News letter

Thought for the Day

2012-02-13T08:43:00.000-08:00

1.The One God is the inner motivator (Sarvaantharyaami) of all beings. If He is within all, why is He not visible to all, you may ask. Let me give you an example. Picture a rosary of different types of beads: coral, pearl, tulasi, rudraaksha, crystal, conch, etc. The string passes through each rosary and holds all the beads together but it is visible only in the transparent beads. So too, you have to make yourself transparent, free from wish and will, that hide and befogs the Lord Within. Then you can see the Inner Motivator. To earn this transparency, purity of intention, impulse and instinct is essential. You can achieve it by systematic and sincere spiritual discipline. A ladder has to be as tall as the height you want to reach. So too, your spiritual practices (sadhana) has to be pursued till you experience Him.

2.A crocodile's strength depends on it being in water; the strength of Dharma (Right Conduct) depends on it being practised. Dharma will be weak when it is taken out of practice and thrown on the sands of words. Sathya is a matter of speech and it gets strength when it is consistently practised. The term ‘Strength’ here has two meanings: Animal (Asuric) strength and Dharmic strength. In the epic Mahabharatha, Bhima (the second of the five Pandava brothers) had physical strength, but as his elder brother Dharmaja was by his side, Bhima's strength became Dharmic. The Pandavas were saved by their adherence to Dharma! But for their right conduct, they would have suffered defeat right in the very beginning. And why did the Kauravas (the hundred brothers whom the Pandavas fought aga inst) lose in spite of their undoubted strength? They lacked Dharmic strength. All that they could rely on was sheer animal strength.

3.Persist in your Sadhana (spiritual discipline) till you reach the goal. Once the walls are completely built, the scaffolding is removed; so too, when the vision of Reality is attained, the various forms of Sadhana (like meditation, contemplation, worship, devotional singing, etc.) adopted by you can be dispensed with. Congenial company is most necessary for you to persist in your Sadhana. You will be shaped by the company you keep; you will be fouled by the foul thoughts of the people among whom you move. So be ever vigilant of the company you keep; the pure water that falls as rain from the sky is changed into a hundred tastes and colours by the soil on which it falls. Be alert! You must also look out for every chance to dwell on noble thoughts, do elevating tasks and curb the downward pull of the ego.

4.From the reign of adharma (unrighteousness), the world has to enter the era of Dharma (righteousness). Special effort is called for when you cultivate a crop; no effort is necessary when weeds and wild grass are allowed to grow. The valuable crop of Sahajadharma (innate righteousness) has to be cultivated with all care and attention. When Dharma is practised, adharma will decline by itself. No special exertion is needed for its removal. Dharma, since it is associated with truth, is indestructible. To make the Dharma that has become hidden, visible once again, its practice must be intensified. That is Dharmasthaapana (establishing righteousness). Using Arjuna as an instrument, Lord Krishna brought to light the codes of conduct and modes of thought which were laid down from the ver y beginning and revived their practice. This is not work that can be carried out by ordinary men. So the universal Lord Himself assumed the task and instructed the world through Arjuna.

5.Victory at the election ensures power only for a specific period. When that period ends, the politician has to contest once again and seek votes. So too, good acts done with attachment will ensure a place in Heaven, but when the deposit is spent out, one will have to return to Earth. A person visiting a city with some cash in hand is the master of all the bazaars, cinema halls, hotels and taxis, but only to the extent the money lasts. When the purse is rendered empty, one has to escape back into his village or city of origin, perhaps as a ticketless traveller, harassed by policemen at every halt! No, heaven is no solution for the hunger of the soul! The river must reach the sea, not the desert sands; the waters have to merge with water. That is the consummation named Kaivalya or Saayujya. Keep that goal of merging with the One Lord, ever in your focus and have your wavering mind continuously in leash.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought forl the Day

2012-02-09T21:01:00.000-08:00

1.If you have an eye on the fruits of your actions, you are liable to be affected by worry, anxiety and restlessness. You may ask: “If the fruits have to be given up, how can one manage to live?” Let Me ask you - Why this weakness of heart, this nervousness? He who has assured, 'Yogakshemam vahamyaham' (I will take care of all your needs - worldly and spiritual) will certainly look after that. He will give the wherewithal and the means. The seeker (Karmayogi) who has learnt the secret of action (Karma) combined with sacrifice (Phala thyaga) should have Sama buddhi (equanimity), more than Sanga buddhi (mind attached to the world). Sanga buddhi leads one to think: “This action is mine; its results are due to my endeavours. I am the person entitled to it". Such thoughts bind the doer. Krishna in the Geeta declares, “Samathwam yogamuchyathe” (The end result of all spiritual practices is the attainment of equanimity). One should rise above this Sanga buddhi and try to attain Samathwam.

2.You must first conquer desire. For this, neither waging a war nor the use of pleasing words to persuade desire to disappear is necessary. It will not vanish for fear of one or for favour of the other. Desires are objective; they belong to the category of the ‘seen’. With the conviction "I am the see-er, not the seen", you must release yourself from attachment and conquer desire. You must watch the working of the mind, from outside it; you should not get involved in it. That is the meaning of this discipline. The faculty of the mind is like a strong current of electricity. It has to be watched from a distance and not contacted or touched. Touch it and you are reduced to ashes. So too, contact and attachment give the mind a chance to ruin you. The farther you are from it, the better. By skillful methods, you have to make the best use o f it for your own welfare.

3.The Divine is not separate from you. You are the Divine. This conviction must grow in you. In the beginning you regard yourself as a mere human being. Then gradually you realize your potential divinity. Finally you realize your own inner Divinity. Embark on this journey to attain union with the Divine from now. Time waits for no one. Concentrate all your efforts to realize God. The primary requisite is the elimination of the ego; without this, the bliss of Divinity cannot be experienced. Ostentatious worship, wealth, power and position will not help you in the spiritual quest. They cannot confer peace or remove the fear that haunts man all the time. Only the man of faith is completely free from fear. Hence develop faith in God and lead a God-directed life. The one who is conscious of one’s faults is blessed. Equally blessed are those wh o see the good in others.

4.Jesus sacrificed his life for the regeneration and welfare of mankind. He also proclaimed the truth: One Spirit resides in all beings. He said, “All lives are one, my dear son. Be alike to everyone." You must regard the body as the temple of the Spirit; bear in mind that Divinity is ever within you. Human body is a vesture for the Spirit. Only when you realise this truth can you begin to experience the Divine. Remember, wherever you may go, the Eternal Spirit remains with you. People may be different in form and name, in colour and nationality, and from varied historical circumstances. But God has no such differences. Hence you should not cavil at any religion or attack it or deride it. You may profess whatever faith you like. But you should not disparage another's beliefs. It is a travesty of devotion. We must always respect the div ine that is in every being.

4.Be thankful to the Lord that He gave you Time, as well as action to fill it with. He gave you food, as well as hunger to relish it. But that does not entitle you to engage in action indiscriminately. When you build a house, you install a door in front. What is its purpose? To admit all whom you welcome and to keep out all and sundry, and not let them in as and when they like. So too, select the impulses, the motives, the incentives that enter your mind; keep out the demeaning, the debasing, and the deleterious. Admit the highest wisdom of the scriptures, the wisdom culled out of the crucible of experience (anubhava jnaanam). You have meditated too long on riches, status, salary, children, relatives, fame and the standard of living. They are all of momentary value. Fix your focus and urge on God, the Eternal, the Real, the Pure and the Immovable.

5.Everyone seeks and strives to be at peace with himself and with the community around. People have tried to get this peace by accumulating wealth, which gives power over others and the ability to command conveniences and comforts. Some have sought positions of authority and influence, so they can shape events suited to one’s aims and fancies. Unfortunately, these paths are beset with fear, and the peace that is secured thereby is liable to quick and sometimes violent extinction. Real Peace (Shaanthi) can be achieved only through Love! It is the fruit of the tree of life. This fruit with the sweet essence is encased in a bitter skin. The bitter skin is symbolic of the six evil passions that encase the loving heart of man: lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and hate. Those who remove the exterior through hard and consistent disci pline attain the sweetness inside - the much desired peace; this peace is everlasting, unchanging and overwhelming.

6.When studying in the primary classes many children conduct themselves with humility, discipline and goodness. However when they reach the Secondary School, they lose some of these qualities. When they go to college, almost everything is gone! Why? It is the teachers who account for their discipline and good behaviour in the Primary School. In the higher classes and in colleges, is anything done through precept and practice to promote character and spirituality among the students? Today, education is sought for getting a job; this is not proper. Education is for developing right understanding. Students should imbibe culture along with academic knowledge. Spirituality and morality should be promoted among the students. Of all the professions in the world, that of the teacher is the most estimable. The teacher has to impart to the students what is good and ennobling. This should be developed in all educational institutions.

7.The whole world is intimately associated with the Sun God. He is the visible manifestation of the Lord. In India, Sun God (Surya) is considered highly sacred and granted the unique status of a great Guru. Sun is also the source of time. The Sun limits and regulates the number of years each one lives. He performs His duty without thought of reward, and is humble and steady. Imagine the patience with which the Sun puts up with all that extreme heat, and gives sufficient warmth to the human body, every single day. Human beings are so full of activity and intelligence on account of the solar energy that is imbibed. If the Sun is idle even for a moment, the whole world will go cold and dark. The actions of the great is the ideal that the rest have to keep in view. This also shows that all in the world are bound by the obligation of karma (activity) .

8.Right Conduct (Dharma) is the quality which makes a human out of an animal. This Sahajadharma (natural conduct) of human beings has been overpowered in course of time; those who supported and encouraged it, and derived joy from it have declined in numbers. This is akin to the weed overpowering the crop. So the 'establishment of Dharma' is a matter of weeding of the field! In this iron age (Kaliyuga), Dharma has been reduced to mere words. Dharma is not manipulation of words. "Sathyam Vada, Dharmam Chara" (Speak Truth and Practice Righteousness) - has been the clarion call of the Upanishads, the repositories of Indian culture. However in the present times, "Dharmam vada," (Speak about Right Conduct) has become the order of the day! That is the first step in th e decline of Dharma! Know that that which is not practised cannot possess strength. Understand this truth and practise Dharma in your lives.

Bagavan sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2012-02-09T01:40:00.000-08:00

1.What exists is only the perceiver of both the dream and the waking state - the "I”. Know that “I”; and know that “I” is the same as ”He” (God). You can know this only by intense spiritual discipline, that is not marred by anger, envy and greed - the vices that sprout from ego. You have to carefully watch and control these vices. When you get angry, you act as if you are possessed by an evil spirit; your face becomes ugly and frightful. Like the red bulb winking when danger is approaching, your eyes and face become red and act as a warning to you. Heed that signal and quietly get away to a lonely spot. Do not give free vent to wicked words. Once you grow in wisdom, ego will naturally fall away. So develop wisdom and discriminate by knowing the ephemeral nature of all objective things. Then ego will die a natural death from the field of your heart and you will attain salvation.

2.Generally, people seek only happiness and joy; under no circumstance do they desire misery and grief! They treat happiness and joy as their closest well-wishers, and misery and grief as their sworn enemies. This is a great mistake. When you are happy, the risk of grief is great; fear of losing the happiness will haunt you. Misery prompts inquiry, discrimination, self-examination and fear of worse things that might happen. It awakens you from sloth and conceit. Face the dualities of life with thithiksha (fortitude). But be aware, thithiksha is different from patience (Sahana). Patience is putting up with something; tolerating or bearing with it because you have no other choice. Fortitude is having the capacity to overcome it, but yet, disregarding it - that is the spiritual discipline. Putting up with the external world of duality with inner equanimity and peace is the path that will lead you to liberation. Bear all, with analytical discrimination - this type of patience will yield good results.

3.Dwell always on lofty thoughts. When air fills a football, it takes the form of a ball. When it enters a balloon, it takes the shape of the balloon, oval or spherical. So too, the mind takes the form of the objects with which it is attached. If it gets fixed on small things, it becomes small. If it is focussed on noble and grand ideas, it becomes noble and grand. The camera takes a picture of whatever it is pointed at, so is the case with the mind. Discriminate before you develop attachment. If your attachment is towards spouse and children, lands and buildings, bank accounts and balances, you will experience grief when they decline. Develop sincere and steady attachment towards the Divine and you will grow in love and splendour. Devotion is not a matter of beads and beards, nor is worship signified by flowers, camphor or bell-ringing. You are judged by your spiritual discipline, thoughts and sense-control.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Right conduct is the quality which makes a human out of an animal.

2012-01-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

Right Conduct (Dharma) is the quality which makes a human out of an animal. This Sahajadharma (natural conduct) of human beings has been overpowered in course of time; those who supported and encouraged it, and derived joy from it have declined in numbers. This is akin to the weed overpowering the crop. So the 'establishment of Dharma' is a matter of weeding of the field! In this iron age (Kaliyuga),Dharma has been reduced to mere words. Dharma is not manipulation of words. "Sathyam Vada, Dharmam Chara" (Speak Truth and Practice Righteousness) - has been the clarion call of the Upanishads, the repositories of Indian culture. However in the present times, "Dharmam vada," (Speak about Right Conduct) has become the order of the day! That is the first step in th e decline of Dharma! Know that that which is not practised cannot possess strength. Understand this truth and practise Dharma in your lives.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2012-01-20T03:59:00.000-08:00

1.All the fear, anxiety, cruelty and injustice that is injuring the world today is caused by the wrong type of material education. Even those who promise to cure the disease of the body, treat it as if its different parts are fit subjects for a separate study and treatment. All nature is the body of God and must be looked upon as One. Spiritual education draws attention to the unity behind all the apparent multiplicity. To celebrate an occasion or a festival, you may have dusted and cleaned your houses and their surroundings, painted and whitewashed the walls, drawn auspicious designs on the floor or put floral wreaths over your doors - all this is simply outer decoration. To be truly happy, you must decide to remove the evils of egoism, greed, hatred and jealousy within you. Then you will truly become aware of the light within you, and the Atma (Su preme Soul) will dawn on you in all its glory.

2.Take the five elements, the components of this Prapancha (Universe). Of these, water has movement and coldness as its Dharma; combustion and light are the Dharma of fire. Each of the five elements have their unique Dharma. Humanity for man and animality for animals - these guard them from decline. How can fire be fire, if it has no power of combustion and light? It must manifest the Dharma to be itself. When it loses that, it becomes as lifeless as a piece of charcoal. Similarly man too has some natural characteristics that are his very life-breath; one can be identified as 'human' only when these abilities are present. To preserve and foster such qualities and abilities, certain modes of behaviour and lines of thought are laid down. This is called Dharma. These qualities are not imported from somewhere o utside, nor can it be removed. It is your own genuine nature, your uniqueness.

3.You should cultivate an attitude of inseparable attachment to the Lord, Who is your very Self. If He be a flower, consider yourself a bee that savours 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, with subtle intelligence, then the journey will be quick and the goal can be achieved. There is a difference between subtle and gross intelligence. Sthula buddhi (external knowledge or gross intelligence) keeps you walking, but the subtle intelligence will make you fly to your destination. The gross is too much tied to body consciousness where as the subtle transcends the body and will lighten your burden.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Every country is a part of the body of the Lord

2012-01-16T23:59:00.000-08:00

God created this Universe on His own initiative and ordained various codes for its upkeep and smooth running. There were rules of correct conduct for every individual and groups of people. These form the tenets of Dharma (Righteous Conduct). The word Dharma is derived from the root, Dhr, meaning 'wear'.Dharma means that which is worn or practiced. It is the holy apparel (Pithambara) of the Lord. Dharma guards both honour and dignity; protects and gives beauty and joy, lending charm to life. As clothes maintain the dignity of the person who wears them, Dharma protects the dignity of every country and its people. Every single country in the world, has its own specialDharma or unique duty. Every country (desha) is a part of the body (deha) of the Lord, and is protected by the Dharma that is practised.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2012-01-15T23:49:00.000-08:00

Human birth is granted to a living being as the crown of one’s achievement during many lives. Know that this life is very unsteady; death is always stalking and nobody knows when it will snatch one away. Do not delay in choosing the right goal of life and deciding on the best means of achieving it. Turn away from the outer world and its attractions, to the inner realm of consciousness. This inward journey will be rewarded well with the precious treasure of ecstasy. The sea scatters on the shore only shells and foam. But if one dares to dive into the depths they will be rewarded with coral and pearls. This should be your real mission. If you miss this, you live and die as an animal that has no knowledge of its inner springs of joy. If you discover the inner spring of joy, you will be Aatmaa Raama - happy, content, peaceful and loving.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2012-01-15T07:58:00.000-08:00

Consider the service the Sun (Surya) does to this world! This is within the daily experience of all. The Sun is the source of all life forms on this planet. Without His rays, the earth will be a desolate waste. He draws up into the sky the waters of seas and lakes, and from the clouds showers rain on the crops. He is the Dharmadevatha (God of righteousness), scattering His rays equally on all. The service He does and the happiness He contributes is something no one else can. Despite doing this for millions of years, without any pride, He moves about unattached to the consequences of His energising mission of service. The Sun is thus teaching us that when one is oneself, there will be no exhaustion or elation, disgust or pride. That is, the task of Surya is not something imposed from outside and taken up under compulsion. That is why it is performed systematically, and smoothly.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Your nature is Joy

2012-01-15T07:56:00.000-08:00

1.The more riches you accumulate the more bound you become and get into more worry, anxiety and fear. There can be no peace of mind for a person burdened by riches. People ignorantly seek this restlessness (ashaanthi) as they do not know where to acquire true peace (Shanthi). An educated person must have the virtue of Shanthi as the first qualification. This implies, not being affected by praise or blame, failure or success. It is the ego that makes one feel glad or sad. Therefore control the ego by extending love to every living being. Ego is lovelessness. A person afflicted with ego cannot rejoice when others are happy, and feel pained when others are miserable. Only a selfless and egoless person can share the happiness of others and take positive steps to alleviate others’ misery. God will ever be on the side of selfless persons and there is nothing that they cannot achieve.

2.Think about this: when you are well, no one inquires about your health. But if you are struck with illness or sorrow, you are bombarded with anxious queries. Why this anxiety? Because man’s fundamental nature is to be happy and healthy. Your nature is joy. So when you are happy and healthy, no one is surprised or worried. Grief and sorrow are unnatural, and are the result of a delusion that has overwhelmed one’s nature. If you do a task as an assumed duty, you will find it difficult to put up with the troubles and travails that may come along with it. The task will also induce conceit, or the feeling 'I am the doer’, resulting in exhaustion or elation, disgust or pride. On the other hand when karma (action) is performed as your nature you can have fortitude.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2012-01-11T16:34:00.000-08:00

1.The whole world is intimately associated with the Sun God. He is the visible manifestation of the Lord. In India, Sun God (Surya) is considered highly sacred and granted the unique status of a great Guru. Sun is also the source of time. The Sun limits and regulates the number of years each one lives. He performs His duty without thought of reward, and is humble and steady. Imagine the patience with which the Sun puts up with all that extreme heat, and gives sufficient warmth to the human body, every single day. Human beings are so full of activity and intelligence on account of the solar energy that is imbibed. If the Sun is idle even for a moment, the whole world will go cold and dark. The actions of the great is the ideal that the rest have to keep in view. This also shows that all in the world are bound by the obligation of karma (activity) .

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2012-01-11T07:48:00.000-08:00

1.The impressions of the senses, mind, and intelligence have nothing to do with the Atma (Divine Self), which you really are. The Atma is unaffected by any subject or object or pleasures. To know the Atma as such an entity, unaffected and unattached, is the secret of Jnana (Wisdom). This awareness will guide you in both the outward (Pravritti marga) and inward (Nivritti marga) paths. This knowledge will not block action but will fill it with purpose and meaning. It will build up faith, inspire a moral life and take man to the realm of deliverance along the road of Nishkama Karma, action that is not prompted by desires. For the achievement of liberation, Jnana is the direct road. Therefore, it is incomparably sacred. And naturally, it follows that ignorance is undoubtedly the most despicabl e. "See the Universal in the particular; see the particular in the Universal; that is the essence of Jnana," declared Krishna in the Geeta.

2.Although the food and habits may be different among nations, the spirit of harmony and unity displayed in sports is a gratifying example to all. It is a distinctive quality of sports that differences are forgotten and persons engage themselves in games in a divine spirit of friendliness and camaraderie. Sports help the players not only to improve their health but also to experience joy. However, one should not be content with realising these benefits alone. Mankind has another body besides the physical. It is the subtle body, otherwise known as the mind. It is equally essential to promote purity of the mind and develop large heartedness. True humanness blossoms only when the body, the mind and the spirit are developed harmoniously. The enthusiasm and effort which you display in sports should also be manifested in the spheres of morality and spirituality.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Students should imbibe culture along with academic knowledge

2012-01-09T15:46:00.000-08:00

1.When studying in the primary classes many children conduct themselves with humility, discipline and goodness. However when they reach the Secondary School, they lose some of these qualities. When they go to college, almost everything is gone! Why? It is the teachers who account for their discipline and good behaviour in the Primary School. In the higher classes and in colleges, is anything done through precept and practice to promote character and spirituality among the students? Today, education is sought for getting a job; this is not proper. Education is for developing right understanding. Students should imbibe culture along with academic knowledge. Spirituality and morality should be promoted among the students. Of all the professions in the world, that of the teacher is the most estimable. The teacher has to impart to the students what is good and ennobling. This should be developed in all educational institutions.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Every one has to do action

2012-01-08T01:40:00.000-08:00

Everyone has to do action (Karma); if not the world itself will come to a nought. Everyone in the world is bound by the obligation of Karma. Wisdom (Jnana) is the final goal and gain of all Karma; wisdom is the treasure won by one's efforts to purify the mind and to earn the grace of God. What is this wisdom? Through wisdom, you experience that God is present in everyone and everywhere. All are in you, you are in all. You must get this conviction fixed in your consciousness, by means of analysis, discrimination and intellectual exploration. Isolate and dismiss from your consciousness the impressions of the senses, the mind, the intelligence, etc. You must carry out every single act of yours with this wisdom (Jnana) as its background and conviction.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2012-01-06T23:41:00.000-08:00

1.Pranayama is the practice (sadhana) by which you hold your breath (prana). Its significance may be understood when we recognise that there are five different vital airs namely, prana, apana, vyana, udana and samana. The process by which these vital airs are controlled is called Pranayama and this gives inner vision. In Pranayama the three different kinds of stages are Rechaka (exhaling), Puraka (inhaling) and Kumbhaka (holding breath). Through Rechaka and Puraka one is able to get control over the various vital airs and take them in. Holding the airs (breath) during the process is kumbhaka. Along with this, Prathyahara, should be observed to attain bliss. The organs and the mind always wish to look at an d concern themselves with the external objects. The mind develops sensuous desires by looking at them. As a result of these desires, the mind becomes impure. Prathyahara consists in turning the mind inwards and away from the external objects.

2.Does the airplane stay on above, denouncing the earth below? Those who have earned the right to travel in it cannot fly towards it! Therefore, to take them in, it has to come down at the places where they gather by previous arrangement, and then soar into the sky with them. So too, the spiritually evolved (Jnanis) who have no desire or urge to do Karma, come down and help those who would not make progress otherwise. The right way to perform action is to identify every aspect of the universe with the Universal Being and dedicate all acts unto Him. Always remember that one who is bound by the Deha-atma buddhi (the false idea that he is just this body and nothing more) can never win the game of life; one must acquire the Brahma-Atma-Buddhi (the awareness that he is Divine) to be sure of victory.

3.What greater misfortune can there be than to cavil at others' faults and to be blind to one's own; to jeer at others' looks, not noticing one's own ugliness? To have such qualities from birth - can there be a greater sin than this? Is this culture? Embodiments of love! The observance of morality in daily life, the divinisation of all actions and thoughts, and adherence to ideals - all these together constitute culture. Students today do not make the requisite efforts to understand the sacredness and value of this culture. Samskrit, Samskriti, Samskara are all terms which have been derived from the roots, Sam and Krit. Bharatiya Samskriti (Indian culture) is a composite of purity, divinity, sublimity and beauty; not of narrow-minded ideas and ideals. "Lokaa samasthaas-sukhino bhavanthu!" (May all beings everywhere be happy) is the benedictory motto of our sacred culture.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The relationship between the worker and the employer should be like that between the heart and the body.

2012-01-06T16:31:00.000-08:00

1.The relationship between the worker and the employer should be like that between the heart and the body. Both are bound intimately with each other; they depend on each other for their very existence. Love and affection have to govern the relationship between the two, not hatred or envy. Work in the spirit of love; it will lead you to worship. That is to say, work without any regard to the proportion of benefit you derive from it. Work, since it is your duty; work since you love to work, since that is the way you can offer God the gratitude for the skills endowed upon you. This kind of work leads you to wisdom, which is the recognition of the Divine in every being. May the New Year grant you mental peace and may your life's ideal of self-realisation be fulfilled. May all comforts and contentment be added unto you. This is My blessing.

2.You may wonder why liberated ones (Jnanis) should still do Karma (action). Well, people usually follow the ideal set by those in higher levels. Their acts form the basis of Right Conduct (Dharma). If Jnanis are inactive, how are ordinary mortals to save themselves? They will have no guide and will lose themselves in the easy paths of sensory pleasures. The duty of the wise is to foster the right and practice it before others, so that they too may be prompted to follow, drawn by the hope of becoming as contented and as joyful as the jnanis. The wise have to do and get done, see and show, so that the rest might be persuaded to follow the example set by them. The sun and the moon carry on their routine tasks; wind and fire have to perform their duties without demur. Hence, each one should perform one’s task w ithout fail and with care.

3.Many children are wayward and vile today, since they have no other examples to follow. Unfortunately, parents, teachers and leaders are inflaming the passions of young minds and encouraging them onto inappropriate actions. Along with Bala Vikas, elders too must experience Vikas (flowering or development), and lead exemplary lives of simplicity, sincerity, and steady spiritual discipline. Children do not say one thing and do the opposite. They are very straight forward and innocent. Everyone should imbibe this nature from them, for elders have strayed far from that ideal. Instead of saying a hundred things, it is better to do one thing properly. Sanctify your life by doing selfless work. For the person who talks a lot, there is no time for work. Instead of wasting time in your words, use your time in service to mankind which is service to God, all the while repeating the name of the Lord.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

All the diverse communites across nations should be united

2012-01-03T15:55:00.000-08:00

All the diverse communities across nations should be united. Mankind should become one family. The world will then become a paradise. If differences are allowed to grow, nations will disintegrate. Those promoting differences between people are destroying the love and compassion in human hearts. They are breaking up mankind into fragments. There is no greater sin than this. What the world needs today is the redeeming and unifying force of love---love which continually expands and embraces more and more people. By giving up narrow ideas regarding one's religion, nation or caste, by developing a broad outlook and cultivating the company of the good, you can elevate your life and make it meaningful and satisfying. Imbibe good thoughts and develop a large-hearted attitude towards all, taking to heart and practicing the wise words of elders. Do not waste both life and money. I wish you all happiness.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-12-29T18:29:00.000-08:00

You derive benefit from the world and the community, and so some activity on your part is their due. This world, really speaking, is a huge workshop; every human being is a limb in this organisation. The limb is allotted a task in accordance with its structure, and it must find its fulfillment in doing that work; and it has to be done as an offering to God. There is no single thing in the universe that does not engage itself in this great task. Plant and insect, stone and stump, wind and rain, heat and cold, if each of these does not work as per plan, the world cannot subsist. The sun and the moon carry on their routine tasks; wind and fire have to perform their duties without demur. It is only when each performs their task without fail, and with care, that the wheel will move quickly and smoothly.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-12-29T08:41:00.000-08:00

Everyone seeks and strives to be at peace with himself and with the community around. People have tried to get this peace by accumulating wealth, which gives power over others and the ability to command conveniences and comforts. Some have sought positions of authority and influence, so they can shape events suited to one’s aims and fancies. Unfortunately, these paths are beset with fear, and the peace that is secured thereby is liable to quick and sometimes violent extinction. Real Peace (Shaanthi) can be achieved only through Love! It is the fruit of the tree of life. This fruit with the sweet essence is encased in a bitter skin. The bitter skin is symbolic of the six evil passions that encase the loving heart of man: lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and hate. Those who remove the exterior through hard and consistent discipline attain the sweetness inside - the much desired peace; this peace is everlasting, unchanging and overwhelming.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

If the wheel of creation is to move smooth, each one has to continuously engage in Karma. None can escape this obligation, who ever it is.

2011-12-29T08:36:00.000-08:00

1.When you enter sincerely into the path of spiritual practice, the urge to find faults in others or to publicise one's own excellence will disappear. When you yearn to reach God, you have to observe the guidelines and walk along the stipulated path; every step will bring you nearer. When you need to reach a village, you have to rise and move towards it; it will not rise and come towards you! Similarly, when you need to reach God, rise and move, as He has directed you to! By this means alone, can you make life worthwhile. Jesus taught simple practical lessons in spiritual advancement for the good of mankind; Jesus exhorted people by precept and example to cultivate the virtues of charity, compassion, forbearance, love and faith. If you are a sincere aspirant, celebrate His birthday in a spirit of dedication, deepening the faith in your hearts an d revering His doctrines through more intense practice.

2.So long as the objective world continues to attract the mind, one cannot claim complete success. Hence Krishna in the Geeta says: “You must establish mastery over the senses; then you need have no fear, for they become serpents with fangs removed. Man has three chief instruments: the mind, the intellect, and the senses. It is when these three work in unison and cooperate with one another that either 'immersal in the flux' or 'liberation' happens.” Krishna anticipated that Arjuna will be puzzled to know what will happen "when which operates with which”. So He himself provided the answer. He said: "When the mind cooperates with the senses, you enter into the flux called Samsara (worldly life); when it subordinates itself to the intellect, you attain the knowledge of the Divine. One path leads to worldly desires, the ot her to Divinity. The intellect must resolve; the mind must carry out the resolution so made. That is the correct procedure."

3.Give up all attachment and engage in acts, as if each one is a sacrifice (Yajna) dedicated to the Lord. The Scriptures emanated from God; actions (Karmas) emanated from the Scriptures; from Actions originated worship (Yajna), resulting in rain; from rain grew food; and from food came all living beings. This is the cycle that has to be accepted and honoured. Krishna declares: "Consider this, O Arjuna, I have no need to do any Karma; no, not anywhere in the three worlds. I am under no compulsion. Still I am ever engaged in Karma. Have steady faith in the Atma (Spirit); then dedicate all acts of yours to Me - with no desire for the fruit thereof, no egoism and no sense of possession or pride". If the wheel of Creation is to move smooth, each one has to continuously engage in Karma. None can escape this obligation, whoever it is.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

We must always respect divine that is in every being

2011-12-28T07:40:00.000-08:00

Jesus sacrificed his life for the regeneration and welfare of mankind. He also proclaimed the truth: One Spirit resides in all beings. He said, “All lives are one, my dear son. Be alike to everyone." You must regard the body as the temple of the Spirit; bear in mind that Divinity is ever within you. Human body is a vesture for the Spirit. Only when you realise this truth can you begin to experience the Divine. Remember, wherever you may go, the Eternal Spirit remains with you. People may be different in form and name, in colour and nationality, and from varied historical circumstances. But God has no such differences. Hence you should not cavil at any religion or attack it or deride it. You may profess whatever faith you like. But you should not disparage another's beliefs. It is a travesty of devotion. We must always respect the divine that is in every being.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-12-27T05:59:00.000-08:00

The Divine is not separate from you. You are the Divine. This conviction must grow in you. In the beginning you regard yourself as a mere human being. Then gradually you realize your potential divinity. Finally you realize your own inner Divinity. Embark on this journey to attain union with the Divine from now. Time waits for no one. Concentrate all your efforts to realize God. The primary requisite is the elimination of the ego; without this, the bliss of Divinity cannot be experienced. Ostentatious worship, wealth, power and position will not help you in the spiritual quest. They cannot confer peace or remove the fear that haunts man all the time. Only the man of faith is completely free from fear. Hence develop faith in God and lead a God-directed life. The one who is conscious of one’s faults is blessed. Equally blessed are those who see the good in others.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-12-27T03:39:00.000-08:00

Be thankful to the Lord that He gave you Time, as well as action to fill it with. He gave you food, as well as hunger to relish it. But that does not entitle you to engage in action indiscriminately. When you build a house, you install a door in front. What is its purpose? To admit all whom you welcome and to keep out all and sundry, and not let them in as and when they like. So too, select the impulses, the motives, the incentives that enter your mind; keep out the demeaning, the debasing, and the deleterious. Admit the highest wisdom of the scriptures, the wisdom culled out of the crucible of experience (anubhava jnaanam). You have meditated too long on riches, status, salary, children, relatives, fame and the standard of living. They are all of momentary value. Fix your focus and urge on God, the Eternal, the Real, the Pure and the Immovable.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Avoid the company of those who are evil minded

2011-12-22T07:48:00.000-08:00

1.Embodiments of Love! There is nothing more precious in the world than Time; do not waste even a single minute of it. People today tend to waste their time in selfish pursuits instead of devoting it to selfless service. They are eager to receive help from others, but have no desire to be helpful. There are two types of human beings - the degraded and the sublime. The degraded are those who seek or receive things from others and not only forget to repay the obligation, but even try to harm those who have helped them. The sublime are those whose natural trait is to go to the aid of others. If they give a word they will try to honour it, whatever be the difficulties and obstacles. Through good deeds and sacrifice, foster the feeling of love, get rid of evil traits and lead a worthy life.

2.There are two forms of Love. One binds you to God and the other binds you to the world. The mind is responsible for either of these states. It is like a lock. If you turn the key to the right, the lock opens; If you turn it to the left, it gets locked. The heart is the key to the lock of the mind. If you turn the key towards the world, you have attachment (bondage). You must see that desire and hatred do not get lodged in the mind. Bear no ill-will towards anyone. Avoid the company of those who are evil-minded. Through good company, your bad qualities get diluted, like sewage water that enters the sea. You can thereby raise yourself. Devotion means giving up all other desires and dedicating all actions and thoughts to God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-12-21T08:01:00.000-08:00

You must first conquer desire. For this, neither waging a war nor the use of pleasing words to persuade desire to disappear is necessary. It will not vanish for fear of one or for favour of the other. Desires are objective; they belong to the category of the ‘seen’. With the conviction "I am the see-er, not the seen", you must release yourself from attachment and conquer desire. You must watch the working of the mind, from outside it; you should not get involved in it. That is the meaning of this discipline. The faculty of the mind is like a strong current of electricity. It has to be watched from a distance and not contacted or touched. Touch it and you are reduced to ashes. So too, contact and attachment give the mind a chance to ruin you. The farther you are from it, the better. By skillful methods, you have to make the best use o f it for your own welfare.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathy Sai Baba

Thougt for the Day

2011-12-20T16:23:00.000-08:00

When Arjuna prayed that Krishna must tell him the true characteristics of a Sthithaprajna, the Lord explained that aStithaprajna is free from all desire and is stable in the knowledge and awareness of the Divine (Atma) alone. This state can be attained by two processes: first negative and then positive. The former is to give up all the promptings of desire in the mind and the latter is to implant therein ever-present joy. In the negative process, remove all the seedlings of wrong and evil from the mind; and in the positive process, grow and reap the crop of attachment to God. The pleasures the senses draw from the objective world are weeds; the crop is attachment to God. The mind is a bundle of wishes, and unless these wishes are removed by destroying their roots, there is no hope of vanquishing the mind. When the mind vanishes, th e Stithaprajna is made.

Bagavan Sri SRi Sathya Sai Baba

Dwell always on noble thoughts

2011-12-19T18:52:00.000-08:00

Dwell always on noble thoughts. Develop attachment towards the Universal Lord and you will grow in love and splendour. The Lord is neither benignant nor malignant. He reflects to you, your own spiritual progress as Grace. Cultivate love towards Him. Likes and dislikes are truly the products of habit and training. The senses drag you away from Him, but do not yield; they will lie low soon. Sincere yearning born of steady discrimination alone can help you. The Divine wants the cream of virtue that is kept in the pot of your heart. This cream is the Soul (Atma), which is secured after vigorous churning. Offer to your Beloved Lord the fragrance of your virtues, the courage of your heart and the wisdom of your experience. That is what the Lord really wants. I bless you that you may grow in these from day to day.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the day

2011-12-18T16:25:00.000-08:00

1.Persisting in the spiritual discipline of ignoring the body means turning away from the temptations of the senses, that is, overcoming the six inner enemies – desire, anger, greed, attachment, pride and malice. Anger turns a person into a drunken brute. The other impulses are equally vicious. Seek only salutary action that will win His grace. Eat only Saathvik (simple, pure, vegetarian) food, that does not disturb the equanimity you earn from your spiritual activities. Do not break the even tenor of your spiritual practices. Remind yourself, how the great saint Ramadas never gave up his Naamasmarana (Contemplation of the Lord) in spite of the travails of living in jail. If you immerse yourself in Deha Tathwa, body consciousness, you start declining. But you can be really healthy and happy only when you are immersed in the universal and essential nature of the Self - Aatma Tathwa.

2.Many commentators of the Geeta have interpreted that the giving up of the fruits of one’s actions is advised because one has no right or authority to desire the fruits. This is a great blunder. When one has the right to engage in action, one also has the right over the fruits of that action; no one can deny or refuse this. But the doer can, out of one’s own free will and determination, refuse to be affected by the result, whether favourable or unfavourable. The Lord has said in the Geeta, 'refuse the fruit' (maa phaleshu), which means, the deed does yields results, but the doer should not do it with the results in view. If Krishna's intention was to say that the doer has no right over the fruits of action, He would have said, 'It is fruitless' or 'na phaleshu,' (na, meaning no). To engage oneself in karma, kno wing well that the result will follow, and yet being unattached to it or being unconcerned with it, is the sign of purity.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-12-18T01:37:00.000-08:00

Always have the meaning and purpose of life in view. Experience that purpose and meaning. You and the Absolute Eternal Divine are One. You are not the individual, the temporary and the particular. Always act in conformity with this. Persist in your meditation until the awareness that you are performing meditation or a spiritual practice disappears. Forget the ego, let it melt and merge with all its layers of consciousness. There are some, who while meditating, strike at the mosquitoes that pester them! No, you must immerse yourself in meditation until you transcend all the physical and mental urges and impulses. Valmeeki, the author of Ramayana, was covered by the anthill that grew over him. People discovered his existence by the chants of the name “Rama” that emanated from the mound. Ignore the body (Deha) so that you may discover its Indweller (Dehi). Do not get engrossed in outer finery; instead delve deep and discover the inner splendour.

Bagavan sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the day

2011-12-17T19:36:00.000-08:00

People perform acts prompted by the desire for the fruits thereof; if an act does not yield desired results, they will not do the act thenceforth. Profit, gain, reward, result - man seeks these alone. But this rule does not apply to those who take the Geetha in their hands to drink the nectar of the Lord's message. Not all do yearn for the nectar; and if you do, it is evident that you aspire for eternal joy and liberation. Then you must pay the price of giving up the desire for the fruits of your actions, and dedicate everything at the feet of the Divine. Desist from sin, injustice and vice. Do not insult elders, desert the virtuous, and wound the self-respect of the good. Dedicate yourself to the cause of establishing Santhi and Soukhya (peace and plenty) in the world, and even if you must struggle, realize that justice is bound to win.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-12-17T07:08:00.000-08:00

1.One should engage in activity with a mind steady in fortune and failure, good and bad. Unless the intellect is purified and trained, it is impossible to give up attachment to the fruits of action and continue doing things as duty or dedication. Cultivate this mindset and through it, liberate yourself from the bondage of action (Karma). You might say that you will desist from action rather than practise the difficult discipline of renouncing the fruits thereof; but that is impossible! Karma is inevitable. Not for a single moment can one free oneself from action. Every deed (Karya) or activity has a beginning and an end, but Nishkama Karma (desireless action) has no such. That is the difference between the two. When action (Karma) is done with an eye on the gains therefrom, one has to suffer the loss, the pain, and even the p unishment. But Nishkama Karma frees you from all these.

2.Your worthiness is not measured by the number of temples you have visited, or the quantity and cost of the offerings you have made there. Do not calculate the length of time you have spent with the Lord’s Name and exult; calculate rather the time you have wasted away from the Lord, and repent. How did Mother Sita in the epic Ramayana brave the taunts, insults and tortures of the aggressors in Lanka? What gave her the mental stamina? It was repetition of the Name of the Lord and nothing else. Always remember that desire, anger, greed and hatred can never co-exist with Divinity. A tasty dish will become inedible, if a drop of kerosene falls on it. One bad thought or action is sufficient to spoil the spiritual discipline, built painstakingly over time. Have the Divine Name ever in your thoughts and you can brave any calamity.

3.Desire the fruits of action (Karma) and you will be born again and again, caught up in that desire; give up that craving and you are liberated from the flux. The main point is to stick to the goal consistently. Your goal should be Karma (action), not Karma phala (the fruits of the action). Be aware that the desire for the fruits of one's actions is an indication of Rajoguna (quality of passionate action, resulting in pain). If you choose to remain inactive, it is an indication of Thamoguna (quality of sloth and inaction leading to ignorance)! That is even worse than Rajoguna. This lesson was not for Arjuna alone; this advice is intended for every seeker and the whole of mankind.

4.The field of your heart must be cleared of bushes and thorns. It must be ploughed and furrowed, watered and dampened to depth. Then the seeds must be planted into the earth; not scattered on the surface. After planting the seeds, water the field, remove the weeds, keep away stray cattle, manure the plants, dust them with pesticides, and then you can reap the bounteous crop. Spiritual discipline (Sadhana) means and includes every one of these steps. If there is crooked vision, character, thought and feelings, how can devotion even sprout or bloom? If the lamp is not burning, it means that you have not lit it! Your spiritual progress is what is reflected back to you as Grace. Your decline is reflected back as its absence. Engage yourself in action that will direct your intellect and mind along divine and sublime channels, and win His bounteous grace through worthy action.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-12-16T08:14:00.000-08:00

1.Wherever you look, God is present there. Whomsoever you see, God is in him. God has no particular form; all forms are His. That is why the Vedas declare Sahasra Seersha Purusha Sahasraksha Sahasra Pad (The Cosmic Being has thousands of heads, eyes and feet). When you sit for meditation, do not allow the mind to waver; always keep it steady. Do not develop differences amongst yourselves as controversies give rise to many troubles. Even if anybody makes you angry, do not fight with them; understand that when you quarrel, you actually harm yourself. Also control your thoughts. All these are the qualities of a truly educated person. This is called Educare. Along with education, you should also have Educare, for this will grant you health, happiness, peace and prosperity. Everything will become good to you if you make your heart pure.

2.No one can escape delusion; no matter how scholarly one may be. As a result of this delusion man is subjected to grief, and this grief acts as a brake upon activity. Arjuna the great hero, capable of immense renunciation and wisdom, was deluded by the awful needs of war. The grief therefrom handicapped his activity. He confused the body and the self; he imposed on the Atma, (ever untouched by the characteristics of the moving and changing world) the unreal and ephemeral nature of the world and believed this delusion to be true. This is the tragedy not of Arjuna alone, but of all humanity! That is why the Bhagavad Geetha is of universal and eternal value. To study it, is to learn the art of swimming across the sea of delusion. The fact that Geetha has provided consolation and liberation to millions is itself evidence of its Divine origin.

3.When one has attained the state of realising Divinity in every being, when every instrument of knowledge brings the experience of that Divinity and when It alone is seen, heard, tasted, smelt and touched, man undoubtedly becomes a part of the Body of God and lives in Him and with Him. This path is not laid down or recommended for the extraordinary among men alone. It is within the reach of all, for all have the hunger for God. When this duty to your own progress is taken up, you will get a new strength at the very first step; you will experience a new and purer joy; you will be refreshed by a new holiness. Therefore each person should pursue one's own dharma (individual duty). You should plan your life according to the spiritual foundations of your culture and listen to the voice of God.

4.Consider the place and situation in which the Geetha was delivered; therein lies the significance of this discourse. On one side were the forces of good (Dharma) and on the other, that of evil (adharma); caught between these two, and unable to decide which course to adopt, Arjuna weeps in despair. This was not just his dilemma; it is a universal human problem. Arjuna did not seek from Krishna the pleasing, worldly glory of power, status and wealth (Preyas) – he sought the lasting glory of full joy (Sreyas). Arjuna said to Krishna, "Preyas can be won by human activity or Karma. Why should I crave from You what I can win by my own endeavour? Grant me Sreyas, for it is not the fruit of action (Karma), but the fruit of grace!" Thus the lord gave the Geetha for all those who li ke Arjuna rise to the height of absolute self-surrender (Prapaththi or Saranagathi).

5.There are three types of surrender (Saranagathi). The first one is Thavai-vaaham, where the devotee affirms “I am Yours” , the second is Mamai-vathwam, where one asserts “You are mine” and the last is, Thwame-vaaham which means “You and I are one.” Each is a step that leads to the other and the last is the ultimate state. In the first stage, Thav-eva-aham, the Lord is completely free and the devotee is fully bound. Just like the cat and the kitten - the cat shifts the new born kitten about, as it wills; the kitten just mews and accepts whatever happens. This attitude is very gentle and is within easy reach of everyone. In the second, Mama-eva-thwam, the devotee binds the Lord in his heart and the Lord willingly remains bound. A devotee can tie up the Lord with Prema (love) that overwhelms and overpowers one’s own egoism. When one has this type of devotion (Bhakthi), the grace of the Lord fulfills every single need of the devotee.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the day

2011-12-13T14:36:00.000-08:00

1.Detach yourself from the senses. Only then the Spirit (Atma) will shine. The mind must be withdrawn from its present friends, the senses, and made loyal to its master, the intellect. Simply put, the grain must be separated from the chaff, through the exercise of viveka (discrimination). When you light a lamp and keep it in a room with all its five windows open, the wind will blow the flame out. To keep the lamp burning straight the windows must be closed. The senses are the windows; the flame is the mind concentrating on the single purpose of God-realisation. What do the outward-bound senses know of that sweetness? The frogs that hop around the lotus flower are unaware of the nectar contained in the flower. Only the intellect can reveal that bliss to you. Fix your desire on things that last and nourish, rather than on things that are flas hy yet corroding.

2.Happiness makes one forget one's obligations to oneself as a human being. It drags one into egoism leading to committing of sins. Happiness draws a veil over experiences that make one tough. It also spends out one’s stock of merit and arouses baser passions. On the other hand, grief renders man alert and watchful. Misery makes one think and leads to self-improvement. It also endows one with new and valuable experiences, and highlights the value of happiness. Realize that happiness and misery are inseparable and you cannot choose only one. Treat troubles and travails as your friends; at least, do not see them as your enemies! It is best to regard both happiness and misery as gifts of God. That is the easiest path for one's own liberation.

3.A true hero is the steady person who is not agitated in the least by ups and downs caused by roaring waves on the sea of life. Such a person never loses poise; it becomes part of one's nature! The one who keeps to his schedule of spiritual discipline whatever be the attractions or distractions, is a wise person, also referred to as Dheera. Dhee means buddhi (intellect), and this is the true quality of man. It is not the attire or the moustache that marks out the 'hero'. True humanness blossoms with the rejection of the duality of joy and sorrow, and all your exploits should be to conquer these two. Your victory should be over internal foes, rather than external ones. Then the gain you acquire is immortality! Things of the world cannot confer that state of bliss. When you truly and steadily rise above joy and grief, the bliss you attain is absolute, independent and full.

4.Dwell always on lofty thoughts. When air fills a football, it takes the form of a ball. When it enters a balloon, it takes the shape of the balloon, oval or spherical. So too, the mind takes the form of the objects with which it is attached. If it gets fixed on small things, it becomes small. If it is focussed on noble and grand ideas, it becomes noble and grand. The camera takes a picture of whatever it is pointed at, so is the case with the mind. Discriminate before you develop attachment. If your attachment is towards spouse and children, lands and buildings, bank accounts and balances, you will experience grief when they decline. Develop sincere and steady attachment towards the Divine and you will grow in love and splendour. Devotion is not a matter of beads and beards, nor is worship signified by flowers, camphor or bell-ringing. You are judged by your spiritual discipline, thoughts and sense-control.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-12-12T06:45:00.000-08:00

1.Lord Krishna, in His childhood days, broke the mud pots where butter was stored. The inner meaning is that Lord Krishna broke the material casement and liberated them from their temporary attachments. He then appropriated to Himself what always belonged to Him - the butter of faith. This butter is the result of the churning of the mind, the spiritual discipline of self-purification. The deha-thathwa (the feeling, “I am the body”), must go and transform into dehi-thathwa (the belief, “I am embodied”). Take a small quantity of sea water and keep it separate in a bottle; it will develop a foul smell in a few days. As long as the water remains in the sea, nothing will happen to it. Be in the sea (of Divinity), as a part of it. Do not separate and individualize yourself. Never isolate yourself as the body (deha) , separate from the Indweller (Dehi). So long as you are in the Divine Consciousness, no pain, grief, egoism or pride can tarnish you.

2.If the senses keep to their places there is no reason to fear. It is only when they start to contact the objects around, the twin distractions of joy and grief are produced. When you hear someone defaming you, you experience anger and grief; but there is no such agitation if the words do not fall on your ears. The attraction of the senses to the objects is the cause of grief and its twin, joy. So long as the world is there, sense-object contact cannot be avoided; similarly till the time one has the burden of previous births, one cannot escape the joy-grief complex. But of what use is it to wait till the waves are silenced, before you wade into the sea for a shower? The wise one learns the trick of avoiding the blows of the onrushing waters and the drag of the receding waves. Wear the armour of fortitude (thithiksha), and weather the blows of good and bad fortune. Thithiksha means equanimity in the face of opposites, that is, putting up boldly with duality.

3.To give up body consciousness must be your deeksha (steady pursuit). This must express itself in actual practice as discipline (nishtha) and training of senses and emotions (sikshana). Water or fire as such cannot move a train. They must both co-operate to produce a third element - steam, which moves the train forward. Treat discipline as more important than even food. This body (deha) is but an instrument to realize the Indweller (Dehi). With determination and faith feed your spirit as scrupulously as you feed the body. You will attain union with the Indweller only when your mental agitations are curbed and equanimity is achieved. Whatever be the path - devotion, wisdom or selfless action, it must lead you to achieve equanimity. To cross safely across the flood of birth-death-continuum, you must build this sturdy safe bridge called unflinching discipline (nishtha).

4.Generally, people seek only happiness and joy; under no circumstance do they desire misery and grief! They treat happiness and joy as their closest well-wishers, and misery and grief as their sworn enemies. This is a great mistake. When you are happy, the risk of grief is great; fear of losing the happiness will haunt you. Misery prompts inquiry, discrimination, self-examination and fear of worse things that might happen. It awakens you from sloth and conceit. Face the dualities of life with thithiksha (fortitude). But be aware, thithiksha is different from patience (Sahana). Patience is putting up with something; tolerating or bearing with it because you have no other choice. Fortitude is having the capacity to overcome it, but yet, disregarding it - that is the spiritual discipline. Putting up with the external world of duality with inner equanimity and peace is the path that will lead you to liberation. Bear all, with analytical discrimination - this type of patience will yield good results.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The secret to a happy life is to give up the desire for the fruit of action

2011-12-11T19:58:00.000-08:00

1.As one advances in surrender from the stage, “I am Thine” (Thavaivaaham), to that of, “You are mine” (Mamaiva-thwam) and then to “You and I are One” (Thwame-vaaham), the devotee has progressively acquired the devotion that makes one inseparable from the Lord, called Avibhaktha-bhakthi. In this stage, the devotee can no more withhold oneself and hence offers all to the Lord - that completes one’s surrender. This state of “Thou art I”, is based on the realisation that everything is the Lord Himself, nothing less. So long as body consciousness persists, the devotee is the servant and Lord, the Master. And as long as an individual feels separateness from other individuals, there is body consciousness. When one progresses beyond the limits of the body, beyond that of ‘I’ and ‘Mine’, then there is no more distinction; the devotee and Bhagavan are one and the same. In the Ramayana, Hanumantha achieved this third stage through his devotion.

2.Perform action without hankering after the results. Do not complain that you did not get public recognition for the donations you gave to some Trust. Fruits of action, whether good or bad, have to be wholly consumed by you and you alone. The best means of liberating yourself from the consequences of your actions, is to perform them only for the sake of action. You will then be burdened neither with sin nor merit. If you crave for profit, you should be prepared to accept loss as well. If you construct a well where four roads meet, expecting to acquire the merit for quenching the thirst of men and cattle, you cannot run away from the demerit you will be credited with, when someone falls into it and drowns. The secret to a happy life is to give up the desire for the fruit of action (Karma-phala-thyaga).

3.Attachment to the body produces grief of all kinds and sorts, and its immediate precursors - affection and hatred as well. These two are the results of the intellect considering some things and conditions as beneficial, and others as not; this is a delusion. Despite the knowledge of this fact, at times, you get attached to objects that you consider favourable and start hating the others. From the highest point of view, there is neither; the distinction is just meaningless. There is no two at all; then how can there be good and bad? To see two where there is only one is ignorance (Maya). The fundamental ignorance is the belief that you are the body, and this is the cause for all grief. Practise living in divine consciousness instead of body consciousness, and be free from grief and live in joy.

4.What exists is only the perceiver of both the dream and the waking state - the "I”. Know that “I”; and know that “I” is the same as ”He” (God). You can know this only by intense spiritual discipline, that is not marred by anger, envy and greed - the vices that sprout from ego. You have to carefully watch and control these vices. When you get angry, you act as if you are possessed by an evil spirit; your face becomes ugly and frightful. Like the red bulb winking when danger is approaching, your eyes and face become red and act as a warning to you. Heed that signal and quietly get away to a lonely spot. Do not give free vent to wicked words. Once you grow in wisdom, ego will naturally fall away. So develop wisdom and discriminate by knowing the ephemeral nature of all objective things. Then ego will die a natural death from the field of your heart and you will attain salvation.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Anger is the fuel for all varieties of sin

2011-12-10T03:24:00.000-08:00

1.You should never get entangled in the meshes of this world and its problems. Try to escape into the purer air of the spirit as often as you can, by taking the name of the Lord. Hate and envy distort man's true charm. Anger is the fuel for all varieties of sin. Those aspiring for success in the spiritual field must therefore decide to control anger, and subdue the vagaries of the mind. They must put down their mental agitations and worries, and see that they do not create worry in others also. From this very moment, pray for the Grace of God which will enable you to control and conquer your vices. Deepen your faith in God. Expand your prema (love) and take into its fold, the whole of mankind. May you all win Truth (sathyam), Peace (shanti) and Joy (sukham) through these means. May you merge in the source of all bliss (A anandam).

2.Peace is a state of mind that is very much within one's own self. It emanates from one's heart. There is reaction, resound, and reflection for everything in the world. Only when there is hatred in you will you see hatred in others. At times, even if no one causes harm to you, you try to hurt others. Whatever you do to others, you will definitely experience the result of that action, and whatever you hear or experience is all due to the reaction, reflection, and resound of your own actions and feelings; others are not responsible for it. You forget this simple truth and lament, "so and so is accusing me or causing pain to me or hurting me" and so on. Many a times you tend to fight and hurt others. From today onwards, always help others, never hurt anyone. Follow your conscience, it will help you to manifest noble qualities.

3.There are three types of Surrender (Saranagathi). The first one ïs Thavai-vaaham, where the devotee affirms “I am Yours” , the second is Mamai-vathwam, where one asserts “You are mine” and the last is, Thwame-vaaham which means “You and I are one.” Each is a step that leads to the other and the last is the ultimate state. In the first stage, Thav-eva-aham, the Lord is completely free and the devotee is fully bound. Just like the cat and the kitten - the cat shifts the new born kitten about, as it wills; the kitten just mews and accepts whatever happens. This attitude is very gentle and is within easy reach of everyone. In the second, Mama-eva-thwam, the devotee binds the Lord in his heart and the Lord willingly remains bound. A devotee can tie up the Lord with Prema (love) that overwhelms and overpowers one’s own egoism. When one has this type of devotion (Bhakthi), the grace of the Lord fulfills every single need of the devotee.

4.There are three types of surrender (Saranagathi). The first one is Thavai-vaaham, where the devotee affirms “I am Yours” , the second is Mamai-vathwam, where one asserts “You are mine” and the last is, Thwame-vaaham which means “You and I are one.” Each is a step that leads to the other and the last is the ultimate state. In the first stage, Thav-eva-aham, the Lord is completely free and the devotee is fully bound. Just like the cat and the kitten - the cat shifts the new born kitten about, as it wills; the kitten just mews and accepts whatever happens. This attitude is very gentle and is within easy reach of everyone. In the second, Mama-eva-thwam, the devotee binds the Lord in his heart and the Lord willingly remains bound. A devotee can tie up the Lord with Prema (love) that overwhelms and overpowers one’s own egoism. When one has this type of devotion (Bhakthi), the grace of the Lord fulfills every single need of the devotee.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Qualities of a truely educated person

2011-12-09T07:04:00.000-08:00

1.People surrender their dignity and status to other men and women for wealth, fame, possessions, pomp, power, etc. But rarely does one get the chance to surrender to the Lord for the sake of the Lord! How can one feel the urge to do so, so long as one craves for the materialistic objects (aadheya) and not the Source of the objects (Aadhaara)? How long can the baseless satisfy? People want the created not the creator; things from the hand, but not the Hand! Can there be an object without the cause? No. God alone is the ‘Uncaused’. It is sheer ignorance to surrender individuality for the sake of the caused. Surrender rather to the Cause, the Source, the Origin of all - Sarveswara. This is genuine surrender or Saranagathi.

2.When the clouds that hide the face of the moon are wafted by the winds, the moon shines clear and cool; so too, when the clouds of egoism are wafted away, the mind of man will shine pure and full, with its native effulgence. This is the stage of bliss where grief ceases to exist. Where there is a lamp, darkness cannot exist. The lamp of wisdom (jnaana) once lit never dies, fades or flickers. The ananda (happiness) and the shanthi (peace) that men seek from the objects of the world, prompted by their senses flicker and soon, fade and die. They only momentarily satisfy one’s foolish cravings. They are attained through lust, anger, hatred and envy, and so they are false and fickle. Control and conquer these; only then can you acquire real Ananda and Shanthi. These neither fade nor flicker. You can not only acq uire these, you can in fact become these.

3.Wherever you look, God is present there. Whomsoever you see, God is in him. God has no particular form; all forms are His. That is why the Vedas declare Sahasra Seersha Purusha Sahasraksha Sahasra Pad (The Cosmic Being has thousands of heads, eyes and feet). When you sit for meditation, do not allow the mind to waver; always keep it steady. Do not develop differences amongst yourselves as controversies give rise to many troubles. Even if anybody makes you angry, do not fight with them; understand that when you quarrel, you actually harm yourself. Also control your thoughts. All these are the qualities of a truly educated person. This is called Educare. Along with education, you should also have Educare, for this will grant you health, happiness, peace and prosperity. Everything will become good to you if you make your heart pure.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the day

2011-12-08T16:28:00.000-08:00

1.The mother's lap is the school for all; it is your first temple. There is no God higher than the mother. To recognise this truth about one's mother is the duty of every person. Your father is your treasure and mother, your god. Instead of valuing such precious wealth, people engage in all kinds of activities to acquire riches and positions. Father and mother are inseparable like the word and its meaning. The distinction between man and woman relate only to the physical body. The Indwelling Spirit in both of them is the same divine. Everyone should cherish one's parents as embodiments of the Divine.

2.We see in the world today disorder, violence and conflict. To cure these ills, one must shed selfishness, greed and other bad qualities, and rise above the animal nature. It is through charity (unselfishness), that you achieve purity. With purity of the heart you can attain Unity, which will then lead to Divinity. The mansion of human life should be built on charity, purity, unity and Divinity. Women play a crucial role in cultivating these four pillars. Truth, sacrifice and peace are predominant qualities in women. A good wife is of value only to her husband whereas a good mother is a national asset. Only dedicated mothers can offer to the nation children who will strive for the country’s great future. Broad-minded good mothers, who care for the purity and spiritual growth of their children and the well-being of the community, are the need of the d ay.

Bagavan sri sri sri sathya sai baba

For whom was the Geetha delivered?

2011-12-08T07:19:00.000-08:00

1.Many in this world, even among the learned, do not spend their allotted span of life in the pursuit of the chosen ideals. Hence their earthly lives are like the voyage of a storm-tossed ship that has lost both its anchor and its compass, and is caught in mid-ocean. They are torn between opposing ideals and goals; in their ignorance and fear they say one thing and do another. Meditation will give such people fixity of purpose, courage, and also wisdom. It stills the agitated mind, makes it clear and fills it with joy. The path of meditation will destroy ignorance and grant the individual union with God.

2.For whom was the Geetha delivered? Just think of this for a moment. Milk is not drawn from the cow’s udder for its own sake, for cows do not drink their own milk; Arjuna, the calf, has had his fill and Krishna needs nothing! The Lord Himself clarifies: He milked the Upanishads and brought out the Geetha for the "Sudhee-jana", those who possess intelligence (Su-dhee) that is moderated by goodness and controlled by virtue. But when does one become worthy of receiving the lessons of the Geetha? Rather than exult over your excellence, search for your own faults with the desire of removing them. You will then progress fast without being dragged behind by fear or anxiety. When you move on thus, placing all your burdens on the Lord and with faith in him, you will reach a state of mental calm, which is the sign o f a true aspirant. Arjuna arrived at this stage and then Krishna gave him the teaching that confers immortality.

3.Riches and wealth are short-lived; office and authority are temporary; life-breath is a flickering flame in the wind. Youth is a three-day fair and pleasures and fortunes are bundles of sorrow. Knowing this, if you devote this limited term of life to the service of the Lord, then you are indeed blessed. Seek refuge at the Lord’s feet early on. Everything is untrue, impermanent and akin to castles in the air. Contemplate on this truth, approach God and glorify Him; that alone confers permanent joy. Inside the room called body, in the safe called the heart, the precious gem of wisdom (jnaana) exists. Four wily thieves - lust, anger, greed and envy (kaama, krodha, lobha and asuuya) are lying in wait to rob it. Awaken to this danger before it is too late. Reinforce yourself with the support of the Universal Guardian, the Lord, and keep the gem intact. That will make you rich in love (prema), and peace (shanthi).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-12-07T07:47:00.000-08:00

1.When one has attained the state of realising Divinity in every being, when every instrument of knowledge brings the experience of that Divinity and when It alone is seen, heard, tasted, smelt and touched, man undoubtedly becomes a part of the Body of God and lives in Him and with Him. This path is not laid down or recommended for the extraordinary among men alone. It is within the reach of all, for all have the hunger for God. When this duty to your own progress is taken up, you will get a new strength at the very first step; you will experience a new and purer joy; you will be refreshed by a new holiness. Therefore each person should pursue one's own dharma (individual duty). You should plan your life according to the spiritual foundations of your culture and listen to the voice of God.

2.Many in this world, even among the learned, do not spend their allotted span of life in the pursuit of the chosen ideals. Hence their earthly lives are like the voyage of a storm-tossed ship that has lost both its anchor and its compass, and is caught in mid-ocean. They are torn between opposing ideals and goals; in their ignorance and fear they say one thing and do another. Meditation will give such people fixity of purpose, courage, and also wisdom. It stills the agitated mind, makes it clear and fills it with joy. The path of meditation will destroy ignorance and grant the individual union with God.

3.For whom was the Geetha delivered? Just think of this for a moment. Milk is not drawn from the cow’s udder for its own sake, for cows do not drink their own milk; Arjuna, the calf, has had his fill and Krishna needs nothing! The Lord Himself clarifies: He milked the Upanishads and brought out the Geetha for the "Sudhee-jana", those who possess intelligence (Su-dhee) that is moderated by goodness and controlled by virtue. But when does one become worthy of receiving the lessons of the Geetha? Rather than exult over your excellence, search for your own faults with the desire of removing them. You will then progress fast without being dragged behind by fear or anxiety. When you move on thus, placing all your burdens on the Lord and with faith in him, you will reach a state of mental calm, which is the sign o f a true aspirant. Arjuna arrived at this stage and then Krishna gave him the teaching that confers immortality.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-12-02T08:24:00.000-08:00

1.The power of the divine name is unparalleled. People often take it lightly; that is a mistake. God's name is the real diamond - 'Die mind'. Keep it safe and secure. Whoever does namasmarana, (Repetition of God’s Name) whatever be the name they take and wherever they are, their life will be sanctified and they will be free from sin. Do not be too concerned about the tune and rhythm (raga and thala). Chant the divine name wholeheartedly and with complete faith. Faith develops love for God. Namasankirtan (singing of God's name) when done with absolute concentration and steady faith like a yogi, will help achieve great transformation. Fix your mind steadily on the divine name and attain bliss.

2.Do not worry about the unsatisfactory environment you may be in. Of course, sometimes the place you are in may have drawbacks and may not be ideal. But it is of no use trying to run away from it. You can overcome any obstacle by training your own mind. Stay in your environment and pray to the Lord that He may fill you with His thoughts and vision, enabling you to ignore the defects of your surroundings. Do not seek comfort, for it might not be conducive to meditation. Learn to be comfortable in any place; that is better. Live in joy wherever you are for that is the way. Revel in the realm of your mind, worship there the Lord you have chosen as your goal and be free of all the defects of your natural or human environment! Then no spot will be irksome to you, nor will any place seem disgusting.

3.This day you have resolved to imbibe Divine Bliss by reciting the glory of God in chorus and with music, continuously for twenty-four hours (Akhanda Bhajan). This programme will yield good results. For in this busy age of fear and anxiety, the remembrance of God and the repetition of His name is the single means of liberation that is accessible to all. Bhajan (devotional singing in a group) is more important than even bhojan (food). Bhajan is a good disciplinary process by which desire and anger can be kept away. This daylong bhajan will generate divine vibrations and purify. I bless those who breathe this vibration to be healthier and more upright in their behaviour. Be united in remembering God and encourage one another as you proceed along the path; then success is assured.

4.Consider the place and situation in which the Geetha was delivered; therein lies the significance of this discourse. On one side were the forces of good (Dharma) and on the other, that of evil (adharma); caught between these two, and unable to decide which course to adopt, Arjuna weeps in despair. This was not just his dilemma; it is a universal human problem. Arjuna did not seek from Krishna the pleasing, worldly glory of power, status and wealth (Preyas) – he sought the lasting glory of full joy (Sreyas). Arjuna said to Krishna, "Preyas can be won by human activity or Karma. Why should I crave from You what I can win by my own endeavour? Grant me Sreyas, for it is not the fruit of action (Karma), but the fruit of grace!" Thus the lord gave the Geetha for all those who li ke Arjuna rise to the height of absolute self-surrender (Prapaththi or Saranagathi).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-12-01T07:42:00.000-08:00

1.At the gates of liberation (moksha) and self-realisation (sakshathkara), three guards are posted to ask you for your credentials. They are: peace or mental equilibrium, Joy or contentment, and enquiry or discrimination (santhi, santhosha, and vichara). Even if one of the guards is made friends with, the others too will facilitate your entry. First in the series is peace. If you make peace yours, contentment (thrupthi) will automatically become yours! Contentment is the true source of joy and the most valuable of all possessions, in the absence of which desire and greed attain dangerous proportions, overwhelming the power of discrimination itself. Desire easily becomes greed which then degenerates into miserliness and lust. These will makes you flit from object to object in mad pursuit of the evanescent sensual joy. Hence advise your min d to flow in the direction of the Lord, instead of dragging you along the floods of objects and sensual desires. Giving up all other desires and being ever content, dwell on the Lord’s name and form alone.

2.Joy and grief are as day and night; they have to be put up with and gone through. They will neither appear nor disappear at your will! Both are related to the physical or the material - the body, and they do not affect the soul. You are liberated the moment you transcend joy and grief. What is there to grieve in life? Did you grieve when your body underwent changes? The child disappears in the boy, the boy in the youth, the youth is lost in the middle-aged man who in turn is lost in the old man. You never weep over these changes that affect the body, why then, when the body is lost in death. Whatever changes your body may suffer, the Atma remains immortal. Being established unshakably in this knowledge is the sign of the wise, the Jnani.

3.Remember that contentment will not make one an idler. It is an attribute of true pure (sathwic) character. It will make the mind turn always towards the Lord. It will save you from the tribulations that one goes through to satisfy unimportant wants and to cater to selfish needs. It will direct human talents towards efforts that elevate. The contented person will also be truthful and will therefore be in constant communion with the Atma. That is to say, such a person can be immersed in meditation for long periods without needing rest or feeling fatigued. Contentment is the royal road to meditation.

4.See the Lord in every being; be aware of Him every moment of existence and be immersed in the Ananda (bliss) of this awareness. Merged in the relationship born out of profound devotion to Him, surrender your wish and will to act; the attitude, the activity and the fruit of the action as well - offer to the Lord everything from beginning to the end. That is, perform all actions in a spirit of worshipful non-attachment. This is what the Lord seeks from each and every devotee. Of course, such complete surrender is not easy. But if you make the slightest effort towards it, the Lord Himself will confer the courage to pursue it to the end. He will walk with and help you as a friend and guide; He will guard you from evil and temptations; He will be your staff and support.

5.Just as fish can live only when it is immersed in water, so too man is an animal that can live well only when immersed in bliss (ananda). One must have ananda not only at home and society but more importantly, in the heart as well. In fact the ananda in the heart spreads joy all around. The heart is the spring of bliss which has to be charged by constant meditation, recitation and the intermittent dwelling on the glory, the grace and the manifestations of the Lord (smarana, chethana and manana). Without giving way to doubt or despair, hold fast to the goal and never turn back. The one devoted to God knows no failure. The name of the Lord, if taken sincerely will help you overcome all obstacles. When the Saviour is by your side, why doubt whether you will be saved?

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

No one can escape delusion

2011-11-28T16:28:00.000-08:00

1.Give up Para chintana (thinking about others) and cultivate Paramatma chintana (thinking about God). This is the true spiritual practice (Sadhana). Do not be carried away by worldly pleasures. Take to the sacred path and sanctify your time by chanting the Divine Name. There is no need to allocate a specific time or place for Namasmarana (repetition of the Lord’s name). You can do it wherever you are and whatever you are doing. One needs to pay tax for water, electricity, etc., but there is no tax for Namasmarana. Nobody can stop you from doing it. It is very simple, yet most effective. But people do not realise the value of Namasmarana as it is so easy to practise. We think that God can be attained only through severe austerities. This is a misconception. Without troubling yourself or causing trouble to others, you can chant the divine name. Follow this simple path, experience bliss and sanctify your life.

2.Meditation must be followed rigorously. In fact Dhyana (Meditation) also means discipline and, regularity and steadiness are the essential tools for it. Lord Krishna assured, “When you start fixing your thoughts on Me, all thoughts that agitate you will be stilled through My grace.” Meditation is a first class cure for the illness of worldly existence (bhava-roga). But along with it, also take the medicine of contentment. Just as a traveller who has trudged along for miles in the scorching sun feels refreshed when taking bath in the waters of a cool and shady lake, so too the unfortunate individual struggling in the scorching heat of desires, feels happy and relieved when bathing in the lake of contentment. Meditate regularly and practice contentment in your mind; anyone who follows this rigorously will achieve quick results..

3.To understand the essence of the Bhagawad Geetha you must take up its study in an attitude of submission and expectancy. Every chapter in the Geetha lays down the means and methods of reaching the goal of peace and harmony, with emphasis on spiritual attitude and practices in life. The Geetha is a boat which takes man from darkness to light and from the self-imposed state of bondage to the freedom that is one’s nature. The Geetha teaches that the aspirant must aspire and not despair; one must persevere and not clamour for quick success. Truly speaking, every being has come into this field of action (Karmakshetra) only to engage oneself in activity, and not to earn the fruit of such activity. This is the fundamental lesson taught by the Geetha.

4.No one can escape delusion; no matter how scholarly one may be. As a result of this delusion man is subjected to grief, and this grief acts as a brake upon activity. Arjuna the great hero, capable of immense renunciation and wisdom, was deluded by the awful needs of war. The grief therefrom handicapped his activity. He confused the body and the self; he imposed on the Atma, (ever untouched by the characteristics of the moving and changing world) the unreal and ephemeral nature of the world and believed this delusion to be true. This is the tragedy not of Arjuna alone, but of all humanity! That is why the Bhagavad Geetha is of universal and eternal value. To study it, is to learn the art of swimming across the sea of delusion. The fact that Geetha has provided consolation and liberation to millions is itself evidence of its Divine origin..

Bagvan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

There are many snakes of wicked qualities in the anthill of your heart

2011-11-26T21:22:00.001-08:00

1.Today the country is facing a lot of problems because people are not doing enough Namasmarana (repetition of the Lord’s name). Let each and every street reverberate with the singing of the Divine's glory; let each and every cell of the body be filled with the divine name. Nothing else can give you the bliss, courage and strength that Namasmarana can. People may say, “He is a big officer. How is it that he is also doing Namasmarana?” Some people may even make fun of you, but do not bother. No matter whoever it is, young or old, rich or poor, everybody has to do Namasmarana. You may not have any musical instruments for this; it does not matter. From the depth of your heart and with total dedication, sing the glory of God wherever you are. Only then can you lead the life of a true human being.

2.There are many snakes of wicked qualities in the anthill of your heart. When you loudly sing the name of the Lord (Namasmarana), all these snakes will come out. Namasmarana should be the very breath of your lives. You must repeat God’s name in order to get rid of evil qualities. Today there are many who do not attach any importance to the chanting of the divine name. This is a great mistake! In this age of Kali (the fourth quarter of time where righteousness is most degraded) only chanting of the divine name can redeem your life; there is no other refuge. Singing the glory of the Lord is highly sacred. Clear your mind of evil thoughts and sing the glory of God wholeheartedly, without any inhibition. Only then will you become the recipient of divine grace and energy; only then can you experience divine bliss.

3.You must reform your mental traits and habits. Cultivate the habit of never causing pain to others. Try to understand others, sympathise with and help them. Train yourself to take insult and criticism as decorations awarded to you. Be friendly with everyone, whatever be their nature or conduct. A joyous disposition is necessary for spiritual progress, but many things and situations deprive you of the atmosphere of joy. So you must pray sincerely in order to be free from such obstacles. The recital or repetition of prayers (mantras) will be of great help.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-11-17T17:06:00.000-08:00

1.Aspirants must always have the inward look; if they allow the mind to wander outward, they cannot identify their own faults. It is hard to get rid of pride and self-love or ego (Ahamkara), for the mind has been allowed to flow in the direction it likes for several ages. Pride prevents the inner vision and confuses the examination of the mind. Some aspirants get very angry when others discover and announce to them the bad traits they possess. If you wish to achieve success, you must bow down to those who point out your faults, and you must endeavour not to entertain those faults any longer. Those prone to anger should to be vigilant even about the most minor matters that might provoke them and remove such impulses; because if they are careless, they cannot progress in the least. Such people must cultivate a humble, loving spirit. Then the bad traits will disappear.

2.The festival of Deepavali teaches a profound spiritual truth. On this day, an entire array of lamps are lit by the flame of one lamp. This act signifies that it is the One that has willed to become the Many. The lamp used to light symolises the Supreme Effulgent Lord and the ones lit are the individual selves. As long as the demonic qualities remain in man, he will be immersed in darkness. Deepavali has to be observed as a day for getting rid of all these bad qualities. The demon Narakasura symbolises demonic qualities, and his death, which marks the festival of Deepavali, symbolises the destruction of evil and the restoration of good. This is the inner significance of the festival.

3.At the time of birth, one has neither good nor bad qualities. Changes occur in your nature due to the food consumed, the influence of associates and so on. One develops ego and attachment through the company one keeps. As you get educated, you develop pride and entertain vainglorious thoughts about your superiority over others. This conceit pollutes the heart. To purify milk that has got mixed with water, it has to be boiled. Likewise one has to undertake various spiritual practices (Sadhana) to purge the heart of impurities. It is only when the heart is melted in the heat of divine Love, you can succeed in removing bad qualities. Be clear that you alone are the cause for your fortune, good or bad; God has no share in causing your suffering; and you are free to shape your future. If you develop this understanding you will approach God with firmer steps and a cle arer mind.

4.Egoistic individuals, love to exercise authority over others. They see everything through glasses coloured by the smoke of selfishness and self-love. “My words are true”; “My opinion is correct”; “My deeds are right” - Such attitude is very harmful for spiritual aspirants. Aspirants must look forward eagerly to any objective criticism, suggestion or advice from any quarter. Also, they must minimise all discussions and argumentations as these breed a spirit of rivalry and lead one to angry reprisals and vengeful fighting. Do not struggle to earn the esteem of the world. Do not feel humiliated or angry when the world does not recognise you or your merits. Learn this first and foremost if you are after spiritual success. Do not become elated when praised, for therein lies a deadly trap, which might even lead you astray and endanger your progress.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai baba

Thought for the Day

2011-11-16T07:12:00.000-08:00

1.The udder of the cow contains milk in it. The milk has ghee (clarified butter) in it. But the ghee is not available to us as such. The milk has to be drawn, curdled and churned to obtain the butter which in turn has to be clarified to produce the ghee. This when consumed gives strength. So too, though God is omnipresent, He has to be discovered and cognised in order to experience the bliss. Like oil in mustard, butter in yoghurt, water under the earth's surface and fire in timber, God though present in everything is not patent. God is in the body and the mind but to become aware of Him, spiritual effort is necessary. When that is undertaken, oneness with the Supreme within can be realised.

2.You will make quick progress in the spiritual path if you overcome the difficult obstacles of anger, pride, conceit, the tendency to look for faults in others, etc. These operate subconsciously, like the currents in the depths of the ocean. You must be vigilant not to lose your temper, be it even in small things, for that will hinder your progress. Anger is the parent of all wrong behaviour and it can turn any person into bad ways, any moment, and in any form. So first and foremost sublimate it by systematic effort. Welcome gladly anyone who points out your defects; be grateful to them. Never entertain hatred against them, for that is as bad as hating the good. You must love the “good” and discard the “bad”. Remember, the “bad” should not be hated but given up or avoided. Cultivate humility and love towards all; undesirable habits will then fall away from you.

3.“Allaho Akbar; La Illah Ill Allah” - this sacred formula signifies that God is the supreme sovereign; He is the undisputed, unexcelled Ruler of all Creation and He alone is worthy of worship. In the Bhagavad Gita too, Lord Krishna declares: “There is nothing higher than Me.” Thus Islam and Hinduism convey the same message. The Holy Koran advises the followers of God to acquire self--confidence and place all burdens on Him. It instructs that one must have implicit faith in the power of God and recognise it every moment to lead a meaningful life. One must follow the path laid down by the Lord until the very end. The Holy Koran is toConceit, jealousy, anger, pride, trickery, fault-finding — all these are obstacles in the spiritual path. Even if these are not patently exhibited, the inner impulses urging one along these wrong directions are latent in the mind. When a room kept closed for a long time is opened and found dust-ridden and foul-smelling, it is cleaned and made habitable by elaborate sweeping and dusting. Similarly the mind too has to be cleansed by means of meditation. Spiritual aspirants must, by inward observation, examine the mind and its contents and condition. By proper disciplinary habits, the accumulated dirt should be removed little by little and systematically. Conceit, for example, is deep-rooted and unyielding. It may appear to be dry and dead for some time, but will sprout again easily. In a passionate mind it puts forth many branches and spreads in all directions, as so on as a chance arises. So, a spiritual aspirant must be ever vigilant. be looked upon as a guide for the same. It has to be revered and observed down to the very letter. This is the spiritual instruction observed by the followers of Islam.

4.Conceit, jealousy, anger, pride, trickery, fault-finding — all these are obstacles in the spiritual path. Even if these are not patently exhibited, the inner impulses urging one along these wrong directions are latent in the mind. When a room kept closed for a long time is opened and found dust-ridden and foul-smelling, it is cleaned and made habitable by elaborate sweeping and dusting. Similarly the mind too has to be cleansed by means of meditation. Spiritual aspirants must, by inward observation, examine the mind and its contents and condition. By proper disciplinary habits, the accumulated dirt should be removed little by little and systematically. Conceit, for example, is deep-rooted and unyielding. It may appear to be dry and dead for some time, but will sprout again easily. In a passionate mind it puts forth many branches and spreads in all directions, as so on as a chance arises. So, a spiritual aspirant must be ever vigilant.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-11-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

1.The game of life is a cosmic play that God is enacting. The actors, the dialogues, the cues and the songs have all been assembled by Him. He is the cast, the director, and the audience. In the epic Mahabharata, He filled one side with boundless material strength, but they were urged on by unrighteous greed, while the other side were ever-righteous and had the with strength of the Atma which apparently seemed limited. In the cosmic confrontation and conflict between these two, the Lord stood forth as the arbiter who brought about the victory of right over might. The core lessons contained in the Gita are these — the seeker must surrender, with the feeling Karishye vachanam thava (Your word shall be obeyed), and must at all times fulfill one's duty. Again, in the Gita Lord declares, Swadharme nidhanam sreyah (In fulfilling the duty assigned to you lies your safety and prosperity).

2.True devotion is not bound by rituals or set procedures. The Gita talks about various offerings like patram (leaf), pushpam (flower), phalam (fruit), and toyam (water). These words should not be taken literally. The human body is the leaf that must be offered to the Lord. Like the leaf of the tree, the body too would one day die and decay; no one can say when that will happen. Before such a fate befalls, the body in its fullness, freshness, and purity, ought to be offered to the Lord. The flower of your heart is what would please the Lord most and not the ones purchased from the market, which fade in a few hours. The flower of the heart, that is totally pure, soaked in love, and perfect does not wither easily. And which fruit would please God? He is not interested in fruits that grow on a tree; Mind is the fruit that must be offered to th e Lord. Lastly, the water the Lord wants from you is the tears of joy that flow when your heart is full of love for Him. These alone are the offerings that the Lord expects when you worship Him.

3.I have a "Task": To foster all mankind and ensure for all of them lives full of bliss (ananda). I have a "Vow": To lead all who stray away from the straight path again into goodness and save them. I am attached to a "work" that I love: To remove the sufferings of the poor and grant them what they lack. I have a "reason to be proud", for I rescue all who worship and adore me, aright. I have my definition of the "devotion" I expect: Those devoted to me have to treat joy and grief, gain and loss, with equal fortitude. I will not give up my mission, nor my determination. I will never give up those who attach themselves to me.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-10-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

1.Sath means God. You should have the company of God or proximity to God (sathsang). Chith is awareness. The combination of Sath and Chith gives Ananda (divine bliss). It is said that the essence of all scriptures is paropakaraya punyaya, papaya parapeedanam. We generally think paropakara means helping others. But here Para means God, upa means near, and kara means do or make efforts. The import is that you should make efforts to be near God. papaya parapeedanam means to see the many in One is sin. Therefore you have to see the One in many, or unity in diversity.

2.The correct thing to do is to perceive the Atma (Divine Self) in each and everyone, and help ever and hurt never. See Divinity in all and do sacred activities. If you are unable to help, atleast do no harm. Being bound to the world with attachment to worldly objects is the wrong path. Instead take the positive approach of turning towards Divinity. The difference lies only in turning your mind. Turn to the world, you get bound; turn to God, you get liberated. God is without birth and death, and is an eternal witness; you must strive hard to earn the love of God. One who receives the love of God will earn the love of all. If you realise that Love is God, you will not get attached to worldly things.

3.In a game of football, the players on either side continue to kick the ball till it is sent to the goal. They must see to it that the ball does not go beyond the two posts that define the goal. The goal of life too consists of two posts: secular and spiritual. You are born as a human with the goal of not being born again. You must live within the frames of secular and spiritual pursuits. The six bad qualities — lust, anger, greed, desire, pride and jealousy are on one side, and the good qualities — truth, right conduct, peace, love, nonviolence and sacrifice are on the other side. The game is between these two teams. If you tread along the divine path you can experience peace, and also share it with others. Then you will be liberated.

4.People may act as they please, but they cannot escape from the consequences of their actions; be it a simpleton or a great person. Let no one be under the illusion that one can commit sin and go scot-free. Wherever you go, the results of your actions will follow you like your shadow. God is always by your side saying “Tathastu! Tathastu!” (so shall it be!). People do not take cognisance of this truth and indulge in wicked deeds. Despite knowing pretty well what is good and what is bad, many struggle to give up their evil ways. You may do a number of good actions, yet you cannot escape from the consequences of your past deeds. Bear this truth always in mind. To avoid unpleasant consequences, always enquire before undertaking any activity whether it is good or bad. But you may wonder, if there is any way to escape from the consequences of karma (action s). Yes, it is possible for those who earn the grace of God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Stop Worrying

2011-10-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

1.All of you are embodiments of Divinity; your forms are Divine; you are not different from God. Experience this unity which is the Truth. God is not separate from you, but is manifest in you. Unfortunately, you tend to forget this truth, which amounts to forgetting everything. Meditate upon your reality and always remember this fact: “Wherever I am, I am always Divine”. Hold firmly to this belief. This is the truth contained in the scriptural proclamation Tat Twam Asi. Seeing God as Rama, krishna or Swami is nothing but a mere dream. As long as you are in sleep, the dream appears real. The moment you wake up, the experience vanishes.Therefore firmly establish yourself in the truth – Tat Twam Asi (That thou art).

2.Follow your conscience. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you may think none has noticed it, but God knows, for He is in your heart. People worry about petty temporary things that are like passing clouds and falter in faith and devotion. This is not correct. You should never give up devotion. Your good work will beget God's grace without fail. Sin or merit comes only from your own deeds, not from outside. If you spend your time thinking of God and chanting His name, you will never come to grief. Follow the dictum, Sathyam vada, Dharmam chara (speak the truth, practice righteousness) and you are bound to be successful always. Truth is common to all countries and all times. If you follow truth, which is verily God, you will invariably do only righteous acts. Divine love will flow to you and ensure you are always doing sacred work.

3.Many people undertake Sadhana (spiritual exercises) in order to realise Divinity. But if they don't understand human qualities, all the efforts become exercises in futility. Without learning the alphabets, how can one pick up the meaning and usage of words, phrases and sentences? Human Values are the basic alphabets of spirituality. Develop human values and unflinching faith in the Divine. Master this and your Sadhana will be effective. You should also understand that there is no pleasure without pain and pain is only an interval between two pleasures. Whenever you have an unpleasant experience you should have the firm faith that it is for something good that you will be enjoying in the near future; and therefore stop worrying.

4.God is within you in the form of conscience; follow your conscience. Some do not do so because of their attachment to the body. You have been endowed with the precious gift of the body with the sense organs to discharge your duties in the world and to do Sathkarma (good deeds). Always do things that are acceptable to God. Just as the same electric current passes through all electric gadgets of various types and sizes, so also Atma (Divine Self) is common in all beings. Stars are many, sky is one; cows are of many colours, milk is white; jewels are many, gold is one; beings are many, breath is one; countries are many, earth is one. Make efforts to comprehend that Oneness, the unity in diversity.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-10-14T14:06:00.000-07:00

1.At times, your mind may wander to a multitude of things, refusing to remain focused on God. Like the fly that goes everywhere but avoids the fire, the mind flees from all thoughts of God. The fly will be destroyed if it goes into the fire; the wavering mind is also vanquished, when it dwells on God. Let the Name of God, Rama enter your mind, and kaama (desire) will be destroyed. Desire ceases to exist in a mind where God resides. Make your own heart a Prashanthi Nilayam, an abode of peace. This transformation must begin now: analyse your words, deeds, and thoughts and get rid of those that harm you and others. Then, cultivate instead, fortitude (sahana), peacefulness (Shaanthi) and Truth (Sathya).

2.During the ten days of the Dussera festival, the rakshasas or demons, were destroyed. Rakshasas are not demonic beings but people’s bad qualities such as arrogance and negative thinking. When the Lord metes out a punishment, it may appear harsh. The penalty depends on the time, place and the circumstances in which the Lord acts. Butter can be cut with a finger, but a hammer is needed to break a piece of iron. The Lord deals with sattwic (peaceful) people in a sattwic way and uses rajasic (excitable) means against a rajasic person. Fearful forms and qualities have been attributed to the Divine, but this is not correct. The Divine has only one attribute: Love. Love is God and it pervades the Cosmos. View the world through the eyes of love and you will experience bliss.

3.The term Devi represents the Divine power, which has taken a mighty form to suppress the forces of evil and protect righteousness. Whenever the forces of injustice and selfishness grow to frightening proportions, and when people have lost all sense of compassion, God assumes a form of Sakthi (the female divine principle), to destroy the rampant evil. Develop good qualities and cultivate love among the people. Spiritual festivals are meant to promote divine love in us. It is to confer such love on the people that the Lord incarnates on earth. He showers His love on everyone and teaches us how to love. Experience this love and joy in your life and live in peace.

4.Love is the most important factor in life. If you pray to God with intense love and devotion, your prayers will certainly be answered. Such is the power of love. Devoid of love one cannot achieve anything, even in this mundane world. Love is God, live in love! The whole universe becomes a vacuum without love. Realise this truth! There is no greater power than humanness in this world. All that we experience in the outside world is only a reaction, reflection and resound of the inner being. Let the flame of your love be steady, and unwavering. There is no greater sadhana (spiritual practice) than love. That is the spiritual practice you have to adopt at all times. Divinity is omnipresent. Practise Divine Love, so you can realize the omnipresent Divinity within your own self

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-10-14T06:25:00.000-07:00

1.You may think that you are enjoying the pleasures, but really speaking it is the pleasures that are enjoying you. They sap your energies, dry up your discrimination, consume your allotted years, and infest your mind with egoism, envy, malice, hatred, greed and lust. The scriptures teach that it is important to remove these weeds from the garden of the heart; and in the grounds thus cleared, one must plant the saplings of Prema (love) and cultivate the fruit bearing trees of Dharma (virtue). Many who claim to revere the Vedas and Shaastras (scriptures) are not practising what they preach. Never plunge into action spurred by impulses; ponder deeply over the pros and cons, and then act so that you escape pain and also do not inflict it on others. This is true in worldly as well as spiritual matters.

2.Mahatma Gandhi looked upon India as one country and planted the seed of unity between faiths and communities. This quickly grew, under his guidance into a big tree. He built a great spiritual movement on the basis of Atmabalam (soul-force) that strengthened the people’s unity and self-esteem. While the freedom movement was alive, the selfishness that had held back progress in material, moral, political and spiritual fields, was suppressed. And though the people suffered, it was but a prelude to their success. Sathyagraha is the path of Truth and Love - of the means being as pure as the ends. Gandhi could mould the people of this land and be hailed as the Father of the Nation as he was humble enough to accept criticism gratefully and learn from others.

3.In this age of Kali, human beings move around like cruel beasts. Compassion is vanishing and ostentation is the order of the day. People claim to love God, but hardly one in a million actually does so. To deride God during times of adversity and to praise Him when all goes well, is not real love for the Divine. Divine love does not flinch in the face of difficulties, nor does it gloat over prosperity; it remains equally serene come what may. Life is full of transient ups and downs, but true love should remain unaffected by this. As long as you are full of hatred, the world too will appear so. It is only when you develop love, the dualism of good and evil can be transcended and you can experience the joy of oneness with the Divine.

4.You are aware that fire is created when one stick is rubbed vigorously against another. Is it friction between the two sticks that produces the fire? No! Fire is latent in the wood and emerges from rubbing the sticks together. The fire hidden imperceptibly in the wood, is made manifest by sadhana (the process of rubbing the sticks). The wooden sticks symbolise the inert human body, in which the fire of divine wisdom (Jnana) is ever present in subtle form. Divine power pervades every part of your body. You should put it to proper use and become a treasure-house of good conduct and pure qualities. Then depending on the state of purity of the temple of your body, the divine power will manifest in you.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-10-08T02:30:00.000-07:00

1.The senses are extrovert by nature and so they drag the ignorant perpetually towards external objects. Hence the spiritual aspirant, endowed with discrimination and renunciation, must suppress the outbursts of the senses, just as the charioteer wielding the whip and the reins does to the raging steeds. Uncontrolled senses cause great harm. But before using concentration and meditation to control them, cultivate good habits. Concentration must have Sathwa-guna (pure qualities) as its basis. The mind has to be purified by proper treatment of the character through good habits. Concentration has to follow this purification process, not precede it. Else the whole effort would be futile. Many great people have ruined their careers by aspiring for concentration without the discipline of good habits.

2.Upasana means the acquisition of the Divine presence and the achievement of the bliss of adoration. Vedic tradition sanctions four paths as legitimate and fruitful to win this achievement: Sathyavathi, Angavathi, Anyavathi and Nidaanavathi. We shall consider the path of Sathyavathi today. The scripture defines the Divine thus: Sarva vyaapinam aatmaanam, ksheere sarpith iva arpitham - the Atma is immanent everywhere just as ghee permeates every drop of milk. When the seeker pursues the Truth with this conviction, his spiritual practices are called Sathyavathi (Truth-based). The Lord declares, “In My latent form, I am in the entire Creation, operating the mystery. See in Me all and see all as Me.” The Lord promises this vision of immanence and transcendence to whomsoever that persists with sincerity o n this Sathyavathi path.

3.To concentrate effectively, establish your attention on a form that gives you joy. Sit in the padmasana (lotus) posture and fix your eyes on the tip of your nose. In the beginning, practice meditation for a minute; then for three minutes. A few days later try for six minutes and after some time, for as long as nine minutes. Thus the concentration has to be strengthened gradually, without undue hurry. Slowly the mind can be held for even half an hour; this discipline must be developed steadily. With practice, the mind will get fixed and the power of concentration will increase. To attain concentration and acquire one-pointedness, you must undergo exertion to some extent. You must fasten your mind on the Lord and keep off all other thoughts from the mental plane. By such exercise done constantly, your vision will be firmly fixed on the Lord residing in your heart . That is, verily, the goal, the full fruition of meditation.

4.Angavathi and Anyavathi are two of the many paths of adoring the lord. The Universal Being is the Fire, the Wind, the Sun, the Moon and all else. He is the breath that sustains life and the rain that feeds the plants which provide sustenance. So He can be adored as having graciously assumed all these beneficent forms. This approach, through the benign manifestations of Angas, is the Angavathi path. Anga means a limb or a feature. Adoring Divinity by symbolising a certain facet of the Universal being is the Anyavathi path; Anya meaning the other or the appurtenances. Easwara or Shiva (the facet of dissolution) has the trident symbolising in its three prongs, the Past, the Present and the Future. Krishna, the manifestation of universal love, bears a flute which is the symbol of the egoless, desireless se eker. In the Anyavathi path seekers meditate on these pleasing personifications and the significance of the symbols and adore the Divine in the delight that wells up in their hearts.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

2011-10-04T17:22:00.000-07:00

1.The mind plans and executes innumerable deeds and roams over vast expanses, all in the twinkling of an eye! It operates with unimaginable speed. However while meditating, the mind should not be allowed to wander away from the object of meditation. Whenever it flies off at a tangent, it must be led back to the form meditated upon. Only one form has to be meditated upon in the beginning; do not change the object of focus everyday. To concentrate effectively, you must be careful not to have as your focus something your mind does not like, or that which causes pain or shakes your faith; for however hard you may try, your mind will not stay fixed on these. With time, even if unpleasant thoughts come, learn gradually to welcome them as beneficial, and seek to grasp the good in them.

2.The latent Atma causes the patent world. Being is behind Becoming, and finally, Becoming merges in Being; the patent is absorbed into the latent. Just as milk flows from the cow, from the Supreme Person flows the power of maya as Prakriti (Nature) - the apparent manifestation. Milk is a composite of cream, curd, and butter, which can be separated out of it through various processes. So too, the five fundamental elements (earth, water, fire, air and space) were separated out through cosmic processes. Therefore what appears as the Cosmos is only the superimposition of the non-real Individual Self and the five elements on the absolute substratum - God. His Will causes this unreal multiplicity to be superimposed on the One that He is. He can by His mere will end it, for He is the Master of Maya.

3.Remember the senses can do nothing by themselves; they are not independent. If the mind is brought under control, the senses can also be controlled. Some people undergo mere asceticism of the senses in order to control the mind! They are ignorant of the real discipline that is necessary - the destruction of desires. However vigilant warders may be, a clever robber can still steal in a hundred amazing ways. So too, however skillfully you may try to control the senses, the mind will drag them to its side and execute its desires through them. If only the outer door is closed and the inner door is left unbolted, calamity is certain. Therefore the aspirant should establish mastery over the external senses. But the mind too has to be controlled by means of Shanthi (peace) and Vairagya (renunciation). When this is done, one can experience Ananda (spiri tual bliss) and visualize the Atma (Divine Self) within, at all times.

4.The root of the word ‘Veda’ means ‘to know’. Vedas are also known as Chandas; this means pleasant, joyous. Other important meanings of this word are vital, strong and shielded. All these are the qualities of the Vedas as it is shielding, fostering, promoting the welfare of humans engaged in the unceasing round of worldly affairs, and conferring the ultimate liberation. Humans are ever caught up in activities pursued with the profit available as the purpose. They have to be moulded as righteous men and women. The Vedas shield people on the path of action (karma marga) from engaging in unrighteous acts, and protect the seekers of knowledge (jnana marga) from the temptation of the senses. Through their role as armour or shield, they shower bliss on all who rely on them. The sacred ceremonies and rituals that Vedas ex pound confer joy and bliss not only on the participants but also on the entire world and beyond.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

Thought for the Day

2011-10-02T17:34:00.001-07:00

1.In order to master the mind, your impulses and desires have to be suppressed. Desires excite the mind to rush towards the senses, just like a dog runs behind its master. Repeat the divine Name and meditate, then you can develop your will, memory, and imagination along proper lines. Meditation is a great help to gain control over an unsteady mind. It is not enough if one of the senses is conquered; all of them should be mastered. Of course, this is a very hard task and you might feel like giving up, but never lose heart. Do not stray from the path of discipline whenever you feel you are not making as much progress as you hoped to. That is not the road to victory - persevere, be patient, and you are sure to triumph in the end!

2.The body, sense organs, mind and intellect are instruments for a human being. Only when one understands the secrets of these instruments will one be able to comprehend the Atmic Principle. If you cannot understand the vesture you are wearing, how can you understand the mystery of the infinite, indwelling Spirit? The body is the basic instrument for all the actions in life and for the acquisition of all knowledge and skills. But it should be primarily regarded as an instrument for realization of the Divine. Attachment to the body and utilisation of it for physical pleasures should be given up. It is essentially sacred and precious, for it is the abode of the Atma and should be used only for sacred purposes.

3.The mind conceives an object and dallies with it a little, but it soon discards it and runs after another one which it feels is more attractive! The Sadhaka (spiritual aspirant) has to be ever watchful of this tendency of the mind. When the mind flits from one thing to another, it must be brought back to the right path and the right object through concentration and meditation. That is the correct spiritual practice. If the aspirant does not make efforts to achieve this one-pointedness and allows the mind to follow its vagaries, the process deserves to be called ‘monkey meditation’, a type of meditation that is indeed very harmful to spiritual progress. You must redirect the mind to concentrate, to focus and to be one-pointed. Concentration endows you with divine joy, wisdom beyond measure, inner vision, insight into the deeper truths, clearer underst anding and oneness with God.

4.There are many entrances to a temple. They are intended to let in devotees who seek to worship the God enshrined within. Similarly for the temple of this human body there are five gates - the five senses. What is the purpose of these doorways? If we build a house and erect doors in it, they are for the use of our kith and kin. If any stray animals try to enter, the doors are shut against them. Likewise the doors in this sacred body should be kept open only for good and divine entrants. Only then it deserves the name Kshetra (shrine). It ceases to be a temple if unholy objects are allowed to enter. What is consumed by the mouth is not the only thing that goes into the body. The other sense organs like the eyes, the ears, the nose and the hands also "consume" objects from the outside world. You must take in satwic (pure) food through all the five sense organs.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-09-26T08:26:00.000-07:00

1.The Atma (Divine Self) has no entry or exit, no form or imperfection. It is subtler than the subtlest, greater than the greatest. Like space, it is all pervasive - and being ‘everything’ it is free from the feelings, ‘I and mine’. Just as fire is heat, Atma is consciousness. As it is beyond distress or delusion, it is Paramananda – supreme, everlasting ecstasy. The Buddhi (intellect), like the moon, has no light in itself; it only reflects the brilliance of the Atma which is like the sun. The Sun by its very presence dispels darkness and so is called the Enlightener; but it is neither doing this consciously nor is it duty bound. The Atma too, has no obligation, or duty. If asked how the Atma becomes a ‘doer’, the reply is: ‘Is the magnet acting, simply because the needle nearb y moves? The Atma therefore is the core of all beings; the awareness in all.

2.The world is a nest of crows; some caw in praise, others in derision. But you should be above the reach of both. Make light of praise and treat it as something unworthy of your attention, only then can you enjoy real happiness and be free. Even Avatars like Rama, Krishna and Baba have not escaped blame; will normal men be spared? People are fond of themselves, their own religions, customs and homelands. This affection makes one criticise other’s faiths and beliefs. Though related to religion and ones' relationship to God, such impulses are impure. Recognize this fact and remove these tendencies by repetition of God's name and meditation, that fill the heart with the universal wisdom of the Atma. These tendencies will be transformed and transmuted into sacred impulses, and will eventually vanish.

3.At first, the child is led into the world of knowledge when he is accepted by a Guru, whom he has to serve and obey without feeling burdened. Later, the young person should share with society the means and measures for its progress and security. In this stage one should start earning his income and learn to spend it wisely. The youth has to, by example, guide younger ones in the right direction and at the same time learn from elders, lessons for ones' own progress. He must do good deeds simply for the elation they confer. Understand that practice advances wisdom, just as reading enhances knowledge. The young person must cultivate humility, reverence, devotion to God and steadfast faith. Along with earning money and serving society, attention has to be paid to virtues and morality through righteous behaviour and sadhana (spiritual practices). One’s whol e being must be purified and then directed along the path of sacred work.

4.When in adulthood, one must foster not only one’s family, but also the progress of people in general. Besides this, during middle age, one must also live an exemplary life, inspiring one’s children and holding forth elevating ideals. Acts that benefit one's family at the cost of the society should be avoided; for, a selfish attitude is bound to lead one to failure. The Divine Principle can be realised only by purifying one’s activities and serving the Self in all. One must have a wide vision of the peace and prosperity of all humanity, and try to contribute to both. Old age is the final stage of life. By the time this stage arrives, one must have discovered that worldly pleasures are trivial and be equipped with spiritual joy, gained through delving into the inner spring of bliss. One must also be eager to share with others the accumulated knowledge and wisdom. Through the experience of life, one’s heart, by this time must be soft, and one should promote the progress of one and all without any distinction.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-09-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

1.Enormous quantities of water are evaporated from the surface of the Earth by the Sun. This then transforms into clouds, and finally return to the Earth as rain. The wonder is that, in spite of this tremendous vaporisation, the level of the ocean does not go down even by an inch. Furthermore, even though thousands of rivers pour their waters into the seas, the level of the ocean does not increase. Similarly, people who have practised the wisdom of the scriptures are never affected by praise or blame, whatever the source and quantity. Their hearts remain pure and calm.

2.Attachment makes the mind dwell on the things of the world. When the mind is free of attachment, it remains unaffected by the objective world. The mind is like a cloth and there are three different impulses which colour it: sathwic, pure impulses which make it white; rajasic, restless tendencies that turn it red, while thamasic, slothful impulses that give it a black colour. Some people find these impulses extremely difficult to control even after many years of practice. If you are disturbed by such inclinations, you must fortify yourself with faith and act to conquer them by will power. Meditation and concentration can help you overcome these impulses.

3.While the liberated soul overcomes the impulses, an ordinary person cultivates them. One can use pure impulses to remove impure ones, but in due course one must discard them too; just as the thorn that is used to remove a thorn is also thrown away. If you wish to attain Self Realisation, it is not enough if you control the impulses; you must uproot them completely. Just like negative ones, good impulses too lead to bondage. This means that, even the purest desire - craving for liberation, has to be cast away eventually. One should attain the stage where neither good nor bad, attracts or repels; for a shackle is a shackle, be it of iron or gold. So if you wish to realise God, you should uproot your impulses, curb the mind, and strive to understand the fundamental Divine Principle.

4.The body is the most wonderful workshop in the entire world, because it is the temple of the Lord. In this ‘spiritual factory’, impulses ought to be sublimated, impurities have to be weeded out and good tendencies nurtured. The uprooting of impulses is the goal here, though this is a very difficult task. While intoxicants enslave you only temporarily, impulses can overpower you for a whole lifetime! But they can be overcome with will-power, faith and determination. Do not give up, whatever the hardship you might face in this struggle. The very purpose of meditation is to attain freedom from these mighty and manifold impulses.
Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-09-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

1.From the tree of the mind comes the seed of impulses (vasanas). These impulses in turn make the mind. To free the mind from the influence of the impulses one has to get rid of ignorance (ajnana). But ignorance does not exist alone; it has a fiendish offspring - the ego (ahamkara). And the ego in turn has two children - attachment and craving; both of these are closely interrelated. Attachment gives rise to feelings of ‘my’ and ‘mine’ which cause desires (or cravings); this leads to worries. Therefore to remove ego, attachment and desires have to be annihilated. And the way to achieve this is through meditation and other spiritual practices. When this is done liberation can be attained.

2.One can imbibe spiritual lessons only to the extent of one’s patience and intelligence. The ancient texts of India insist on the value of actual practice; they reiterate the importance of confirming the truths learnt from the scriptures by experiencing their impact personally. After mastering the texts and gaining experience by putting into practice the lessons learnt, you not only receive bliss and grace, but can also share the wisdom and the joy with others.

3.Remember, the one who is a slave to impulses and tendencies (vasanas) is devoid of Jnana (wisdom). In truth, such a person is a weakling. The impulses invade the heart, causing endless trouble. They remind you of the pleasures of past experiences and make you crave for them again. The desires that arise thus, make the senses and their leader, the mind, restless; having no choice, you then pursue these cravings. The impulses operate so subtly and powerfully, that all this happens in the twinkling of an eye. Just as the seed contains within itself the trunk, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers and fruits, so too, all these effects lie dormant in the vasanas. But let Me assure you - there is no cause for despair! You can regain your divine nature, that was lost by neglect, as soon as you uproot your impulses.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

When truth and Righteousness are protected, the nation will be secure

2011-09-14T17:38:00.000-07:00

1.Teachers! You must inspire your students by your example. You should combine practice with precept, like the physical instructor who demonstrates the exercises the students should perform. In the hermitages of the ancient preceptors, this was how the Gurus taught their disciples. Share with your students the teachings of great and noble souls. Education should be for elevation and not merely for obtaining degrees to earn a living. You should teach students discipline, humility and respect, and instill in them the spirit of service and the sense of fellowship. Imbue your children with confidence and courage. Unify them through love and love alone; give no room for anger, jealousy or hatred within you and teach the children the three P's: Purity, Patience, Perseverance. Armed with these three qualities, your students can protect the nation better than any army or atom bombs. When Truth and Righteousness are protected, the nation will be secure.2.

2.Impure tendencies lead one to vices such as the craving for sensory stimulation like meaningless films; eating food that promotes passion, like fish and meat; and taking intoxicants that generates anger and greed that eventually ruins one’s personality. These impure tendencies are of three types: worldly, intellectual, and physical. Physical impulses make people desire a beautiful physique, with a glowing skin that never wrinkles and a sturdy muscular build. The scholarly tendencies prompt in one the desire to be known as an unrivalled expert and the defeat of every competitor. And lastly, worldly aspirations make one desire power and fame. These are all impulses which bind you to the wheel of birth and death (samsara) and tie you down to this Earth.

3.Enormous quantities of water are evaporated from the surface of the Earth by the Sun. This then transforms into clouds, and finally return to the Earth as rain. The wonder is that, in spite of this tremendous vaporisation, the level of the ocean does not go down even by an inch. Furthermore, even though thousands of rivers pour their waters into the seas, the level of the ocean does not increase. Similarly, people who have practised the wisdom of the scriptures are never affected by praise or blame, whatever the source and quantity. Their hearts remain pure and calm.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-09-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

1.The word Islam means surrender to God. Whoever in a spirit of surrender and dedication, lives in peace and harmony in society, really speaking, belongs to Islam. Islam insists on the unity of thought, word and deed. The fasting and prayers in the month of Ramzan, are designed to awaken and manifest this realisation. In a loving way, Ramzan also brings together kith and kin, those near and far, friend and foe. The emphasis of every religion is on unity, harmony and equanimity. Therefore cultivate love, tolerance and compassion, and demonstrate this Truth by your every action. I give you this message with My blessings.

2.You will be confronted with many Vighnas, or obstacles, in the journey of life. Prayers offered to Vighneswara will help you by removing such obstacles and minimising your problems. Love is the most important aspect in life; it is only love that can unify the world. Absence of love causes hatred, and undermines your human nature. People tend to foster their resentments, which leads to all sorts of problems; they forget the simple path of love. From today give up swaartha (selfishness), turn your mind towards the Parartha (the Supreme); lead a life of Yadaartha (Truth) and sanctify your lives. Place your faith in God and do your duty to the best of your ability. Immerse yourself in God’s love and share it with all. If you earn the love of God even to the slightest extent, you will experience infinite joy.

3.Uttering the truth is easy, but lying is full of problems. One has to take a lot of trouble to cover up one lie with more lies. That is why it has been said: Sathyam brooyath; priyam brooyath; na brooyath sathyam apriyam - ‘speak what is truthful and pleasing and do not mention unkind truths’. God is the embodiment of Truth and Truth is the foundation of the Universe. This Truth is beyond the mind and it transcends space and time. You must live up to this Truth and realise that the Divine is present in everything. Only when you can recognise the omnipresence of the Divine, will you be able to experience God.

4.Our life’s fulfilment lies in Atma-sakshathkara, the realization of Divine Self. To attain this, one must be entirely free from Vasanas, or mental and emotional impulses. Moksha, or liberation, means to be free from the influences of these impulses, which are of two types: beneficent and maleficent. The beneficent tendencies are sacred in nature. The maleficent ones feed the mind and make it unsteady, increasing desires for objective pleasures. If you nurture sacred aspirations (Shubha Vasanas), they will not multiply and influence the mind indefinitely. They are like fried seeds, which will never sprout. If you embrace benign tendencies, you can easily acquire Divine knowledge. You can acquire such liberating qualities by revering and conversing with great Saints, and following their advice; you should also pract ise the five human values

Bagavan Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Ilaiyaraja - Live in Italy - Mood Kaapi

2011-09-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

Message of every religion

2011-09-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

1.Bhakti (devotion) occupies pride of place in Bharathiya culture. Devotion does not only mean performing rituals, undertaking pilgrimages, or visiting temples. These are actions merely indicative of devotion. There is a power which provides the impulse for these actions and that is the love of God. Bhakti means Paripurna Prema(complete love). This love is motiveless; love based on a reason cannot be real love. As a river seeks to join the ocean by a natural impulse, as a creeper winds itself naturally around a tree to climb upwards, the devotee's love is a spontaneous expression of the yearning to realise God. It is free from worldly desires of any kind. To experience the presence of the Divine, your love should flow as a pure selfless stream. You should regard the Divine as the One that pervades everything. Practise seeing God in every object in the cosmos and firmly believe that all names and forms are derived from God.

2.Develop faith in God. All names are His - Rama, Krishna, Christ or any other. Every man is the embodiment of the Divine. True human relations can grow only when this truth is understood. The first stage to Realisation is when you accept, "I am in the Light." Next you perceive and declare, "The Light is in me" and finally you realize, "I am the Light." 'I' represents love and 'light' represents Jnana (Supreme Wisdom). When love and light become one, there is Realisation. Love should come from within and not be enforced from outside.

3.The Quran teaches that everyone must cultivate the sense of unity, of interdependence, of selfless love and of the immanence of Divinity. Prayer in Islam is a congregational activity. Group prayer produces beneficial vibrations and Islam assures great ecstasy when God is adored by a huge concourse of yearning hearts. All of them bow low at the sight of the Mosque. They bend down on their knees in rows, and lean forward until their palms and foreheads touch the ground; this is done as a mark of humble submission to God’s Will. God is One and the teachings of all faiths exalt His love, compassion, tolerance and sympathy. Islam teaches that God's grace can be won through justice and righteous living and never through wealth, scholarship or authority; sacred Love alone can please the Lord. This is the message of every religion.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-09-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

1.One may have immense faith in God, but from time to time the power of maya may overwhelm it. Even in testing times your faith in God should never waver, and you should desist from acting against Dharma (moral codes of conduct). Whatever worship you offer, however intense your meditation, if you transgress God’s laws, all your devotion is futile. The Divine has no selfish objective or aim. It is out of small-minded selfish motives that people act against the sacred commands of the Lord. Even insignificant acts may, in due course, have serious repercussions. Like the clouds in the sky, which are brought together or set apart by the wind, the passage of time brings both unity and separation; both happiness and sorrow. It is to understand these sacred truths and reinforce your faith in God, that various festivals are celebrated.

2.When you recite the name of God with love, carry out with your limbs the injunctions of the Lord and look upon the world as a manifestation of the Divine, you are bound to receive the grace of the Lord. Do not labour under the misconception that mere chanting of God's name alone is adequate; along with it you have to take part in sacred activities. Devote at least five minutes everyday for reciting the Lord's name and a few minutes for rendering some kind of service to the needy and the forlorn. Include in your daily worship a prayer for the welfare of all people in the world.

3.In this era of technology it is becoming increasingly difficult to lead a peaceful life; people are falling victim to various physical and mental ailments. Many people in the cities which are on the front line of civilization, have lost the delight of natural sleep. They experience only artificial sleep induced by tablets. Due to such excessive use of medication, heart and blood pressure problems are on the rise. People are becoming unhealthy wrecks who are lost in fear and anxiety. Drugs and pills are produced in millions, but the general health has not improved. In fact new varieties of illnesses have emerged and are developing fast. Only a few intelligent people have realized the efficacy of yoga and other spiritual practices. This they have confirmed through their own experience.

4.Our life’s fulfilment lies in Atma-sakshathkara, the realization of Divine Self. To attain this, one must be entirely free from Vasanas, or mental and emotional impulses. Moksha, or liberation, means to be free from the influences of these impulses, which are of two types: beneficent and maleficent. The beneficent tendencies are sacred in nature. The maleficent ones feed the mind and make it unsteady, increasing desires for objective pleasures. If you nurture sacred aspirations (Shubha Vasanas), they will not multiply and influence the mind indefinitely. They are like fried seeds, which will never sprout. If you embrace benign tendencies, you can easily acquire Divine knowledge. You can acquire such liberating qualities by revering and conversing with great Saints, and following their advice; you should also pract ise the five human values

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-09-02T16:43:00.000-07:00

1.The word “Veda” has originated from the root “Vid,” meaning “to know”; and as it is explained in the phrase, “Vidam thu anena ithi Vedah”, Veda is that which reveals and expounds all knowledge. The sacred Veda, instructs us in all that is required for one's spiritual advancement. It imparts that knowledge, by which one can overcome all sorrows, and also grants the spiritual disciplines which can bestow unshaken peace. It is hailed as Anaadi (beginningless), Sanathana (eternal), and Nithya (ever-present). As the spiritual quest was sincerely pursued along with material objectives, the sages of the past had the good fortune of receiving the Vedic message. Those ancient masters were so selfless and full of compassion and love, that they shared what th ey had heard and enjoyed with those who approached them. Vedas are like the force of gravitation - present everywhere, at all times. The Vedic message can be received by anyone, on account of one's Sadhana (spiritual practices), one's concentration and the ability to experience the bliss resulting from practising it.

2.You can grow in love, only when you put into practice the love in which you have faith. Since you do not practise what you profess, your faith is weakened. A plant will grow only when it is watered regularly. After planting the seed of love, you must nurture it by watering it with love every day. Then the tree of love will grow and yield the fruits of love. Many today do not perform those noble deeds that will promote love. When you wish to develop love for the Lord, you must continuously practise devotion to Him

3.God is the embodiment of Love. A human being, who is an image of the Divine, should have love as the basic quality. Why then are you infected with qualities like hatred, envy, pride and self-conceit? This is because your hearts are polluted by desires for the things of the world. The image of the Lord cannot be imprinted on such impure hearts. It is only when one realizes the omnipresence and omniscience of God, that one can comprehend the nature of Divinity and recognise God within. To experience the joy that springs from a devotee who has developed Sannikarsha Bhakti (magnetic love towards God), you must show love and reverence towards elders and serve them with humility and respect. Towards equals, you must show love and friendliness. Towards the young, you should extend sympathy and loving care. By these means, you can demonstrate your love and fondness for the Divine, that is in all.

4.In the vessel of your heart is the wick of your jiva (inner self). This wick has been continually immersed in the water of your sensuous desires and so you are not able to light the lamp of wisdom. Pour out all the water of desires from this vessel, and fill it with Namasmarana (constant remembrance of God's name); take the wick of jiva and dry it in the sunshine of vairagya (detachment). If you follow this sacred method, you will be able to light the lamp of wisdom and no matter where you are, you will be able to see this jyothi (divine effulgence).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Every one should cultivate good thoughts and eschew all bad feelings

2011-09-01T17:37:00.000-07:00

1.Everyone should cultivate good thoughts and eschew all bad feelings. God has no dislike for anyone and is free of envy and ill-will. He does not have any favourites. The grace one receives is the result of one's own feelings. "Bhaavaatheetham thriguna rahitham" (The Divine is beyond feelings and attributes). He is "Ekam Sathyam Vimalam Achalam" (One, the Truth, Pure and Immovable). He is "sarvadhee saakshibhuutham" (the eternal witness in all minds). When devotees complain they are being punished by the Lord in various ways, they do not realize that God does not punish them. It is their own fears and desires that cause their troubles. A true devotee recognizes that all suffering is the consequence of one’s own bad thoughts and actions.

2.Unless you are filled with God’s Love, no amount of knowledge will give you peace. The craze for money is the cause of all the world’s ills. As craving for wealth increases, the yearning for God declines. Due to the desire for riches, other evil qualities like pride, greed, envy and hatred have grown among humanity. Wealth is necessary but it is the treasure of Divine Grace and Love that will last forever and preserve you; all other things are transient. You should also realize that God responds only to deep and genuine devotion; verbal supplications will not suffice. You must yearn so that God’s heart will melt. Even soft butter will melt only when you heat it. Likewise the warmth of Bhakthi (love for the Lord) has to be applied to the butter of the human heart, to make God melt.

3.The Divine incarnates from age to age for the purpose of protecting the virtuous, punishing the wicked and establishing righteousness. Lord Krishna was one such manifestation of the Divine. In fulfilling His pledge to Mother Earth, He rid the world of many wicked rulers and sought to establish the reign of righteousness for the protection of the good. But today if the Divine wanted to punish the wicked and protect the righteous, He would not find even one wholly righteous person and all would qualify for punishment! Nowadays, it is not a question of destroying the wicked, but of transforming Adharma (unrighteousness) into Dharma (righteousness). This has to be done through love alone.

4.Krishna is the embodiment of divine Love. The very word ‘Krishna’ means one who attracts: Karshatiti Krishna - ‘Krishna is one who attracts’. Krishyatiti Krishna - ‘Krishna is one who nurtures’, is another derivation of the name. This means that Lord Krishna cultivates devotees’ hearts, by removing weeds, sowing the seeds of good qualities and tending the crop of love. We can also say, Kushyatiti Krishna, meaning, ‘He who gives delight’. Krishna thus means, the one who cultivates our hearts and nurtures in them the crop of bliss. The principal message of Krishna’s life, is divine Love. This most precious divine Love is immensely powerful, resplendent and as indestructible as diamonds. In the same way that diamonds can only be cut with another diamond, if you want to experience such divine love, your love for God must be equally strong.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-08-28T16:58:00.000-07:00

1.Human life is beset with ups and downs, joys and sorrows. These experiences are intended to serve as guideposts for man. Life would be bland without trials and tribulations. Problems in life bring out the human values from within man. You cannot get the juice of the sugarcane without crushing it; you cannot enhance the brilliance of a diamond without cutting it and making many facets. One must shed pettiness and develop broad-mindedness through the cultivation of love. Only when you endure various difficulties, can you experience the sweet bliss of Self-realization. Hence, difficulties must be welcomed and overcome to experience Divinity.

2.Contentment is a pure (sathwic) quality; it will not transform you into an idler; no. Instead, it will bring you closer to God and grant you peace. You will also find yourself less selfish and being able to overcome many pitfalls of the path. You will be able to discern the impermanent in life and reject their temptations. Discrimination, renunciation, and the spirit of inquiry, all develop through contentment. The contented person will become very pure (sathwic) and will attain a rich inner life in communion with the Atma. They will be able to undertake any work without rest and complaint and will acquire one-pointedness of mind. Contentment gives all spiritual aspirants the enthusiasm and vigour necessary for treading the path, that leads to Sakshathkara (realisation of God)

3.Devotion does not call for arduous spiritual practices or severe discipline of any kind. There is no need to perform intense penance or Yajnas (religious sacrifices). The only easy and sure means for ordinary people to realize God, without regard to their caste, nationality, gender or any other qualification, is to have intense devotion and love for God. Where there is deep faith, there is intense love. Where there is love, there is Shraddha (earnestness). Through earnestness, Jnana (higher knowledge) is gained. This knowledge enables one to practice spirituality. The Gopikas (cowherd maidens) exemplified this; they experienced the continuous presence of God within them and outside them. They showed that such sublime love was possible even for ordinary persons with little knowledge of the scriptures or spiritual disciplines and demonstr ated the inextricable link between the Divine and the individual..

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-08-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

1.There is no greater happiness than sacrifice; it is the highest virtue. One who has the true spirit of sacrifice gives away even his most dearest possessions, gladly and without hesitation. But the most profound sacrifice is surrendering the fruit of all actions to the Lord. A thyagi (one who sacrifices) does not shrink even to give up his body, regarding it as worthless. Sacrifice means something more than giving up wealth, gold, and material objects: evil qualities like hatred, jealousy, wrath and malice, which have become ingrained in us over many lifetimes, must be discarded as well.

2.Young men and women must spring into action and strive to create a resurgent India, and a happy and peaceful world. You must overcome the desire for power and instead firmly implant in your hearts the desire to uproot corruption and immorality, and also the urge to work hard. Even as it is the duty of children to serve and please their mother, so it is the bounden duty of every child of the nation to make her happy. To serve the Motherland selflessly should be the sacred ideal of life. You must embrace the lofty ideal of national unity and engage yourselves in dedicated service to the nation.

3.Contentment is a pure (sathwic) quality; it will not transform you into an idler; no. Instead, it will bring you closer to God and grant you peace. You will also find yourself less selfish and being able to overcome many pitfalls of the path. You will be able to discern the impermanent in life and reject their temptations. Discrimination, renunciation, and the spirit of inquiry, all develop through contentment. The contented person will become very pure (sathwic) and will attain a rich inner life in communion with the Atma. They will be able to undertake any work without rest and complaint and will acquire one-pointedness of mind. Contentment gives all spiritual aspirants the enthusiasm and vigour necessary for treading the path, that leads to Sakshathkara (realisation of God).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-08-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

1.Do not strive for physical comforts ignoring the permanent joy of inner calm and contentment, for nothing is more valuable than this. Contentment is the result of attaining peace of mind, joy and discrimination; it is a treasure richer than the three worlds. A contented person can experience indescribable divine glory and can even attain Sakshathkara (vision of the Lord) directly. But to achieve this, namasmarana (remembrance of the Lord’s Name) and dhyana (meditation) are the only means; these alone can give you that ability.

2.Some people focus on spiritual knowledge alone, ignoring the secular branches of learning. This is not desirable because they tend to miss both and wander aimlessly between the two. Secular learning should not be neglected. One should acquire spiritual awareness, while seeking mastery over secular subjects. So even as you acquire secular knowledge, do spend some time everyday meditating on God.

3.Do not get attached to this evanescent body; utilise it as an instrument instead. Consider yourself as separate from this destructible body; know yourself as the indestructible Atma. Just as the house in which you dwell is separate from you, so is this body which surrounds you for a short while, different to you. This body is the root cause of all grief and calamity. Understand this well and make the body obey your will without bowing down to its whims. Keep it under strict control and be prepared to cast it away any moment. You must train your body with great attention. Consider it as a boat that is meant to take you across this stream of life. Until the other bank is reached, or in other words, until the ultimate truth is attained you must ensure that this boat is not leaky or damaged. You must safeguard your body by taking moderate quantities of pure (sat hwic) food at appropriate times, and by keeping up disciplined physical activities.

4.It is often thought that charitable and philanthropic acts make for sacrifice. But there is a vast difference between charity and sacrifice. Charitable people give only a fraction of their wealth to others. Gifts of land, distribution of food, contribution of physical labour and the spreading of education and knowledge belong to this category. Through acts of charity no man ever gives up all that he has. Going a step higher some retain for themselves what is just and essential, and give away all the rest to society. Such people win the highest acclaim in the world. Our sacred texts prescribed that a portion of one’s possessions must be offered to the poor and needy.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-08-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

1.You must have contentment, be it gain or loss. This is essential. For the contented mind, life becomes a celebration, whereas a mind worried by desires will be ever restless. In such a state of mind, concentration is impossible. Desires are like a fire in your body, which can burn you up from within and contentment is the effective drug to destroy it. Just as a bath in the cool waters of a stream refreshes an exhausted traveller, perspiring in the burning heat of the day, one suffering from the scorching fires of desire, will be refreshed by the pellucid waters of contentment. Contentment will grant you joy and expand your happiness.

2.Secular learning cannot bestow on us abiding and absolute peace. Self-knowledge alone can help us cross the sea of sorrow; you should all strive to attain this awareness. It is not easy to gain this Self-knowledge, but at the same time one must not give up in a mood of frustration and despair. Self-knowledge can certainly be acquired through purity of mind. Purity of mind can be attained through pious and sacred deeds, charity, compassion and devotion. Selfless actions, consecrated to God, purifies the heart. The Sun of Wisdom dawns in such a heart and this awakening exalts one to the status of God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-08-07T02:10:00.000-07:00

1.Education sans wisdom, wisdom bereft of discrimination, action without discretion, erudition lacking sagacity, power not justified by credentials, statements not based on truth, music wanting in melody, adoration not sustained by devotion, a person devoid of common sense and character, a student not endowed with humility, and a discourse that fails to inspire: these serve no useful purpose. Knowledge without personal experience is futile. You should gain wisdom through experience. Knowledge is sanctified only when it is translated into actions which promote the good of humanity.

2.It is very important to remember that the full power inherent in your words can be utilised through speaking softly and sweetly. For those anxious to visualise God in all, such gentleness of speech will be of immense help. Through words of affection and regard, and by the practice of softness of expression, not only will your minds be calm and light, you will also grant great joy to others! And when you carry out meditation and other spiritual practices in such a happy atmosphere, concentration will come easily.

3.If you blame and find fault with others in a conversation, you will be criticised in turn. You will then become disturbed by this situation, which will disrupt your spiritual progress; in addition, the atmosphere will become stressful. Therefore if you really wish to find joy through your spiritual practices, the first step is to keep your conversations calm and to think positively. Sweet and soft conversation will help you immeasurably. You must cultivate such character, for character outlasts the body. Virtues are your strength and glory. Character is power. So train your mind and use it to hold fast to the goal of achieving oneness with God.

4.Discrimination enables us to distinguish right from wrong, choose the correct path and judge the importance of various aspects of a given situation. The very same atomic energy which can cause colossal destruction can be constructively used to produce electricity. An educated person should discriminate in such matters and pursue the right course of action. Research and development should not lead to violence and destruction. Anyone endowed with wisdom and discernment will be honoured and admired, even though he may not have wealth or position. A person may be an eminent educationist, prominent scientist, or a multimillionaire, but if he is devoid of insight and discrimination, he can never blossom spiritually; he cannot even distinguish between dharma (righteousness) and adharma (unrighteousness). Therefore, every one of you must acquire wisdom and discrimination without resting on the laurels of intellectual knowledge. You must develop and use these qualities to uplift the country and the world at large.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-08-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

1.In order to persuade a child to stop crying and calm down, we often relate a story suitable for its level of comprehension. In the same manner, the Jivi (individual), fascinated by the constant attraction of maya and bound by tendencies cultivated during many lives in the past, becomes lost in illusion and cries out ‘Why do I keep on suffering?’ The solution was provided when the sage-preceptor, Vasishta, instructed Lord Ramachandra. “Rama!” he said, “Rather than entangling Yourself in the inquiry regarding how ignorance entered man, put all Your effort into its removal.” This lesson is directed not only to Rama but to all humanity. It instructs everyone who does not realise the transcendental Truth behind the objective world. Simply be convinced that you have this basic ignorance, and give up struggli ng with all your suffering. You must learn how to overcome your ignorance by treading the path that will lead you to wisdom or Jnana. Wisdom is light. Ignorance is darkness. And darkness can persist only until light dawn.

2.All are born out of the womb of one Lord. Just as many varieties of fish and water loving animals swim around a large lake, multitudes of human beings move about in ‘the ocean’ of the Lord. This is an awe-inspiring sight. Some are undeveloped, some are growing; they swim around, greedy and selfish. In the midst of this crowd of ignorant beings are a few highly evolved souls, the wise (jnanis) and yogis. Since they are mixed up with the ignorant, it becomes difficult to distinguish the ones with wisdom from the others. A microscope is necessary to identify the red corpuscles in the blood; similarly, a special mechanism is needed to find the wise. That mechanism is none other than constant contemplation of the Lord (dhyana).

3.When the rope is seen in darkness, by mistake or ignorance, it appears as a serpent, hiding what it really is. When the truth is known the onlooker feels, “this is no serpent; it is a rope!”; the serpent instantly disappears, for it was mere imagination. Therefore our feeling or thinking creates the serpent and also destroys it! Remember this: “Assertion creates, negation destroys!” Both are mental processes which can be classified as thoughts. “We become what our thoughts are.” These thoughts, on the validity of the objective world and the value of the joys derivable from it, though emanating from ajnana (ignorance), shape us from within. To overcome illusion or ignorance, the following are extremely valuable and helpful: (1) attention towards adhyatmic gain (spiritual progress); (2) steady faith; (3) devotion and (4) the grace of God. Even if one of these four is absent, one cannot experience the highest Bliss of the Absolute.

4.You must cultivate the quality of always being joyful, with a smile on your face; this will give you a special virtue. People will also warm to you naturally and the Lord too will be joyful on seeing you. Therefore carry out your spiritual practices with innocence, purity, and humility. Once you do this you will be able to attain your heart’s desire without fail. Do not lose your temper or courage in any situation. Respect everyone, whatever be their status. You will then develop the quality of universal love (prema) and as a result, your spiritual practices will progress unhindered.

BAGAVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

Thought for the Day

2011-08-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

1.Three types of activity reach God and earn His Grace: (1) those not prompted by personal desire, (2) those emanating from unselfish love and (3) prayer arising from pure hearts. The Lord pays heed only to these and they reach God direct. The rest are the concern of the various deities who preside over their disposal. Therefore, prayers have to be unselfish, saturated with love, and free from the taint of attachment to the gift that the prayer would bring.

2.The very first step to ensure peace and harmony in mankind is for each one to observe their own religion’s Dharma, or code of conduct. This will count as the most sublime service, provided one holds on to one's own faith and its essential principles diligently. For example, though undertaking charity is a good act, it should not be tainted by egoism. The scriptures assert that charity ensures benefits in a future life, and unfortunately many people offer gifts with this expectation in their minds. They are even beset by pride that they have helped others and crave to be admired. This attitude reveals their ignorance, ajnana. They must journey to a higher stage called Vijnana, where the heart is transformed by loyalty to truth, non-violence, and compassion. Only such persons can understand themselves, their kinship with the Cosmos, and with the Creator of the Cosmos. Once this understanding dawns, they will be able to live free of ignorance, doubt or disharmony.

3.Firstly you must learn about the precious truths contained in the sacred texts from experts in the field. This will lead you to developing an urge to visualize these. This is the first stage of knowing called Jnatum. The second stage is that of visualisation, in which you carefully peruse, examine and collect such sacred texts, and with steadfast perseverance enquire, comprehend and visualise what you have read. You derive joy and satisfaction from the feeling that you have discerned certain profound truths. This stage is called Drashtum. It is not enough if you make progress up to here; you must experience what was thus known and seen. If one lies down after eating, it will lead to indigestion. However if one consumes the requisite quantity of food and also undertakes some physical work, the food will be digested and converted into nour ishment and energy. In the same manner, you should translate your knowledge into experience and action, and use it for the progress of our country and for the welfare of humanity. This is the final stage called Praveshthum.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

True love of Gopikas

2011-08-03T07:35:00.000-07:00

One day Krishna is lying on bed and complaining of a headache. Narada comes and asks Him what is wrong. When Narada learns about the Lords problem, he feels something must be done and asks Krishna what he could do. Then Krishna says, Narada, you are a great devotee. I must put on my head the dust from the feet of the devotee alone to be cured immediately. Will you give some dust? Oh Krishna, what are you saying? I cant do that, replied Narada. Then Krishna told him to go and find some devotees, who are ready to give some dust from their feet.

Narada goes in search and finds the Gopikas who are ready to do that. So he brings the dust from the feet of the Gopikas and the moment Krishna puts them on His head, His head ache is gone. Then Krishna says to Narada, You saw Me in pain but were not willing to give the dust from under your feet. But if I had done that, I will go to hell, replied Narada. Krishna then said, "That is the difference between you and the Gopikas. They are ready to go to hell; all they want is My welfare. I love the devotees who think only of Me and not of one's self."

Who is responsible for the sorrow?

2011-08-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

1.God is not responsible for the sorrow and the pain that one experiences. The sins one commits are the cause of the grief one suffers. Joy and sorrow are the consequences of the good and the evil that one perpetrates. God is merely a witness. He does not punish, nor does He create grief. The jivi (individual soul) is without a beginning, that is to say, it has no birth; but it involves itself in incessant activity and so it has to go through the inevitable consequences of that activity. This is the unbreakable law of the objective world. Grief or joy is the image of the activity one engages in; it is the resound, the reflection, and the reaction. One can be the witness without concerning oneself with the good and the bad of the activity. When involvement happens, good will have to be experienced when good is done, similarly evil will have to be undergone when evil is done.

2.Dhyana (meditation) is the very basis of all sadhana (spiritual practice). Meditation gives you the first inkling of the Divine Bliss. With this Bliss as the ideal, you must carry on meditation and mental repetition of the Divine Name. The step immediately after meditation is samadhi (total absorption in the Self). Meditation is the seventh of the eight-fold path of Yoga. Do not give up this royal road that leads you on to that sacred goal!

3.We cannot think without words. Words are the essential material for thought. When the individual drops the body, the words enter the mind; the mind enters the Prana or the Life Force and the Prana merges in the Atma. When the Atma (individual soul) liberates itself it rushes to Surya Loka, the region of the Solar Principle. From there, it reaches Brahma Loka, the region of Brahma, the Supreme One. Having reached that region, the jivatma (individualized Atma) has no more concern with Prakriti, or the objective world. It will exist there till the end of time. It will experience boundless delight and have all powers except the powers of creation.

4.People are engaged in various forms of self-cultivation, but the most important of these is the cultivation of spiritual experiences. All refinement is based on spiritual development. It is the king of cultures. The king makes laws, but he is above and beyond them. So too, all rules and laws, all distinctions of right and wrong, of sin and virtue, of joy and sorrow affect only the jivi (individualized soul) that attaches importance to the inexperienced manas (mind) and buddhi (intellect) and not to the Atma. So, cultivation of the Atmic experience, which is pure, self-evident, and transcendental is essential for all. It is also easy, for the Atma is like the mother of all, and listening to the Atma is like the child listening to its mother. Everyone is competent to have that experience; in fa ct, it is everyone’s right to have it!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-07-31T18:30:00.000-07:00

1.Imitation is a sign of cowardice, not a quality that can ensure progress. How can you draw inspiration for uplifting yourself, if you are engaged in hating yourself and devaluing your achievements? You should feel no sense of shame when you bring back to memory your forefathers and the teachers of the past who built the culture that nurtured you. Instead, you ought to feel proud of them. Like them, manifest the power that lies in self-exertion! Do not resort to the weak stratagem of imitating others. Instead absorb the good qualities that others may possess. We plant a seed in the soil. Then we supply it with the ingredients it needs—water, air, and manure. The seed sprouts. It grows into a sapling. It becomes at last a huge tree. You will notice that it does not become either soil or manure, or air or water. These it makes use of, but sticks to its own nature and grows into a tree. May you too live like that!

2.How do you accumulate the wealth of character? You cannot exist without activity, so you must, out of necessity, act through good qualities. You must curb all desires and become free. The mind filled with good qualities will help you in this process, for it will bear other’s prosperity gladly. It will give up doing injury; it will seek opportunities to help, heal, and foster. It will not only suffer; it will also pardon. It will not incline towards the false; it will be on the alert to speak the truth. It will remain unruffled by lust, greed, anger, and conceit; it will be free from delusion. It will always seek the welfare of the world. From such a mind, will flow an uninterrupted stream of love.

3.We have much to learn from others. There is no need about doubt this fact. Those who refuse to learn this, declare themselves fools. You can imbibe from others anything that can promote your spiritual advancement in line with your own moral path or dharma. You must live as you, not as someone else. Be immersed in your God, in your own beliefs and feelings, in the bliss that springs from your own heart, and in the delight derived from your sadhana (spiritual practices). If others try to prevent you from doing this by weaving different plans or employing several contrivances, resist them boldly. Do not deny yourself the Divine Awareness and the Divine Ecstasy. Pull down the barriers that stand in the way and obstruct the free flow of divinity, sweetness and strength from the depth of your heart.

4.When your mind matures and attains fruition, it easily becomes free of all qualities. It becomes placid, calm, and pure. It effortlessly merges in the one and only Atma. Each person has the unique chance to taste the inner peace that such a mind can grant, but, unfortunately, most are strangers to the unshakeable joy and equanimity that is their birthright. Meditation is the only island of refuge in the ocean of life for all beings tossed on the waves of desire, doubt, dread, and despair. This Vedantic truth must be present in the mind, even while one is engaged in the mundane material world!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-07-29T01:43:00.000-07:00

1.The spiritual aspirant must always yearn for good company (satsang), where there is no chance for growth of greed or ambition. Even if it is hard to come by, you should only mix with good people. It is profitless for a true aspirant to associate with people who spend their time in worldly affairs. If you don’t secure good friends, spend your time alone; thereby you do not lose anything. Never even think of joining the company of the bad or being in their presence. Do not get entangled in their wiles. If you cultivate good qualities and seek good company, then both, repetition of the Divine Name and meditation will become easy for you and will yield quick results.

2.Space is one. But it is held in diverse containers like the home, the pot, the building and the canvas. There is no truth in this divided existence; it is the one space that exists in all these ‘receptacles’ which are varied shapes and forms, with distinct names attached to them, and different modes of behaviour and use. So too, individual beings (jivas) have different names and forms, peculiarities, specialties and behaviours. But like the string that holds the beads, passing in and through each one, the Super Consciousness in all individuals is ONE. That is the Self, Atma, which is mistaken as the ego through ignorance. Only when this truth is acquired, can man release himself from the hold of this transient world.

3.Those who never speak of the Lord, or those who are not even aware of Him, or those who are busy multiplying and strengthening the bonds of worldly existence (samsara) or who preach and practice falsehood, injustice, and oppression, and who advise you to stray from the path of dharma (righteousness) - treat those not as your friends but as people to be avoided at all costs. Associating with such bad company (dussanga) leads to committing wrongs against your will, uttering words that should not be uttered, doing deeds that ought not be done and consequently, treading the path to ruin. People who fear neither sin nor God are capable of venturing into any wickedness; so, seek the company of those who fear God and fear sin; that alone is true good company.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-07-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

1.The word karma (action) is short and crisp. But the idea and ideals it conveys are of great significance to mankind. It is of two kinds: material and spiritual, that is, loukik (connected with this world) and vaidik (drawn from the Vedas or scriptural injunctions). Karma that merely sustains life is material. The vaidik actions elevate the human to the Divine and are based on the scriptures. Karma is not simply physical, it is also mental and verbal; it subsumes every activity of man—worldly, scriptural and spiritual. All the three strands are truly intertwined. Worldly actions entail merit or demerit. Scripturally based actions are saturated with the experience of generations of seekers of goodness. The spiritually-focused will devote themselves to cleansing their hearts so that the indwelling God may be reflected therein.

2.Its animal nature to get attracted to the exterior; the Lord is pleased only by internal charm that arises from good character. Do not be driven by the low tastes of the world and the cheap regard that people bestow. Strive for the grace and love of the Lord. The affection that people shower is not constant, for it depends on their likes and dislikes. But the love that the Lord bears for you depends on your good qualities alone; it gives you permanent joy. True beauty lies in character, not in anything else. There is nothing more charming than this.

3.The lives of individuals are determined by the actions performed by them in previous lives and the present one. The entire load of accumulated karma that is slowly being worked out over many life times by the individual is called sanchitha karma. That karma which directly influences the current life is called praarabdha karma. The actions being performed, which is bound to affect the future is called aagaami karma. While the actions one is engaging in is referred to as karma, being inactive is called akarma! If you are not attached to the fruits of your actions, but carry it out as your duty and as your way of worship; then you can practice akarma even though physically engaged in Karma. This is the highest sadhana.

4.The good should never even discuss the evil that others do, for that will contaminate them. The stories of child devotees like Dhruva and Prahlada will, if listened to, grant merit and show the path; and the stories of great women like Savithri and Anasuya will destroy the roots of evil and strengthen character. How will this happen? They are all holy and their lives are without a blemish; therefore to discuss them and their lives is worthwhile and beneficial. Always discuss the good in others and never about their faults. If you can, try constantly to offer them good advice and turn them to noble ways. You should cultivate peace of mind, charitableness and eagerness to promote the welfare of all. These can come only through repetition of the Divine Name and meditation.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-07-25T16:53:00.000-07:00

1.Cultivate prema (love) for the Lord. It has infinite potentiality. Even an iron chain can be broken, but not the chain of love that binds a devotee to the Lord. Remember, even the cruelest of animals can be overpowered by love! What a holy deed it would be, to direct all the floodwaters of this love to the the Lord who is the ocean of pure love rather than to worldly lakes and shoals. By doing this the Jivi (individual) will realise the purpose of life. To direct one's love to the divine name and form incessantly is true meditation. This is the highest Moksha (liberation).

2.The ancient rishis (sages), out of their own genuine experience, have clearly described the means to sanctify our lives. Their counsel is not based on knowledge gathered from books. According to them, in order to carry out with perfection one's karma (duty), bhakthi, jnana and yoga (devotion, wisdom and self-control) are essential. Dharma (right conduct) is the taproot of the great tree of religion; the eternal source of its strength. This tree is nourished by the waters of bhakthi (devotion). The leaves and flowers are renunciation and other virtues, and the fruit is jnana (wisdom). If there is any interruption in these stages of growth, or deficiency in the nourishment, the fruit of jnana will be adversely affected.

3.Do not mistake this temporary abode as your eternal dwelling place. Do not lose heart at evanescent troubles and short-lived tragedies. Immerse yourselves in the effort to attain the eternal Lord. Everything in this world is subject to decay - if not today, sometime in the future. It is not right to reject the Lord, who is eternally related to you, and be misled by this world with which one is connected to for a short while! Consider the number of births you have taken, the countless mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, sons, daughters, friends and enemies you’ve had. Do they exist today? Do they remember the relationships? You are no one to them, and they are nobody to you. But you and they have the Lord in common as the unchanging relative. He is there throughout all births; He is eternal. He watches over you from one birth to another. The Lord will never give you up. What greater tragedy can there be than forgetting such a Lord? With the senses weakened, powerless and refusing to function; with the parents, wife, children, and all relations crowding on one side; while the messengers of death compelling you to pack up for the journey without delay on the other side - who knows when this call will come and how? Before that moment comes, be ready with the thought of God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the day

2011-07-24T16:53:00.000-07:00

1.Every animate being has to attain fulfillment; that is destiny. The length and difficulty of the journey are determined by the nature of the cumulative effects of many lives. In order to attain fulfillment in the spiritual field, the help of those who have mastered the path is very necessary. This guidance can be transmitted only from one heart to another when an intimate kinship is established between the seeker and the Master. Texts, commentaries and guide books only breed doubts, discords and discussions. Intellectual reasoning will only lead to cleverness and ill-advised sharpness. Experience achieved through intuition alone is valid in the realm of the spirit. For the journey from intuition to illumination, layers of egoism and its evils have to be penetrated and destroyed. A Guru will be of great help in this adventure. For, He alone who has reac hed the goal can guide the pilgrim to it. Without the Guru, the aspirant tends to wander in the wilds.
2.Guru Poornima is a holy day which must be celebrated with prayer and sincere repentance that arises from love for God. This alone can cleanse the heart; not feasting or fasting, which only affect the body. The wayward mind of man is compared to the moon that oscillates between brightness and darkness. On the full moon day, the mind too has to be bright, effulgent and cool.
3Guru Poornima is the day you should decide to become masters of your senses and intellect, emotions and passions, thoughts and feelings through Sadhana (spiritual discipline). Even during Dhyana (meditation), ego will disturb you. A scholar too can be polluted by ego; he delights in discussing pros and cons, and in the process raising doubts that disturb faith. Hence offer yourself completely to God seeking nothing but spiritual progress. Such dedication cannot arise out of scholarship. Therefore engage yourselves in Sadhana (spiritual practices) without delay. Cultivate virtues; be free from evil habits, thoughts, words and deeds. Treat everyone with love and grow in love. This is the way to Ananda (joy).
4.In the spiritual path, there are six steps: Sama, Dama, Titiksha, Uparathi, Shraddha and Samadhana. Sama, Dama and Uparathi are the steps involving control of senses and withdrawal of the mind from the external world. Titiksha is being equanimous in gain and loss, pain and pleasure, praise and censure. Shraddha or faith is very essential in spiritual life; it is impossible to attain illumination without this virtue. Therefore whatever work you undertake, do it with diligence and faith. The sixth step Samadhana refers to contentment. He who has the least desires is the richest man in the world and the one filled with desires is the poorest. This contentment or self-satisfaction comes from selflf-confidence. Self-satisfaction ca n lead one to selff-sacrifice and finally to Self-realization.

Thought for the Day

2011-07-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

1.In the olden days even before imparting knowledge to his disciples the Guru (preceptor) would assign them different tasks that they had to perform in his hermitage. This was done with a purpose. One important object of work is purification of the chittha (heart). Once the heart is purified one is ready to receive the teachings of the Guru. Thus in this manner the Guru first purified the heart of the disciple and only when he was satisfied with the disciple's spiritual progress did he start imparting Self-Knowledge.]

2.All work should be done as an offering to God. One should not be idle. Whatever work one does, it should be done with a feeling of love. You can take up any work that is appropriate for your aptitudes and capacity. While doing such sacred work, you must continue to worship your favourite form of the Divine. People say many obstacles occur when one undertakes sadhana (spiritual practices). When obstacles come they should be taken as tests. Tests are intended not as punishment but for ascertaining one's fitness for promotion. Frequent tests mean repeated opportunities for promotion. If there is a big time lag between tests, it only means that promotion is not possible for a long time. One must face the obstacles in one’s sadhana in this spirit and try to overcome them.

3.For success in any aspect of life, three things are essential - knowledge, skill and balance. If you combine knowledge with skill, you get balance which is very important. It means maintaining equipoise in the face of praise and criticism. To stay balanced, skill is necessary. If you lose balance, suffering will soon follow. When you are given some work, you should put your heart and soul into it, and do it with utmost sincerity and dedication, to the limit of your capacity. Take for example, a person who is entrusted with planting trees and developing a garden. If he does the work wholeheartedly without getting affected by praise or blame, the plants will come up well, and the garden will get transformed into a place of beauty. When the Guru comes to see that garden and feels happy with the growth of the plants, the joy of the Guru becomes the gr ace He bestows on that individual, and that grace will confer great happiness to that person.

4.The Guru warns and awakens. He reveals the truth and encourages you to progress towards it. Unless you have the yearning, the questioning heart, or the seeking intelligence, he cannot do much. The hungry can be fed; he who has no hunger will discard food as an infliction. The Guru is a gardener who will tend the plant; but the sapling must have sprouted before he can take charge. He does not add anything new to the plant; he only helps it to grow according to its own destiny, quicker perhaps, more fully perhaps, but not against its inner nature. He removes the spiritual poverty by pointing to the treasure that lies buried within oneself; he advises the method of recovering it, the vigilance needed to use it to the best advantage.

5.There are four stages in the journey to God; they are: Saalokya, Saameepya, Saaroopya and Saayujya. The first stage is Saalokya, which is coming to the divine presence. From there on, you should progress forward to Saameepya, which means getting nearer to the Guru. Then you march forward to Saaroopya where you shine with the very form and splendour of Divinity. Finally you enter the stage of Saayujya, which is complete mergence with the Divine. At this stage, the bubble bursts and becomes one with the sea. Seva (Service) gives you the opportunity to progress along each and every one of these steps and merge with God.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

2011-07-20T16:49:00.000-07:00

1.The entire world is like a university, teaching us constantly. When we do business, there is something to learn. Even when we cultivate land, there is something to learn. Without any difference of caste or creed, title or status, the tree shares its fruits with all and proclaims the equality of everyone. The mountains teach us that we should not have excessive attachment to our body by showing us how patiently they can stand in rain, sun and cold. When someone dies, we learn that the world is not permanent; family is only an illusion. It reminds us that we have no right to keep on saying that this belongs to me or that belongs to you. To understand God, His creation is the best school. Everywhere there is something for us to learn.

2.You should regard imparting spiritual education as a great opportunity and a sacred task. You should make every attempt to teach the students with love and forbearance, and do this with a pure heart. You should overcome laziness and treat all the children who come to you with more affection than you show to your own children. Gurus must have equal-mindedness and should not discriminate against anyone on the basis of caste, religion or such other aspects. You should inculcate the idea of service in the minds of the children. You should teach them that whenever they eat, they should offer the food to God first. You should also teach them to conduct themselves with humility when they meet their elders. A teacher should not be egoistic; one with ego cannot be a good Guru. Therefore you must make every attempt to be free of ego, learn about your responsibiliti es and do your duty.

3.You must use your discrimination to sift the trash and discard it in preference to what is valuable. You must earn punyam (merit) by rendering selfless service to others. You must keep away from bad company and seek the friendship of the good, only those who can cleanse and heal you. When you do not attempt to transform yourself in this manner but expect plentiful grace, you finally end up accusing God for your sorrows, instead of blaming your unsteady faith! Grace cannot be claimed by such behaviour; your devotion must be so true that God accepts you as His devotee. You are consumed by time; God is the Master of Time. So, take refuge in God. Let God be your Guru, your path, your Lord. Adore Him, obey His commands, offer Him your grateful homage, and hold Him fast in your mind. This is the only way and also the easiest way to realize Him as your ow n reality.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathay Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-07-19T01:42:00.000-07:00

1.Faith is like a live volcano. Doubts are like seeds. No seed will sprout on a live volcano. If your doubts are multiplying, it means your faith is weak and unstable, and akin to an extinct volcano. Where there are doubts, there can be no faith. Your doubts arise or disappear because of your past karma (actions). No doubts will arise if your faith is strong. To realize Divinity you must first get rid of all your doubts. From time to time, God subjects you to various tests. These are not intended to be punishments as you may imagine, but actually to strengthen your faith. Always remember that the Divine acts as a witness. The Divine shows you the path to self-realization.

2.The true Guru is like an ophthalmic surgeon. The ophthalmologist cures cataracts by removing the clouded film in the patient's eye and thus restores vision. The true Guru also removes the veil of ignorance and attachment that blurs the disciple's vision and thus restores their natural spiritual vision. Only when you clean your heart by removing ignorance, sorrow, worry, greed, and envy, can you realize the fullness of your Reality. Celebrate the day when your mind is rid of the darkness of ignorance and achieves fullness of illumination.

3.Once born, death is the inevitable end. But it is possible to escape birth and thereby also death. For birth is the consequence of Karma (action). Engage in activity as your duty requires and as an offering to God. Then you will neither be elated at success or disheartened by failure, for He prompts, He helps, He grants joy or grief as He wills. The doer will have no attachment to the fruit of the deed, so he will not be bound to its consequence; it will leave no trace on his personality to affect him beyond death.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thiought for the day

2011-07-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

1.If you view the world with love, it will appear as filled with love. On the other hand if you view it with hatred, everything will appear antagonistic to you. Eyes filled with love shine with brightness and cheerfulness. On the contrary eyes filled with hatred appear bloodshot and fearful. Your thoughts determine your actions whether good or bad. The external world will reflect your thoughts. You must consider the entire universe as a temple of God. You must regard all that is beautiful and great in Nature - the lofty mountains, the vast oceans, the stars in the sky - as proclaiming the glory and power of the Divine. The sweet fragrance of flowers or the delectable juice of fruits should also be regarded as tokens of God's love and compassion.

2.Your attitude to God should not be dependent on likes and dislikes. There are some devotees who worship God with devotion for some time. Then they turn against God. The reasons for these changes in attitude can be traceable to their expectations from God. When they feel that their prayers are being answered and their desires are being fulfilled, they adore Him. But when their wishes are not fulfilled, they revile God in all sorts of words. This kind of devotion is based on self-interest and has nothing divine about it. One should not blame God for difficulties. Pure devotion will not be affected by changes in circumstances or fortunes. True love is not based on any conditions. It is equal in joy and pain and is not affected by fluctuations in fortune.

3.Upaasana means approaching near the Divine. Often Upaasana is equated with fasting; this is not correct. When one is immersed in the bliss of Brahmaananda (divine bliss), one gives up food of one's own accord; this is true Upaasana. To subject oneself to fasting as a compulsory regimen is not Upaasana but mere starvation. For instance, to keep awake on the night of Shivaraathri by watching films or playing cards is a caricature of the sacred vigil that one is expected to observe at that time. The experience of Divine Bliss is not to be achieved by the mastery of various spiritual practices. It is only when the heart is purified that divinity can be realized. There is no room for divinity in a heart filled with egoism, pride and hatred.

4.All of you must realize that the relationship between you and God is permanent, and is beyond the limitations of time and space. You should not waste your life thinking only of the physical relationship. The body is a passing thing. What you see externally is a burden; when you have made it a part of yourself it ceases to be a burden. It is like the food that a traveller carries on his shoulders for consumption on the way. As long as the food remains outside it is a burden. But when he has eaten it, he gets stronger and there is no burden on his shoulder. You must safeguard the Divinity you experienced and magnify it by contemplating on it internally. You should concentrate on the attainment of union with the Divine, which is permanent and beyond the limitations of time and space.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

How to control your mind

2011-07-13T17:20:00.000-07:00

1.Let the mind run wherever it likes; just be careful not to follow it, seeking to discover where it is going! It will then wander about for some time as the fancy takes it. Soon, getting tired and exhausted, it will come back to you! It is like a little child that knows nothing. Since the mother is following it and calling it back, it gets courage and confidence to run forward in any direction. But if the mother does not run behind the child and instead quietly retraces her steps, the child too, of its own accord, will run back to the mother! Carry on with the remembrance and meditation of the Divine Name and Form you like best and in the manner you are accustomed to. In this way, you will acquire one-pointedness (ekagratha) and realise your heart’s desire.

2.Do not entertain in your mind the idea of purity or impurity while undertaking a spiritual practice. There is nothing impure in the world. When the Lord is immanent everywhere and in everything, how can anything be impure? Even if something appears to the eyes as impure, the moment it contacts the Name of the Lord, it becomes purified. Purity and impurity are the result of the mental reactions at a particular moment. When one is giving money to someone, one talks of choosing an auspicious time. But when one gets a chance to take money, every moment becomes auspicious! The mind is the reason for both the attitudes. Remember that everything is pure, everything is Divine!

3.Life is a long journey through time, and religion confers peace for the present and motivation for the future. We must believe that we are currently undergoing the consequences of our own actions done in the past. It is a great source of peace and encouragement when people can be content with their present conditions because they know they themselves were the cause and that if one does engage in good and meritorious deeds now, it is possible to build a happy future. It is only when one adheres to these two principles that morality and self-control can have a place in life. Religion confers the inspiration and enthusiasm needed to abide by these two ideals.

4.Believe firmly that everything is rendered holy by His Name. Do not reject Him; cultivate Prema (love) for the Lord. It has infinite potentiality. An iron chain can be broken with ease, but not the chain of love that binds you to God! Even the cruellest of animals is overpowered by love. Do not mistake this temporary abode as your eternal dwelling place. Do not lose heart at evanescent troubles and short-lived tragedies. Immerse yourselves in the effort to attain the eternal Lord. He will never give you up.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-07-11T18:55:00.000-07:00

1.You are overly concerned about your body. It is just a water bubble. The mind is a bundle of thoughts. Hence, one should not lead one's life reposing one’s entire faith in the body and mind. In today's world, righteousness has declined and the whole world is filled with injustice, indiscipline, and evil behaviour. In such a chaotic situation, faith in God is the only lasting remedy. Love God to receive the gift of love from God. Truth is the only refuge, for truth is God. Love is God, live in Love.

2.People generally think that giving up family life, property, land and other forms of wealth is thyaga (sacrifice). But that is not sacrifice at all; in fact, running away in this manner is easy. What is required is sacrificing one's desires; that is real sacrifice! You must realize the purpose of human life. We are not born merely to eat, drink and make merry. Human birth is for helping our fellow human beings. We should not cause harm to anybody. We should not speak harsh words. We must always follow the motto: “Help ever, Hurt never”.

3.The human body is Panchabouthika (made up of the five elements, namely, earth, water, fire, air, and space). It consists of Panchendriyas (five senses) that crave for fulfilling desires. There are also certain values like Sathya (truth), Dharma (righteousness), Shanti (peace), Prema (love), and Ahimsa (non-violence) hidden in the core of our personality. These noble qualities are inherent in each and every one of us. They have to be brought out and manifested in our daily life. This process is called ‘Educare’.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-07-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

1.The pupil must be eager to translate the teachings into daily activity and actual practices. They must fill their hearts with devotion and dedicate all their skills for the actualisation of the Guru’s counsel. Such a person alone deserves to be called a shishya (disciple). The seed may have life in it; but the soil must be ploughed and made fit to activate it. When both these conditions are satisfied, the harvest of spiritual success is assured for the true pupil.

2.A wild horse is trained by many methods. Similarly, it is to tame our unruly mind that we have prayer, bhajans (devotional singing), and remembrance of the Name. In the initial stages, the horse runs in many directions, but the trainer does not worry; he holds fast to the reins. The mind too naturally runs in different directions when you begin remembrance and repetition of the Name; you must not yield to despair, anxiety, or indecision. Hold fast to the reins of Nama (Divine Name)! Within a short time, your speech and thoughts will come under your grip. Do not allow anything to come near you that might make you forget the Name of the Lord. In due course, you will realise the benefit of remembering His Name.

3.Those who have the inner urge to achieve the higher wisdom that confers liberation have to reflect upon and investigate the phenomenon of death. Death should arouse no fear. It should not be regarded as inauspicious. Neither should you run away from the problem imagining that death happens only to others, and that it will not happen to you, nor should you postpone reflections on death judging that they are inappropriate now and profitless. For inquiry into death is really inquiry into one’s own Reality. This truth has to be recognised.

4.Do not crave for the fruit the moment the sapling is planted! Do not pluck and chew the leaves and the twigs in the hope of inferring the taste of the fruit. If you do so, you cannot enjoy the sweetness of the fruit; besides, the plant itself will not survive. Similarly, your task is simply to cultivate the sapling called Nama (Name of God). While doing so, do not doubt and examine whether it has the glory ascribed to it. Without fail, that sapling will grow into a tree and give you the fruit you hope to eat. You can achieve it! Steadfastly believe that the Name is capable of yielding that fruit.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-07-04T16:38:00.000-07:00

1.Develop Love. When we come into this world, it is only love that comes with us. From love arises truth. When love and truth come together, humanness finds its sustenance. The mansion of human life can be built with self-confidence as the foundation, self-satisfaction as the pillar and self-sacrifice as the roof. Only then, can you attain self-realization in this life. You should begin with self-confidence; without it, you cannot have happiness in life. How can one without self-confidence have confidence in others? Do not doubt anything and everything. Doubt endangers life; one who doubts will not achieve anything. Develop faith. Give up all wicked qualities and lead an ideal and blissful life. Humanness finds fulfillment and blossoms only in a pure heart.

2.People adore many deities like Rama, Krishna, Sai, but the Divine Principle in all of them is the same. The Atma (Soul) does not have a form or a name. Brahma Sathyam Jagan Mithya - Divinity alone is real; the world is unreal. God has no attributes. He does not punish or harm anybody. He is present in your heart in the form of pure and unsullied love. Therefore develop love more and more. That will protect you always. There is no greater protection than this; there is no weapon more powerful than love.

3.Every one of you will attain fullness in the end. You are at present at a particular stage as a result of the acts performed during your previous lives and the feelings you entertained in the past. The future is being built this very moment by the activities you are engaging in and the feelings that urge and shape them. A scholar might write elaborate commentaries on the Gita. But as a result of all that study, if in his character and conduct, he does not prove that the Gita has become a living part of him, all that punditry is but a burden he is carrying. So, never treat the learning you derive as so much fodder for the brain. It must be sublimated into Ananda (bliss). Envy, pompousness, egoism — all such evil traits have to be driven out.

4.If workers are ordered to dig the soil, their work is simply to go on digging. The gardener alone knows how much of the earth is to be put under which plant and how it must be arranged. So too, the order to you is “Constantly dwell on the Lord’s Name”! If you continue to do this, God Himself will direct where and how this has to be utilised.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Friendhsip is very important

2011-07-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

1.It is the youth and youth alone who can set this world right. No nation can stand without its youth. Never underestimate the capabilities of young people thinking that they are inexperienced and immature. Only the youth are capable of protecting this world; they are endowed with immense power. If they take a firm resolve, they can achieve anything! When they realize their power, they can emancipate nations. You must face all difficulties with forbearance. Accept all trials and tribulations with love. Accept both pleasure and pain with love. Fill your heart with love and not with the poison of evil qualities. Everything is love. The very word ‘love’ is suffused with sweetness. Treat each other with love, converse with each other with love; lead a life full of love and enjoy bliss.

2.Education denotes Vidya which is the Knowledge of the Self. This is the foundation of education. Students should acquire sacred education beginning with thoughts of God. Even an illiterate driver in India salutes the steering wheel before he starts the vehicle. Similarly, a musician offers salutation to the musical instrument before playing on it. Thus, when one begins any type of learning it should start with the Name of God and prayer. Every activity should be done as an offering to God without any artificiality and ostentation. Degrees acquired without the essence of education are only pieces of paper. Students must have a pure and sacred heart, and virtues from a sacred education should be reflected on their faces. In fact, every individual should be imbued with divine feelings.

3.Your very form is love. Have more faith in love and develop loving relationships with others. Cultivate the feeling that you belong to all and all belong to you. All are one; be alike to everyone. All are the children of the same Divine Mother. Being the children of the same Mother, all should live like brothers and sisters. The very foundation of this country is based on truth and right action; this must be propagated. Everyone should consider adherence to truth as the greatest deed they can perform. Truth and right conduct are most important in the life of every human being. Youth, in particular, should strictly adhere to these virtues. What is truth? It means harmony of thought, word and deed. Wherever these three are in harmony, there you find Truth. You should not say one thing on the platform, but have something else in your mind, and finally act in a totally di fferent manner from what you spoke and thought. This is the worst sin possible!

4.Friendship is very important. When somebody salutes you, you should salute them back. Do not consider that since someone is your enemy, you should not return the greeting. Consider everyone to be your friend. Do not bear hatred or enmity towards anyone. Enmity is a wicked quality. Everyone should be united. If you really want to see God, first see Him in everyone. You may earn any amount of money, but as long as you live, you should give joy to others by undertaking acts of charity. Those who have wealth should look after the poor and the sick. Utilize all your earnings in a proper manner. Consider social service as service to yourself. Service to society is a sign of nobility. On the contrary, those who do not take to the path of service are immoral.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-07-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

1.Some say knowledge is the most valuable acquisition, but character is more valuable than knowledge. One may be a learned scholar or hold high positions of authority, or may be very wealthy or be an eminent scientist but if one has no character, all the other attainments are of no use at all. Sacrifice, love, compassion and forbearance are the sterling human qualities that you should foster. One must get rid of jealousy, hatred, ego and anger, which are bestial tendencies.

2.When bhaktas (devotees) pray to Bhagawan (God) sincerely, offering all their actions to Him, they will certainly receive appropriate grace from the Divine. There are nine types of devotion: Shravanam (Listening to His glory), Keerthanam (Singing to Him), Vishnusmaranam (Remembering Him), Padasevanam (Serving at His feet), Vandanam (Adoring Him), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Dasyam (Being His dedicated servant), Sneham (Loving Him like a dear friend) and Atmanivedanam (Surrendering oneself completely to Him). In whichever way you offer worship, God responds in the same manner. When you surrender all your actions to Him, you will surely receive His Grace.

3.If at present you are pure in spirit, then it is you yourself who have caused it. If you are afflicted by misfortune, again it is assuredly the result of acts done by you. Hence, you must realize that your happiness and good fortune lie in your own hands; it depends on your decision. Unless you yearn, you cannot earn. So, it is clear that the will inherent in you is beyond all situations and conditions, all formations and transformations. The freedom that it represents is the result of your past acts. It is powerful, supreme and infinitely fruitful.

4.Divinity is immanent in every being. The same truth was proclaimed in the Bhagavad Gita: Mamaivamsho Jivaloke Jivabhuta Sanathanaha (In this world, every being is eternally an aspect of My Divinity, says the Lord). Since every being is a part of the Divine, all should be respected, loved and adored. You should not hate anybody or create distance between one another. Being a part of the Divine, each one of you should serve society. For whose sake is the existence of man? It is for the sake of society. Similarly, society has its existence for the sake of creation. This is the basis of the entire creation. In fact, creation is the manifestation of God. And you have a unique position in it. Indeed, service to society is the most important duty of each one of you; that will endow you with Divine Power. Service to society is, in reality, service to Divinity.

5.Just as all parts of the body form one organism, similarly all beings are like various limbs of God. When there is an injury to the leg, it is the eye that sheds tears. The same type of intimate relationship exists between God and all the beings. We must realize that our joys and sorrows are the reflections of our own actions; they are not caused by others. To blame others or God for our sorrows is a big mistake. You are your own witness. Every happening in this world is nothing but a 'reaction, reflection and resound'.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

2011-06-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

1.Time is the manifestation of the power of God, and so it has no end or beginning which can be measured. Karma too is an important manifestation. Easwara or God is no wayward force, unmindful of bounds and limits. He creates circumstances strictly according to the activities that men have engaged in during their previous lives. Creation, Time and the Karma — all three are instruments which He uses. They are bound to Him. Easwara though not perceptible to the senses ordinarily, becomes so aware to the devotee who has deep attachment to Him that the devotee yearns to merge in Him. Such devotees can perceive God as clearly as they perceive external objects.

2.Every child arrives into the world bearing the burden of consequences that were not carried to completion in previous lives. The child does not drop from the lap of Nature as a streak of lightning from the clouds. It is born in this world in order to experience the beneficial and the malignant consequences that are the products of its own acts in past lives. This is the explanation for the differences that are evident among men. This is the principle of Karma.

3.Be careful not to discuss the pros and cons of your spiritual practices with all and sundry. If the people consulted are treading another path, they will decry your practice of repetition of the Name and meditation, and treat them with scant respect. They will look down upon your practices as if they were elementary and as if you were but a beginner in school. As a result, you will start doubting the efficacy of your chosen path! You will find doubts where earlier you had joy, disgust where earlier you had love. Therefore, reflect within yourself or approach those who have tasted the nectar of that same Name. Do not argue about these things with everyone you meet. The time spent in these disputations is better used in the cultivation of joy through the repeated contemplation of the Name and meditation on the Form of the Lord.

4.All that you speak is a reflection of your inner thoughts. All that you do is a reflection of your inner promptings. Hence, to act according to your inner impulse is Dharma (right conduct). To say what you feel inside is Sathya (truth). To contemplate on what you experience in your heart is Shanti (peace). To understand properly the promptings of your heart is Ahimsa (non-violence). Consideration for all emanating from the heart is Prema (love). The five values are thus reflections of feelings emanating from your heart. Being truly human means having complete harmony between thought, word and deed. What happens if there is a divergence between all these three? It results in only useless actions.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Picture

2011-06-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

When I was in Bangalore, this picture was taken in a Mall. Third one is my son.
Sai anbar

Thought for the Day

2011-06-09T17:22:00.000-07:00

1.Dhyana (meditation) gives you the first inkling of Divine Bliss. Every one of you must strengthen your mind and make it aware of that bliss. Otherwise, there is a likelihood of the mind giving up all effort to reach what is now dismissed as ‘empty’ and ‘useless’. But once your mind is convinced that the moment of attunement with Chaitanya (Divine Consciousness) is a moment of complete divine power, then the effort will not be slackened; you will most certainly reach Atmic realization without further interruption.

2.The Jivi (an individual soul) can discard as many gross bodies in which it takes temporary residence as the number of times one pares one’s nails. But the subtle body cannot be changed; it lasts and persists. This is the most secret doctrine of Bharathiya (Indian) spiritual thought. Going further along this line of discovery, it can be seen that a human being means a complex of the gross body, the subtle body and the Jivi. The Vedantic philosophy declares that the Jivi shares the quality of Nithya (Eternal, Unchanging, Everlastingness) with Brahman.

3.When things are placid, calm, and unruffled, people can merge themselves in the atmosphere of Supreme Consciousness, which is the highest they can reach. The shanti (peace) they taste there is subtler than the subtlest. They must ascend to it through effort guided by reason, through meditation. When the enjoyment is full and complete, it is the attainment of the Divine status, the coveted goal of life! People do not generally strive for it, because they know nothing of its supreme attraction.

4.When faults are found in anyone, you will have to understand that there are deficiencies in their behaviour, that is all. Do not conclude that there is no Divine Atma in them. As a result of the company they keep or the immorality of the society in which they grew up, flaws have developed in them. These are not native to their nature, which is Atmic. You will have to provide them with good company and beneficial surroundings and persuade them to take part in these. You should on no account condemn such people as born incorrigibles, and keep them aloof.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Satha Sai Baba