Without renunciation (tyaga), if one is immersed in worldly pleasures, and leads a mundane life, their devotion is only selfish, artificial and self-deceptive. It will not lead them to God. God cannot be got so easily. The heart has only a single seat. There is room in it for only one person. If you install worldly desires on that chair, how can you expect God to sit on it? God will take that seat only if you empty it of all other things.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

People today are totally immersed in worldly concerns and do not devote any attention to the spiritual quest. It is true, involvement in worldly affairs cannot be given up totally. But all such actions can be sanctified by performing them in a spirit of dedication to the Divine. To proceed from the human condition to the Divine in man, the only practical way is the Principle of Love (Prema Tattva). From the Mahabharata take the example of the fate of Karna and the destiny of Arjuna which indicates the difference between one who does not have Divine grace and another who has the benefit of Divine grace. While Karna, who was associated with the wicked Kauravas, met with a tragic end, despite his many talents; Arjuna who was a firm devotee of the Lord, was blessed with victory. Many scriptures aptly demonstrate the power of the Lord's grace to transform the human to the state of the Divine.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Prema (Love) is like a most precious diamond. Love is alien to persons who are selfish, conceited or ostentatious. Where then is this love to be found? This precious diamond can only be got in the kingdom of Love, in the street of Love, in the shop of Love. It can be obtained only through a loving heart. It may be asked, "Is not the whole world permeated with Love? Then why is not Love readily available?" The love with which the world is considered to be filled with is not real love. Love cannot be associated with the body, the senses, the mind and the intellect. Anything associated with these is only attachment (Anuraga). Spiritual (Atmic) life alone is a Love-filled life. Therefore, lead a spiritual life, not a life bound by body, mind, senses and intellect. A life related to the body, the senses, the mind and the intellect can never be free from selfishness, conceit and ostentation.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Internalise the fact that chanting the Lord’s name is highly sacred and efficacious. It serves to remove the impurities within a person, and promotes good and sacred thoughts. When the heart is filled with truth and love, only positive thoughts will arise. There is no meaning in reciting Lord Krishna or Rama’s name just once a year. How often do you take food to nourish your body? Does not your mind require to be fed equally? Contemplation of the Lord is the food for the mind. To feed the belly and starve the mind is like decorating the chariot and starving the horse! To keep the chariot of the body moving, you must feed the horse of the mind. While the body is nourished in innumerable ways, feed the mind in solitude. Chant the Lord’s name constantly and silently within you. Possessing this valuable piece of wisdom, will you not fully leverage it and spare time for precious thoughts of the Lord?

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Embodiments of Divine Love! Cultivate the Love Principle and manifest love in all your thoughts, words and actions, to experience bliss. When you are filled with Divine Love, all pains and troubles will be forgotten. It is to propagate this principle of Divine Love that advents of Avatars take place from time to time. The principle of selfless love is the essence of Krishna Tattva (the Krishna Principle). Although God dwells in every person, it remains latent like oil within the gingelly seed. To manifest the Divine within you, you must undergo trials and ordeals. Love for God should grow as a result of such experiences of adversity. Just as gold improves in brilliance the more it is heated in the crucible, your devotion also must undergo a constant purificatory process. Cultivate good company (Satsang), the company of persons filled with Divine Love. Use that Satsang to get rid of your animal instincts and progress from the human to the Divine. 
Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The ornaments you should cherish are truthfulness in speech, charity for the hands and listening to sacred love for the ears.

This is tragic: when good things are spoken, you find it difficult to pay attention, but when demeaning, distracting things are said, the ears are on the alert. Be the master of your behaviour; do not be led away by the impulse of the moment; be conscious always of what is good for you. Carry on your daily tasks so that you do not make others suffer or suffer yourself. That is the sign of intelligent living. Do not give way to fits of anger or grief or elation or despair. The confusion you exhibit was the result of dark and dull (tamasic) and emotional (rajasic) qualities. Train your ears to listen quietly to good and maintain your composure. Be calm and unruffled and collected (satwic). The more you develop charity for all beings, contrition at your own faults, and fear of wrong and fear of God — the more firmly you will be established in peace.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

What exactly is the meaning of ‘Sai Baba’? Sai meansSahasrapadma (thousand lotuses), sakshatkara(realisation, direct experience of the Lord), etc., Ayimeans mother, and Baba means father. Thus, ‘Sai Baba’ means He who is both Father and Mother, and the Goal of all yogic endeavour — the ever-merciful Mother, the All-wise Father, and the Goal of spiritual efforts. Sai Baba is beyond the keenest intellect, the sharpest brain. Even the great seven sages (rishis) failed to grasp the Sublimity of Godhead. So do not try to delve into Me; develop faith and derive bliss (ananda) through love (prema). That is the utmost you can do and be benefited thereby. Do not run after all and sundry who blabber textbook stuff and wear the cloak of fakir-hood. Examine, judge and then admire. Examine their daily conduct, their motives, outlook and the coordination between what they say and do.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You might have heard Me speak many times about repetition of the Lord’s Name and its fruits, how it slowly changes character, modifies conduct, mellows you and takes you nearer the Goal. Well, there are two ways of doing this: either with rosary beads - turning the beads automatically, just as mechanically, punctually and as carefully as any other routine act of daily life, or, as it ought to be done, that is, repeating the Name, irrespective of the target number, dwelling deep on the Form it represents and on the divine attributes connoted by it, tasting It, reveling in It, enjoying the contexts and associations of the Name, relishing Its sweetness and getting lost in Its Music. Of course you will hanker after the taste of the Name only when you are gnawed by the pangs of hunger. You cannot relish the Name or the Form if you suffer from constipation as a consequence of over-indulgence in worldly affairs.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Do you know why you have been given a human body?

Do you know why you have been given a human body? Is it to take it to all the corners of the world? No, that is not the purpose. You have been given this body so that you may demonstrate, with its help, the truth of the statement that the body is intended for doing good to other human beings. Divya Atma Swarupas(Embodiments of the Divine Soul)! It is for us to recognise that the compassion that all the living beings deserve from us forms the essence of our being able to get a vision of the Atma. The greatest penance (tapas) is the bringing together of the compassion that is present in all beings. Unlike a cow, horse, elephant or other animals, the sacredness of life that has been given to a human being is at a very high level.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Stick to your faith; do not change your loyalty as soon as something happens or someone whispers something. Do not pull down Sai Baba’s picture from the wall and hang some other picture there at the first disappointment you meet. Leave all to Him; let His Will be carried out — that should be your attitude. Unless you go through the rough and the smooth, how can you be hardened? Welcome the light and the shade, the sun and the rain. Do not think that only those who worship a picture or image with pompous paraphernalia are devotees. Whoever walks straight along the moral path, whoever acts as they speak and speaks as they have seen, whoever melts at another’s woe and exults at another’s joy — they are devotees, perhaps greater devotees.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

We are responsible for the good and the bad that we do, and our desires are in fact merely consequences of this.

The Mahabharata has taught us a lesson that we should regard our actions as being responsible for our sorrows or joys. But as a human being, you should perform whatever actions you have to perform. Do not think that you will achieve this or that, and do not think that you will be able to do great things without the grace of God. Do not get tired out in that process. The kind of seeds which you have put in, which have brought you to the position in which you are today, will determine the results that you will get later on. You may be very intelligent and clever. However all your intelligence and cleverness will not enable you to get over your own Karma. Brahma, the Creator, prepares a garland of all the good and the bad that you have done as they are and He puts this round your neck when you are born. It is necessary for us to recognise this causal relationship. We are responsible for the good and the bad that we do, and our desires are in fact merely consequences of this.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The Mahabharata has taught us a lesson that we should regard our actions as being responsible for our sorrows or joys. But as a human being, you should perform whatever actions you have to perform. Do not think that you will achieve this or that, and do not think that you will be able to do great things without the grace of God. Do not get tired out in that process. The kind of seeds which you have put in, which have brought you to the position in which you are today, will determine the results that you will get later on. You may be very intelligent and clever. However all your intelligence and cleverness will not enable you to get over your own Karma. Brahma, the Creator, prepares a garland of all the good and the bad that you have done as they are and He puts this round your neck when you are born. It is necessary for us to recognise this causal relationship. We are responsible for the good and the bad that we do, and our desires are in fact merely consequences of this.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The responsibility for success or failure is entirely one’s own. You have no right to shift it on to others.

In a spiritual sphere of mental peace and inner joy, the responsibility for success or failure is entirely one’s own. You have no right to shift it on to others. The fire will go out if the fuel is over, so stop feeding it with fuel. Do not add fuel to the fire of the senses. Detach the mind from the temporary and attach it to the eternal. Plant the seedling of devotion, namely the preliminary exercise of remembering the Lord’s name (namasmarana) in the mind. That will grow into a tree with the branches of virtue, service, sacrifice, love, equanimity, fortitude, and courage. You swallow food, but you are not aware how that food is transformed into energy, intelligence, emotion, and health. In the same way, just swallow this food for the spirit, this remembrance of the Lord’s name, and watch how it gets transmuted into virtue and the rest without your being aware of it.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

self-confidence

Abraham Lincoln was born in an extremely poor family in America. His mother Nancy worked hard to educate him. When Lincoln went to school, other children made fun of him for his dress and poverty. Unable to bear this, Lincoln told his mother, “Mother, my fellow-students are ridiculing me a lot. Please get me good clothes.” Drawing him close, his mother said, “Son, our family condition is not good. Even feeding everyone is a problem. In this condition, how can you expect good clothes? Live according to your condition. Sooner or later you will reach the level of your deservedness. Don’t be deterred by other people’s ridicule. Live with self-confidence. Self-confidence is the source of all success.” Thus, she encouraged him. From that moment, Lincoln endowed himself with great self-confidence and pursued his studies and activities with honest effort. He was never upset over anything. Though devoid of material wealth and comforts, with self-confidence as his armour he succeeded.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

If a bird enters a hall of mirrors, it sees many reflections of its own form. It imagines that there are a multitude of birds and they are its competitors. So it keeps dashing against the mirrors and the glasses break into pieces. Now it sees as many birds as there are pieces of mirrors. When the mirrors are all shattered to tiny bits, no image is visible and the bird flies away. This is a state of ignorance. On the contrary, when a man of wisdom enters the room, he recognises that these are all his own images and feels happy. In the same manner, the one who sees oneself in all others and looks on them as one’s own images is a true human being. The manifest principle that is visible in the external world is the same as that which exists in an individual. Names, forms and abilities are cognised as separate, but these are mere reflections. What you try to see in a mosque or a temple is inside you. All sadhana is undertaken to experience this inner reality.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai baba

Love for your motherland is the basis on which you can build love for the whole world

Embodiments of Love! If our nation were to make progress, there should be complete unity amongst all its people. Our great leaders made great sacrifices and secured freedom for us. While we have attained Independence, unity has not been achieved. What is the use of freedom without unity? There is hatred everywhere. If this kind of disunity persists, how can hard-won freedom be safeguarded? People are not treading the right path. You must adopt the path of complete unity, so that every citizen (Bharatiya) must be able to say proudly, “This is my beloved country; this is my mother tongue and my religion.” You should also uphold the reputation and traditions of your family. There are many who chant the sweet name of Lord Rama, but is there anyone who actually practices the virtues Lord Rama represented? Lord Rama said, “Mother and motherland are greater than even paradise” (Janani Janma Bhumishcha Swargadapi Gariyasi). You must recognise and live by this truth.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Start the Day with Love, Fill the Day with Love, End the Day with Love. This is the way to God!

Neither sorrow nor pleasure can ever be permanent for anyone. All that we do, good or bad, knowingly or unknowingly, will produce results. So it is necessary for us to do good so that the consequences will also be good. When a child is born out of a mother’s womb, the infant does not come out with a garland or a gold chain. However the child does come out with its invisible chain of ‘Karma’ – the result of all the actions (karma) that one has done in their previous births. But that ornament is invisible. To help us live this life well and in order to not have a chain of bad reactions around our neck when we are born in our next life, it is necessary for us to recognise, as a primary lesson, that we should do good deeds in our daily lives. Hence practice, ‘Do good, Be good, and See good.’ That alone will take you to God!

Baghavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The Vedas have given us four Mahavakyas: (1) That thou art (Tat Twam Asi), (2) Constant integrated awareness is Divinity(Prajnanam Brahma), (3) I am Divine (Aham Brahmasmi) and (4) The soul is Divine (Ayam Atma Brahma). All of you know these statements and are constantly chanting these words but are not putting them into practice. Mere chanting without action is pure exhibitionism. You say, all are divine (Brahman), but hate others. This is sheer hypocrisy. If you have aversion to any individual, quietly keep away from them. Do not hate them; try to develop love for them. Do not criticize or hate anybody. This is My message for you today. This is the course to be adopted by you. I love everyone. I have no dislike for anyone. All are My devotees, friends and children. To Me, all are one. This universe is a big book. Your inner conscience (Antaratma) is your Guru. God is your best friend.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

A divine vision of Vishwavirat (Cosmic Form) has been described as one consisting of thousands of heads, legs, and hands. Wherefrom has this Vishwavirat vision come? It is simply the magnified version of what is within ourselves. When I open My eyes, I see so many thousands of heads; but when the eyes are closed, I do not see even one head. When the eyes are open, I not only see these thousands of heads, but I also see this wall, this window and everything around me. If one goes outside and sees with open eyes, one sees the mountains, the sky, the rivers and the distant land; but at that instant, if one closes one’s eyes, why is it that one does not see even a small ant? If the eyes are open, we see the entire creation; and if the eyes are closed, we do not see anything of the creation. Thus we conclude that this entire creation has come from our own vision. Just as with external vision we are able to see the creation, with the help of internal vision, we can see the inner self. Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought or the Day

All creation that you see emanates from the Lord. That the great variety that we see around us is coming only as a result of the change in our own qualities (Gunas) is a truth that is asserted by the sacred texts. You are sometimes very happy, sometimes afraid, and at other times courageous. These changes come about in quick succession and in a casual way. The main reason for all these changes is the change that comes in our own mental attitude. These are manifestations of one’s own qualities. Man has three distinct qualities or gunas - satwa, tamo, and rajo gunas. If these are mixed in a balanced manner, there will be no drastic change in one’s nature. Sunlight is composed of seven different colours. When these colours are mixed in appropriate proportions, there will be no change, and the Sun will shine in its natural colour. On the other hand, if there is an imbalance in the manner in which these colours are mixed, then you will find that some special colours show themselves.
Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

God has many names and forms but Divinity is one. Scholars refer to the ‘One Truth’ with many names (Ekam Sath Viprah Bahudha Vadanti). Realising this truth, respect all, love all and give joy to all. Then you become God! When you recognise the fact that Divinity in all is the same, there would be no sense of duality. You may think that it is very difficult, but it is extremely simple. Your inability to recognise this truth is due to the fault of your vision and not the Creator. Correct your faulty vision and perception; see the unity in diversity. In this world, there is a constant strife between good and evil. Many people are jealous of others and subject them to slander. But do not attach any importance to such criticism. Praise and abuse are common to mankind. Several noble people faced similar difficulties and overcame these with fortitude. Live in truth and love, no harm will come to you.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Once the Atma is cognised, you will find that all is really One. This is the goal prescribed by the scriptures of this land. But the children of this sacred land have neglected it and are today struggling in the quagmires and cesspools of faction and fear. When the four bulls that grazed in the jungle were united and watchful of each other's safety (for they felt they were all one) the tiger dared not approach them; but, when discord broke them and created out of the ‘one’, four separate individuals, they were attacked one by one, and devoured by the tiger. That is the fate of those who feel separate. Know that though vyaktis (individuals) may be separate, the shakti (power) is one; that Shakti is the Paramatmatattva (principle of the supremeAtma). This is the message that I bring. This message surely is hitha(beneficial), though it may not be priya (pleasing). A patient must take medicines and follow the restrictions that doctors recommend; they cannot eat and live as they please during illness. The doctor knows best and must be obeyed to regain health.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You cannot attain sukham through sukham (that is, happiness through comforts). The joy of release can be won only through travails and trials. Through intense pain a woman achieves the bliss of motherhood. Through toil, the coveted grain is earned by the farmer from the field. Through long days and nights of steady study, a student passes in the examination and earns a coveted degree. Deprive yourselves of luxury and even comfort; detach yourselves from that which you hold dear and near out of sheer ignorance of what is most dear and near to yourself; pine, struggle, strive ceaselessly - and then you are blessed with the inexpressible Bliss of merger with the Universal, of Sakshathkara. It is grief that makes joy worthwhile and a precious possession; it is the pitch-dark night that prompts the seeker of light; it is death, that lends zest to life.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

When Pandavas were preparing to go to the forest, Dharmaraja called Draupadi, asked her to sit by his side and said, “Owing to personal differences between us and Kauravas, a situation has arisen by which we must live in the forest for 12 years and one year in incognito. Men will bear the difficulties somehow, why don’t you remain here and take care of old Dhritarashtra and Gandhari?” The Pandavas had asked Draupadi to take care of the two main people who were cruel and in fact were responsible for their having to go to the forest. This is a very great quality in the Pandavas, and we must learn a lesson from this conduct. The moral here is that whatever has to happen in one’s life will happen, but to take such inevitable events and use them to promote hatred is incorrect; it is not good human character. The misfortunes, troubles and pain we experience are not arising externally, nor are they God given. They are the result of our own actions. It is only as a result of one’s own weakness, that one blames someone else for one’s troubles and misfortunes. This is not a right attitude.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

When you try to cook a meal, you need to have with you all the essential ingredients: rice, dal, salt, lime, spices and vegetables. But unless you have the fire in the hearth, you cannot get the edible meal. So too, with life Jnana (knowledge of your own reality as just a wave of the ocean of Divinity) is the fire which makes the material world and the external activities and experience, edible and tasty, assimilable, health-granting and joy-giving. That joy is called Anandam; it is uplifting, illuminating, and constructive. Life 'here' is to reach ‘there’ (that is to say, iha-nivasam is forpara-prapthi ). Treat your body as a wound that must be washed, bandaged, and treated with medicated ointment, three or four times a day. That is the real purpose of food and drink. Thirst is the disease; drink is the drug. Hunger is the disease; food is the medicine. Craving for pleasure is the disease for which detachment is the medicine!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

A divine vision of Vishwavirat (Cosmic Form) has been described as one consisting of thousands of heads, legs, and hands. Wherefrom has this Vishwavirat vision come? It is simply the magnified version of what is within ourselves. When I open My eyes, I see so many thousands of heads; but when the eyes are closed, I do not see even one head. When the eyes are open, I not only see these thousands of heads, but I also see this wall, this window and everything around me. If one goes outside and sees with open eyes, one sees the mountains, the sky, the rivers and the distant land; but at that instant, if one closes one’s eyes, why is it that one does not see even a small ant? If the eyes are open, we see the entire creation; and if the eyes are closed, we do not see anything of the creation. Thus we conclude that this entire creation has come from our own vision. Just as with external vision we are able to see the creation, with the help of internal vision, we can see the inner self.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Start with this first lesson. Do not merely boast that you have mastered the Bhagavad Gita (scriptures), read it a hundred times over, and memorised all the slokas and the commentaries written so far. Among all the millions who were taught the Gita, Arjuna alone had the realisation that this Universe is but a partial manifestation of His immeasurable glory (Vishwarupa Darshana)! Why is it that these great scholars had no such experience? Realisation of that reality can come only to the aspirant who deserves it. Arjuna reached the highest stage of surrender when the teaching started and during the process, he had unexcelled concentration. No wonder he was blessed. Unless you have the same degree of surrender, the same yearning and concentration, how can one expect the result that Arjuna attained? The path of surrender (Saranagathi or Prapatti), that the Gita lays down is not easy; it requires dedication and persistence.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Certain banyan trees look so very big, and have many sub-branches and look as if they are a big mansion. But its seed is so very small, like a mustard seed. Is it the truth that such a big tree is contained in such a tiny seed or is it just our illusion? We know it is a truth. The seed is in the infinitesimal form and when we put it in the earth, feed and nourish it, it sprouts, grows and becomes big. The fruit, flowers and the leaves - all come out of this tiny seed. In the same manner, in this huge body of yours, there is an infinitesimally small seed called the Atma. If you give it nourishment, and let it grow and prosper, then it will show the Divine form of the universe. But where should we put this seed, how do we protect it and promote it to grow into a big tree? Can we put this seed in our palm and pour water on it? A seed will become a tree only if it is put in the soil and watered suitably. Even in that soil, if you put the seed too deep or too shallow, it will not become a tree. In the soil of our heart, if we can put the seed of God’s name, and foster it with the water of love, it will sprout into a good tree.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You are afflicted with the disease which the Gita can cure, the disease of delusion (moha), which warps your sense of values, fogs your vision and distorts your outlook. But, to benefit from the medicines, you must have the sorrow (vishada) which Arjuna had, the dedication he offered, the detachment he developed and the concentration (ekagrata) he evinced. He was ready to go begging for his livelihood rather than enthrone himself as king after the killing of his kinsmen, teachers and elders. Have that keen yearning; then, the Gita can destroy attachment (moha) and liberate you. Discover for yourself your stage of spiritual development, to which class in the school you fit in. Then determine to proceed from that class to the next higher one. Strive your best and you will win the Grace of God. Do not bargain or despair. One step at a time is enough, provided it is towards the goal, not away from it.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

). The eye which is an inch long can see the stars, millions of miles away; but, is it the eye that sees? Can the eye see itself? No. You must learn how to know others and more than that, how to know yourselves. You are most curious about others and everything around. Even casual acquaintances you meet in public places such as trains, airports or buses, you ask them about their family affairs, their property, and lineage. But do you know your own lineage, property, your heritage and status? You are Manuja,meaning, born of Manu, the person who laid down the moral code which is your property and inheritance. You have the Lord installed in your heart and so, you are essentially Divine. You deny all this precious wealth and go about announcing you are poor and weak in spirit! To see your own eyes, you need a mirror; to see yourself in your native grandeur, you need a guru(preceptor)

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Presently, nobody chants the name of God sincerely. Many argue at the slightest mention of God. They think they are superior enough for that. The Divine can be known only by those who study the scriptures sincerely and lovingly. Simply because you have a tongue and it can wag, do not cast aspersions against the Lord or His Divine Name. There is the story of a king, the minister and the servant going in a boat. The servant panicked at the sight of water all round; in fact his panic tantrums were about to upset the boat itself. So the minister caught hold of him, pushed him into the water, dipped him a number of times and then when he cried, “The boat, the boat,” he was hoisted back. Once in the boat he knew he was safe from the stormy waters. Do not wait to suffer the ordeals of worldly life to realise the security and safety of faith in God

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

When a ray of light falls on several pieces of glass, the light is scattered in many different directions. Some people may think that this light came from several sources. That is incorrect. The single source of light fell on a large number of coloured glasses, and hence appeared as if it is composed of different colours. If the same light falls on the ground, we would not be able to see the light, because the ground obstructs and absorbs the light. In the same manner, if the brilliant shining grace from the Lord falls on a sattwic (pure) person, he/she will shine brilliantly. If the same grace from the Lord, falls on a person with rajasic(aggressive) qualities, it will make him/her develop several desires of the world. If the same grace falls on a person withtamasic (dull) qualities, it will not only go through without having any effect, but also might lose some of its lustre.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba