Thought for the Day

There is no nobler quality in the world than love.  It is wisdom. It is righteousness . It is wealth. It is truth,

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

When your mind is filled with good thoughts, such as truth, love, forbearance and compassion, one's life is filled with peace and serenity.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

When you offer your every action to God, Your daily activities become worships

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Rate of Tax for cab service under GST

Option:1 To pay 5 percent and not claim ITC

Service providers can choose not to claim input tax credit of the tax they have paid on various inputs.  They can then pay only 5 percent output GST. (SGST 2.5% CGST 2.5%)

Option 2: Pay 12^ and claim ITC

Cab service providers can claim input tax credit for the taxes paid on cab services that are paid on various inputs if they pay 12 percent GST (SGST 6% CGST 6%)

List of Services exempted from IGST when supplies made to SEZ

1.Airport Authority Services
2. Architect Services
3.Asset Management Services
4.Advertising Agency Services
5.Airport Services
6.Banking and other financial Services
7.Business Exhibition services
8.Cargo Handling charges
9.Charted Accountant Services
10.Cleaning activity services
11.Clearing and forwarding agents services
12.Commercial or industrial construction services
13.Company Secretary Services
14.Consulting Engineer's services
15.Computer network services
16.Cost accountant services
17.Courier services
18.Credit rating agency services
19.Custom house agent services
20. Commercial training and Coaching services
21.Convention services
22.Copyright services
23.Design Services
24.Development & supply of content service
25.Education, commission and installation services
26.General Insurance business services
27.Goods transport agency services
28.Information technology software services
29.Interior decoration services
30.Internet communication services
31.Intellectual property services
32.Legal consultancy services
33.Management, Maintenance or repair services
34.Manpower Recruitment and supply agency
35.Market research agency services
36.Other port services
37.Outdoor caterer services
38.Packaging activity services
39.Port services
40.Processing and clearing house services
41.Renting of immovable property services.
42.Security agency services
43.Site formation and clearance, excavation earth moving
44. Storage and warehousing services
45.Supply of tangible goods
46.Supply and Map Making services
47.Scientific or technical consultancy service
48.Sound recording studio or agency service
49.Technical inspection and certification
50.Technical Testing and Analysis services]
51.Telecommunication services
52.Transport of goods by Air Services
53.Transport of goods by Rail Services
54.Transport of goods by Road Services
55.Works contract services
56.Transport goods services
57.Construction services
58.online information and database access
59.Rent a cab scheme operator's services
60.SEZ online services
61.Air Travel Agent Services
62.Rail Travel Agent's services
63.Travel Agent's services
64.Business support service
65.Transport Passengers by Air
66.Accommodation service

Online Information and database access services

Under GST, there are a lot of services are liable to tax under GST Act 2017.  Such supplies made to Special Economic Zones are exempted from IGST.  Like this 66 Services are exempted from IGST.

Such services will be posted in my next post.

Jai Sai Ram

Thought for the Day

Buddha once brought home to those who began abusing him, an important lesson. He asked one of them: "Child! A beggar comes to your house asking for alms. You bring some food. If the beggar says, 'This is not the alms I asked for, and I will not accept it' what will you do?" The man replied: "I will keep back the offering." Buddha said: "In the same manner, you attempted to offer me the alms of your abuse. I did not accept it. To whom does it belong? It remains with you. So, you have only abused yourself, not me," said Buddha. If a registered letter is addressed to someone who declines to receive it, the postal department will deliver it back to the sender. Similarly, if you criticise someone or hate somebody, if the other person remains unaffected and unperturbed, your criticism and hatred come back to you. Jealousy and hatred do more harm to those who entertain these feelings than to those towards whom these are expressed.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Different machines are operated by electricity. Appliances are varied in their forms and functions, but the power that makes them function is one and the same. When current flows through an electric bulb, it illuminates the room and gives light. When the same current flows through an electric fan, it produces breeze and cools the room. Likewise, the Atma-Principle demonstrates its oneness in all the myriad entities in which it assumes various forms and names. Just as there are bulbs with varying wattages, serving different purposes, there are differences amongst living beings. Electricity running through all the different bulbs is the same. The variation in the amount of light that comes from them are due to differences in the capacity of the bulbs. Likewise one who is filled with love shines radiantly. One lacking in love resembles a dim light. To shine more brightly, the bulb has to be changed, not the electric current.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Duryodhana’s hatred and jealousy brought a complete ruin of himself and the Kaurava clan. Give up jealousy, ego and hatred.

God is the embodiment of Love. To experience God, you must fill yourselves with love. Through Love alone can you experience the embodiment of Love. The person filled with jealousy and hatred is like a blind man who cannot see the Sun, however brightly it may shine. Covered by ignorance, such a person cannot see God, however near He may be. The wise person (Jnani) filled with good qualities like truth, love, absence of jealousy, ego and hatred, can see God without searching for Him. Students, youth and elders alike should give no room for evil traits like jealousy. You must feel happy when others succeed in studies, sports, or profession. To feel jealous towards the successful person is a threefold offence. The first offence is one's neglect of duty or studies; the second offence is to entertain jealousy towards the better individual; and the third is to lament over one's own failure.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Where there is love, there will be no room for jealousy and hatred and where there is no jealousy and hatred, there is real joy.

The cultivation of good qualities implies getting rid of all bad qualities. Among the latter, two are particularly undesirable. They are asuya (jealousy) and dwesha (hatred). These two bad qualities are like two conspirators, one aids and abets the other in every action. Asuya is like the pest which attacks the root of a tree. Dwesha is like the pest which attacks the branches, leaves and flowers. When the two combine, the tree, which may look beautiful and flourishing, is utterly destroyed. Similarly, asuya attacks a person from inside and is not visible. Dwesha exhibits itself in open forms. There is hardly anyone who is free from the vice of jealousy. Jealousy may arise even over very trivial matters, and out of jealousy hatred arises. To get rid of hatred one must constantly practise love. Where there is love, there will be no room for jealousy and hatred and where there is no jealousy and hatred, there is real joy.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

An uncontrolled mind is your enemy number One

A farmer who wants to raise a crop in the field has to remove, at the outset, the weeds from his field. If different types of weeds grow, the crop will be adversely affected. Removing the weeds is an essential precondition for getting a good crop. Similarly, a spiritual aspirant who seeks to realise 'Atma-ananda' (the joy of bliss), must remove from one’s heart the various manifestations of Rajo and Tamo gunas in the form of malice, desire, greed, anger, hatred and jealousy. These six types of enemies of man are the children of Rajo and Tamo gunas (qualities of passionate activity, dull ignorance and indolence). Sri Krishna explained in Gita that sorrow is the fruit of Rajo and Thamo gunas. The entire world is a manifestation of gunas. Only the person who recognises this truth and removes the two qualities from the heart, will be happy.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

If we invite some great saint or scholar to our home, preparations will be made at home, to make it presentable. We clean our house and its surroundings before the guest arrives. A house that is not clean lacks sacredness and is not appropriate for great people. Similarly, if we invited a minister or governor to our neighbourhood, we would clean the road, decorate the path and keep everything bright and proper to receive the eminent visitor. If we care so much when we invite someone with a temporary position, how much more effort is needed when we invite the very Creator and Protector of the world Himself to enter our lives and hearts? Krishna remarked: "Arjuna, you are asking Me to be the charioteer of your chariot. Take Me as the charioteer of your life. Think how clean and how grand your heart should be to make it a seat for Me. As long as Rajo and Tamo gunas are there, the heart is not pure. Therefore, to begin with, remove them."

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

People resort to Gurus to receive mantras (mystically powerful formulae) to be recited by them for their spiritual upliftment; others seek men of medicine and holy monks to get yantras (esoteric talismans) for protection and to ward off evil forces; some others seek to learn from priests tantras (secret rites) for attaining superhuman powers. But all these are wasteful efforts! You should consider your body as the tantra, your own breath as the mantra and your very own heart as the yantra. There is no need to seek these outside yourself. When all words emanating from you are sweet, your breath truly is the Rig Veda. When you practice restraint and listen to and prefer only sweet and noble speech, all that you hear becomes Sama Veda! When you do only noble, helpful and uplifting actions, all that you do becomes Yajur homa. Then, you will be performing every day the Vedapurusha Yajna, the fire sacrifice which propitiates the Vedic Spirit.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Seeing a glass half filled with water, the optimist is glad that it is half full, while the pessimist is sad that it is half empty. Though both statements are correct, the optimist hopes to fill the other half, while the pessimist gives up in despair. The optimist has faith and hope; the pessimist courts misery without faith. Hence develop faith through steady effort. Faith is essential for human progress in every field. Knowledge, and through knowledge, wisdom can be earned only by means of faith and effort. Equipped with these, you can scale great heights and emerge victoriously. Of course, one has to be warned against cultivating too much faith in things that are merely material! You must have deep faith only in the eternally valid Truth - God! Faith is power. And that faith must be coupled with effort. Faith is the very breath we live by! Without faith, living happily is just impossible!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Seeing a glass half filled with water, the optimist is glad that it is half full, while the pessimist is sad that it is half empty. Though both statements are correct, the optimist hopes to fill the other half, while the pessimist gives up in despair. The optimist has faith and hope; the pessimist courts misery without faith. Hence develop faith through steady effort. Faith is essential for human progress in every field. Knowledge, and through knowledge, wisdom can be earned only by means of faith and effort. Equipped with these, you can scale great heights and emerge victoriously. Of course, one has to be warned against cultivating too much faith in things that are merely material! You must have deep faith only in the eternally valid Truth - God! Faith is power. And that faith must be coupled with effort. Faith is the very breath we live by! Without faith, living happily is just impossible!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Remember and beware! Words can inflict damage in many ways. Whenever we talk disparagingly, defamingly, sarcastically or hatefully of others, they get recorded on the tape of our own mind. When we record something in a recorder, it lasts even after their passing away. So too, the impressions and impacts of evil thoughts, spiteful words and wicked plots survive one’s physical disappearance. Therefore never use or listen to words that ridicule, scandalise, or hurt others. Slander is a direct sin. Hence, our ancient and wise seers have prescribed silence as a sadhana. Youth, students and elders alike can benefit greatly by limiting talk to the absolute minimum, and using it only for promoting joy and harmony. Involve yourself in useful work. When left idle, your mind roams into insane regions of thought. Good thoughts, clean habits, virtues and good deeds - these provide charm and delight to life. They impart good taste to fine living.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Divinity is absent, everything is devilry.

Hesitation in praying to God is purely superficial. During examinations, every student prays to the Almighty. When calamities happen, or loss is sustained, or members of the family are struck by disease and are in mortal danger, then everyone rushes to pray to God. Why then yield to false pride and refuse to acknowledge God at good times? This is sheer hypocrisy! Another characteristic of the educated is their pride. They walk around, wearing the crown of conceit. Pride is the wall that divides the Divine from the demon, Truth from untruth. This obstacle must be removed for Divinity to manifest. Many students and youth develop this pest called pride because they have physical charm, educational achievements and monetary resources. They must be very vigilant to eradicate this trait at the earliest. If Divinity is absent, everything is devilry. All of you must have faith in God, call out to Him and pray fearlessly. That will drive away the vileness that envelops you.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The value of every human being lies in their capability to purify their thoughts, words and deeds.

The value of every human being lies in their capability to purify their thoughts, words and deeds. The three instruments you have - mind, tongue and hand, must be sanctified to raise you to the highest level. A person is judged by their spoken words. The spoken word, though it may be short and appears to be only a sound, has in it, the power of an atom bomb. When a word of hope is spoken to a person sunk in despair, it charges them with elephant’s strength. When a word of calumny is uttered to a person who is extremely strong and happy, it can lead them to slump on the ground overcome by sorrow. Words can confer strength; they can drain one’s energy too. Words can win friends; words can turn friends into enemies as well; they can elevate or lower an individual. You must learn the habit of making your words sweet, soft and pleasant.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Your success in Sadhana depends on self-control and sense-control. Even for the successful execution of your mundane daily chores don’t you find these controls very beneficial? Most living beings developed discrimination out of necessity, for their survival. But in humans, it has become a highly developed skill. One has to use this skill to separate the chaff from the grain and decide on the constructive path of truth and righteousness. Without cleansing the mind of its evil thoughts and low desires, how can one achieve good results from meditation or worship? Food cooked in unclean vessels is not fit for consumption. Similarly, the primary need for progress in spiritual practice is a pure mind which is free from evil thoughts and feelings. Work is purified with an attitude of worship. Dedicate all your activity to God. Then, it will not be warped and worsened by the ego. Each one of you must continue to be very disciplined and that will keep you on the straight path.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Many feel proud about the enormous expansion of education in the country. But is there any reason to be happy about the current situation? An unhealthy expansion of education is as undesirable as an unhealthy bloating of the body. Acquiring degrees at great cost and out of intellectual pride developing contempt for one's parents is not a sign of proper education. Humility is the hallmark of true education. Arrogance, envy and ostentation should have no place in a properly educated person. People crave for peace and happiness but they do things which bring unhappiness and worry. Having been born as human beings, you should try to rise above the level of animals. You are all essentially sparks from the Divine. But like sparks coming from a furnace after a while turn into ash, you are forgetting your divine origin. While pursuing your education for worldly purposes, you should also practice spiritual discipline, which will lead you to God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Tyaga (sacrifice or renunciation) is not going to the forest, leaving behind your spouse, children and property. What needs to be sacrificed is the hankering for results, the fruits of one’s actions. That is true sacrifice. You must renounce indiscriminate desires. Then only will your heart become pure. God desires only a pure, loving and sacred heart. God does not desire or need anything from you! It is only you who have desires. When you have noble desires, God will be happy. It is only then your family, society and coun­try will experience peace and happiness. First and foremost, peace should reign in your own home. Then, that peace will be radiated to the society. When societies become good, the country will prosper. If peace is to be established in the country, the individual should experience peace in the first instance. World peace is possible only when peace is established at the individual level. If an individual is not at peace, how can there be peace in the world?

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

It is said, “Tell me your company, I shall tell you what you are”. Hence, first and fore­most, move in good company. Then you will become a good individual. You need not acquire goodness from somewhere. It is inherent in your nature. You must cultivate goodness within yourself, just as a tender sapling is nourished and nurtured to become a big tree. Having been born as human beings, it is a great sin to behave like animals. Whenever animal qualities raise their ugly heads, you must immediately remind yourself, “I am not an animal; I must act as a human being.” Unfortunately, today, wherever you see, animal qualities are rampant. Wherever you go and whomever you come across, there is only one desire – money, money and more money. Remember, Money comes and goes, but moral­ity comes and grows! Hence, cultivate and grow in moral values!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

People repose their faith in such a frail and impermanent physical body. This human body is a puppet with nine holes in it, and it may collapse at any time with a mere sneeze. Placing their faith in such a perishable body, people forget the invaluable ornaments stored in it which are the five human values of Sathya, Dharma, Santi, Prema and Ahimsa; these are the true and most valuable property of every human being. That is the reason they suffer mental agitation. You go to a millionaire and enquire, “Sir! You have everything in this world, but do you have peace?” He will immediately reply, “I have everything in this world, but not peace.” Wherever you see in the world today, there are only ‘pieces’, no ‘peace’. Peace is very much in your inner self. Hence, seek it within, journey inward! That is your duty. When you are able to manifest your own innate noble qualities, you will experience true and eternal peace.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Three qualities distinguish man from other animals. They are sympathy, compassion and renunciation. Today a famine has dried up these feelings in the human heart. This tragic condition is generating agitation and disturbance among both students and teachers. The conviction that money can achieve anything has grown in people’s mind, though it is impossible to promote peace and security through the accumulation of money. Money can buy plenty of food; it cannot buy appetite or hunger. Money can buy medical care and medicines; but it cannot buy health and immunity. Money can buy servants; it cannot buy goodwill. It can buy comfort, but not happiness. It cannot help to promote character or morality. This truth must be understood by both students and teachers. For, teachers mould the nation and students build the nation, sound and strong.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

God has gifted every human being with Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love and Non-violence. Develop these qualities.

People in Kerala celebrate the Onam festival by taking an oil bath, wearing new clothes, worshiping Krishna and visiting temples. On Onam day, they cook many special dishes and all members of the family feast together and welcome Emperor Bali to bless them. Emperor Bali was a very noble king, a great and humble devotee. But there was an element of ego in him. The inner significance of Lord Vamana pushing Emperor Bali to the netherworld reveals Lord Vamana crushing Bali’s ego. Understand that God will never tolerate anger and ego. Why are we egoistic? Is it for physical beauty or strength of the senses or intellectual acumen or wealth? None of these is permanent. God has gifted every human being with Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love and Non-violence. Develop these qualities. On this special day, I bless you all to cultivate a good nature, lead a virtuous life and journey from goodness to ‘Godliness’ (Madhavathwa).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The story of Krishna and the gopis (cowherd-girls) has a deep inner meaning. Brindavan is not a specific place on the map; it is the Universe Itself. Every heart is filled with the longing for the Lord, and the flute is the call of the Lord. In the sport called Rasakrida where Lord Krishna is described as dancing with the gopis in the moonlight, every maid had a Krishna holding her hand in the dance. This is the symbol of the yearning and the travail borne by those who aim at reaching His presence. The Lord manifests such Grace that each one of you has the Lord all for yourself; you need not be sad that you won't have Him, when others get Him; nor need you be proud that you have Him and no one else can have Him at the same time! The Lord is installed in the altar of your heart.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

No two individuals can agree on any matter, be they brothers or sisters, lifemates or father and son. It is only as pilgrims on the Godward path that two can heartily agree and lovingly co-operate. You can be a pilgrim even while attending to your daily duties. Only, you have to feel that each moment is a step towards Him. Do everything as dedicated to Him, as directed by Him, as work for His adoration or for serving His children. Test all your actions, words, thoughts on this touchstone: "Will this be approved by God? Will this rebound to His renown?" When you dedicate yourselves to the glorification of the Lord, you will revere the body, the senses, the intelligence, the Will and all the instruments of knowledge, action and feeling as essential for His work. While others will get intoxicated with pride, the devotee will be suffused with prema (selfless love).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The kind of life you choose to lead and the aspirations which you have in your mind can be achieved if you are in the company of good people.

The kind of life you choose to lead and the aspirations which you have in your mind can be achieved if you are in the company of good people. You must cultivate friendship with good people and follow their example in your daily routine. Good people can be recognised by their gentle thoughts, loving words and noble deeds. Youth is the appropriate age for you to lead such a life and put yourself in the company of elders. During this age, you will be able to develop good ideas and good conduct; you should make a firm determination to do so. At this important stage of your life, dedicate yourself to the service of your country and to the service of your parents. On the contrary, if you spend your time in bad company and wander about the streets like stray dogs and whistle like foxes, you will be wasting your life. Time wasted is life wasted.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Our scriptures teach that you attain merit by serving others and commit sin by hurting them. This must be practiced everywhere. For example, understanding and adjustment between each other are very essential for the smooth functioning of a family. When there is proper understanding between wife and husband, the wife will not mind even when the husband returns home very late from office. In fact, she will be anxiously waiting for him thinking that he may be busy at work or is stuck in a traffic jam. But if there is no proper understanding between the two, even a five minute delay, will create a big fight! Adjusting will become easy only when there is proper understanding. When a teacher goes on leave, another teacher can engage his class. Such understanding and adjustment among teachers will help students very much. This must be practiced by all, be it students or teachers or members of a family or communities.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Each and every one of you must have faith in God and self-confidence. If there is no faith you can achieve nothing. Where there is confidence 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. In fact, without faith you can have no faith even in your mother. There should be confidence. Once you have confidence that a person is your mother, you love her. Confidence leads to love. Love takes you to peace. Peace produces truth and as soon as truth manifests, you achieve bliss. This Bliss is the very God-head itself. So, confidence is a necessary characteristic. It is this loss of confidence that is the cause of lack of spirituality in the world.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Teachers must have a pure heart and virtues like adherence to truth, good conduct, duty, devotion and discipline, so that they can impart the same to the students.

A teacher is like a guidepost. If the guidepost itself is loose, how can it point to the right direction? So, a teacher should have a steady mind. Only then can one guide the students along the right path. The teacher should impart the human values of satya, dharma, shanthi, prema and ahimsa. Many are confused as to what is the foremost value among these five. Love is of paramount importance. Every teacher must teach their students to love and respect their parents, relatives and all fellow-beings. Teachers must have a pure heart and virtues like adherence to truth, good conduct, duty, devotion and discipline, so that they can impart the same to the students. He or she alone, who imparts these virtues to the students, is a teacher in the true sense. The whole world will prosper, when students tread along the right path. Hence it is essential on the part of a teacher, whom the students are bound to emulate, to cultivate virtues.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Think of God and chant His Name under all circumstances.

Human life can be compared to a four-storeyed mansion. Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa (celibacy, householdership, recluse and renunciant) are the four stages of human life. Brahmacharya is the foundation; if the foundation is strong, the other three stages will be automatically taken care of. But modern youth are ruining three-fourths of their lives because they do not have a strong foundation. When elders advise them to sit for prayers for at least five minutes, they say they have no time, but they have all the time in the world to wallow in bad qualities and habits. Youth in particular should make every effort to build a strong foundation of Brahmacharya. Merely remaining a bachelor is not Brahmacharya. Constant contemplation on Brahman is true Brahmacharya. Think of God and chant His Name under all circumstances. Lead a life of purity. Dedicate your life to the principle of love. This ensures the safety of the mansion of your life.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Desire destroys devotion, anger destroys wisdom, greed destroys work – hence these bad qualities must be corrected.

Today people are not making proper use of their mind (mati), effort  (gati),  position 
(sthiti) and wealth (sampatti)? As a result, they are losing the sacred energy that God has blessed them with. Not merely this, they are subjected to misery and grief because of their evil traits like kama, krodha and lobha (desire, anger and greed). They have absolutely no control over their desires. When one desire is fulfilled, people crave for another. Anger is another evil trait which ruins people. Hatred is more dangerous than anger. It gives rise to many evil qualities which obstruct your experience of Divinity. Humans are supposed to live for a hundred years, but one’s life-span is cut short by these evil qualities. When these evil traits are totally subdued, one can enjoy a long and happy life. One will not lose one’s life even if he or she were to meet with a serious accident.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Divine Bank

Banks have safe deposit vaults, where customers can keep their valuables, jewels, legal documents and other precious metals like silver and gold which attract thieves; people can then be free from anxiety and sleep in peace. Do you know that your Divine Bank also has a safe deposit vault? In it, you can surrender your jewels of intelligence, cleverness, capacity to serve and the gem that you most value, namely, your ‘ego’ to the care of God! Then, you can be free and happy. The Divine Banker invites: “Surrender to Me alone” (Mam ekam sharanam vraja). Then, He assures you that you need not grieve at all (Ma suchah). The wealth (dhanam) acceptable in the Divine Bank comes only to those who struggle to be virtuous and detached, humble and holy. The virtues (punyam) you do, the purity you achieve, and the love that you manifest - these are the precious things the Lord gladly accepts as deposits.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathy Sai Baba

Devotion to the Divine will give you bliss, prosperity and peace

‘Ga’ symbolises intellect (buddhi), ‘Na’ stands for wisdom (vijnana). Ganapati is the master of intellect and wisdom. The universe is sustained by Ganas (gods) and Ganapati is their master. Lord Vinayaka symbolises the qualities of a true leader in all aspects.Viyate Nayake Iti Vinayaka, meaning, He is a master unto Himself. Ganapati is also called one who has a mouse as His vehicle(Mooshika Vahana). You may wonder how a small mouse can carry on its back a hefty personality like Vinayaka? Here mooshikadoes not mean a mere mouse. It symbolises the darkness of ignorance because a mouse moves about in darkness. Hence,Mooshika Vahana means the one who subdues ignorance and dispels darkness. Vinayaka is also called Vighneswara (remover of obstacles). No obstacle can come in the way of one who prays to Vinayaka. Thus, worship of Vinayaka confers success in spiritual as well as worldly endeavours.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You must know that each one is a pilgrim and each life is but a stage in the journey towards the city of liberation. This body is a rest-house, in which we stay for a short time during this pilgrimage. The mind is the caretaker, the watchman in the choultry where we rest. We are not to treat him as if he is master or owner. But, we ought to take care that the house we are privileged to occupy is not damaged or polluted. We have to take good care of it and its furnishings, and treat the watchman politely. The pilgrim is either helped or handicapped by the antics of the mind. The mind has as its warp and woof, desire or thirst for something or other, getting some gain or avoiding some loss. Desire arises from attachment, often the consequence of delusion. Desire distorts and denigrates the mind. It keeps the mind incessantly agitated. The bliss which emanates from the Atma has, in fact, to be stored, with the help of buddhi (the intellect) as a channel, in the reservoir of the mind. That is its genuine function.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

By constant contemplation on God, mind should be turned away from mundane desires.

Don’t seek more and more happiness (sukham); seek wisdom (jnanam) instead. Mind is a fertile field for ignorance. Wipe out all traces of the mind (Mano Nasanam). How to destroy the mind? It’s easy. The mind is stuffed with desire. It is a ball filled with air like a football. Puncture it and it will not move. Nirvana means, without air. In a square tank filled with water, water appears square; if the field is circular or rectangular, the sheet of water that fills it will resemble the same geometrical shape. The mind takes on the form of the desire that fills it. Another example - it is like a piece of cloth, the warp and the woof being the yarn of desire. The texture, colour, durability, and the shine of the cloth will depend upon the desire that constitutes the warp and woof. Remove the yarn one by one and the cloth disappears. This is the technique to destroy the mind.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Whatever be the trouble, however great be the sorrow, persist and win over it by recalling the Lord’s Name.

Food habits are of primary importance when health has to be secured and maintained. When these are not regulated, health suffers. One should restrain the wild adventuresomeness of the tongue. Among the 84 lakh species of living beings, except humans all live on food as provided by Mother Nature. Man alone strives to make such food more palatable, more attractive to the senses of sight, touch and smell by boiling, frying and freezing, and mixing, grinding and soaking. The consequence of this greed is ill-health and debility. One should realise that food materials, as offered by nature, are really more beneficial. When heat is applied, they lose the vitality yielding components and cannot confer strength and efficiency. The person ages fast and loses the sprightliness of youth. Catering to the cravings of the tongue and swallowing heavy foods three or four times a day can only add to the heap. Regular and limited intakes alone can enable a person to discharge one's duties.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Moderate food, moderate sleep, prema, fortitude - these will help in the upkeep of the health of both body and mind.

The one effective way to conquer all sources of physical and mental disease and debility is awareness of one's Divine Reality. That will bring about an upsurge of Love and Light, for when you recognise that you are the Atma, you cognise the same Atma in all, share the joy and grief of all, and partake of the strength and weakness of all. When you yearn for the happiness and prosperity of all mankind, you will be blessed with the wisdom and strength to mark the way and lead all towards it. In every one, you will see God. Every act of yours will then be pure, sincere and sacred as an offering to God. Good words, good manners, good vision and thoughts—these are essential for good health! What can powerful and costly medicines do if one is ill with bad thoughts and bad feelings? Virtuous living, beneficial thoughts, elevating ideals and righteous conduct will confer health, and more precious, Atmananda (bliss of the Self)!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Love for all should spontaneously flow from your heart, and sweeten all your words.

It is a hard job to know about your own Self. Take the case of the food that you eat with your own mouth. You feel it in your stomach and after that, you do not experience what happens to it at each stage. Then how can you know, without acquiring the special means for it, the Truth that lies behind the sheaths that encase and enclose you - the Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya and Anandamaya (sheaths of food, vital energy, mind, intelligence and bliss)? Clear your dheeshakti (intellectual power) of the cobwebs of ego, the dust of desire, the soot of greed and envy, and it becomes a fit instrument for revealing the Inner Truth. "Know yourself, know the Inner Motivator, the Antaryamin(Indweller)" - that is the exhortation of the scriptures of all faiths. For unless you are armed with that knowledge, you are like a ship without a compass, sailing on a stormy sea.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba