Thought for the Day

 You call yourselves devotees, so I shall talk to you about the dharma of people who seek to acquire devotion. No one can become a devotee by naming themself so, nor by others calling them so. Devotion involves dedication, with nothing held back; not even a wisp of ego should remain. His command alone counts; His will prevails. Like a drunkard, the devotee has no sense of honour or decency, pride or conceit. The devotee is a drunkard (matta), a mad person (unmatta), unconcerned with all that is unrelated to the ideal. The devotee is deaf to the call of hunger and thirst, misses steps in logic, and calculates wrongly while dealing in the marketplace. Narada says that those full of the liquor of ignorance stumble after the shadows of the world, while those drunk with nectar of wisdom never move away from the Highest, which they have discovered as themselves.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 To be happy, one of two things must happen: All your desires must be fulfilled or you should not have any desire. Of these, the reduction of desire is the easier path. Take the troubles that come to you as tests and opportunities to learn non-attachment. The hot summer sends you to air-conditioning. Grief sends you to God. When a child dies, ask yourself the question, “Is it for my sake that the child was born?” The child had their own destiny to fulfil, their own history to work out. Gauthama Buddha’s father was so overcome with grief when he saw his son with a begging bowl in the street that he told him thus: “Every one of my ancestors was a king: what misfortune is this that a beggar was born in this line?” Buddha replied, “Every one of my ancestors had a beggar’s bowl; I know of no king in my line.” The father and the son walked different paths, traveled along divergent routes.

Bagavan Sri Sri sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 Your virtue, self-control, detachment, faith, steadfastness — these are the signs by which people read of My glory. Not that I want any such prop. But it just happens so, in this world, where people estimate others indirectly rather than directly. Let Me tell you, such devotees are very rare. That is why I do not address your gathering as, “Dear devotees!” You can lay claim to that title only when you have placed yourself in My hands, completely, with no trace of ego kept back to cater to your vanity. All ills are traceable to faulty living. And what is that traceable to? To ignorance of one’s real nature, ignorance so deep-rooted that it affects thoughts, words, and deeds. The drug that can cure it is patented under different names: spiritual wisdom  (jnana),  action (karma), contemplation (upasana), and devotion (bhakti). They are all the same in potency and curative power. The difference lies only in the method of administration either as mixture or as tablet or injection.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 The human body has been referred to as tungabhadra. Tunga means infinite and bhadra means auspiciousness. Thus, it means that the body is an infinite reservoir of auspiciousness. Everyone must therefore carefully introspect to check whether this sacred gift called the body is being properly used or is misused and mishandled. It was sage Narada who after deep enquiry gave this name tungabhadra to the human body. We have to make every effort to understand the sanctity of the human body, use it for noble and sacred actions, and derive Bliss therefrom. Human life should not be looked at from just a worldly, material, and physical perspective. Through intense enquiry, sages of yore have unravelled the deeper significance of human existence. Man today faces misery because he does not make proper use of his body and does not live his life as it ought to be, that is to say, in the service of humanity. It is only when one becomes concerned with society one will begin to understand why the human body is called tungabhadra.

Bagavan Sri Sri sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 You should not merely love God but become God Himself. It is only when you experience love that you would begin to get a feel for who God is. If you believe that God is far from you, He is definitely far away. But if you earnestly believe that God is very intimate and that He is the greatest friend of all, then He is as close to you as you are to yourself. It is a great mistake to believe that God exists only in a temple, or a sacred place, or in a pilgrim centre. All this has been explained very clearly by noble souls who have experienced Divinity within. Traditional and ritualistic practices are certainly needed to start with. It is like learning the alphabet first when one learns a language. Once you have learnt the alphabets, you can learn words like ‘God’. After learning words, one can form sentences. Once one can read sentences, one can then read an entire book. In the same way, wise men of the past initiated people to the concept of Divinity by advising them to visit temples, holy places, etc.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 What is devotion? Who are devotees? Devotion is faith, steadiness, virtue, fearlessness, surrender, and absence of egoism. Worship done however elaborately and pompously is sheer waste of time and energy. Why pluck flowers and hasten their death? Some of you go round this Nilayam and satisfy yourselves that you have done so many circumambulations, but they can be called so only when your mind circles this place along with your feet. I notice that while your feet are taking you round by force of habit, your tongue blabbers about the faults of others, or the price of vegetables, or dishes you propose to cook for lunch. Before you start on your rounds, which you call pradakshina, give your mind as dakshina (thanksgiving offering) to the Resident of the temple, the Lord. That is the first thing to do, and perhaps the only thing to do.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

An individual has many experiences in the waking state and other distinct experiences in the dream-state. In the latter state, one creates everything one experiences – feelings, pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow. In the deep-sleep state one is oblivious to everything worldly or imaginary, and becomes one with Primary Consciousness. Thus, under three different circumstances, the same person has three different types of experiences. Experiences may vary but the Transcendental Being within is eternal and not subject to any change. A garland drawn on a piece of paper will never move, shake, or wobble with respect to the paper. The paper itself might get tossed violently by gusts of wind but the garland would always remain firm on the paper and not undergo any relative movement. Likewise, although the external circumstances and the thoughts of an individual may undergo changes, the Divinity imprinted within will ever remain steady, constant, and never undergo any change. All aspirants must therefore cultivate clear vision and constancy of mind.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The cow transforms grass and gruel into sweet strength-giving milk and gives it away in plenty to its master. Develop that quality, that power to transform the food you consume into sweet thoughts, words and deeds of sympathy for all. The child Krishna wept for permission to go along with the cows to the fields of pasture. Yashodha said, "Dear child! Your tiny silken soles cannot walk along those thorny, pebble-filled tracks. I shall get nice little sandals for you. You can go, after the sandals are ready." But Krishna sweetly replied, "The cows whom we serve are not shod. Why should we, who are their servants, avoid the thorns and stones which they cannot avoid?" No wonder the cows and calves of Gokul were immobilised and wept, when Krishna left for Mathura! When you have filled your heart with sympathy for the distressed, the Lord will shower His Grace.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 Man walks with two legs: iha and para (this world and the other),  dharma and Brahaman, righteousness and God! If he is totally engrossed in this world, he is choosing to travel all his life with a handicap; hopping on one leg. That is fraught with trouble; he may fall any moment and break his shin. And he does! Goodness in this world, Godliness for the life after death - equal attention to both and vigilance while taking a step with either foot - these are essential for a happy journey through life. You have to put the right foot, the Brahman step, when you enter the region of realisation. The senses have to be conquered by then. 'Go' means 'senses' and 'Gopi' means a person who has subdued the senses, as a result of surrender to Gopala, the master of the Go (senses). Krishna once told Arjuna that he can enter Vrajamandala (the region where the Gopas and Gopis lived), only after mastering his emotions and impulses and his tendency to yield to the senses.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 There are many who talk cynically of even Satya (truth), Dharma (righteousness), Shanti (peace) and Prema (love). They say that if you stick to truth nothing can be got done, that a little lie helps much; that Dharma is what suits the need of the moment; that if you practise Shanti, you will only receive all the blows on your own back; that if you become famous as a man of Prema, the entire village will squat on you and share your hard-earned wealth. Therefore, they conclude, you will be a fool if you decide to practise these four virtues. But, just think a little and you will find out the absurdity of the criticism. It is the lie that requires intelligent bolstering, clever avoidance and deeper memory! It is much easier to speak the truth and be done with it. What you have seen or heard or done, speak about these just as you saw or heard or did! And, what is Dharma? Practising what you preach, doing as you say, keeping precept and practice in line. Earn virtuously, yearn piously; live in the fear of God, live for reaching God - that is Dharma.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Service is the best cure for egoism; so, engage in it to relieve pain and grief to the extent that you can! In Ramayana, the apes brought huge rocks and threw them into the sea to build a passage across for Rama and His army. The tiny squirrel too helped, as far as it could; it rolled on the sands on the seashore, ran towards the heap piled as part of the passage, whisked the sand from its fur by a vigorous shake, adding only a pinch of material to the quantity heaped by the giant apes. Rama saw the squirrel, He appreciated its devotion and He took it fondly in His palm. The Lord stroked its back tenderly, and filled it with His blessing. That was ample reward. The squirrel race has since acquired three lines on its back, to indicate that sign of gratification and Grace! Try to assuage, as far as you can, the distress of others; it is the best sadhana (spiritual exercise) for the aspirant!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Sita stuck to the highest ideal of life, in spite of the severe sufferings she underwent. Hanuman who discovered her in the grove where she was kept as a prisoner by her abductor, offered to recross the ocean with her on his shoulders, and take her safe to her Lord, Rama. But she replied that she would not allow herself to be abducted back from the custody of Ravana, since that would deprive Rama the chance to punish him for his crime and retrieve her through His own heroism! Splendid words, these! Quite in consonance with the dictates of Dharma! No wonder, the Lord's Grace saved her in good time! Endeavour to earn Grace by observing the discipline that I am keen you should follow. Give up the old worldly ways of earning and spending, saving and accumulating, with greed, lust, malice and pride; rearrange your lives so that I will be pleased with you.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 Life has to be spent in accumulating virtue and safeguarding virtue, not riches. Listen and ruminate over stories of great moral heroes of the past, so that their ideals may be imprinted on your hearts. Virtue is becoming rare nowadays in the individual as well as in the family, society, and community, in all fields of life, be it economic, political and even 'spiritual’. So also, there is a decline in discipline, which is the soil on which virtue grows. Unless each one is respected, whatever the status, economic condition or spiritual development, there can be no peace and no happiness in life. This respect can be aroused only by the conviction that the same Self (Atma) that is in you, is playing the role of the other person. See that Atma in others; feel that they too have hunger, thirst, yearning and desires as you have; develop sympathy and the anxiety to serve and be useful!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Arjuna was directed to engage in battle, win back his share of the Kingdom, ensure for the people righteous administration and atmosphere wherein they strive successfully to attain salvation. This he had to do in a spirit of dedication and surrender to the will of God, irrespective of his own likes and dislikes and the consequences that might flow from his unselfish activities. Gita advises that service to the society is the highest service, as well as the most beneficial sadhana (spiritual practice). You cannot run away from this obligation; you have to use the community wherein you are born for sublimating your egoism and saving yourself. When Dharmaraja performed the great Rajasuya sacrifice on the advice of the sage Narada to propitiate his deceased father, Lord Krishna attended the sacrifice and asked to be allotted some service; He preferred the service of removing the leaves on which food was served for the thousands who were fed every day!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Desire and pray for the welfare of the entire universe. Develop the sense of unity and banish the feeling of differences. This is true service to the country. You should live in unity and be charged with the feeling that all are your sisters and brothers. Your sense of togetherness ought to exceed even that which is found amongst the members of a family. You all know that when Vivekananda delivered his address in Chicago at the Parliament of Religions on the subject of the wisdom of our ancients, he began with the words, “Brothers and Sisters of America.” The audience was so thrilled to hear this that they gave him a standing ovation. They were so happy to be referred to as brothers and sisters. Today, however, Bharatiyas (Indians) are ashamed to regard others as brothers and sisters. We have to spread such a spirit amongst one and all. Humanness is something that came along with us at birth and not later. The human being and the quality of humanness came into existence at the same time. How is it that we have forgotten such a divine feeling?

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 Imagine you are visiting a friend in a city and planning to stay with him for ten days. You have some money with you, and you are afraid to carry it about with you. Now, if you have handed over the purse to your friend for safe-keeping, you can happily go round, to all the places in the city and suburbs you long to visit. You can roam through the busiest market, with no trace of fear. The purse you have is Love; give it all to God. He will liberate you from worry, anxiety and fear. Through japa, dhyana and seva sadhana (contemplation, meditation and service), you have to cultivate Love towards God. Take Dhruva, for example. He prayed and practised austerities in order to induce God to grant him the rulership of the Kingdom. But when God appeared as Vishnu before him, he said, "Lord! I do not desire the Kingdom. I want You and You only." Similarly in the preliminary stages, one prays for worldly boons and material gain, but as thoughts get clarified and purified, one desires just one boon from the Lord - He Himself!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Everything has energy latent in it — a piece of paper has it, a strip of cloth has it. When the latent energy is exhausted, death results; when energy fills, birth happens. Being-awareness-bliss (satchidananda) is energy. We (sat) are (chit) happy (ananda). Energy is all, and energy is derived from God. That is the very basis of all people. Now, we are building super-structures somewhere else, not on the basis. The foundational divine principle is being ignored. We are fascinated by subjects and studies that promise to feed our stomachs and make us materially happy and powerful. But the hard truth is the Divine beneath all. People must either know the supreme truth of the One Being behind all becoming or at least know the practical truth of love and brotherhood. These two points are the limits that education must ever keep in mind — the starting point and the goal.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 When thoughts come surging to your mind, you should spend at least a few minutes enquiring whether such thoughts are good thoughts or bad ones, and whether they are for the good of your country, and whether they are going to be helpful or not to the community around you. If they are bad, you must immediately put them aside; and if they are good, you must make an attempt to promote them. When a thorny plant is seen, it is removed the moment it is recognised as a thorny plant; but when a good fruit tree comes up, we try to take care of it and promote its growth. In the same manner, in the field of your heart, as soon as bad ideas sprout, you must pull them out and throw them away. As the seeds grow into a big tree, man also must try to grow and become Madhava (God) ultimately.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Never feel depressed when you are weighed down by difficulties. God will never impose on you the ordeals which you cannot bear.

Because of the many obstacles and troubles that came to Prahlada, and because of the punishments that were given to him, it was possible for the rest of the world to know how great his devotion was. He never had tears in his eyes and he never exhibited any pain when the demons were harming him. He was only uttering the name of the Lord and was asking the Lord to come to him. Because of such a situation, he was able to promote devotion and show others what real faith and devotion can do. On the other hand, had Prahlada been looked after by his father with care and tenderness and if he took him in his lap, how would Prahlada’s devotion and faith be known to the rest of the world? Even a diamond does not get its value unless we cut the facets on it. Even pure gold will not be turned into a beautiful ornament unless it is repeatedly beaten hard and put into fire. In all pains and troubles, we should recognise only paths for getting ultimate happiness.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Kindness and compassion are the hallmark of a true human being

Balarama and Krishna were examples who showed that they do not care about their own physical strength and that they would sacrifice everything. They were willing to do hard work and showed that prosperity can be achieved by sincere hard work. Lord Krishna was all-knowing, all-powerful, and Divinity incarnate, and yet He worked as a charioteer for Arjuna. Krishna was one who recognised the importance of service to the community; and by His own practice and by setting an example to others, He showed that service to others was important. After the battle of Mahabharatha, these were the people who took the horses to the river, washed them and tended their wounds and applied medicines. He thereby demonstrated that hard work and compassion to all living beings constitute the duty of all human beings.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

It is the Divine Will that operates as Love in each of us. It is He who prompts the prayer - "Let all the worlds be happy." For, He makes us aware that the God we adore, the God we love, the God we live by, is in every other being as Love. Thus Love expands and encompasses all creation. Looking a little closer, we discover that life itself is Love. They are not two but one. Love is the very nature of life, as burning is the nature of fire, or wetness of water, or sweetness of sugar. We tend a plant only when the leaves are green; when they become dry and the plant becomes a life-less stick, we stop loving it. Love lasts as long as life exists. The mother is loved as long as there is life in her; when life departs, we bury her without the least compunction. Love is bound with life. In fact, Love is Life. The person with no Love to share is as bad as dead. This is the reason why love expands in an ever widening circle.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 The Upanishads announce certain remedial sadhanas to get rid of constant inner dialogue (manasika-sambhashana), which is an obstacle to inner peace. The first is the regulation of breath (pranayama). This is no gymnastics, nor a formidable exercise. The mind has to concentrate on the period of retention (kumbhaka), on the process of inhaling (puraka) and exhaling (rechaka). When attention is fixed thus, the inner talk on other irrelevant matters will end and mental strength is acquired. The second sadhana is: immersal in beneficial activity — that is to say, service to people that will help diminish the ego sense. One has to engage in acts that are good and godly. When one’s thoughts are engaged in such activities, the mind turns away from the talk it indulges in. Again, the sadhanas of listening to spiritual advice, reflection on them and discovering ways and means of confirming faith in the Spirit (sravana-manana-nididhyasana), also of recital of the names of God and withdrawing the mind from sensual pursuits (Japa and tapa), have been prescribed more for the silencing of this mental chatter.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

What exactly is the meaning of “Sai Baba”? Sai means Sahasrapadma (thousand lotuses), sakshatkara (realisation, direct experience of the Lord), etc., Ayi means mother, and Baba means father. Thus, “Sai Baba” means ‘He who is both Father and Mother and the Goal of all yogic endeavour’ — the ever-merciful Mother, the All-wise Father, and the Goal of spiritual efforts. When you are groping in a dark room, you must seize the chance when someone brings a lamp into the room. Hurriedly collect your belongings scattered there, or discover where they are located, or do whatever else you need. Similarly, make the best of this chance when the Lord has come in human form to your very door and get ready to save yourself from disaster.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 You know that the dream world is a fantastic world of nonsense, where fifty years are compressed into five minutes and where weird incidents and things are taken as actually present and experienced. But let Me tell you that from the stage of Realisation, even the waking stage, when you analyse the dreams and declare them as invalid, is equally without validity. Therefore, have a sense of values, rather a scale of values; give everything, everyone, its worth or their worth, not a whit more. Five sheaths encase the Atma and hide its splendour from revealing itself. Make all these pure and shining. The physical sheath (annamaya kosa) must be purified by good, clean, pure food; the vital sheath (pranamaya kosa) by calm, steady breathing and an equanimous temper; the mental sheath (manomaya kosa) by holy thoughts and emotions, untouched by attachment to senses or unaffected by joy or grief; the wisdom sheath (vijnanamaya kosa) by contemplation of the reality; and the bliss sheath (anandamaya kosa) by getting immersed in the ecstasy of God-realisation.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

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

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

There is only one God and He is omnipresent.

It was said (by a devotee who spoke) the world is becoming full of Sai (Saimayam), that the name of Sai is on everyone’s lips. I want it to go deeper. And I do not insist that it should be the Name “Sai”. The world must become Paramatma-mayam (suffused with the Supreme Lord), that is all; however many Names and Forms that the Paramatma may have on the lips of people and before their mental eyes. It is the same substance poured into different moulds. Like sugar dolls that children seek - cats and dogs, cows and horses, they are all of the self-same sweetness; this child prefers this shape and this name; the other one weeps for another doll. The same divine substance appears in different times and places, assuming different Names. When the forces of evil and hatred overwhelm them, the Good accept the Lord as their Charioteer, and He enables them to overpower foes.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Teachers must reveal the direction and the goal. Students should lay the road and journey into the future

The teacher is like a water storage tank. If there is clean and good water in the tank, you will get good water in the taps. Students are like the taps and will prove to be good only when the teachers are good. Teachers should have lofty ideals so that these can be reflected in their students, who are the future citizens and leaders. Teachers should first practise themselves what they want to teach to the students. They should have a feeling of sacrifice for the sake of the well-being of the nation so that the students will have a similar ideal. Before they try to correct the students, they should first correct themselves. Human values are not commodities sold in the market. They should be reflected in one's behaviour and one's way of life. They should be taught not as academic subjects but as the basis on which right living should be built up. The teacher should do Sadhana to ensure control of senses and achieve harmony in thought, word and deed. When you achieve this harmony, you will become an ideal teacher.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Why is there so much anarchy and confusion in the world today? Why is there no peace?

Why is there so much anarchy and confusion in the world today? Why is there no peace? Is it because there are no educated people, and is it because there are no educational institutions? No, there are plenty of them, but the educated people do not have the necessary culture and breadth of vision along with their education. Our country has been known as the spiritual treasure house. Yet today we are forgetting the spiritual treasure and the real strength of our country. Children are not understanding even the meaning of education. For the root word ‘Vid’ if you add ‘Ya’ then you get Vidya (education). Here ‘Vid’ stands for illumination and ‘Ya’ stands for that. Therefore, that which gives illumination and light is Vidya. That which gives you light and sheds your ignorance and that which gives you wisdom and superior knowledge can alone be called Vidya. What promotes ignorance and darkness cannot be called Vidya.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

What is the shape of worry?

What is the shape of worry? It is mentally created fear only. By nature, the mind is fickle. How can worries, which are the creation of this fickle mind, be permanent? Each worry is like a naya paisa. One rupee is equal to 100 naya paisas, and 100 rupees are equal to 10,000 naya paisas. When you make a bundle of 10,000 naya paisas, it is quite heavy and not easy to carry. Therefore, the Lord says, give me those 10,000 naya paisas and I will give you a 100 rupee note, which is very light, is easy to carry, and can safely be preserved. It is rather difficult to safeguard the big bundle of 10,000 naya paisas. It is all the more difficult to carry it and protect it from others. Hence, the Lord exhorts one, “My dear, surrender to Me the bundle of your worries.” Therefore, pass on this burden to the Lord.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 What exactly is the cause of all grief? It is attachment to the body that produces grief as well as its immediate precursors: likes and dislikes. These two are the results of the intellect considering some things and conditions as beneficial and some other things and conditions as not. This idea of beneficence and maleficence is a delusion. Still, you get attached to objects that are considered beneficial, and you start hating the others. But from the highest point of view, there is neither; the distinction is just meaningless. There is no two at all, so how can there be good and bad? To see two where there is only one, is ignorance or delusion (maya). Absence of the knowledge of the identity of “That (Tat)” and you (twam) is the cause of all ignorance — the word tatwa, used to mean ‘principle’, enshrines this great philosophical doctrine. If this truth is not learned, one has to flounder in the ocean of grief. But if it is learned and if one lives in that consciousness, then one can be free from grief.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the day

 All are in you; you are in all. You have to get this conviction fixed in your consciousness by means of analysis, discrimination, and intellectual exploration. You have to isolate and dismiss from the consciousness the impressions of the senses, mind, intelligence, etc. These have nothing to do with the Atma, which you really are. The Atma is unaffected by any subject or object. Even if the senses, mind, intellect, etc. are inactive, that inactivity will not affect the Atma! To know the Atma as such an entity, unaffected and unattached, is the secret of spiritual wisdom. Every single act of yours must be carried out with this wisdom as its background. That awareness of the Atma will guide you in both the out-moving and in-drawing paths; it will not block action but fill it with purpose and meaning; it will build up faith and moral life; it will take you to the realm of deliverance along the road of renunciation of the fruit of action, and not renunciation of action itself.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba