Why should we be careful about every thought, word and deed?

 Know that whatever you feel or do is an offering to God, that flows towards God. So, be cautious. Do not offer bad thoughts, words and deeds which He does not accept. Offer instead the holy and the pure. That’s your duty. That will ensure Self-satisfaction. Self-satisfaction paves the way to Self-sacrifice and Self-sacrifice brings about Self-Realisation. The entire process rests upon faith; Self-satisfaction, Self-sacrifice and Self-realisation - all these depend on faith. Faith decides the yearning; the yearning decides the fruit; and the act decides the stage that is reachable. For, the sincerity of the act promotes the purity of the path; the purity of the path determines the validity of the wisdom and true wisdom is Divinity itself. The act, the conduct, way of life - all these must be disciplined and elevated. How can a mind encumbered with desires ever rest content? How can it welcome sacrifice? Hence, one must involve themselves only in acts that encourage detachment and renunciation!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The sense of ego separates the individual from the Divine. When the individual offers everything to God, this ego barrier is removed.

 A person stands knee-deep in the river Ganges or Godavari, and utters hymns in praise of the river. He lifts up in his palm sacred water of the river and pours it back as his offering to the deity the river represents. Its water into itself - God's gift to God again! That’s all one is capable of; that is all one needs to do. He endowed you with this wonderful body, this sweet tongue, this amazing instrument called mind! He granted you intelligence, powers of analysis and synthesis, the capacity to receive and give up, to remember and forget. Acknowledge these gratefully and use them to the best advantage. Use them to see Him everywhere in all beings, to seek Him through all the ups and downs, joys and griefs, doubt and decisions of life. These dual impacts are a result of wavering of the mind. The mind revels in diversity of name and form; it must be drilled into the recognition and enjoyment of unity!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

When you are immersed in worldly affairs, He brings tears to your eyes. When you are immersed in spirituality, He wipes away your grief.

 Let us consider chamatkara, acts that attract and cause wonder. You see a flower. You long to hold it in your hand only when its colour or fragrance is attractive. You enter the market and see heaps of fruits. If the fruits are not attractive, you have no urge to eat them and benefit from them. Attraction is the very nature of the Divine. Once the person is drawn near, the process of samskara (transformation) starts. Without this, man remains fallow and feeble. He has no dignity or personality. A worthless steel lump is transformed by skilful manipulation and reconstruction into a watch that is worth several hundred rupees; this is the result of samskara, which turned it into a useful tool for indicating time. Thus man can also be transformed into a noble, efficient, happy and disciplined member of society by the implanting of good thoughts, good feelings, good deeds and good emotions. Such transformed persons will spontaneously engage themselves in the task of promoting human welfare. They will be promoters of the ideals of brotherhood of man and fatherhood of God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Command the mind, regulate your conduct, keep your heart straight and clear, and then you will get the grace of God.

 The signs and wonders that I manifest are given names that do not connote the purpose or effect. They can be called chamatkara (miracles), that lead on to samskara (purification), which in turn urge one on towards paropakara (helping others) and finally result in sakshatkara (divine vision). Chamatkara is any act which attracts on account of its inexplicability. This aspect of attraction is inherent in the Avatar. The very name Rama means, 'He who pleases or causes delight’. Krishna means, 'He who attracts, draws towards Himself’. This attribute of attraction is a characteristic of Divinity. Why does the Divine attract? Is it to deceive or mislead? No. It is to transform, reconstruct, and reform - a process called samskara. What is the purpose of the reconstruction? To make the person useful for society, to efface his ego, and to affirm in him the unity of all beings in God. The person who has undergone samskara becomes a humble servant of those who need help. This is the stage of paropakara. Service of this kind done with reverence and selflessness prepares man to realise the One that pervades the many. The last stage is Sakshatkara.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

So long as one is dominated by sense pleasure, it cannot be said that their spiritual life has even started.

 The shadows are many and varied, though the light is One. When the One is reflected in the many, in the multitude of jivis, it appears as the Self in each, which watches unaffected as the witness. The Atma (Divine Self) is Eternal. The Self is Truth. However, since it is enclosed in flesh, bone and skin, man deludes himself into believing that the outer covering and not the inner core is the source of bliss. The foremost duty of man to himself is therefore to penetrate through these sheaths and imbibe the higher bliss which his Atmic core alone can confer. Everyone must, in their own best interests, strive to attain that unifying principle that is their inner treasure. Of all Sadhanas (spiritual exercises) this is the most pertinent - the process of achieving this closeness. For, Sadhana means the endeavour and the effort to gain the desired object. Activities that are devoid of Truth do not deserve to be known as Sadhana. The Atma is the Universal Eternal Truth and therefore, it cannot be gained by search in the particularised and the temporary world. The Divine shines in your heart and can be won only therein.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

What is the holistic approach we must employ to be successful in this spiritual quest?

 All the myriad differences that one sees in the world are only variations in form of the one basic entity - the Brahman. A man who seeks to enjoy the fruit of a tree cannot be content with nourishing only the flowers. He has to nourish the roots, the trunk, the branches, the leaves and the flowers. Likewise, the man who seeks the highest Jnana (wisdom) has to nourish the body, the senses, and the feelings appropriately. For this purpose, the nine forms of devotion have been prescribed for seekers. The mind, it has been said, is the cause of bondage or liberation. The mind is like a lock and the heart is the key. When the key is turned towards God, there is detachment. When it is turned towards the world there is attachment. Thus the mind is the cause of either liberation or bondage. Therefore the mind has to be directed towards what is holy and pure. Then you will lead a free, joyous, blissful life. The man who has developed such an attitude will be in a permanent state of bliss. He will be the embodiment of bliss.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

To control the mind, we should control the five senses. Only then will we be able to realise God.

 The body is a chariot. The charioteer is the principle of Buddhi (intelligence). The senses are the horses. The reins that regulate and restrain the horses are the manas (mind). When the mind wavers and wanders, not having stability of purpose, the horses run helter-skelter, endangering even the charioteer, Buddhi (Intellect). Speech is an important function of the senses and serves the whims of the mind. So, one must control the mind and not pollute it with greed for sense pleasures. Nor should the mind be tossed about on waves of 'Yes' and 'No', of acceptance and rejection, of resolutions and hesitations. The mind must act as an associate of the Buddhi. Speech subserving the mind and mind subserving intellect - this is the way to bring about Prashanti, Supreme Peace! And note this: Slowly and steadily, instruct the intellect to turn towards Atma. Speech with mind, mind with intellect and intellect illumined by the Atma — this ensures you attain your genuine goal!.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Just as a pot becomes strong when it is processed in fire, man becomes God when he undergoes refinement in the fire of wisdom.

Man does not become fully human merely by making himself a prosperous moral person. Spiritual progress has also to be achieved. Body, mind and spirit - these three together make up the man. The animal is concerned primarily with the body. Man has risen since he has been equipped with a mind. Cultivation of the spirit will elevate him to Divinity. The three are intertwined and interdependent. Each promotes the other. Without the mind, the body cannot decide on any step. Mind and body have to subserve the spirit and become aware of the Divine Atma. Health is very important for a fully disciplined life. Health means wholeness, fullness. The senses and the mind have to be controlled and regulated, so that man can win the battle of life. Self-control is sense control, mind control. This is, otherwise called samskruti (culture). Culture must be evident in every aspect of life - studying, eating, sleeping, playing games, etc. Culture expresses itself as discipline.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Discipline has to be a natural component of one's daily life in the discharge of one's duties.

You must ensure that living is a purposeful process. Without such a faith, life is rendered wild and wasteful. With it, you can attain Divinity. Faith will induce a regulated and disciplined life. A farmer was once charged before a court in Greece for adulterating the milk he was selling. The judge found that the milk was indeed not pure and was about to deliver the sentence when the farmer's earnest plea of innocence induced him to probe further into his habits. He found that the farmer milked his cows on some days at 4 a.m, some days at 6 a.m. and on some other days, when he could not sleep long, even at 3 a.m. The quality of the milk was affected by this irregularity and waywardness in milking. The farmer was admonished and advised to adhere to a regular time. Duty is best discharged through discipline.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

What is the special gift of being born human?

Man suffers because he has developed hunger as vast as the sky, with a throat as narrow as a needle. His throat must become as vast as the earth; his heart must blossom wide through shanti and sahana; that is, through equanimity, and fortitude. Then the desire of man for full lasting undiluted ananda (bliss) can be attained. Once a being has evolved into man, there is no relapse for him into lower forms of life; for man alone is capable of viveka and vichakshana (discrimination and wisdom); when he suffers, he worries why suffering has become his lot; he concludes that the cause must be sought, not in the vagaries of God or the whims of others, but in himself; if not in the present life, then in previous lives. Man alone can analyse his mental reactions and feelings and draw conclusions therefrom.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Why is it important to establish the right relationship with God?

You have no need to run about in search of God, for you are yourself God. God resides in your heart. All this is enveloped by God. All this is God. All beings are God. He is the All-pervasive motive force. Have firm faith in this fact. Like fire in the matchstick, Divinity is latent in man. The fire in the stick becomes manifest when it is struck against the side of the box. So too, when the Jivi (individual) contacts Deva (God), the flame of Jnana sheds the Light of Wisdom. How can one taste the experience of Wisdom? In what form does it emanate? The wise person does not hate anyone: he does not belittle or blame or hurt anyone. What is it that prompts you to love another? The urge to love and be loved is inherent in everyone. So, when you deny love or when you hate, you are hurting not only the person but the Universal Principle, the Divine Nature itself.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Causing harm to others is a sign of animality. Offer your bad qualities and bad thoughts to the Lord and God alone will give good things in return!

 The manner of living in which delusion regarding the body (deha-bhranti) is prevalent is animal existence (pashutva). What is delusion regarding the body? It is the identification of the body with the Self (the "I"). This is the mark of animal nature in man. The real meaning of animal sacrifice is the sacrifice of the animal nature in man. Everyone must get rid of Ahamkara and Mamakara (egoism and sense of "mine"). Without sacrificing these animal tendencies, sacrificing dumb animals is unworthy of human beings. God accepts the bad and gives good in return. The word “bali” is used with references to sacrifices in yagas. What is the “bali” to be offered in sacrifices? It is offering one's bad qualities and bad thoughts to the Divine. How can one offer bad things to God? God alone can accept such offerings and give good things in return! No one else in the world will accept the bad and give what is good in return!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

We all struggle with unwanted and unpleasant thoughts. What do we do at such times?

 There is a soiled and tattered currency note with you. No one is prepared to accept it from you. But when it is tendered to the Reserve Bank, which issued it, it is bound to accept it and issue a new note in return. Likewise, who is competent to accept one's bad thoughts, perverse feelings and evil intentions? Only the Almighty can accept them. He is the Spiritual Reserve Bank that will accept the soiled notes of your mind and give in return good currency (in the form of good thoughts). Hence, offerings should be made only to those who are competent to receive them. All bad thoughts and feelings should be offered to God so that we may receive, by His grace, good thoughts and feelings in return. Spirituality, thus, means transforming one's life into an ideal one by offering one's bad qualities to the Lord and receiving from Him good qualities in return.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Dedicate all actions to God. That is the way to experience oneness with God.

 Activity is the keynote of the Universe. By activity, all beings are born; by activity, they maintain themselves; and through that activity, they perish. Constant breathing, inhaling and exhaling, keeps body temperature even and comfortable. The One beyond all activity assumed the forms of five basic elemental materials - sky, earth, air, fire and water to act and activate. To be active, yet, to be always aware that all is mere acting, is the secret of happiness. That is the Dharma which must regulate and sanctify karma. Achievements of technology which take man to the moon are also events in the Cosmic Drama, where principal performers are working out His plan; identification with adventure, its success or failure will make performers proud or depressed, states which would not help inner peace and joy. The secret of good karma is, to do karma as an act of worship, a dedicatory rite offered to the source of all energy and intelligence. And, never take the consequence to heart. By this means, one can approximate the Divine Principle, which is beyond activity.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

You worship with faith and you experience Grace. Faith results in Grace, without your being aware of it.

 My grace is ever with you; it is not something that is given or taken; it is always given and accepted by the Consciousness that is aware of its significance. Win the grace of your own sub-consciousness, so that it may accept the grace of God which is always available. God does not deny anyone; it is only you who deny God! When the gift is offered, you have to do only one little act, so that you may earn it  - you have to extend your hand to receive it. That is grace; win it, by teaching it the value of the grace of God. My grace is showered wherever you are, through My infinite love, without even calculating or measuring the readiness of your subconsciousness to receive it and benefit by it. That grace itself will confer on you faith and strength, wisdom and joy. I am in your heart all the time, whether you know it or not!

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

You are a fragment of the Divine. This is the great truth that everyone must realise fully and experience.

 The Divine Principle is the very core of man. Becoming aware of this Truth is the goal of life; it’s the source of strength which is unfailing and irresistible. Close your eyes and you feel there is none around, though there are thousands. If you suffer from cataract, you cannot know the truth. So too, the Divine is here, before you, behind you, inside you, outside you; the intelligence through which you can recognise! It is also with you; but, you are either blind, diseased with defective vision or worse still, wilfully inclined to close your eyes! You have a bird in your very hand; but, you are wasting your time and energy conspiring to catch the bird hiding in the bush; the notes that make you believe there’s a bird in the bush are, only the echoes of notes from the throat of the bird in your own hand! The Guru reveals the Truth and makes you free from the travails and trials, the search for the bird in the bush!

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

Why does God appear to be very far from us, especially when we need him most, in testing and trying times?

 The lotus in the heart of man pines for the Sun, the splendour of the Lord. But to attain it is hard. Withdrawal of all affection towards the world alone can win it! God is the nearest and dearest entity, but ignorance hides Him from the eye. The love that God bears for man is unequalled; yet, He appears to man as a distant, formidable, unapproachable phenomenon. The stars appear as dots of light, for they are at a great distance from us. So too God appears insignificant or ineffective to many because they are keeping themselves too far from Him. If some people say there is no God, it only means they are at too great a distance to be aware of Him! A green gourd sinks in water; but a dry one floats. Become dry, rid yourselves of attachments, desire, anxieties, and worry. Then you can float unaffected on the waters of change and chance!

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

We should cross the ocean of our difficulties and troubles by using the power of the divine name

 Why crave for the non-existent? Why ignore the 'existent'? That is to say, why ignore the ‘Sat’? It is the search for the unreal that is the root of all the fear, the sorrow, and the sickness of humanity. Learn, while you can, the key which will open the door of escape. Have all around you the curtain of 'Nama-japam' (the vibrant, vigilant repetition of the Name of God, and recapitulation of His Glory); then, unhealthy yearnings for self-aggrandisement will not pester and poison you. Nama-japam will not allow you to ignore the essential hollowness of worldly affairs and the essential absurdity of getting too involved in it; you behave as if you are the designer of your destiny; you are only a wave, formed on the breast of the ocean by storm and surge.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

Everyone should consider it their foremost duty today to revere their mother as divine and serve her, regardless of country or circumstance.

 Recognising one's mother as the very embodiment of all divine forces, one must show reverence to her and treat her with love. This is the true message that Navaratri, the nine-night festival gives us. The supreme Shakti manifests herself in the form of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. Durga grants us energy - physical, mental and spiritual. Lakshmi bestows on us wealth of many kinds - not just money but intellectual wealth, wealth of character and others. Even health is wealth. She grants untold riches to us. And Saraswati bestows on us intelligence, the capacity for intellectual enquiry and the power of discrimination. The Navaratri festival is celebrated in order to proclaim to the world the power of these Goddesses. One's own mother is the combination of all these Divine beings. She provides us energy, wealth and intelligence. She constantly desires our advancement in life. So she represents all the three goddesses that we worship during the Navaratri festival,

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

Cultivate good behaviour. Then, everything will turn out to be good for you.

 Cultivate good behaviour. Then, everything will turn out to be good for you. Nothing will deter you. No difficulty will ever bother you. It is only to enable you to put good thoughts into practice that goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati are worshipped during the Dasara celebrations. Durga is not to be understood as a ferocious goddess. She is the Goddess Supreme who protects you. Lakshmi is the embodiment of all wealth. Saraswati is the goddess of speech. Good thoughts, good words, and good actions and behaviour represent the nature of these three goddesses. He who teaches good things to you is verily the embodiment of Goddess Saraswati. He who teaches evil is verily a demon. Goddess Durga destroys only such demons. Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are, in fact, not different from you. They are very much installed in your own heart. They exhort you to lead the life of a human being, since you are a human being.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

One kind word pleases everybody. Why, then, should you be miserly in soft speech?

 Truth, charity, penance, sacrifice, friendliness, purity, straightforwardness, service to Guru and study of scriptures are the nine gems which every seeker of knowledge must cherish. Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa are to be found in the state in which Truth and goodness prevail. The basic Truth is one, but sages have called it by many names. The ideal man is one who adheres to Truth and does not give it up in any circumstance. He lives the true life. Truth does not exist for the sake of any one person. It transcends limitations of time, place and personalities. It is the life-breath for all countries, all people, at all times. The grandsire of humanity, Manu, the great, after deep enquiry, analysis and experience, gave this as his boon to mankind: "Satyam bruyat, priyam bruyat, Na bruyat Satyam Apriyam." (Speak the truth, speak what is pleasing. Never speak the truth that is unpleasant). You should not utter an untruth because it may be pleasing. Nor should you utter truth which is unpleasant.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

Why do we worship the cow and earth as Mothers?

 One individual may elect to worship the Divine in the form of his favourite goddess. Another may worship God in a different form and derive bliss from such worship. Each one should note that Forms in which Divine is worshipped by others are as important to them as their own chosen deity is to them. If, on the contrary, one criticises or casts a slur on deities worshipped by others, he is committing a grievous sin, however well he may be performing his own worship. Man should also show equal regard and reverence for the mothers of others as he shows for his own mother. There are several notable examples in daily life of the divine quality which motherhood represents. Cow converts its own blood into nourishing milk for man to sustain his body. The cow is the first example of Divine as Mother. Earth comes next. Like God, Earth bears man in its bosom and takes care of him in many ways. Hence Earth also is the embodiment of the Mother.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

Man has to recognise the significance of Love and Truth, which are fundamental to human existence. The mother represents these two basic qualities.

 In the human body Divine flows through all limbs as Rasa (Divine essence) and sustains them. This Divine principle is called Rasa-swarupini (Embodiment of Divine sweetness). This is called Angirasa. These Divine principles that permeate and sustain the physical body should also be worshipped as mother goddesses. Then there are the great sages, Maharishis, who investigated matters relating to good and evil, right and wrong, what elevates man or degrades him, and, as a result of their labour and penance, gave to mankind great scriptures, indicating spiritual and mundane paths and how humanity can redeem its existence. These sages must also be revered as Divine Mothers. The cow, the earth, presiding deities for the body, sages and the Guru are all worthy of worship as Embodiments of Divine Motherhood. Although these five appear in different forms and names, they have one thing in common with the Mother. They play a protective and sustaining maternal role for mankind and hence should be revered and worshipped as Divine Mothers.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

What is the purpose of the Sathya Sai Avatar?

 In this world, trees, rivers, and cows help others without any trace of selfish motive. They do not expect anything in return. Without trees, rivers, and cows, the world cannot exist. In fact, it is they that sustain it. But the irony is that man does not make any effort to help and serve others. The spirit of sacrifice evident in them is absent in man today. He spends all his time fulfilling his selfish desires and does not give even a moment for doing good to others or for helping them. Sai Avatar has incarnated in this Kali age with the divine mission of making every individual realise his relationship with the community, and ultimately with Divinity. What is spirituality? That which destroys man's animal nature, nurtures humanness, and finally transforms him into a Divine being is spirituality. Worshipping, singing devotional songs, and performing rituals are acts of secondary importance. They cannot be identified with true spirituality. The word ‘SAI’ spells out to the world the significance of transformation at three levels. The letter ‘S’ stands for transformation at spiritual level, ‘A’ for transformation at association (social) level, and ‘I’ for transformation at the individual level.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

What pollutes the intellect and clouds our true nature?

 If people today indulge in meaningless and impure activities, it means that they are wasting their Divine gifts. Before undertaking any action, one should utter the prayer: "May my actions be holy. May my speech be helpful to others and not cause any pain to them. May all my thoughts be sacred, godly and purposeful." The rulers and people in ancient days used to sanctify their lives by such prayerful actions. Two things are vital in a man's life: Satya (Truth) and Rita (Unity in thought, word and deed). In most people today, this triple unity is absent. One reason for this is that people have allowed their intellect to be polluted, as in the case of a lamp in which the chimney is covered by soot from the flame inside and dust from outside. The light from the lamp will be effulgent if the soot inside and the dust outside are removed. In the case of the Buddhi (intellect), the soot comes from Ahamkara (ego) and the dust from Mamakara (mine-ness). These two reduce the effulgence of the intellect. They have to be removed to make the Buddhi shed its light fully.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

Has the Lord any particular form or abode? No. He is everywhere. He is you and you are He.

 Durga represents Prakruti-mata (Mother Nature). To overcome demonic qualities arising out of the influence of Nature, the power of Nature must be invoked. This is the meaning of the worship of Durga. Nature is the protector as well as the chastiser. Lakshmi represents the protecting aspect of Nature. When Durga has destroyed the demonic qualities, Lakshmi purifies the mind. Then there is purity in speech, represented by Saraswati. The worship of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati is thus undertaken to get rid of the impurities in the mind and purify one's thoughts, words and deeds. Prakruti (Nature) is the embodiment of the Divine. Man perceives Nature and experiences Nature, but is unable to recognise the Divinity in Nature. To see the external manifestations of the Divine and yet fail to recognise the Divine is a sign of stupidity.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

Never give up the Gayatri Mantra. It will protect you from harm wherever you are - travelling, working or at home.

 Saraswati is the presiding deity of speech and wisdom. Gayatri Mantra begins with "Om Bhur Bhuvah Suvah”. Bhuh means materialisation. It represents matter, which is subject to change. Bhuvah represents life principle, vibration. Savitri is the presiding deity of the life principle. You must have heard the story of Savitri, who restored her dead husband back to life with the power of her devotion and surrender. Saraswati is worshipped as Jnana Devata, since she confers good intellect and wisdom. This is described in Vedas as Prajnanam Brahma. Prajnana does not mean worldly knowledge. It is Constant Integrated Awareness, which is changeless and eternal. The divine mother has three names: Gayatri, Savitri, and Saraswati. Gayantam trayate iti Gayatri (Gayatri protects those who sing her glory). Gayatri, being the presiding deity of our senses, helps us to master the senses. Savitri, being the presiding deity of the life principle, protects our life. Saraswati bestows on us the changeless and eternal wisdom.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

Every human being in this world must perform some karma (action).

 The celebration of Dasara festival is meant to purify the actions performed by the Dasendriyas (5 senses of action and 5 senses of perception). Every human being in this world must perform some karma (action). The presiding deity or driving force behind all actions is Devi (also called Durga), who is the personification of energy. She is the bestower of all kinds of energy to perform various actions. Goddess Lakshmi bestows various kinds of wealth like money, food grains, gold, different kinds of objects, vehicles for movement, etc., to human beings so that they can lead a happy life in this world. The third facet of the divine female principle is Saraswati, Goddess of learning and intellect. Thus, the Trinity of Durga (goddess of energy), Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) and Saraswati (goddess of learning and intellect) are worshipped during Dasara. This is the underlying principle of worshipping this Trinity of Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati during this 9-day festival. It is essential that people worship all three facets of the Divine.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

How should the senses be used and handled?

 The senses should not be allowed to override man. They must be instruments within the control of man. They are mere servants, orderlies, and helpers. A knife is best used to cut fruits or vegetables; you should not use it for cutting your throat. So too, your senses must be trained to be free from tamas (inertia) and rajas (passion); they must be neither dull nor dragging, neither dormant nor dangerously diverting. The Gunas must be overcome. Once a student approached a Guru and asked for the path to shanti. Guru replied that he must develop Sahana (tolerance) towards all men, all things, and all events. Nothing should arouse an interested reaction, disgust or desire. The highest alone must be sought; God alone must be desired. Prema, steady, unchanging, undiminishable, can only be Love towards the Lord of all the worlds (Vishweswara-prema). Changing love (Chala-prema) is love towards the changing world.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

Spirituality alone confers true vision, and makes man full and wholesome.

 Spirituality means destroying the animal nature in man and making him realise his divine consciousness. Spirituality implies that one should not develop egoistic pride on account of the divine potencies in man but utilise them for achieving spiritual strength. Spirituality calls for recognition of the manifold capacities manifesting in man as emanating from the Spirit and not from the mind. It means developing faith that all powers come from the Divine. Spirituality does not mean proceeding from the human to the Divine. It seeks to unfold the divinity in man. Spirituality does not mean passing from the mundane to the Divine. Spirituality means making man manifest the divinity in him. People today have the wrong impression that spirituality is concerned with the journey from the mundane world to the higher realm and vice versa. Because of this mistaken view, students today are confused about spirituality and it appears meaningless to them. Spirituality is the realisation of the role of the Spirit in daily life. It is a way of life.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

Make love the basic impulse for all your actions. Share your love with others. Be unselfish.

God's love is unbounded. It knows no growth or diminution. Worldly love is momentary and fickle. Divine love is unchanging and eternal. God is the embodiment of love. His infinite love is offered to all in equal measure. Some may feel that they had experienced God's love for a time and had been deprived of it later. This reflects only their own feelings and not the attitude of the Lord. Nature is like a clean mirror which reflects your feelings and attitudes. It is your own actions and thoughts, whether good or bad, which are reflected back to you. The Lord's love remains the same always. Pleasure and sorrow are not inherent in the nature of man. They are products of the mind. Bliss is the true nature of man. But it can be realised only when the love of God is experienced. The sense of "my-ness" has to be totally eradicated. You must strive for the welfare of all. This is Bharat's message from times of yore. Fill your hearts with this sacred feeling. Banish from your minds all thoughts of hatred and envy.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

The educated person and the student undergoing education must both cultivate simplicity; they must discard ostentation

I like simplicity, I like the dress that will not discourage people from approaching you for a kind word, a bit of service, a helping hand. It must be clean and decent; not outlandish and queer. It should not be worn to attract attention. Just as you desire to wear clean comfortable clothes for the body, desire also clean consoling exercises for the mind, like japam, dhyanam (repetition of holy word and meditation), etc. Use the eyes to watch wholesome things, the feet to proceed to the House of God, the hands to serve the embodiments of God moving around you as men, the tongue to soothe pain, praise virtue, and glorify God. Do not use the eye to vulgarise your brain, the feet to stand in queue for deleterious films. Character is the most precious gift of education. I consider gratitude as the chief component; gratitude above all, to the parents, for this gift of life.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

To the extent you yearn and pine for God, God will pine for you a thousandfold.

You should cultivate an attitude of inseparable attachment to the Lord, who is your very self. If He is a flower, you should feel yourself a bee that sucks its honey; if He is a tree, be a creeper that clings to it; if a cliff, then feel that you are a cascade running over it; if He is the sky, be a tiny star that twinkles in it; above all, be conscious of the truth that you and He are bound by Supreme Love. If you feel this acutely, not with the gross intelligence, but with the subtle intelligence, then the journey will be quick and the goal can be won. The sthula buddhi (gross intelligence) keeps you walking but, the subtle intelligence flies you to the destination. The gross is too much weighed down by the body; the subtle transcends the body and lightens the burden!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Don't waste time; if you waste time you will be wasting your life.

 Even to place one foot forward, man needs an inner urge, a purpose, a prompting. His will is moved by his wish. Therefore, man must endeavour to wish for higher and holier goals. His mind is a bundle of wishes. Turned hither and thither by the dictates of each wish, man wastes the time allotted to him and the skills he is endowed with. He slaves his conscience believing that he is acting right. But, man has to recognise the preciousness of time. Not even a fraction of a second should be wasted. He must be engaged always in the investigation of his own Truth and his own duty to himself. Life is dripping away, drop by drop, from the leaking pot! Time hangs over every head like a sharp sword, ready to inflict.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

How should we choose our friends?

When you have high status and good position in society, everyone will run after you, saying, hello, hello! But when you lose your position and fall on bad days, everyone will run away from you. This is not true friendship. What is true friendship? A true friend is one who will follow you like a shadow in times of both pleasure and pain, profit and loss. When the tank is full of water, thousands of frogs will come into it. But when the tank becomes dry, not even a single frog will be seen there. Similarly, when you have a good position and high rank, everyone will follow you. But you will find none in your times of difficulty. Such friendship is not true friendship. Don’t make friends with everybody who says hello, hello to you. This is a great mistake. You should know the background, habits, behaviour, discipline, and other qualities of the person with whom you want to make friends. You should also try to know with whom they associate and what type of company they keep.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

If you close windows that bring in other voices, then, your home can be transformed into a Forest of Freedom, a Hermitage of Penance!

Rivers must reach the sea, not desert sands; waters must merge with water. That’s the consummation - Kaivalya or Sayujya. To keep that goal ever in focus, have the wavering mind continuously on leash. When the Sun is in the sky, Moon is blazed out of sight. Buddhi, the sharpened intellect, is the Sun; the pale satellite, the waxing and waning Moon is the Mind. So, give intelligence full prominence; let the mind subserve dictates of reason, not of passion. Become the ruler of senses, not their slave. Hrishikesa, an appellation of Krishna, means Master of Senses; Gudakesa, a name of Arjuna, also conveys the same. That’s why they two became comrades. Senses drag you into the jungle of nature; so, what use is it for you to flee into the jungle, with the senses wild with hunger? Why did sages go into jungles? To sink their minds in the silent calm of the forest; to dwell ever in the thought of God whose voice is heard when all other voices cease. If you close windows that bring in other voices, then, your home can be transformed into a Forest of Freedom, a Hermitage of Penance!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

All the hours now spent in gossip, in watching sports or films, or in hollow conversation can best be used for silent contemplation of the Name and Form, and splendour of the Lord.

 As a first step towards the acquisition of viveka (wisdom) and vairagya (detachment), enter from now on into a discipline of Namasmarana - the incessant remembrance of God through the Name of the Lord. A fashionable excuse that is trotted out by those who do not like this discipline is 'want of time!' It does not need any special time or extra allotment of time; it can be done always, in the waking stage, whether you are bathing or eating, walking or sitting. All the hours now spent in gossip, in watching sports or films, or in hollow conversation can best be used for silent contemplation of the Name and Form, and splendour of the Lord. Now, you complain of want of appetite for God. You have lost appetite because you have eaten unwholesome food, not because you have had an excess of good food. You have no knowledge of which food is wholesome, what are its components, etc. You believe that the unwholesome food you get, through the impure gateways of the senses, will keep you healthy! Learn this lesson from here and return, better equipped, to your places.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

What is the reason for the unrest prevailing in the country today? The reason is lack of fear of sin and love for God.

One may be a simpleton without any intelligence or intellectual capabilities, but if one has fear of sin, it is enough. You may have any amount of wealth, gold and worldly possessions but if you lack fear of sin, you can only be considered as an ignoramus. Once Prahlada told his father, “Why do you kill innocent people just as you hunt wild animals in the forest? You are indulging in acts of violence in order to expand your kingdom. What do you gain by killing so many people? This is not what you are supposed to do. How can one, who has become a slave to inner enemies, conquer his external foes? You have many great enemies within you. What are they? They are desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride and jealousy. Having surrendered to these six inner enemies, you are killing innocents outside. It is a great sin.” First and foremost, kill your inner enemies like desire, anger, greed, etc. Only then can you develop fear of sin. What is the reason for the unrest prevailing in the country today? The reason is lack of fear of sin and love for God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

How should we use the supreme virtue of forgiveness?

Today the situation in society is such that people try to misuse even the good actions of others. Even if you help them, they try to harm you. No doubt, one should help even those that harm. But you must use your discrimination while helping others. Think to what extent you can help such people. I have told this story earlier also. When Mohammad Ghori attacked Prithvi Raj, he was completely defeated by him. But Prithvi Raj, being a large-hearted ruler, forgave him and let him go scot-free. Later, Mohammad Ghori again attacked Prithvi Raj and defeated him. Mohammad Ghori made Prithvi Raj captive and blinded him. He did not have gratitude toward Prithvi Raj, who had earlier allowed him to go back unharmed. You should, therefore, be cautious in practising forgiveness while dealing with a cruel person. No doubt, forgiveness is a great virtue, but it will do more harm than good if it is practised with respect to an evil-minded person. You should forgive such a person once or at most twice. Do not forgive him every time he harms you, otherwise you will be put to danger.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Why is it said that silence is the language of the wise?

People who have not touched the outskirts of the capital city dare dispute about the appearance and glory of the Emperor, who resides in the palace in the heart of the city! That is the pitiable state of scholarship today. The Maharaja of Burdwan once held a conference where the excellences of Shiva and Vishnu were considered. The Panchakshari (five-letter) mantra of Shiva and the Ashtakshari (eight-letter) mantra of Vishnu were expounded by rival Pandits and extolled. The Maharaja wanted the chief priest of his palace, who was a great scholar and sadhaka, to pronounce his judgement. He said that none of the Pandits had seen Shiva or Vishnu, though they were all prepared to argue on behalf of them. He declared that anyone who had seen either will be silent about not only what he had seen, but even of what he had not seen. That declaration put an end to the quarrels, and everyone returned home rather shamefaced at their inexperience!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Service should spring out of Love and scatter love in profusion.

Through activity man attains purity of consciousness. In fact man has to welcome activity with this end in view. And why strive for a pure consciousness? Imagine a well with polluted and muddy water so that the bottom of the well cannot be seen. Similarly within man's heart, deep down in his consciousness, we have the Atman (Divine Spirit). But it can be cognised only when the consciousness is clarified. Your imaginings, your inferences, your judgements and prejudices, your passions, emotions and egoistic desires, muddy the consciousness and make it opaque. How then can you become aware of the Atman that is at the very base? Through seva (service) rendered without any desire to placate one's ego and with only the wellbeing of others in view, it is possible to cleanse the consciousness and have the Atman revealed.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Why are religious or communal conflicts and divides meaningless?

There is a man who is addressed as father by his son. The daughter-in-law calls him father-in-law, while the grandchildren call him grandfather. The individual is the same but the manner in which different people address him varies. Similarly, the same God is given different names by the followers of different religions; they hail Him as Allah, Jesus, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and so on. Though the names vary, God is one and the same. Therefore, there is really no room for dispute between people belonging to different religions. You may address God by the name of your choice but all calls go to the same destination. Goal is one, and God also is one. Thus, in respect of God, there should be no difference of opinion. In fact, Sarva jiva namaskaram Kesavam pratigacchati. No matter to whom you offer salutations and greetings, they all go to God Himself. Since the same God resides in all, where is the room for arguments based on caste, creed, race, etc.?

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Is liberation to find a place in heaven or reach some such higher realm?

 The love principle inherent in man is equally present in all beings, birds and beasts included. Therefore, one has to place the same value on the lives of all beings.Share the love latent within you with not only fellow human beings but also with all creatures in Nature. This is the true universal love principle. Such a principle alone should be the basis of one’s life.People have strange ideas about liberation, imagining that it involves going to heaven and having eternal existence there. That is not the meaning of liberation. It means achieving selfless love that is constant, unabating, and total. This is the state that one must seek to attain; it is only when this state is reached that one is truly liberated. In the name of liberation, seekers are trying out all sorts of spiritual paths. All such exercises can at best confer temporary satisfaction. The path of Pure Love alone can truly get you there and confer permanent bliss.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

How can we say that the individual is an aspect of Divinity?

 God is known by various names and of these, the greatest and the most fitting is Satchitanada.Sat means that which remains unchanged in all three periods of time – the past, the present, and the future. Strict adherence to truth would enable one to experience Sat. Chit means total awareness or complete knowledge. It is that which enables one to experience Divinity in all its aspects. Once Sat and Chit are experienced, Ananda or bliss would follow automatically. Everyone wants to be happy. Such a desire is natural and it springs from the fact that man’s true nature is Bliss. Bliss is God but man does not understand that. He does not understand that he originated from God, that life’s undercurrent is God, and that his final destination also is God. Man is born of Ananda, the basis of his life is Ananda, and his goal also is Ananda. The human body is temporary; the pleasure that it can give also is fleeting. Therefore, one must seek that which is permanent, that is to say, God, or Bliss, which is the same thing.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

How to make the best use of the faculties that God has gifted us with?

That which is seen, that which appears to be real, is bound to pass away in the stream of time. All that is apparent in the phenomenal world is bound to disappear sometime or other. We should make every effort to know that which is invisible but imperishable. It is not right that man, who is endowed with immense potencies, should be content with what is seen by the physical eyes. Such eyes are possessed equally by beasts and birds, as well as insects and germs. What then is the uniqueness of the sight given to man? It must be realised that it is difficult to secure human birth. Having acquired this privilege, human beings should not be content with what is seen by the physical eyes. Man should acquire the eyes of wisdom. It may be argued that even the physical eyes help to acquire knowledge. The eyes see everything but cannot see themselves. Eyes which cannot see themselves, how can they see the mind or see Madhava (the Lord)? To have a vision of the Lord, the physical eyes are not competent. One must acquire the eyes of wisdom for this purpose.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

While doing our duty, if we experience a low ebb what should we do?

The heart’s blemishes must be washed by a moral life and by doing one’s duty. Time may come when one becomes tired and weak, then, one should pray thus: “Lord, things have gone beyond my capacity. I feel further effort is too great a strain. Give me strength, O Lord!” At first, God stands at a distance, watching one’s efforts, like the teacher who stands apart when the student writes answers to questions. Then, when one sheds attachment to sensual pleasures and takes to good deeds and selfless service, God comes encouragingly near! Like Sun-God (Surya-Narayana), He waits outside the closed door. Like the manservant who knows his master’s rights and his own limitations, He doesn’t announce His presence or bangs on the door but simply waits! And when the master opens the door just a little, Sun rushes in and promptly drives darkness out from within. When His help is requested, He is present by a person’s side, with hands extended to render assistance. What is wanted is only discrimination to pray to the Lord and the spiritual wisdom to remember Him!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

What is the connection between our actions, devotion and spiritual wisdom?

 A piece of Mysorepaak (a sweet delicacy) has sweetness, weight, and shape; these cannot be separated, one from another. Each little part has sweetness, weight, and shape. We don’t find shape in one part, weight in another, and sweetness in a third! And when it is placed on the tongue, the taste is recognised, weight is lessened, and shape is modified - all at the same time! So too, the individual, the Soul, and the Supreme Lord are not separate; they are one and the same! Therefore, each individual deed must be full of the spirit of selfless service, divine love, and spiritual wisdom. In other words, each of life’s activities must be saturated with dedicated action, devotion to God, and spiritual wisdom. This is verily Yoga of the Supreme (Purushothama-yoga). It must be enacted in practice, not merely spoken in words! Spiritual discipline should be done constantly with an ever-expanding heart full of devotion and spiritual wisdom. 

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Character is built up by the constant practice of good actions

Twenty hammer strokes might not succeed in breaking a stone, but the twenty-first stroke might break it! Does this mean that twenty blows were of no avail? No! Each contributed its share to the final success! The final result was the cumulative effect of all twenty-one! So too, the mind is engaged in a struggle with the world, both internal and external. Needless to say - success may not always be your lot. But you can attain everlasting bliss by getting immersed in good works and by saturating your mind with love of God! Infuse every moment of life with that love. Then, evil tendencies dare not hamper the path. If your mind dwells always with the Lord, you will be drawn automatically only towards good deeds. The object of all spiritual practices is the destruction of the mind, and someday, some one good deed will succeed in destroying it, just as the twenty-first blow broke the stone! All good deeds done in the past contribute to this triumph; each little thing counts; no good deed is a waste!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The ego is the unseen cause for the ups and downs which one struggles with all his life.

The mind is a bundle of impressions (vasanas). Verily, the mind is creation (jagat) itself; it is all the world for the individual. While in deep sleep, the mind doesn’t function, so creation is practically non-existent for the individual. Creation is born (or “enters into the consciousness”) and dies (or “disappears from the consciousness”) according to the cognitive powers of the mind. Therefore, when the mind is destroyed, the world is also destroyed and one is free and liberated. Whoever succeeds in controlling the consciousness (chitta) can have a vision of the Atma. Consciousness is the grown-up tree, while the seed is the “ego”, the feeling of “I”. When the seed “I” is cast aside, all the activities of the consciousness also vanish automatically. The spiritual aspirant who is earnest for these results has to be ever vigilant. At any moment, the senses might regain their lost mastery and enslave the individual. The aspirant might lose much of the ground already gained. That is why spiritual aspirants are warned away from attachments to the world.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

What is the most common tendency of the mind that has to be overcome in this path of spirituality?

The ocean is one and indivisible, but here it is called the North Sea and there the South Sea! So too, the Lord, the Ocean of Grace, is One, but He is assigned various names according to the age or era of time. The holy rivers seeking to reach the ocean flow from all directions; so too, people seek the Lord through various spiritual disciplines and finally merge themselves, all of them, in Krishna. Mankind can win happiness only through unity, and not through diversity. If thoughts and feelings run along the routes of distinction and division, happiness is beyond reach and peace cannot be experienced. Without peace, you have no chance to be joyful. Consider the one indivisible ocean as the goal. How does the direction of flow matter? How does the name matter? The rivers merge in the self-same sea, don’t they? Spiritual aspirants and devotees who adopt the path of yoga, or the path of devotion, or the path of peace, dharma, truth, and love reach the Ocean of Grace at last, and name and form fade away; distinctions disappear. They are blessed with the merger in the sea of peace.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

How should we ensure balance in Nature?

The body’s temperature has to be kept at a certain norm. If the temperature goes above or below that norm it is a sign of illness. Similarly if the five elements that constitute the natural environment are kept in balance, the world is in a healthy state. If this balance is upset or if elements are polluted, then countries suffer in various ways. If products of science and technology result in upsetting the balance of Nature and pollute the atmosphere or rivers and seas, many harmful consequences follow. Pollution gives rise to many new diseases. Today even pure air has become a rare commodity. Three-fourths of the earth is covered by water. There are many minerals in the ocean bed. But in extracting them, some limits should be observed. Otherwise, even the ocean, which has been adhering to its bounds, will exceed its limits. Even earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are caused by the unsettling of the ecological balance in Nature.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba