Thought for the Day

Nurture the will to give, the will to renounce the little for the big and the momentary for the sake of the momentous! The Sevadal badge you wear is not a decoration item which can be secured without a price. It is a symbol of high character, generous feelings and steady and sincere endeavour. It is the external indicator of internal enthusiasm and strength, skill and faith. As iron is drawn by the magnet, and when you allow these qualities to shine through you, it will draw the dejected, the downcast and the distressed towards you. If you are proud and self-centred, blind to the kinship that binds all in fraternal love, the badge is a betrayal. Mere sentiment and empathy are of no use; they must be regulated by intelligence and skill. It is not the quantity of service you do that matters; nor is the variety. It is the inner joy, the love that you radiate that is important. 

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Eating must be succeeded by elimination; inhalation has to be followed by exhalation; blood must flow in and flow through, to circulate and maintain health. Taking in and giving up are the obverse and reverse of the same process. This is true of individuals, societies, nations and the human race. Progress and peace depends on sacrifice, renunciation and service. Be alert to the call to serve, everywhere, at all times; be ready with a smile, a kind word, a useful suggestion, diligent care, and a pleasant reply. Look around for chances to relive, rescue or resuscitate. Train yourselves that you may render help efficiently and well. Seva plants a seed on stone and is delighted to see it sprout! Plant it with love, and the seed will discover love inside the stone and draw sustenance therefrom. Seva is the most rewarding form of austerity, the most satisfying and the most pleasurable. It springs out of love and scatters love in profusion.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

*"பணம்"

*பணம் படுத்தற பாடு இருக்கே*
💸💳💰💵💶💴💰💳💸
● நான் உன்னுடன் இருந்தால் நீ *செல்வந்தன்*.
● நான் உன்னை விட்டுப் பிரிந்தால் நீ *ஏழை*.
● என்னை மற்றவரிடம் கொடுத்தால் நீ *கொடையாளி.*
● என்னை மற்றவரிடமிருந்து பெற்றால் நீ *கடனாளி.*
● என்னை செலவு செய்தால் நீ *ஊதாரி.*
● என்னை சேமித்து வைத்தால் நீ *கஞ்சன்.*
● என்மேல் அதிகப் பற்றுடன் வாழ்ந்தால் நீ *பேராசைக்காரன்.*
● என்மேல் பற்றற்று வாழ்ந்தால் நீ *சன்யாசி.*
● உன் தேவைக்கு நீ என்னை படைத்தாய்.
● இன்று உனது தேவை நானாக மட்டும் தான் இருக்கிறேன்.
● *உன் நடத்தையை விட, நான் இருக்கும் இடத்தை வைத்துதான் உன் மதிப்பு நிர்னயிக்கப்படுகிறது.*

இப்படிக்கு.
நான் தான்
*"பணம்"*

Thought for the Day

Once Krishna pretended to suffer from an unbearable headache. With warm clothes wound around His head and red eyes, He rolled restlessly in bed. Queens Rukmini and Satyabhama tried many remedies that proved ineffective. Along with Narada, when they consulted Lord Krishna, He directed to bring the dust of the feet of a true devotee! In a trice, Narada manifested himself in the presence of some celebrated devotees, but they were too humble to offer dust of their feet to be used for their Lord as a drug! Narada returned disappointed. Krishna asked, “Did you ask Gopis?” Narada hurried with disbelief! When the Gopis heard this, without a second thought, they shook the dust off their feet and filled his hands! Even before Narada reached Dwaraka, Krishna’s headache had disappeared! The Lord enacted this five-day drama to teach that self-condemnation is also egoism and when ego goes, you feel neither superior nor inferior, and a devotee must obey the Lord’s command without demur.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Service (Seva) in all its forms is primarily a spiritual discipline to cleanse your own mind. Without the inspiration from this attitude, the urge is bound to ebb and grow dry; or may meander into pride and pomp. Just think for a moment: Are you serving God? Or is God serving you? When a pilgrim stands waist deep in the Ganges, takes the sacred water in his palms, recites a mantra,pours the water as offering to the Deity, or arpan he calls it, what he has done is only poured Ganga into Ganga! When you offer milk to a hungry child, or a blanket to a shivering brother on the pavement, you are but placing God’s gift into the hands of another gift of God! You are reposing the gift of God in a repository of the Divine Principle! God serves and allows you to claim that you served! Remember, without His Will, not a single blade of grass swings!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Let your duties (karma) be suffused with devotion (bhakti), that is to say, with humility, love, compassion, and nonviolence. Without wisdom, devotion will be as light as a balloon that drifts along any gust of wind. Mere wisdom will make the heart dry; devotion softens it with empathy, and karma gives your hands useful work, so your every minute is sanctified. Hence devotion is referred to as upasana — dwelling near, feeling the presence, sharing the sweetness of the Divine. The yearning for this Upasana prompts you to do pilgrimages, construct and renovate temples, etc. The various rituals with which the Lord is worshipped with is for the satisfaction of the mind which craves for personal contact with the Supreme. These are karmas of high order that lead to spiritual wisdom. First start with the idea, “I am in the Light” then you experience, “The light is in me”, leading to the conviction, “I am the Light!” That is supreme wisdom!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The age span 16-30 years is crucial, for that is the period when life adds sweetness to itself, when talents, skills and attitudes are accumulated, sublimated and sanctified. If the tonic of unselfish service (seva) is administered to the mind during this period, life's mission is fulfilled, for the process of sublimation and sanctification will be hastened by this tonic. Do not serve for the sake of reward, attracting attention, or earning gratitude, or from a sense of pride at your own superiority in skill, wealth, status or authority. Serve because you are urged by love. If and when you fail, ascribe the failure to your own inadequacy, insincerity or ignorance. Examine the springs of action; disinfect them from all trace of ego. Do not throw the blame on the recipients of the seva, or on your collaborators and co-workers, or on God. When you succeed, ascribe the success to the Grace of God, who urged you on, as love from within you.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

There are two eight-syllabled axioms in the Bhagavad Gita, which every one of you must take to heart: Shraddhavan labhate Jnanam and Samshayaathma vinashyati. The first tells you that the person who is steady in faith gains the knowledge of the path of liberation, and the second warns against the sinister consequence of doubt! Doubt leads to doom and spiritual ruin. Dwell on these axioms and practice the spiritual discipline of your choice – meditation, chanting God’s name, etc. You pay only trash and ask for grace which is available only at a very high cost. It is sheer avarice! You may claim that you have been coming to or staying in Puttaparthi for many years but it is not the years that matter; it is the depth to which the roots of karma have grown in previous births. The Sadhana (spiritual effort) of Karma and Upasana (actions and worship) leads to Jnana (Knowledge).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Embodiments of the Divine Self! The situation in the world today is dreadful and frightening. Wherever you turn, fear confronts you. Whether you remain at home or go out into the street, whether you travel by train or walk on the road, fear haunts you. The world is enveloped in fear. If you want to banish this fear, you must develop firm faith in God as the sole refuge. Then you will be freed from fear. Carry on your work shedding all fear and without any worry about the future. Plunge into service activities with courage and determination. If you act with this unshakeable faith, you will be able to serve your family, the nation and the Universe well. It is not your intellectual ability that will serve to protect the country. If you adhere to Truth and Righteousness, they will protect you, your family and the country. Live up to the truth of your being. Always act righteously!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Everyone must develop the spirit of tyaga (sacrifice). You must serve others through the God-gifted body. You must cherish only good and noble thoughts in your mind. You must use your wealth for supporting educational and other institutions to help the people. Offer food to the starving and needy. This is the way to lead a purposeful and sublime life. Life has been given to you not to fatten yourself. The body is the basic instrument for the practice of Dharma (duties). Dedicate your entire time to service and the discharge of your duties. Your Sadhana (spiritual efforts) must not be for selfish ends. It must promote the good of others. Sanctify your lives by giving up selfishness and cultivating selfless love for others. God alone can transform your spiritual efforts into a transcendental experience. You already have the vision of the Divine (sakshatkara). The vision does not come from outside. It is within you, because the Divine is omnipresent.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Once when I asked a number of people as to what they would like to be in the hands of God, I got various answers. Some said the lotus, others the conch, the discus and so on, but no one mentioned the flute! I advise you to become the flute, for then the Lord will come to you, pick you up, put you on to His lips, and breathe through you. Out of the hollowness of your heart due to the utter absence of egoism, He will create captivating music for all creation to enjoy. Be straight, without any will of your own. The life that you lead from now on must be soaked with Divine Bliss. Merge your will in the will of God. Inhale only the breath of God. That is the divine life that you must achieve. Such divine life is indeed the mission for which every individual is born - to merge the individual in the Universal.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The agglomeration of body, mind and senses is preventing you from recognising your inherent Divinity. You are the cause of your bondage through the body and the mind. When you understand the nature of the body-mind complex, you will realise your true essence. It is enough if you develop the conviction that you and the Divine are one. Cultivate steadfast faith in this Divine oneness through love. That love will lead you to Self-realisation. Wherever you are and whatever you do, regard yourselves as instruments of God and act on that basis. You need not wait for a whole year for Gurupoornima. Treat every moment of your life as a dedication to the Lord. This is the best way to experience Divinity at all times and places. This is true Sakshatkara (realisation). Firmly believe that God is in everyone and always act accordingly. Such sacred attitude will grow through continuous practice.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The water vapour produced by the Sun becomes a cloud and hides the Sun itself. Likewise thoughts arising in the mind conceal the Self (Atma). When the mind is eliminated the Atma alone remains. For eliminating the mind and removing the delusions from it, desires must be controlled. Aspirants of today are not reducing their desires. You must realise that selfishness and self-centeredness must be got rid of. Selfishness is the root cause of all the afflictions plaguing people. If the world is to be transformed, the best start is to reform yourself. Your evil traits must be removed. You must fill yourself with sacred thoughts. Without you realizing your true nature, all other accomplishments are of no avail! You must turn the mind inwards. Turning the mind towards the external world can only breed sorrow. Enduring bliss can be got only by directing the mind towards God. That is real and true sadhana (spiritual practice).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Sage Narada, who had mastered the many sciences and arts, could not secure the supreme bliss that comes from peace of mind. Troubled by this lack of peace he approached the sage Sanatkumara and asked him what was the cause of his condition. The sage asked Narada what were his accomplishments. Narada told the sage that he was proficient in all the Vedas and Vedantas and had mastered the sixty-four different sciences including the training of elephants and the rearing of cows. Laughing within himself, sage Sanatkumara asked: “Are these your only accomplishments? Oh Narada, without knowing who you are, what is the use of knowing all other things?" People make various attempts to understand everything in the world. But no one makes any effort to understand oneself. An enormous amount of time is spent on understanding other things, but man cannot find the time to know himself. Whatever one's scholarship, intelligence or position, one cannot have peace of mind and happiness if one does not know the real Self.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

People commit many offences, knowingly or unknowingly, not only in this life, but also in previous lives. The imprint of these actions is carried by the subconscious memory (Chitta) over many lives. When the mirror of the mind is soiled by these relics, the mind cannot perceive anything in its true state. This is the reason why people are unable to recognise their own true nature. Hence it is necessary to cleanse the mirror of impurities on it. This is done by regulating your food and recreational habits! You must ensure that the food you eat is obtained through righteous means. Many sufferings today are only because people consume food obtained by unrighteous means. It may not always be possible to ensure highest purity at all times. To get over this difficulty, there is an easy and effective solution! Before eating, offer the food to God! Then it becomes a gift from God (prasadam) and all impurities in the food are removed. This helps in cleansing the mind. Continue this practice always!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

What can the possession of canvas and paint do, if an artist with vision is not inspired to paint? What can the chisel and a lump of marble do if no image is formed in the heart of a devoted sculptor? That vision and that image are the sparks of the Divine. You are all 'the Divine' packed in human skin and bone; you are the Atma encased in the evanescent flesh. Know this and you become fearless, happy without limit. Get rid of the ego-enclosure in which you now feel you are entrapped; then you are liberated from the non-existent ‘prison’ which now enfolds you as hard as an existent one! How must one live so as to not demean one’s human status? One has to be conscious all the time that this body and its equipment are a temporary abode; that one is the eternal Divine, the Atma is apparently encaged in the physical, as the moon in a pot of water. This knowledge of the spirit is the higher wisdom.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The spiritual aspirant’s objective should be to be mentally ready for the realisation of Godhead, at any given moment. That is to say, the heart must be cleansed of despair, freed from hesitation and doubt, and open to the waves of bliss that surge in from all sides of God's Universe. Love brings the waves in, ever expansive as they are! The path you tread depends on the principles you believe in! Follow good principles, you will be led along to reap good fruits. Adhere to Divine directives with faith and sincerity. That will help you realise the purpose of your life. Since every act has its appropriate reaction, beware of evil intentions, wicked words, acts that harm others and therefore harm you. I desire that you must always tread the path of goodness and achieve good results in life. Live so well, such that, you revere every being as moving temples of the Divine.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Now you will all be served prasadam (eatables as offerings in a temple) at the conclusion of the bhajans. Prasadam also means grace, which flows from God when He is propitiated. When prasadam is offered, you have to do only one little act, so that you may receive it - you have to extend your hand and accept it! But My grace is ever with you; it is not something that is given or taken; also it is always accepted by the consciousness that is aware of its significance. You must win the grace of your own subconscious so that it may accept the grace of God which is ever available. You can win it by teaching it the value of the My grace. My grace is showered wherever you are through My infinite Love, without even calculating or measuring the readiness of your subconscious to receive it and benefit by it. When you accept My grace it will itself confer on you the faith and the strength, the wisdom and the joy.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

In Indian mythology, there is an accountant in the court of Yama (the King of Death) by name Chitragupta (the name means ‘secret picture’). Chitragupta maintains a register of the good and bad done by each living being, and on the death of that person, he brings the books to the court and strikes the balance between debit and credit. Yama, the king then metes out the punishment that can expiate and educate. This Chitragupta’s office is actually in the mind of every human, all the time awake and alert! What Chitragupta does is to 'picture' all the secret promptings that blossom into activity; he notes the warning signals as well as the occasions when those signals were ignored or wantonly disregarded. Beware! You must see that the warning of the Divine against the merely human, or even the bestial inclinations are always heeded!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Shutting yourself in a room and offering incense and flowers to a picture or image of God, and singing or reciting His glory are very poor substitutes for the discipline that will liberate you from ignorance. All beings are images of God; all men are His pictures; then, why shut yourselves in? All creation is marching on a pilgrimage to Him; why then behave as if you are trekking it alone? You believe that the time spent in church or temple or the domestic shrine in adoration and in ritual worship is devoted to God and the rest is spent for other purposes. But you cannot demarcate and delimit the realms of God and man like that. God is ever with you everywhere. Vasudheva sarvamidham - All this is God. Society is the school where this lesson is taught to those who earnestly seek.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Little minds with no faith may argue that God cannot come as a human being. Man can never describe or delineate the formless and the attributeless, the one beyond qualities. It is only by means of form and attributes that one can pray, adore, worship or even feel the Divine presence. In fact God can be recognised only as human by man, and this is explained in scriptures, "Daivam manusha rupena, God revealed through human form". Hence since time immemorial, God is adored, worshipped and even imagined or pictured by man only in human form, so long as the consciousness as man persists. People easily visualise God as a human, with superhuman or supra-human power, wisdom, love, and compassion. God’s Grace can make the blind see, lame walk and dumb speak. By a mere touch, God can demolish the sins of the past and erect the basis for peace and joy.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Some Gurus initiate the pupil into a mantra (mystic formula) and advise repetition of the same. But they do not emphasise the innate Divine Reality of the pupil which they cannot ignore even for a moment, nor do they insist on moral regeneration, which is so necessary for clarifying his inner faculties. The mantra-granting Guru is the Deeksha Guru (initiating preceptor); the personality recasting guru is the Siksha Guru (guiding preceptor). It is this latter guru that is reverentially praised in thousands of ways in the holy texts; he removes the faults in vision and destroys the darkness of ignorance. He reveals the Atma to the individual and makes him free. The Guru Poornima is dedicated to such gurus. The Moon (the presiding deity of the mind) is full, clear, cool and bright on this day! It has no blemish or dullness which diminishes its glow. The Guru too is pictured and praised today as unblemished, bright and affectionate. On this Guru Poornima, you must decide to master your senses and intellect, emotions and passions, and thoughts and feelings, through intense Sadhana.

Bagavan Sri Si Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Logic can develop only skill and cleverness. Experience achieved through intuition alone is valid. From intuition to attain illumination, layers of egoism and its evils must be penetrated and destroyed.

Every being must attain fulfilment; that is the destiny, however hard and long be the journey. When and how are determined by the cumulative effects of many lives. Do not forget, the effects are shaped not only by your actions but even more by the motives that induce action. Everyone builds his own fortune or misfortune. Your present condition is the consequence of past actions and motives. That said, can you assert that in this journey, others are superfluous, that one need not and should not seek help from another? No! In order to attain fulfilment in spirituality, the guidance of those who mastered the path is essential. Logic can develop only skill and cleverness. Experience achieved through intuition alone is valid. From intuition to attain illumination, layers of egoism and its evils must be penetrated and destroyed. He who has reached the goal can alone guide the pilgrim to it. A Guru will be of great help in this journey!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

True devotion consists not in merely chanting the name of Rama (the Lord) but in rendering help to the society and serving the needy. Only then can you become worthy of God's grace.

True devotion consists not in merely chanting the name of Rama (the Lord) but in rendering help to the society and serving the needy. Only then can you become worthy of God's grace. Hanuman exemplified the ideal of implicit obedience to God's injunctions. True devotees should give no room for doubt. They must act with full faith in God. They must realise that everything belongs to God and should give up all senses of ‘I’ and ‘mine’. There is a basic difference between the attitude of the Gopikas (the simple cowherd womenfolk) towards Krishna and that of Yadavas of Dwaraka (relatives of Krishna). The Gopikas felt: "Krishna! We are Yours". While the Yadavas felt: "Krishna! You are ours." Their attitude was based on Ahamkara (sense of ego). That was responsible for their ultimate destruction.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The only wealth that you can carry with yourself after death is love for God.

The only wealth that you can carry with yourself after death is love for God. So strive to earn that wealth during your living moments earnestly. You can easily accomplish it with pure loving devotion. To earn it, you must dedicate your time, body and actions to serve the Lord. This was what Arjuna understood after listening to the Gita from Lord Krishna. Arjuna, who was an exceptionally intelligent person, after all his arguments with Krishna, finally came to this conclusion and submitted, “Karishye vachanam tava (I shall carry out whatever You say)”. People should depend not on their physical or intellectual strength, but on the power of God. Only the one who relies solely on the power of God can experience true peace and bliss. Such a person need not mind the criticisms of others. They can defy the opinions of a multitude of persons and stand up for what they hold to be true. Unmindful of praise or censure, you have to cultivate firm faith in God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

To understand your true nature, you must do three things: Bend the body, mend the senses and end the mind

To understand your true nature, you must do three things: Bend the body, mend the senses and end the mind. ‘Bend the body’ is to not allow the ego to develop within you. Perform all duties sincerely with humility. ‘Mend the senses’ requires you to examine how your senses behave; whether they are tending to go astray, and correcting and restraining them appropriately when they do so. ‘End the mind’ requires you to quieten the vagaries of your mind. How? For example, there is a lock and key. When the key is turned towards the left, the lock is locked. If the key is turned to the right, the lock is opened. The key is the same, difference in turning causes locking and unlocking. In you, your heart is the lock and mind is your key. Turn your mind towards God, your heart develops detachment. Turn your mind towards the world, it becomes attached. End the mind, means, turning your mind God ward!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

A man of wisdom is more powerful than a physically strong man, just as a puny mahout is able to control an elephant.

Sun is the natural source of light. Human life is impossible without Sunlight. Sunlight is the cause for rains which enable crops to grow. Sun is also the source of health and happiness. Similarly, Right conduct (Dharma) is the Sunlight that illumines the entire Universe. The word Dharma means ‘that which upholds’. It is Dharma which teaches the right relationship between two individuals and between societies. Dharma reveals to every being, through their hearts, what is right and wrong, what is true and false. It is righteousness which promotes the well being of societies. It is the protector of universal well being. The Universe cannot be sustained without Dharma. A man of wisdom is more powerful than a physically strong man, just as a puny mahout is able to control an elephant. It is not enough for people to rely on physical strength alone.

 Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

One may desire something good. That is due to the inner prompting, the Iccha shakti, but one cannot fulfill that desire, unless one proceeds according to a plan which can guarantee success. The desire has to be developed into a deed. This requires Kriya shakti or the power of action. Above all, realisation depends on Jnana shakti or the force and clarity of wisdom, the self-confidence that flows from the mastery of the situation. This is a gift of grace from God, God installed in the heart. Whatever one plans and executes must be sublimated as an offering to God. Or else it will degenerate into barren gymnastics. God is Omnipresent. No one can deny God or ignore Him. When one denies God, one denies oneself. You must foster faith in God and know that He exists in all. That faith will plant in you, humility, courage and reverence.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Your words must not be mere words emerging from your lips but from the depth of your heart.

Students, youth, your hearts are tender and unsullied. Develop broadmindedness. From this very moment itself, you must foster pure thoughts. Plant the seed of selfless love in your pure hearts. It will grow and from that tree of love, you will receive the fruits of forbearance, compassion and kindness. Always keep smiling. Face every situation in life, including death, with a smile. Realise that there is nothing greater than truth. Truth is God and righteousness is God’s only ornament. Adhere to these two as the highest attributes in your life. Your words must not be mere words emerging from your lips but from the depth of your heart. There should be complete harmony in your thoughts, words and deeds. I desire that all of you must redeem your lives by concentrating on God, cherishing good thoughts and engaging yourself in the service of your fellow-beings. I bless you all!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Many people come to Me distraught and pray, “Swami, I have no peace. Please bless me with peace of mind”. Remember, peace cannot be got from the outer world; it has to be sought in the heart! Wicked desires breed misery; beneficial desires result in joy. The removal of desire ensures peace (Shanti). When desire after desire multiply in your mind, how can you gain peace? After bhajan and meditation, you repeat Shanti thrice praying for physical, mental and spiritual peace. Only when you are aware of the same soul present in all can you receive peace as a blessing. Most of the time, your mind is tending towards evil (durmathi). You must direct your mind and your intellect into propitious channels of peace and prosperity. Through consistent spiritual practice (Sadhana), correct your faults and mould your excellences to ensure peace for yourself, your society and your nation. Pray daily for the well-being of the Universe, “Samastha Loka Sukhino Bhavantu” (May all the beings in all the worlds be happy).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You must develop the urge and engage yourself in tasks that will take you nearer to God. All spiritual endeavor has as its aim the attraction of the grace of God on oneself. That is why when you go to a temple and stand before the main shrine, you ring the bell hung there; the sound will draw the attention of the Lord to the supplicant just arrived. The ringing must be accompanied by a sincere prayer from the heart. Spiritual effort should not become mechanical repetition of a set formulae or execution of dry formalities. It is maya (illusion) that makes you take the name and the form as real. Attachment is born out of this illusion only. It acts like a veil to hide the reality behind all this multiplicity. The one who wears maya as the vesture is Madhava (God); one who believes it to be true is Manava (human). By Sadhana, one can escape from the enticement of maya and realise that it is all false, for it does not subsist for all time.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You read in journals and newspapers about campaigns, conquests, victories, etc., but they are all material conquests. Campaign against the temptations of your senses; conquer your inner foes; triumph over your ego. This is the victory for which you deserve congratulations. The day becomes holy when you sanctify it by sadhana (spiritual practices), not otherwise. Sadhana can grow only in a field fertilised by Love. The love you have towards material objects, name, fame, wife and children should be sanctified by the overpowering Love for God. Add two spoons of water to two liters of milk; the water is appreciated as milk! At present your Sadhana can be described only as mixing two liters of water to two spoons of milk! Let the Love for God fill and thrill your heart; then, you cannot hate anyone, you cannot indulge in unhealthy rivalries, and you will not find fault with anyone. Your life will become soft, sweet and smooth.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Reputation is made in a moment; character is built in a lifetime.

Young people, the wealth you earn, the prosperity you acquire, the mansions you will build are all transient and temporary. If you want to lead a life of peace and happiness in future, it depends on the kind of actions you perform in the present. Your conduct is the most important thing in your life; this lays the foundation for your future life. It is only when you shape your present conduct along a proper path, your future will be peaceful and happy. The seed you plant today, will determine the kind of tree which grows. If you respect your parents today, your children will respect you in future. So, if you want to be near God, see good, do good, and be good. This is the way - the royal path to get nearer to God, and it is the primary duty of every human being.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Young people, the wealth you earn, the prosperity you acquire, the mansions you will build are all transient and temporary. If you want to lead a life of peace and happiness in future, it depends on the kind of actions you perform in the present. Your conduct is the most important thing in your life; this lays the foundation for your future life. It is only when you shape your present conduct along a proper path, your future will be peaceful and happy. The seed you plant today, will determine the kind of tree which grows. If you respect your parents today, your children will respect you in future. So, if you want to be near God, see good, do good, and be good. This is the way - the royal path to get nearer to God, and it is the primary duty of every human being.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The question, "Where does God exist," is often trotted out by people nowadays. By unceasing recitation of the name of God, Prahlada knew that God is everywhere! It is not correct to assert, "He is only here" or that "He is not there." The realisation of this eternal Truth can dawn upon you only after intense spiritual practice (Sadhana). You may see all kinds of attractive articles in a departmental store or mall; they cannot be yours merely by wishing for it or asking for it from the shopkeeper. Only those articles for which you pay can be secured by you. Similarly, you may be very interested in ‘Realisation’, but for you to secure it, you must be willing to pay the price. Take courage and defeat your inner foes of lust, greed, hate and pride, and you will surely secure undisputed mastery over yourself and reach your goal!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

We eat food today just as we have been doing all these years. We are looking at the same faces today that we have been seeing all these days. Are we asking ourselves, why do we see the same face again and again? We feed the same stomach which we had fed with food yesterday and the day before. Do we ever question why do we have to feed the same stomach again today? We easily understand and accept these normal tasks, but why do we think and question our traditions and customs and even the act of praying to God every day? Our sacred scriptures and divine stories from the past are to guide and save us. Times may change, the world may change, new epochs may come, but Divinity is one and the same, and is unchanging. Most of you seek things that are ever-changing. Why don’t you seek things that are permanent and unchanging?

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Islam means surrender to God.

Islam means surrender to God. It teaches that God's Grace can be won through justice and righteous living; and not through wealth, scholarship or power. All who in a spirit of surrender and dedication, live in peace and harmony in society are in fact, followers of Islam. Islam insists on full co-ordination between thought, word and deed. Muslim holy men and sages have been emphasizing the need to inquire into the validity of the 'I' which feels it is the body and the 'I' which feels it is the mind, and reach the conclusion that the real 'I' is the self yearning for the Omni Self, God. During the Ramzan month, the fast and the prayers are to awaken and manifest this realisation. No matter which religion you follow, remember that the emphasis should be on unity, harmony and equal-mindedness. Therefore cultivate love, tolerance and compassion, and demonstrate this Truth in daily activity. This is the message I give you with My blessings.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba