Thought for the Day

There are two points of view that struggle for acceptance by you - the Paramarthika and the Vyavaharika - the spiritual and the worldly, the reality-based and the appearance-based. Imagine you see a snake appearing on the road. In reality, it is only a length of rope. But it appears as a snake and you feel a sense of terror. Your terror does not change the rope into a snake! When you apply light from a torch, you discover that the rope was always a rope! The Universe is what appears; the reality is Divinity, Brahman. When the light of wisdom shines, the Truth is revealed! The Universe is enveloped by Divinity; it is its vesture! Jesus knew that God wills all. So even on the cross, when he suffered agony, he bore no ill-will towards any one and he exhorted those with him to treat all as instruments of His Will. "All are one; be alike to everyone." Practise this attitude in your daily lives.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

A devotee must regard pure mind as the abode of the Lord. One must fill the mind with pure, sacred and divine thoughts, and redeem one’s entire life. The Chataka bird endures many ordeals to secure unsullied raindrops from clouds. The moment it espies a dark cloud in the sky, it embarks on its adventure. Water is aplenty on earth in lakes, ponds and rivers. But the Chataka bird has no use for these polluted waters. It waits for pure raindrops in the month of Karthik and does not seek any other water. It is undaunted by thunder and lightning; seeks only pure raindrops falling from clouds, without fear or concern. It sings in joy as it drinks raindrops. The Chataka bird is an example of pure love. True devotees should perform a similar penance to realise God. One must have the same determination and go through similar ordeals to experience the ultimate ecstasy. One must not succumb to the wiles and attractions of the world.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

A devotee must regard pure mind as the abode of the Lord. One must fill the mind with pure, sacred and divine thoughts, and redeem one’s entire life. The Chataka bird endures many ordeals to secure unsullied raindrops from clouds. The moment it espies a dark cloud in the sky, it embarks on its adventure. Water is aplenty on earth in lakes, ponds and rivers. But the Chataka bird has no use for these polluted waters. It waits for pure raindrops in the month of Karthik and does not seek any other water. It is undaunted by thunder and lightning; seeks only pure raindrops falling from clouds, without fear or concern. It sings in joy as it drinks raindrops. The Chataka bird is an example of pure love. True devotees should perform a similar penance to realise God. One must have the same determination and go through similar ordeals to experience the ultimate ecstasy. One must not succumb to the wiles and attractions of the world.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Whatever activities you do, love should be its foundation. There is no life (prana) without love. Life without love is of no use at all. Education system should be so transformed as to develop the principle of love in one’s heart. Truth (Sathya) and righteousness (Dharma) are the reflections of love (Prema). They give you the much-desired supreme peace (Prashanti). If love springs out from your heart, it is enough. It will give you salvation. In the Dwapara Yuga, Gopikas said to Lord Krishna, “Lord! Kindly pour down the nectar of love on our barren hearts. Sow the seeds of love. May the flood of love flow from our hearts!” They earnestly prayed to Krishna to fill their hearts’ yearnings. If the world is to prosper, the rain of love should pour on all hearts!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Human life is undoubtedly the highest in evolution, and to give it meaning, spiritual endeavour that is pure and holy, is essential. For this way of life, character is all important. Character makes life immortal; it survives even death. Some say that knowledge is power, but it’s not true. Character is power. Even acquisition of knowledge demands good character. So, everyone must yearn to attain flawless character without any trace of evil. Note that Buddha, Jesus Christ, Shankaracharya, Vivekananda, as well as great sages, saints and devotees of the Lord - all of them are treasured in the memory of people even today. What quality made them all memorable for all time? It is the character of each. Wealth, education and social status are of no avail without character. Character is the fragrance of the flower; it gives value and worth. Poets, painters, artists, or scientists may be great, each in their own field; however without character, they can have no standing in society!

Bagavan Sri  Sri Sri Sathya Sai Ram

Thought for the Day

In the quest for mental peace, you should not be concerned only about your individual needs. Apart from such a quest being an index of intense selfishness, it is also a futile one. Is it possible for a single individual alone to achieve peace? If there is chaos and unrest all around you, how can you alone have peace? If there is no peace in the home or in the community, how can you have peace? You cannot be indifferent to the state of the environment in which you live. If you want to achieve peace, you have to see that the atmosphere around you is conducive to peace. This means that you have to cultivate the feeling that your individual peace is intimately related to the peace of the world. It was out of a realisation of this profound truth that the ancients prescribed the universal prayer: "Loka-Samastha-Sukhino Bhavantu" (May all the people in all the worlds be happy).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

You should develop love and share it with all relatives, friends, and even enemies. Then, everything will be enveloped in love!

Mere chanting of Lord’s name is not enough. Offer your love to God. Love is not your property. In act, it is God’s property. Surrender to God what is His. What is the use of a long life without this offering? You have no right to offer your love to anyone other than God! When you offer all your love to God, He will look after all your needs. There is nothing that He cannot do in this world. In city or in hamlet, in forest or in sky, on the high peak or in the deep ocean, God is everywhere. He pervades space and time. All beings are His forms. Realise this truth, transform it into practice and enjoy bliss. This is true devotion. Embodiments of Love! These days, wherever we go there is unrest, ego, and conflicts. You should develop love and share it with all relatives, friends, and even enemies. Then, everything will be enveloped in love!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Ram

Thought for the Day

Sunlight enables man to perform various actions. Yet, the Sun remains unaffected by what man does. It is just a witness. Likewise, God is the eternal witness. He is unaffected by what happens around. Clouds, which owe their existence to the sun, cover the Sun itself! But that does not in any way diminish the brilliance of the Sun. Similarly, God does not stand to lose anything if man, who owes his existence to God, derides Him. Man will certainly reap the consequences of his actions; God is not affected by them. Just as the clouds originate from the Sun, likewise, mind (manas), intellect (buddhi) and subconscious mind (chitta) are formed out of the Divine Self (Atma). Your mind is responsible for all suffering, and even rebirth. So, your mind has to be diverted toward God in order to escape from the cycle of birth and death!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

One can subdue the mind through concentration. The process can be practised in either of two directions - A-rupa or Sa-rupa. A-rupa means 'unbound' by form. One feels that he is not the doer or enjoyer; he is only an agent of God, an instrument, and therefore one is unaffected, well or ill, when the act results in good or bad! One has no identity with the rupa (form or body). Sa-rupa meditation gets lost in dualities of pleasure and pain, profit and loss, for it considers the name and form, the body and its activities as valid. Similarly, man has the choice of two paths - the Pravritti Marga (the path of involvement) or the Nivritti Marga (the path of non-involvement). When involved, man is confronted with the six internal foes - lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and hatred. When non-involved, man is helped by six internal friends - sense control, mind control, fortitude, contentment, faith and equanimity.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sthya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Dasaratha sent Rama to the forest for fourteen years as a consequence of his promise to Kaikeyi. Though unused to any form of hardship, Sita endured difficulties of forest life. Lakshmana had no obligation to go through such an ordeal. Because of his intense devotion to Rama, he followed Him like a shadow. He brought fruits, flowers and tubes from the forest to serve Rama and Sita, and himself fasted. Every moment of his life, he spent in the service of Rama. He put both his body and mind in the service and worship of Rama as a Sagunopasaka. Bharata asked Rama to return to Ayodhya, but His efforts did not succeed since Rama refused to return. So, Bharata reconciled himself to returning, but stayed outside Ayodhya in Nandigrama. His body was in Nandigrama, but mind was with Rama. Lakshmana worshipped Rama with body and mind, whereas Bharata’s worship was purely mental since his mind was united with Rama. Since Bharata’s worship was purely mental, he was a Nirgunopasaka.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Shun bad company. Seek good company. Only then will your life be redeemed. Very often I remind the students that by joining bad company, you become slaves. You should be masters, not slaves. You all know what happened to Kaikeyi on listening to the words of Manthara. No one loved Rama more than Kaikeyi. But when her intelligence was clouded, she believed the words of the wicked Manthara. To one with perverted intellect, truth appears as untruth and vice versa. Due to the effect of bad company, the mind gets polluted. So, right from the tender age, “Tyaja durjana samsargam, bhaja sadhu samagamam, kuru punyamahoratram, smara nithyamanithyatham” (run away from bad company, join good company, undertake righteous actions day and night, and enquire into that which is permanent and that which is ephemeral). One should not develop unnecessary contacts. Your interaction with others should be limited to basic courtesies like, “Hello, how are you?”

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

An able monarch will have his ministers under control; he will direct them along proper lines and maintain peace and security of the kingdom. On the other hand, a monarch who allows himself to be controlled by ministers does not deserve the throne; he is spurned and disgraced. His kingdom has no peace and security. The mind is the monarch in man; senses are ministers. If the mind is the slave of its senses, you will have no peace. Every spiritual aspirant who aspires to achieve expression and expansion of the Divine in oneself must therefore earn mastery over the senses. That is the first step. The next one is the conquest of the mind, its elimination. The third is uprooting the vasanas (innate tendencies), and the fourth, attainment of jnana (spiritual wisdom). The branches are the senses; the trunk is the mind; and the roots are innate tendencies. All three must be overcome and destroyed, so that awareness of the Divine Reality can be gained.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The body is bound to perish one day or another. The body may die, but not the mind. Such a mind must be controlled. That is true sadhana. You will not have any trouble if you offer your mind to God. The mind is very fickle; not steady even for a minute. So it should be ever engaged in work. Only then it can be brought under control. What work should you assign to the mind? The mind is like a mad monkey. Unless kept busy, it will go according to whims and fancies. The only way to keep a monkey busy is to make it go up and down a pole repeatedly! Let the mind be a watchman at the gate of your nostrils. Let it observe what is going in and coming out. ‘So’ is inhaled and ‘Ham’ is exhaled. ‘So’ symbolises good (Divinity) and ‘Ham’ stands for that which is bad (ego). Then, the mind will understand that Divinity must be taken in and the ego must be given up!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Devotees today have some form of Divinity in their mind, but they perform rituals in a mechanical way without any consistency. All your charity and worship are of no significance to the Lord. Show your charity and wealth to the income tax department. God needs only your love. There is no tax on love. You may face any number of difficulties or hindrances. The Lord Himself may subject you to test. You should not waver because of these. All is for your good only. Do not grieve over any loss or exult over gain. Equal-mindedness in loss and gain is true sadhana. Some sit in dhyana (meditation), but their minds are in the market or in the hairdressing shop. Is this dhyana or japa? Your mind should be immersed in Krishna. Instead it is filled with thrishna (desires). What is needed is Krishna, not thrishna. Krishna will fulfil all your thrishnas.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sthay Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Devotees today have some form of Divinity in their mind, but they perform rituals in a mechanical way without any consistency. All your charity and worship are of no significance to the Lord. Show your charity and wealth to the income tax department. God needs only your love. There is no tax on love. You may face any number of difficulties or hindrances. The Lord Himself may subject you to test. You should not waver because of these. All is for your good only. Do not grieve over any loss or exult over gain. Equal-mindedness in loss and gain is true sadhana. Some sit in dhyana (meditation), but their minds are in the market or in the hairdressing shop. Is this dhyana or japa? Your mind should be immersed in Krishna. Instead it is filled with thrishna (desires). What is needed is Krishna, not thrishna. Krishna will fulfil all your thrishnas.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Many devotees ask Me, “Swami, I want happiness.” Where is this happiness? Can you buy it in the market? Will any company supply you bliss? No! It is very much in you. You are not able to experience it since you do not have faith in yourself. You do not have love for God. Love is within you, but you are diverting it towards the world, not towards God. Worldly love is like passing clouds. Develop the love that is unwavering. It neither comes nor goes, it is in you always. Have unflinching faith in its existence. Question yourself, “Do I exist?” You get the reply, “Yes, I do exist.” That is the true faith. Here is a flower, a handkerchief, a tumbler. The word ‘is’ denotes true faith. Have faith in your existence, “I am.” That is true faith! You do not need to enquire into the nature of God or to search for Him. Have total faith in Him.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

There are innumerable instances of God coming to the rescue of His devotees in times of need. Sant Kabir was a weaver by profession. One day he fell seriously ill and was unable to attend to his duties. The all-merciful Lord, in the form of Kabir, wove yarn and thus came to his rescue. Similarly, God came in the form of a potter and helped Gora Kumbhar when he was in distress by making pots Himself. Sakkubai, an ardent devotee of Lord Panduranga, continuously chanted the Lord’s name. One day, she could not perform her daily chores since she was running high temperature. Even under these circumstances, her husband and mother-in-law would not allow her to take rest. At this juncture, Lord Panduranga assumed the form of Sakkubai and performed all her duties. It is indeed difficult to understand how, when and where God would come to the rescue of His devotees. Absolute faith is essential for God to manifest!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Axioms like ‘Work is Worship’ & ‘Duty is God’ are not of modern origin. These were teachings of our ancient seers, though they used different terms for these. Consider all activities as an offering to God and all work as God’s work. Just as two wings are essential for a bird to soar high in the sky, and two wheels for a bicycle to move, prema (love) and seva (service) are essential for man to reach his destination. No benefit accrues from rendering service devoid of love. Do not expect any returns for your acts of service. The satisfaction that you derive from rendering service is itself a reward. Embodiments of Love! First develop faith in yourself. Where there is faith, there is love. Where there is love, there is peace. Where there is peace, there is truth. Where there is truth, there is God. Where there is God, there is bliss. True devotion lies in having faith and attaining bliss!

Bagavan Sri sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Vinatha and Kadru, two wives of Sage Kashyap, while playing a game, entered into a competition. The terms of competition were that the loser and her son would serve the winner and her son for the rest of their lives. Kadru emerged victorious. As per terms of competition, Vinatha and her son Garuda served Kadru and her son. One day, Kadru told Vinatha, “You are like my sister. I will free you, if you procure amritha-bhanda (vessel of nectar) from heaven.” Unable to bear the sufferings of his mother, Garuda undertook this stupendous task and brought amritha-bhanda from heaven, freeing himself and his mother from bondage. Pleased with Garuda’s devotion, Lord Vishnu showered His grace by making him His vehicle! What was the reason behind Garuda becoming the vehicle of Lord Vishnu? It was Garuda’s noble resolve (sat-sankalpa) that earned him proximity to the Divine!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Why should one pray, meditate, contemplate on God or engage in good actions when one is anyway bound to face the consequences of one’s actions? You may not be able to see the transformation that comes within you by your good actions and prayer. You may not even be able to visualise it with your mind. Yet, this transformation in you is sure to attract God’s grace. Take the example of a bottle of pills. You may note the date of expiration mentioned on the bottle as the year 1994. You may also find the bottle and its contents intact even in the year 1999. But this does not mean that the pills will be effective if used today. The pills may be there, but they lose their power after the date of expiry. Likewise, the consequences of one’s actions are inevitable, be they good or bad, but divine grace will let their effects lapse!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

This world is a combination of time (kala), action (karma) and cause (karana). Every action has a reaction. When your finger gets cut with a knife, blood oozes out immediately. Here, the reaction is instantaneous. There is no time gap whatsoever. On the other hand, food we eat takes at least two hours to be digested. Take the case of a seed. A seed sown today takes three to four days to sprout. Here the time gap between action and reaction is slightly more as compared to the previous instances. On the other extreme, we have a case where it takes years for a sapling to grow into a gigantic tree and yield fruit. Thus, the time gap between action and reaction may vary depending on the nature of action. It is impossible to say when, how, and where one will face the consequences of one’s action. But know for sure that none can escape the consequences of their actions.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Today is Shivaratri. It is an auspicious Night because the mind can be made to lose its hold by devoting the night to prayer. According to the scriptures, the Moon is the presiding deity of the mind. Shivaratri is prescribed for the fourteenth night of the dark half of the month, the night previous to the New Moon when the Moon suffers from total blackout. The Moon and the mind which it rules over are drastically reduced every month on this night. When that night is devoted to vigilant adoration of God, the remnant of the wayward mind is overcome and victory ensured. This month's Shivaratri is holier than the rest and so, it is called Mahashivaratri. With firm faith and a cleansed heart, the night should be spent in glorifying God. No moment should be wasted in other thoughts. Time flees fast. Like a block of ice, it melts soon and flows away; like water held in a leaky pot, it disappears drop by drop. The time allotted for one's life ticks off quite soon, and the span ends sometime somehow. So, be vigilant. Be warned. Be alert and aware. Seek the shelter of the Lord and transform every moment into a sacred celebration.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 Shivaratri makes one aware that the same Divinity is all-pervasive, and found everywhere. In our daily experiences, there are a number of instances which reveal the existence of Divinity in every person. Consider a cinema; on screen, we see rivers in flood, engulfing all surrounding land. Even though the scene is filled with flood waters, the screen does not get wet by even a drop of water. At another time, on the same screen we see volcanoes erupting with tongues of flame, but the screen is not burnt. The screen which provides the basis for all these pictures is not affected by any of them. Likewise in the life of man, good or bad, joy or sorrow, birth or death, will come and go, but they do not affect the Atma! In the cinema of life, the screen is the Atma; It is Shiva, it is Shankara, it is Divinity. When one understands this principle, one will be able to understand, enjoy and find fulfilment in life!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

We should believe that God is the indweller of the heart and must follow the teaching that comes from the heart and adopt good methods to follow such a teaching. Our ancients have given us sacred paths of yoga (spiritual practices) and meditation to overcome evils and gain control over our senses. To control anger and hatred, the ancient sages left their villages and went to the forest. Today it is not necessary to retire to the forest to get rid of anger and hatred. Virtue cannot be practised in a vacuum. If you live in an atmosphere of anger and are able to control it, then it is a meritorious achievement. But if you live in a forest where there is no room for anger and say that you have controlled your anger, it is not meaningful. You must, therefore, remain in the worldly surroundings where there is ample scope for the rising up of emotions of anger and hatred, and then learn to control them. That will be a meritorious achievement.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

 Every person considered themselves as the child of immortality. The removal of immorality is the way to attain immortality. Injustice, impropriety, and inequity are weaknesses that must be got rid of. Control of the senses helps us to get rid of all evil tendencies. When your mind is troubled by bad thoughts, try to sit in a place and think of God, then you will be happy. Several great saints have taught the path of acquiring control over your senses. They used to offer to God all the tendencies that arise from the senses. They used to dedicate all their actions to God because they could divert their senses in the right channel. Their senses were not touched by temptations of sins. When you do any action just to please God, no evil result will flow out and cause you any suffering. What is offered to God is totally free from all defects and imperfections.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Don't you say, “my nose, my mind, my hand, my reason”, just as you say, “my book, my umbrella?” Who is this ‘I’ that calls all these 'mine'? That is the real 'you'. It was there when you were born, when you were sleeping forgetful of all else, forgetful even of your body with all its equipment, internal and external. That ‘I’ cannot be harmed; it does not change, it knows no death or birth. Learn the discipline that makes you aware of this Truth and you will be ever free and bold. All men have to reach the goal, travelling along the path of wisdom. This knowledge comes as soon as you look into yourselves and analyse your own experience. But, in order to get the craving for that analysis, you have to educate yourselves into the attitude. Developing good habits, avoiding bad ones, mixing in the company of the pious, being active in good deeds, serving those in distress - these are all steps that will lead you into the glorious path of Self-knowledge.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The sages used to perform yagnas and yagas for gaining mastery over their senses. The real nature and meaning of a yagna is the overcoming of all our evil tendencies, and throwing them into the fire of sacrifice. This is described as bhutabali. The word bhutabali has been misinterpreted and some people think it means animal sacrifice and this has given rise to evil practices. This is not the right way. Bali means tax. Today we are paying taxes on our property, on our houses and on our income. But the intention of levying taxes in the olden times was different from the intention of taxing today. Today taxes are often collected but misappropriated by people in power. Taxes of olden days were used to further improve and increase the welfare of the people. Where there was no water supply, they used to provide water; where there were no roads, they used to build roads. By sacrificing all our evil tendencies to God, we are blessed with what man badly needs in this world as well as what is beyond man.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Remember always that it is easy to do what is pleasant; but it is difficult to be engaged in what is beneficial. Not all that is pleasant is profitable. Success comes to those who give up the path strewn with roses, and brave the hammer-blows and sword-thrusts of the path fraught with danger. As a matter of fact, no road is strewn with rose petals. Life is a battlefield, a Dharmakshethra, where duties and desires are always in conflict. Smother the fiery fumes of desire, hatred and anger that rise up in your hearts; it is sheer cowardice to yield to these enemies that turn you into beasts. When obstacles come, meet them with courage. They harden you, make you tough. The best way to get rid of weakness is to strike at the very taproot of the tree - the mistaken notion that you are the body, with this name and this form, these senses, this intelligence and this mind. These are all only the luggage you carry.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

We offer to God so many things, because it gives us pleasure. We offer flowers not because God doesn’t have flowers, but because it makes us happy. The word ‘leaf’ does not refer to tulasi or any other leaf. Our body is the leaf that is offered to God. Because this body is full of three gunas, we consider it a leaf and offer it to God. The word pushpa stands for the flower of the heart. The flowers we talk of in the context of God, do not refer to the earthly flowers which fade away. Similarly, the word ‘fruit’ is the fruit of the mind. It means that we must do our deeds without expecting any reward; and if action is done in that spirit, it becomes a holy sacrifice. Water does not mean that which is drawn from the taps. It refers to the tears of joy that spring from the depths of your heart. You should not offer leaves gathered from trees or flowers from plants in the garden or water drawn from the well or fruit got from somewhere else; but you must offer all these from the tree of your body, which is sacred, to God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Many students pray, “If I pass with a first class, I’ll break five coconuts at Your feet.” Does this mean God does not have coconuts at His disposal? All objects we offer, like leaf, flower, water, etc., have an allegorical significance. The word narikela stands for a coconut. Every Indian must grasp the inner meaning of offering a coconut to God. We never offer the coconut as it is. We remove the fibre that covers it and offer the fruit that is free from all the external fibre. Only then is it possible to break the coconut. By breaking the coconut, the water in it flows out. The heart is the coconut and it is covered by the fibre of desire. The water that flows out is the samskara or purification. The fibres on the surface are the desires. We must strip the heart of all desires and offer the core without the fibre. It then becomes an offering to God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

So long as there is the feeling of anger and ego in our hearts, we will not be able to feel well in our life, and will feel sick in our mind.

So long as there is the feeling of anger and ego in our hearts, we will not be able to feel well in our life, and will feel sick in our mind. He who is possessed by anger will be hated by people because he will commit a number of bad deeds. Anger leads to many great sins. Hence we must endeavour to control this emotion of anger. If we aim to achieve transcendental reality and Divinity, we must decide to bring this great emotion of anger under control. Anger is caused by weakness. It is not the weakness of the body but of the mind. To give strength to our mind and remove the weakness from our mind, it is necessary to fill it with good thoughts, good feelings and good ideas. One’s anger is one’s greatest enemy and one’s calmness is one’s protection. One’s joy is one’s heaven and one’s sorrow is one’s hell.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The sparks that leap out of the flame of fire go into the distance and soon become ash or dark dust. Of course, everyone is fundamentally Atma, but, moving away from the awareness of that Reality, one reduces oneself into ash or dark dust. When your thoughts revolve around your desire to attain Prashanti (Supreme Peace), when your deeds are directed by the regimen laid down for attaining it, when your words are soft, sweet and soaked in Love, you can, without fail, enjoy the warmth of this Fire. Often, when you watch the range of hills around Prasanthi Nilayam, you can see, especially in summer, streaks of light creeping fast over the top. This is due to vegetation catching fire. You can see light from afar, but you cannot bask in the warmth. So too, you only see Sai Baba; you do not derive the grace He is ready to grant. The reason is - You do not dedicate all your thoughts, words and deeds to Swami!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba