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

If peace is to be ensured, science has to be promoted on the right lines.

 When I attended a symposium in Bombay on "Science and Spirituality," a prominent scientist said that the nuclear arsenals of the big powers contained enough atom bombs to destroy the world ten times over. What is the sense in building up such arsenals? If you have destroyed the world once, what is there left for the other bombs to destroy? In the process, you would have destroyed yourself. Those engaged in research seem to be more concerned about boosting their name and fame by their research than about promoting public well-being through the results of their research. Nor do they seem to be bothered about the harmful consequences of their discoveries. There is nothing great about causing harm to others. To destroy a million persons by a single bomb is no great thing. To do good to a single individual in the world is more praise-worthy.The scientific knowledge we acquire must be used for the benefit of our fellow-men. Only that is proper education which prepares the student for enlightened action. The pursuit of the Science of the Supreme Spirit (Parartha Vijnana Shastra) is more essential than involvement with the physical sciences (Padhartha Vijnanamu).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

By moderating and modulating habits of eating and drinking, one can lay the foundation for spiritual life

 Simply because tasty food is available and is offered, one is tempted to overeat. We have air all around us but we do not breathe in more than we need. The lake is full but we drink only as much as thirst craves for. But overeating has become a social evil, a fashionable habit. The stomach cries, 'Enough,' but tongue insists on more, and man becomes a helpless target of disease. He suffers from corpulence, high blood pressure and diabetes. Moderate food is the best medicine to avoid illness. Do not rush to the hospital for every little upset. Too much drugging is also bad. Allow nature full scope to fight the disease and set you right. Adopt more and more principles of natural healing. The type of food you consume decides the degree of concentration you can command; its quality and quantity decide how much your self-control is lessened or heightened. Polluted air and water are full of maleficent viruses and germs and must be avoided at all costs. There are four pollutions man must be vigilant - of the body (removable by water); of the mind (removable by truthfulness), of reason (removable by correct knowledge) and of the self (removable by yearning for God).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Elders should sow the seeds of human values in the tender hearts of the children. They will grow into gigantic trees and give shelter to many in future!

 Time is infinitely precious. You should not waste even one moment of it. In a man's life, the period as a student is most valuable and sacred. You should make the best use of it. Milk mixed with water cannot get back its original purity, however much you may try to separate it. But once you have converted the milk into butter, it will not be affected by association with water. It will float above the water and maintain its distinctive quality. Likewise, Samsara (worldly attachment) is like water. The mind of man is like milk. When the pure, sacred, uncontaminated mind is mixed with the water of worldly desires, it is difficult to recover the original purity.However, if in this sacred period of study, you derive from your unspoilt mind, the butter of knowledge, wisdom and right conduct, you will be able to remain unpolluted by the attractions of the world even when you are in it.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Together with the knowledge of the natural sciences, one has to acquire humility, discipline and a good character.

 The true form of knowledge is humility. Eschewing pride and self-conceit, pursue the right goal. Students today are acquiring considerable scientific knowledge. It serves only to promote civilised living in the phenomenal world. But what the students need today is the refinement of the heart. This is possible only through an internal process. Students who have imbibed modern culture should not only develop their intellects but should also develop a broad outlook. In these times, students have a two-fold duty: One is to face the challenges of modern civilization, and the other is to protect and preserve the ancient spiritual and cultural heritage of the country. Students should shine as ideal citizens of the nation. A complete education is that which makes a man compassionate. Besides giving appropriate exercises to the body, students should strive to cultivate the heart and keep it pure.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

What are the two things that are essential to lead a meaningful life?

 Apart from the exercise of diligence in food consumed, there should be also Daiva chintana (contemplation of the Divine). Because people don't think of God they are subjected to a lot of misery. Without divine thought, man is harbouring two bad qualities. One - he hides many defects and evil qualities within himself. The other - he magnifies even minor faults in others. Because of such evil qualities among human beings, diseases are also on the increase. Only when human effort is there, with God's grace, good results will be attained. The Sanskrit saying declares "Dharmartha Kama Mokshanam Arogyam Mulam Utthamam" (For the attainment of the four goals of life, good health is essential). Even though one may have all the wealth in the world, if his health is impaired, he is miserable. Whether a villager or an urban dweller, good health is the most important acquisition one should aspire for to lead a meaningful life.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Service will become meaningful when it manifests love that issues from sacrifice.

Sai devotees should understand the essence of our culture. Sacrifice and service are the two basic elements. There are two ways of God-realisation. One is the path of devotion where the devotee considers himself a servant of God. By repeatedly declaring, Dasoham (I am Your servant) he goes on reducing his ego till the bondage of worldly attachment falls off. The other means is Jnana Marga (path of knowledge). By constantly developing a sense of oneness with the Divine - Shivoham (I am the Divine) his consciousness expands to the point where it becomes one with the universal consciousness and all worldly bonds are snapped. If anyone examines one’s position in this vast cosmos, one will realise their infinitesimal smallness. Egoism arises out of ignorance. Expel the ego and develop love. With love, develop the spirit of sacrifice. Sacrifice alone can confer immortality, says Upanishads. Sacrifice can confer bliss and health. Experience the joy of sharing. Renunciation is the key to sound health.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

No doubt the body is necessary for certain purposes. But it should be regarded as an instrument and all actions should be performed as offerings to the Divine.

Prahlada told Hiranyakashipu that God is present everywhere, as scientists talk about the atom. “Do not fall into doubt that He is here but not there. Wherever you look, you will find Him,” he said. Hiranyakashipu said, “Really? Is God present everywhere? Fine, show Him to me.” Prahlada replied, “Father! Steeped in slavery to the senses and in body-consciousness, you want to see God. It is impossible. You struggle hard to earn fame and worldly security but you do not yearn for God. God grants whatever you want. You desire that your power and fame increase. You live under the dominance of ego and attachment. As long as the feelings of ‘I’ and ‘Mine’ prevail, it is impossible for you to grasp the Atma principle.” Even today, men search for God while identifying with the body and reinforcing their feelings of “I” and “Mine”. They will not find God, no matter how long they try. The principle of the non-dual Atma must first be understood. You must offer yourself to God! What does that mean? All actions must be performed with divine feelings.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Discipline should govern every action of yours all through the day.

Control gives power; regulation gives greater strength; discipline reveals Divinity. People pine for happiness. But, can one gain it by allowing a free rein to senses? Can one be happy eating four meals a day, or riding prestigious cars or living in many-roomed bungalows? No. Happiness is in helping others. It is brought about by giving up, not by hoarding. Catering to senses makes man bestial, and will drag him into dirt and disgrace. Yogi is the person who has fixed his mind on the Divine, not on the mundane. Gita exhorts man to transform himself as "Satatam Yoginah - be ever a yogi." But man is Yogi in the morning, turning into bhogi (sensuous man) at noon and a rogi (disease-struck person) when day ends! Man lives today without faith and without ideals. Dharma (righteous living) should be the base and Moksha (liberation), the superstructure; but the world has neglected both and it relies on artha (wealth), and kama (desire) for happiness and liberation!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

What are the sins that we must avoid as we lead our lives in society?

 Prahlada told Hiranyakashipu, “You are committing crimes against society based on the strength of Brahma’s boons. Your ego will ruin you completely. You need humility to attain God. Father! Education without character, worship without sacrifice, wealth without effort, politics without principles — these sins are the basis for all the misery in the world.” What are the sins of society? Education without character is one. Wealth without effort is another. We must make effort! Without effort how can you expect anything in return? Next, worship without sacrifice. Yes, you are all praying. But it is prayer without sacrifice. Sacrifice alone grants bliss in worship. Politics without principles and science without human values are on the increase. If science had principles, how would bombs and other means of unrest come about? Human values have declined in science.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Give up the company of the worldly minded, the association with those infected by demonic qualities. Seek always the company of the wise and the good.

The distinction between a human and a demon arises only from qualities. Demons do not have any peculiar physical traits as portrayed in cinemas and books. They are humans also. It is only by qualities that a human becomes a demon. In the Bhagavatam there is a nice example. Krishna was God Himself. His parents, Devaki and Vasudeva, were true humans. And Devaki’s brother, Kamsa, was a demon. Thus, all three categories — divine, human and demon — can exist even within the same family! Kamsa was a demon because of his anger and cruelty. Devaki and Vasudeva were humans for their kindness and compassion. Possessing Divine traits, which are beyond all attributes, Krishna was God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Acceptance of both good and bad with equal-mindedness is a supreme virtue that will lead you to the realisation of Brahman.

Good and bad - everything is God’s will. We should not differentiate between the two. People believe that good events are God’s will and unfortunate ones are not. In this world no one eats only sweet food or only bitter food. Everyone eats both sweet and bitter food. In other words, everyone experiences both good and bad. If we inquire, bitter experiences are necessary! Only then can we appreciate the value of peace, contentment and bliss. Difficulties and joy go together. No one can separate them. Happiness doesn’t exist alone anywhere. Happiness results when difficulties are transcended. A baby gradually becomes a grandparent. But the two are not different. Similarly, the good in us can turn bad and the bad can become good. We should experience the unity of both. That which makes us understand this unity is our Divinity. When we distance ourselves from Divinity, we deteriorate to demonic and animal states.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Sai’s Love and Grace is more soothing and comforting than the sight of a beautiful flower or the sweet smile of an innocent child. -

The purpose for which I have come is not to fulfil small desires or attend to the small incidents. There are great truths which I have to establish. There is a considerable change in human outlook which I have to bring about. No one can stop Me or deter Me from fulfilling the tasks for which I have come, namely the establishment of the one Eternal Truth. You have a part to play in the fulfilment of the Sai mission which is ahead of us. Establishment of dharma is the task to which we have to attend to immediately and I hope that you will all play your part, however small it may be, in fulfilling the Sai work. Since everything depends on truth, such truth is not something which has to yield to anyone. Untruth has to subordinate itself to almost everyone with whom it comes into contact. Truth will never be subservient to anyone. This form is the form of Sathya Sai who is the Embodiment of Truth.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

What is the state of society we are witnessing around us in the present times and how can we make amends?

 Educated persons do not seem to have any regard for moral values. They have no gratitude for those who helped them in times of need. They have no consideration for their kith and kin and do not hesitate to inflict harm on them. Students who have gone through many years of higher education are reported to have behaved in an unworthy manner. Educated young men and women do not behave like cultured human beings after a few months of married life. Many lead miserable lives. What is the value of an education which does not enable a man to do his duty to his wife and children? The first requisite is the elimination of the bad qualities prevailing among educated persons. They must return to the path of morality and right conduct. Many educated persons neither have fear of sin nor love of God. Everyone should, therefore, embark upon getting rid of their own bad traits and implanting divine qualities. Man should realise the Divine within. For this, the path of pure love is the best way!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

We can understand the workings of the universe by understanding the power and potency of the mind.

 If aspirants are unsuccessful in following one discipline, they must seek and know the cause of their defeat. This analysis is necessary. They must then see that, in the second stage, the trait is not repeated. They should try their best to guard themselves against it. In such matters, one must be quick and active, like the squirrel. Agility and vigilance must be combined with sharpness of intelligence too. All this can be earned only through peace. Steady and undeviating earnestness is very important for avoiding and overcoming conflicts in the mind. One must be calm and unruffled. Courage, wise counsel, and steadiness —these make the willpower (iccha-shakti) strong and sturdy. Lustre in the face, splendour in the eye, a determined look, a noble voice, large-hearted charity of feeling, unwavering goodness — these are the signposts of a developing and progressing will-force. A mind without agitations, a joyous and unblemished outlook — these are the marks of a person in whom peace has taken root!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Why do we fail to realise the Divinity within us and in people around us?

What is the reason for this incapacity to realise the Divinity within? It’s because we don’t realise the soiled cover in which it’s wrapped. If our clothes get dirty, we change them because we are ashamed to appear in dirty garments. If our house is dirty, we try to clean it so that visitors may not get a bad impression. But when our minds and our hearts are polluted, we do not feel ashamed! Is it not strange that we should be so concerned about the cleanliness of our clothes and our homes, but are not concerned about the purity of our hearts and minds which affect our entire life? To purify our hearts and minds, the first thing we must do is to lead a righteous life. Our actions must be based on morality. Indulging in abuse of others or inflicting pain on them is not a sign of human nature. The evil that we do to others ultimately recoils on us!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Why should we have faith in the Lord’s Name and hold on to it sincerely?

Believe that the Name is the boat which will take you over the sea of worldly life. The Name is more efficacious than the contemplation of the Form. Draupadi did not send a chariot to bring Krishna to her rescue; she uttered the Name in her agony and Krishna responded, and saved her from imminent dishonour. In Treta yuga, when Ramayana was happening, Nala and his monkeys were building a bridge over the sea to Lanka; the boulders on which they inscribed the sacred name Rama, floated on the waters, but, they found that the boulders floated away due to wind and wave. They did not form a continuous bridge for the army to pass over. Some ingenious person gave a suggestion to write ‘RA’ on one boulder and ‘MA’ on another and they found that the two stuck hard together. The name will serve as a float for you too; it will keep you attached to God and bring on you His Grace!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

What is the quality that keeps us rooted in the reality of the present?

Contentment, humility, detachment - these keep you on the path of Truth. A street-hawker had on his head a basket full of empty bottles, as he walked along to the bazaar. He hoped to sell the lot at a profit of ten rupees and, in ten days, he calculated his earnings would have accumulated to a hundred rupees. With that as capital, he planned to switch on to more profitable deals, so that he imagined he could make a pile of a lakh of rupees in a few months and build a bungalow with a lovely garden tended by a regiment of servants, beaming all round the house. There, he saw himself on a sofa in the greenery playing with his grandchildren. As he was engrossed in that charming scene, suddenly he saw among his grandchildren, the children of one of the servants; he got angry at this unwanted intrusion. Believing his fantasy to be a reality, he suddenly grabbed the child and gave it a swift hefty push, only to find that the basket of bottles had fallen on the road and all hopes of even the ten rupees lost! That was the end of a dream built on the slender basis of greed.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Peace is essential for sharpness of intellect. Haste and worry confuse the intelligence.

One must always have calm thoughts. Only then can one’s mind have equanimity. It is just a question of the discipline of the mind — difficult in the beginning, but once mastered, capable of conquering all troubles and worries! An unruffled mind is very necessary for every aspirant who is marching forward; it is a very beneficial quality. Such a mind gives real strength and happiness. Strive to gain it. Even if calamity befalls, you should not lose heart. The mind must ever be pure, untarnished, and calm, full of courage. No weeping for the past, no faltering in performance of task at hand - that’s the mark of an aspirant. Elation at profit, joy, and cheer; dejection at loss and misery — these are natural characteristics common to all mortals. What, then, is the excellence of aspirants? They should not forget the principle: Be vigilant and suffer the inevitable gladly. When difficulties and losses overwhelm you, do not lose heart and precipitate some action, but meditate calmly on how they came to be. Try to discover some simple means of overcoming or avoiding them, in an atmosphere of peace.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

You should consider self-confidence as the most important asset in life. Without self-confidence you can never attain bliss.

Where the six qualities of zeal, determination, courage, intelligence, ability and heroism are present, there Divine help is manifest. Embodiments of love! In any field, at any time, for any man who is endowed with all these six precious qualities, success is assured. These qualities contribute to the all-round prosperity of a man. All success comes to one with these six qualities. However, these qualities confront various difficulties from time to time. Just as a student has to face various tests, these qualities are also subject to trials. Such trials should be regarded as stepping stones to one's high achievements. These trials are in the form of losses, troubles, pains, sufferings and calumny. One has to overcome these troubles with courage and self-confidence and go ahead. Students in particular have to develop self-confidence. Without self-confidence the six qualities cannot be acquired. In fact, self-confidence should be the life-breath of every person.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

What is the most important virtue students, and indeed all of us need to cultivate?

Vishwamitra, relying on his intelligence, physical strength and the power of his weapons, sought to wage a war with Vasishta, who relied upon the power of the Divine. Ultimately he realised the truth that his powers were of no avail against the power of the spiritual, and giving up his kingdom undertook a severe penance. Physical prowess is no power at all. It is really a sign of weakness. All physical powers are indeed powerless. All worldly wealth is impermanent. Man today pursues these fleeting pleasures, forgetting his inherent Divinity. Students should cultivate self-confidence and manifest their Divinity in their speech, their songs, their sports and all actions. However, occasionally the weakness in them may come out. For instance, when they succumb to troubles, are overcome by grief and are unable to face losses, they show their inner weakness. Students should confront such situations with fortitude. Be fearless. When you face difficulties with courage, you are bound to succeed. Hence, have confidence in yourself and achieve success in all areas of life. 

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

A true devotee leads a sacred life which is sanctified when he faces obstacles and problems with full faith in the Divine

 You must know how to pass every day in the best possible way without wasting precious time. You must also know that everything happens according to the Divine Will. The Divine cannot be expected to act according to your thoughts or desires. God is fully aware of the needs of the family, country, and the world at large, and confers the requisite benefits at the appropriate time. Let us take an example of how one gift of nature proves beneficial to some people, while it is not so for some others. Suppose a marriage function is being celebrated in one house, and the family prays for the rain to stop to facilitate them. At the same time, a neighbour who has cultivable land, which is dry, prays for the rain to continue to pour in torrents to facilitate his cultivation of the land. God is impartial and will not submit to a particular individual's needs. He weighs the needs of all and maintains a balance.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba