Thought for the day

A farmer clears and levels the land, removes the stones and thorns, ploughs and prepares the field, manures and strengthens the soil, and waters and fertilises it. Then, after sowing, transplanting, weeding, spraying and waiting, he reaps the crop. After winnowing and threshing, he stacks the corn. All these various processes are for the sake of the stomach. So too, one must feel that all hunger and thirst, joy and sorrow, grief and loss, suffering and anger, food and appetite are but impulses helping us toward attaining the presence of the Lord. When one has this attitude, sin will never tarnish these activities. The appetites will also vanish, without a vestige of name or form. On the other hand, if the appetites are treated as important, one can earn only sorrow, not joy. It will be impossible to acquire peace. All acts — wearing, eating, walking, studying, serving, moving — should be performed in a spirit of dedication to the Lord.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathtya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Some meditate but get easily distracted by the smell from the kitchen. How can this be termed as a prayer to the Lord? All your spiritual practices are done with a wavering mind. Pray sincerely with a steady mind. You are bound to reap the fruits. Undertake any type of spiritual pursuit, but love wholeheartedly. Love eradicates all types of diseases and acts as a panacea for all afflictions. Hence first cultivate love. This is possible only if you believe that God is the embodiment of Love. Love is the best medicine. If you were to put a plant in a tin pot and water it, the plant will die in due course of time; but if you were to plant the same in the soil and water it, the plant would grow into a fine tree. To yield good fruits, God’s name and form should be implanted in the soil of your heart and nurtured with water of love.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Welcome sorrow just as you welcome happiness.

Welcome sorrow just as you welcome happiness. In fact the happiness that you derive out of pleasure is negligible compared to the happiness that results from difficulties. History is replete with examples of people who stand testimony to this fact. All noble and ideal people had to undergo ordeals before they experienced happiness. Na sukhath labbyathe sukham (happiness is not derived from happiness). It is derived from pain and suffering, but people want only happiness, not difficulties. This is quite contradictory to the principles of spirituality. People should understand this truth. People desire the fruits of meritorious deeds but do not perform any. Nobody wants the fruits of sinful actions, yet they indulge in them! Whatever you want to achieve, you can do so by proceeding along the right path. Do not go on the wrong path if you are not prepared to face the consequences of it.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai  Baba

Thought for the Day

Simply because a devotee appears like the Lord (sarupya-mukti), we cannot assume that the devotee has the powers of creation, preservation and destruction that the Lord has. Only when all traces of differences disappear and unity is attained, the highest stage is reached. This is called union (sayujya). This comes only by divine grace. The devotee aspires for this mergence (aikya). One wishes to serve the Lord as one pleases and to experience the joy of the form that one has attributed to the Lord. But the Lord, out of His grace, gives the devotee not only existence with the Lord, witnessing always the glory of the Lord, and being suffused with God-consciousness but also union (sayujya)! The path of devotion (bhakti marga) results also in attainment of knowledge of Brahman (Brahma-jnana). Even if the devotee does not crave it, the Lord Himself vouchsafes it to the devotee. Union-with-God liberation (sayujya-mukti) is also referred to as absolute liberation (ekanta-mukti).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

When you worship with fixity of consciousness and purity of feeling, free of all extraneous thought, that itself becomes mental union with the Divine (bhava-samadhi). As a result of this union, the Lord appears before the inner eye of the devotee in the form that the devotee has chosen for worship. The vision is not merely a matter of imagination; it is a ‘face-to-face’ experience. Without changing location, the devotee can abide in the presence of the Lord in the self-same place. This is called, ‘being always with God - salokya-mukti’. Besides being always with the Lord, devotees realise all that they see as the glory of the Lord. The experience of ‘seeing always the glory of the Lord’ is samipya-mukti. Existing ever with the Lord, witnessing always the glory of the Lord, and becoming suffused with God-consciousness is merger in the divine form - sarupya-mukti. This is the final fruit of devotional scriptures.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The path of surrender is like that of a kitten (marjala kishora nyaya), that simply mews in one place, placing all its burdens on the mother cat. Similarly, the devotee places complete trust on God. The mother cat holds the kitten in its mouth and transports it safely through even very narrow passages. When the devotee places all burdens on the Lord, without fear or worry, and surrenders fully to His will, He will certainly provide everything. Lakshmana is the witness of this path. To serve Rama, Lakshmana renounced all obstacles in his path - wealth, wife, mother, home and even sleep and food for fourteen full years. He felt that Rama was his all, his happiness and joy, and would grant him everything that he needed. His life’s purpose was only to follow Him, serve Him, and surrender his will to Him. This is the characteristic of complete self-surrender. This discipline of surrender (prapatti) is much superior to that of devotion (bhakti).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Devotion must be continuous, uninterrupted, like the flow of oil from one vessel to another. Without love (prema), nothing in this world can be acquired. Only when there is love does attachment (anuraaga) in its turn produce the desire to protect and guard. In the young-of-the-monkey path of the surrender (markata kishora nyaya), the child has to rely on its own strength to protect itself — wherever the mother might jump about, the child has to attach itself fast to the mother’s belly and not release its hold, even if pulled apart! So too, the devotee must stand the test at the hands of the Lord and hold on to the Lord’s name at all times and under all conditions, tirelessly, without the slightest trace of dislike or disgust, bearing the ridicule and the criticism of the world and conquering the feelings of shame and defeat. The wonderful example of this type of devotion is that first among devotees, Prahlada.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Every form conceived in the shastras and scriptures has a deep significance. In the end, all Forms merge in the Formless. Shiva is the Principle of the destruction of all names and forms, of all entities and individuals. So, the Linga is the simplest sign of emergence and mergence. Shiva does not ride an animal called in human language, a bull. The bull symbolises stability standing on the four legs - Sathya, Dharma, Shanti and Prema (Truth, Right Conduct, Peace and Love). Shiva’s three eyes represent eyes that see your past, present and future. The elephant skin which forms His cloak represents the beastial primitive traits which His grace destroys. His four faces symbolise Equanimity (Shantam), Rage (Roudram), Grace (Mangalam) and Elevating Energy (Utsaham). Resolve, on this Holy Shivaratri, in the presence of Shiva Sai, to visualise Shiva as the inner power within you and in all.

 Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Every form conceived in the shastras and scriptures has a deep significance. In the end, all Forms merge in the Formless. Shiva is the Principle of the destruction of all names and forms, of all entities and individuals. So, the Linga is the simplest sign of emergence and mergence. Shiva does not ride an animal called in human language, a bull. The bull symbolises stability standing on the four legs - Sathya, Dharma, Shanti and Prema (Truth, Right Conduct, Peace and Love). Shiva’s three eyes represent eyes that see your past, present and future. The elephant skin which forms His cloak represents the beastial primitive traits which His grace destroys. His four faces symbolise Equanimity (Shantam), Rage (Roudram), Grace (Mangalam) and Elevating Energy (Utsaham). Resolve, on this Holy Shivaratri, in the presence of Shiva Sai, to visualise Shiva as the inner power within you and in all.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Do not waste your days entertaining worldly desires and ambitions, and planning to achieve them. Success or failure should not elate or depress you. When a banquet is in store for you, why run after the droppings from others’ tables? Keep undimmed before you the main goal, the task for which you have come into this school; do not deviate from it, whatever the attraction that tempts you to stray. Command the mind and regulate your conduct, so that the goal is won. Don’t let the care of the body or the fostering of the family or the demands of pride and pomp overwhelm the call of the spirit for self-expression. The Supreme Reality (Siva), individual (jiva), and subjective world (prakriti) are the three principles that confront you; the world has to be utilised by the individual to attain Siva, which is the fundamental fact in both. Until you get Atmic Bliss, by realising Siva, the world will press on you with its weight and well nigh suffocate you. After that, the world will fall off by itself.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

சிறுகுறிப்பு

பெண்கள் தினமும் சாதம் செய்யும்போது ஏதாவது ஒரு அளவில் அரிசி எடுப்போம் அல்லவா. ஒரே ஒரு அளவு தான் எடுப்போம் என்றால் அதே அளவை மூன்று சிறிய அளவில் எடுத்து முதல் தடவை எடுக்கும் போது இது பெருமாளுக்கு என்றும் இரண்டாம் அளவு எடுக்கும் போது இது தாயாருக்கு என்றும் மூன்றாவது தடவை எடுக்கும் போது இது ஆசார்யனுக்கு அல்லது குருவுக்கு என்று சொல்லி எடுத்து சமைத்து வர அரிசி எடுத்த பாத்திரத்தில் அரிசி என்றும் குறையாதாம். அவர்கள் மூவரும் குறையாத அளவுக்கு அனுக்ரஹம் செய்வார்கள்களாம்.

அரிசியை உலையில் ஏற்றும் போது( அன்னம் அலைமோத...அரிசி அமுதாக...சூரிய பாண்டம்...திரெளபதி சமையல்...தர்மபுத்திரர் யக்ஞம்...பஞ்சபாண்டவர்கள் போஜனம் க்ருஷ்ணா அக்ஷயம்..க்ருஷ்ணா அக்ஷயம்..க்ருஷ்ணா அக்ஷயம்) என்று சொல்லி உலை அல்லது குக்கர் வைக்க அன்னத்துக்கு தட்டுப்பாடு வராதாம்.

நாம் பெருமாளுக்கு... தாயாருக்கு... ஆச்சார்யனுக்கு/குருவுக்கு என்று சொல்லி உலையிடும் அரிசியை வருணதேவனும்...அக்னியும் வாயு பகவானின் துணை கொண்டு பல மடங்காக ஆக்கி.. சாதமாக நாம் சாப்பிடும் பக்குவத்தில் ஆக்கி தருகிறார்கள்.

அதைப் போலவே நாம் செய்யும் ஒரு நல்ல காரியம் பல மடங்காக பெருகி நமக்கே திரும்ப கிடைக்கிறது.

Thought for the Day

The Lord will protect in all ways and at all times those who worship Him in complete and uncontaminated devotion (bhakti) — just as a mother protects her infants, a cow saves her calf from danger, and the eyelids guard the eyes effortlessly and automatically. When the infant grows up into an adult, the mother won’t pay so much attention to its safety. So too, the Lord doesn’t pay much attention to the wise one (jnani). The devotee of form (saguna bhakta), like an infant of the Lord, has no strength except the strength of the Lord. For the realized soul (jnani), their own strength is enough. Therefore, until one can rely on one’s own strength, one must be an infant in the Lord’s Hands, as a devotee of the form, right? No one can become a devotee of the formless Supreme (nirguna bhakta) without having been a devotee of the form.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The Name is the spring of all the essence of the Supreme Spirit (the Chaithanya) that you get by remembrance of the Name; it is the life-giving nectar; it is the fountain of primal energy. Recite the Name and the Named will be before you; picture the Named and the Name will leap to your lips. Name and form are the reverse and the obverse of the same coin. Some vow to write the name of the Lord a million times, but very often it is just a matter of the fingers and the pen. The mind should not wander from the name. It should dwell on the sweetness that the name connotes; it should ruminate on the beauty of the form that it recalls and the perfume that it spreads. The conduct and behaviour of the writer should be such as befits a servant of God — others should be inspired by them, and their faith should get freshened by the experience of the writer.

Bagavan Sri  Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

When Narada once asked Sri Ramachandra about the nature and characteristics of His servants and spiritual aspirants, He answered, “They are full of love; they always stand by righteousness; they speak the truth; their hearts melt with mercy; they are devoid of wrong; they avoid sin; their nature is well-founded; they will renounce everything gladly; they eat in moderation; they are engaged in doing good to others; they have no selfishness; they aren’t worried by doubts. They won’t lend their ears to flattery but are eager to listen to the praise of the good nature of others. They have beautiful, strong, and holy character. Spiritual aspirants are those who endeavour to acquire such qualities. Now I shall tell you about those who are dear to Me: Anyone who is engaged in repetition of the name, penance, and vows, anyone who has self-control and discipline, anyone who has faith, patience, comradeship, kindness and joy as well as unalloyed love towards Me — such a person is dear to Me.”

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The demons (danavas) are those who trample on love and consider inferior qualities as important, while the humans (manavas) are those who consider love as the only quality to be fostered and inferior qualities as snakes to be destroyed. Are they humans who have no sweetness in them and who endeavour to suppress the craving for immortality? Theirs is the nature of demons, though the form is human! For, the character and not the form is primary. How can those with human form be called humans if they have no kindness and no rightness, and if they have the nature of demons? Humans engage in soft and sweet deeds of kindness, rightness, love, and truth; they are witnesses to the possibility of realising and manifesting one’s immortality. Their good nature is resplendent on their faces as bliss (ananda). Without goodness, even if one is infatuated with joy, the faces will indicate only the destructive fire of the demon; it will not shine with the grace of spiritual bliss.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Peace is the characteristic of the mind of humans. That is its innate quality. In searching for peace there is no need to go anywhere else. Just as gold and silver lie hidden under the earth, and pearl and coral under the sea, peace and joy lie hidden in the activities of the mind. Desirous of acquiring these hidden treasures, if one dives and turns mental activities inward, one becomes full of love. Only one who has so filled oneself with love and who lives in the light of that love can be called human. Those devoid of love are demons, monsters, and subhumans. Remember, the holy quality of love will not remain unmanifested off and on; it will be ever present, without change. It is one and indivisible. Those saturated with love are incapable of spite, selfishness, injustice, wrong, and misconduct. Good people are full of love (prema). Their hearts are springs of mercy. They are endowed with truth in speech.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Love can conquer anything. Selfless, pure, unalloyed love leads the human being to God. Selfish and constricted love binds one to the world. Unable to comprehend the pure and sacred love, human beings today are prey to endless worries because of attachment to worldly objects. One’s primary duty is to understand the truth about the Love Principle. Once a person understands the nature of love, he or she will not go astray. The various contexts in which the word love is used today have no relation to the true meaning of love. The affection, between a mother and child or between a husband and wife is incidental to a certain temporary relationship and is not real love at all. True love has neither a beginning nor an end. It exists in all the three categories of time—past, present and future. That alone is true love which can fill the human being with enduring bliss.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

If you wear blue eyeglasses, you see only blue, even though nature is resplendent with many colours, right? If the world appears to you as with differences, that is due only to the fault in you. If all appears as one love, that too is only your love. For both of these, the feeling in you is the cause. It is only because you have faults within you that you see the world as faulty. When there is no knowledge of fault in yourself, no fault can be found even by search, for you wouldn’t know which are the faults. Now, the question may arise whether the Lord Himself has faults because He also searches for faults. But how can it be said that the Lord searches for faults? He searches only for goodness, not for faults and sins. The Lord won’t examine the wealth, family, caste, status, or sex. He sees only the righteousness (sadbhava). He considers those endowed with such righteousness as deserving His grace, whoever they are, whatever they are.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Can an ass change into an elephant simply by carrying a bundle of sandalwood? It may appreciate the weight but not the scent! But the elephant pays no regard to the weight; it inhales the sweet scent, right? So too, the spiritual aspirant, renunciant, or devotee will take in only the pure truth, the pure essence of good activities, of Godliness, and of the scriptures, Vedas, and Upanishads. On the other hand, one who goes on arguing for the sake of mere scholarship, learning and disputation will know only the weight of logic and will miss the scent of truth! For those in search of the essence, the burden is no consideration. If mere reason is employed, nothing worthwhile is gained. Love (prema) is the one big instrument for the constant remembrance of the Lord. Keeping that instrument safe and strong needs no other appliance than the scabbard of discrimination (viveka).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Never forget that any and every spiritual effort is of no avail if your heart is not pure! Look at the fish! Living as it does perpetually in water, has it got rid itself of its foul smell to any extent? No! Inclinations (vasanas) will not disappear as long as one’s heart is full of the illusion of egotism, even if one is immersed in many different heart-purifying spiritual disciplines. Light and darkness can never coexist at the same place and at the same time, right? Similarly, negative tendencies (vikaras) such as egoism, etc. cannot coexist in the same heart with that of pure virtues. One whose heart is ruled by the group of six passions can have only ego (ahamkara) as counselor (manthri)! Those people, who would like to get rid of the feeling of “I” and “mine”, must worship the Lord (Hari). They must become true spiritual aspirants, free from preferences, likes and dislikes.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Human birth is very difficult to attain. Your body is like a caravanserai; your mind is its watchman and your individual soul (jivi) is the pilgrim. None of these has any kinship with the others. The pilgrim is bound for Salvation City (Moksha-puri). For a trouble-free journey, there is nothing as reliable as repeating the name of God (namasmarana), the remembrance of the name of the Lord. Once the sweetness of that name has been experienced, the person won’t have exhaustion, unrest, or sloth but will fulfil the pilgrimage of spiritual practice joyfully, enthusiastically, and with deep conviction. Still, to achieve this spiritual practice, righteousness (sadbhava) is very important. Without fear of the consequences of an act of sin, righteousness will not originate, and love of God will not develop either. This fear will help righteousness and devotion grow, resulting in true worship of the Lord.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

People experience joy and misery through the ear. Therefore, avoiding the cruel arrows of hard words, one should use sweet, pleasant and soft ones. And to that softness, add the sweetness of truth. Making the word soft by adding falsehood only clears the way for more misery. A person who has become a spiritual aspirant should use very soft, sweet, true and pleasant words. Such a person can be recognised by their good qualities. Thus, of those who have become spiritual aspirants, the mind (manas) is Mathura (birthplace of Krishna), the heart (hridaya) is Dwaraka (Krishna’s capital), and the body (deha) is Kasi (Benares).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

What is the use in planning a well when the house is on fire? Where is the time to dig it now? When will water become available? When can you extinguish the fire? If, at the very start, a well was ready, how helpful it would be on such critical occasions! Beginning to contemplate on God during the last moments is like beginning to dig the well when the house is on fire. Therefore if right now, you contemplate on God, off and on, it will stand you in good stead when the end approaches. Start today the spiritual discipline that has to be done tomorrow! Start now the spiritual discipline that has to be done today! One doesn’t know what is in store the next moment; therefore, there should be no delay in engaging oneself in the spiritual practice that has to be done. Physical stamina is also necessary for this spiritual practice, so the body has to be tended, though overtending causes damage. To the degree that is essential, it should be looked after with great care.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The body is the essential vehicle for the individual soul to understand its real nature. Still, who knows when it may become the target for the attention of Yama (the Lord of death)? Who knows when this body will get entrapped in the coils of Yama’s ropes? The individual soul, burdened with this easily destructible body, must grasp the above-mentioned caution and be all-eager to merge in Siva, whatever the moment, that very moment! No single moment that is passed by can be turned back. People usually delay doing their things, yesterday’s work till today and today’s till tomorrow. But the tasks of spiritual discipline are not of such a nature. For them, there is no yesterday and no tomorrow. This very moment is the moment! The minute that just elapsed is beyond your grasp; so too, the approaching minute is not yours! Only that individual soul who has this understanding engraved on its heart can merge in Siva.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The attitude of the worshiper and the worshiped is the seed of devotion (bhakti). First, the worshiper’s mind is attracted by the special qualities of the object of worship. The worshipper tries to acquire these special qualities. This is spiritual discipline (sadhana). In the early stages of sadhana, the distinction between worshiper and worshiped is full, but as the spiritual discipline progresses, this feeling diminishes and, when at­tainment is reached, there is no distinction whatsoever! Whatever be the object of worship one has grasped and loved and sought by spiritual discipline, one should have firm faith that the individual self (jivatma) is the supreme Lord (Paramatma). There is only one wish fit to be entertained by the aspirant: the realisation of the Lord (Iswara Sakshatkara). There is no room in the mind for any other wish.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Everything is suffused with love. So we can unhesitatingly declare that the Supreme Lord is the embodiment of love. In the entire creation, in all living things, love manifests itself in various forms. Though it is known under different names like love for offspring, affection, devotion to God, desire (vatsalya, anuraga, bhakti, ishtam) etc., according to the direction in which it is canalised, the nature of love does not change. Whatever be the form, the essence of love is unaltered. Based on this knowledge and experience, you must clearly conclude that the supreme Lord is the inner Atma of all created things (Sarva-bhootha-antar-atma). That which teaches the highest knowledge of this unity is known as nondualism (advaita); that which teaches the principle of the lover and the Loved, the individual (jiva) and the Brahman, is known as dualism (dvaita); that which teaches about all three - love, lover, and loved - or the nature (prakriti), jiva, and Brahman, is known as qualified nondualism (vishishta-advaita). But these three are one.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Arise, awake! Establish once again the kingdom of God (Ramarajya), resplendent with mansions of truth, righteousness (dharma) and peace. Practice the eternal religion of love, quench the burning flames of ignorance, peacelessness, injustice, and envy with the waters of love, forbearance and truth. Develop the feeling of mutuality. Each one should realise their own faults and understand that there is no use in searching for faults in others. It is a mere waste of time; it also breeds quarrels. So give up that trait. If this opportunity is missed, when and how will you redeem yourself? Don’t yield to dejection, but say ‘finis’ to all the un­righteousness deeds of the past. Repent sincerely and tread the path of prayer to God, good deeds and brotherly love. Sweep away all jealousy and anger. Remember the rules taught by holy personages, characteristics lived and taught by the most eminent and of the reign of God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

எது? உலக அதிசயம்.

தாஜ் மஹாலை பார்க்க சென்று இருந்தேன். பார்த்து திரும்பி பஸ்ஸில் வரும் பொழுது தாஜ் மஹாலை விட அழகான ஒருகட்டிடம் உலகில் வேறு எதுவுமே இல்லை என்பதை போல் என்னுடன் பஸ்ஸில் பயணம் செய்தவர்கள் பேசி கொண்டார்கள்.

தாஜ்மஹால் மிக அழகான கட்டிடம்தான். அதை யாரும் மறுக்க முடியாது. ஆனால்? தாஜ்மஹால் மட்டும் தான் உலகில் அழகான கட்டிடமா? அதை விட அழகான ஒரு கட்டிடம் உலகில் வேறு எதுவும் இல்லையா. ஏன்? இல்லை. நிறையவே இருக்கிறது.

சரி உலக அதிசயம் என்றால் என்ன? ஒன்று உருவான பின் அதே போல் ஒன்றை உருவாக்க முடியாது என்பது தான் உலக அதிசயம்.

நெல்லையப்பர் கோவிலில் கல் தூனை தட்டினால் ச, ரி, க, ம, ப, த, நி என்கிற ஏழுஇசை ஸ்வரங்கள் ஒலிக்கும். கல்லுக்குள் 7 ஸ்வரங்களை வைத்தார்களே. அது உலக அதிசயம்.

திருப்பூரில் உள்ள குண்டடம் வடுக நாத பைரவர் கோவிலில், குழந்தை தாயின் வயிற்றில் இருக்கும் பொழுது, குழந்தை இந்த, இந்த மாதத்தில் இந்த, இந்த வடிவத்தில். இவ்ளவு விதமான Positions ல இருக்கும் என்பதை பல ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பே கல்லில் சிற்ப்பங்களாக வடித்து வைத்துள்ளார்கள் என் முன்னோர்கள். அது உலக அதிசயம்.

அன்னியர் படை எடுப்பின் பொழுது கூட, இந்த அதிசய சிற்பங்களை அவர்களால் சிதைக்க முடியவில்லை.

இன்றும் நிறைய கோவில்களில் சூரிய ஒளி குறிப்பிட்ட ஒரு தேதி, நேரத்தில் மாலை போல் வந்து சிவலிங்கத்தின் மீது விழும். அப்ப எவ்வளவு துல்லியமாக Measure செய்து ஆலயங்களை கட்டி இருப்பார்கள் என்று
பாருங்கள். சில கோவில்களில் தினமுமே சூரிய ஒளி சிவலிங்கத்தின் மீது மாலை போல் வந்து விழும்.

வட சென்னையில் உள்ள வியாசர்பாடி ரவீஸ்வரர் சிவன் கோவிலில் 3 வேளையும் சூரிய ஒளி சிவலிங்கத்தின் மீது மாலை போல் வந்து விழும். இந்த கோவிலில் உள்ள சிவலிங்கம் எவ்வளவு ஆண்டுகள் பழமையான லிங்கம் தெரியுமா? ஐயாயிரம் ஆண்டுகள். இது உலக அதிசயம்.

மதுரை மீனாக்ஷி அம்மன் கோவில், தஞ்சை பெரிய கோவில் சிற்ப, கட்டிட வேலைபாடுகளில் உள்ள அதிசயங்களை பற்றி சொல்வதென்றால். அதற்கு எனக்கு இந்த ஒரு பிறவி பத்தாது.
ஓசோன் 20 ம் நூற்றாண்டில் கண்டு பிடிக்கப்பட்ட படலம். 700 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பே மதுரை மீனாக்ஷி அம்மன் கோவிலில் ஓசோன் படலத்தின் படம், அதன் முக்கியத்துவம்,
அதை நாம் எவ்வாறு பாதுக்காக்க வேண்டும் என அனைத்தும் அங்கே வைக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது. அது உலக அதிசயம்.

யாழி என்கிற மிருகத்தின் சிலை. பல பழங்கால கோவில்களில் இருக்கும். டைனோசர் போல். அதுவும் உலகில் வாழ்ந்து அழிந்த மிருகம் என்று சொல்கிறார்கள். சில பழம் கால கோவில்களில் உள்ள யாழி சிலையின் வாயில் ஒரு உருண்டை இருக்கும். அந்த உருண்டையை நாம் உருட்டலாம். ஆனால் ஆயிரம் குங்பூ வீரர்கள் ஒன்று சேர்ந்து முயற்சித்தாலும். யாழி வாயில் உள்ள உருண்டையை வெளியே உருவ முடியாது. அது உலக அதிசயம்.

இன்று தாஜ் மஹாலை விட மிகப்பெரிய மார்பிள் கட்டிடங்கள் உலகில் உருவாகி விட்டது. இன்று ஒரு வல்லரசு நாடு நினைத்தால். ஆயிரம் தாஜ் மஹாலை உருவாக்க முடியும். ஆனால் கல்லுக்குள் 7 ஸ்வரங்களை வைக்கும் அந்த வித்தையை. எந்த வல்லரசாலும் செய்ய முடியாது. வாயில் உள்ள உருண்டையை உருட்டலாம். ஆனால் உருவ முடியாது. இந்த வித்தையை இன்று எந்த வல்லரசாலும் செய்ய முடியாது.

மிகப்பெரிய பிரும்மாண்ட கற் கோவில்களை. அழகிய கலை வேலைபாடுகளோடு உருவாக்குவது. இதை எந்த உலக வல்லரசாலும் செய்ய முடியாதது.

அது போல் ஜெயங்கொண்டத்தில் உள்ள கங்கை கொண்ட சோழபுரம் கோவில் ஒரு வரலாற்று சிறப்பு மிக்கது. அக்கோவிலில் உள்ள கிணற்றிற்கு அருகில் ஒரு சிங்கத்தின் சிற்பம் இருக்கும். சிங்கத்தின் வாயில் ஒரு கதவு தென்படும். அதன் மூலம் கீழே இறங்கினால் கிணற்றில் குளிக்கலாம். ஆனால் மேலேயிருந்து பார்த்தால் நாம் குளிப்பது தெரியாது. அன்றைய ராணிகளுக்காகவே கட்டப்பட்ட கிணறு அது. அது போல் அக்கோவிலில் உள்ள கருவறையில் சுவர்களில் சந்திரகாந்தக்கற்கள் பதித்துள்ளனர். அதனால் வெளியே வெயில் அடித்தால் உள்ளே குளிரும். வெளியே மழை பெய்தால் உள்ளே கதகதப்பாக இருக்கும். அது போல் கோவில் மேற்கூரையில் ஒரு ஆள் பதுங்கும் உயரத்தில் பாதுகாப்பு பெட்டகம் உள்ளது. போர் காலத்தில் ஆயுதங்களும் படைவீரர்களும் பதுங்கும் வகையில் கட்டியுள்ளார் நமது ராஜேந்திர சோழர்.

மறதமிழரின் கட்டிடகலையை வாழ்த்துவோம். தமிழர் பண்பாட்டை போற்றி பாதுகாப்போம்.

முன்னோா்களின் திறமையையும் & கலைநயத்தையும் போற்றி தலை வணங்குவோம்!
இம்மண்ணில் பிறந்தமைக்கு பெருமிதம் கொள்வோம்!!

Thought for the Day

The inborn desires (samskaras) make or mar the individual; these are the steps that take all individual souls to the goal. The samskaras make the individual wade through loss and grief. Only through good mental tendencies can one attain the Lord. So every individual has to be wholly engaged in good actions (sath-karmas). Pure, noble and selfless action is authentic worship (puja). It is the best form of remembering the Lord. It is the highest devotional song. It spreads love, without distinction and difference. It is service done as the duty of the individual. Be engaged in such actions (karmas). Revel uninterruptedly in the thought of the Lord. This is the royal road to the goal you have to reach.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

While struggling in the spiritual field, you should take the Lord Himself as your protector. To instill courage in the child, the mother persuades it to walk a few steps and turn, but she won’t allow it to fall. When it stumbles and is about to lose balance, she hurries from behind and catches it before it falls. The Lord (Iswara) too has His eyes fixed on you, the individual (jivi). He has in His hand the string of the kite, humanity! Sometimes He may pull it, and sometimes He may loosen the hold! Whatever He does, be confident and worry-free, for it is He who holds the string. That ever-present faith and that feeling hardening into an inborn desire (samskara), will fill you with the essence of love (prema-rasa). The string that binds you and God is the bond of love and grace. Strive to earn such auspicious mental desires so your bond of love and grace exists and is firm.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

When rains pour on mountain peaks and water hurries down the sides, no river emerges therefrom! However, when waters flow in a single direction, then first a brook is formed, which later becomes a stream, possibly a torrent, and finally a flooded river. Now the rains reach the sea. So, water that runs in one direction reaches the sea but water that flows in four directions, soaks in and is lost. Mental tendencies (samskaras) are like this. Of what use are they if they merely come and go, one way to­day and another way tomorrow? Use your hands to perform good deeds. Chant the Lord’s name during the practice of one’s duty (swadharma). With hands busy in selfless service (seva), let your mind be engrossed in namasmarana. The holy stream of good inborn desires must flow full and steady along the fields of holy thoughts and finally abide in the great ocean of bliss at the moment of death. Worthy indeed is the one who attains this goal!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

All good deeds done in the past contribute to this triumph; no noble deed is unworthy, every little act counts.

Twenty hammer strokes might not succeed in breaking a stone, but the twenty-first stroke might break it. Does that mean that twenty blows were of no avail? No! Each contributed its share to the final success; the last result was the cumulative effect! So too, the mind is engaged in a struggle with the world, both internal and external. Needless to say, success might not always be your lot. You’ll certainly attain everlasting bliss by immersing in good works and saturating your mind with love for God. Infuse every moment of life with love. Then, evil tendencies will not hamper your path. If your mind always dwells with the Lord, you will be drawn towards good deeds. The objective of all spiritual practice is destruction of the mind, and some day, one good deed will succeed in destroying it, like the twenty-first blow! All good deeds done in the past contribute to this triumph; no noble deed is unworthy, every little act counts.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The mind has to be turned towards the good

Life is eternally stalked by death. Yet, people don’t tolerate the very mention of the word “death”. It is deemed inauspicious to hear that word, though, however insufferable it is, every living thing is every moment proceeding nearer and nearer to it. Intent on a journey and having purchased a ticket for the same, when you enter a train, the train takes you willy-nilly to the destination, whether you sit quiet or lie down or read or meditate. So too, each living thing received a ticket to death at birth and has come on a journey; so whatever your struggles, safeguards and precautions, the place has to be reached some day. Anything else may be uncertain, but death is certain. It is impossible to change that law. People have taught the eye, ear and tongue the luxury of constant novelty. Now, the opposite tendencies have to be taught. The mind has to be turned towards the good; the activities of every minute have to be examined from that standpoint.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba