Thought for the Day

Never feel depressed when you are weighed down by difficulties. God will never impose on you ordeals that you cannot bear. He tests His devotees in various ways. Test is the ‘taste’ of God. Never fear any test. Be ready to sacrifice even your life for the sake of God. Only then will God protect you. There are no defects in God. All His words and deeds are perfect. What you see is the reflection, reaction and resound of your feelings. They are psychological in nature. God always grants us welfare alone. Understand and experience this Truth

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

1.Balarama and Krishna studied under Guru Saandeepini, offering him the tribute of love and reverence. Giving joy to the teacher, studying well what has been taught, avoiding the pursuit of sensory pleasure and devoting oneself solely for the pursuit of knowledge - they lived by these guidelines. They never interrupted the discourse of the preceptor or interposed their will against his. They did not overstep his will or direction in any instance. They never challenged his authority or dared disobey his instructions. Though Balarama and Krishna were the repositories of Supreme Authority over Earth and Heaven, they gave their preceptor the respect and obedience that was due to his eminence and position. They were full of earnestness and devotion. They did not allow anything to distract them from their lesson. That is how a good student should be, that is what Balarama and Krishna were!

2.A cart can move only when two bullocks are yoked to it. And it can move safely only when the animals are trained to walk on roads and pull carts. Instead, if they have never stepped out of their shed, or if they have always moved only round and round the post to which they have been tied, the bullock cart cannot proceed! So also, the cart of inner consciousness (anthahkarana) cannot move by itself; it must be attached to the bullocks of intelligence (buddhi) and mind (manas), and made to follow their tracks. But, prior to the journey, the bullocks - intelligence and mind - should be conversant with the road to the village that the inner consciousness is eager to reach. They must be trained to proceed in that direction. If this is done, the journey will be easy and safe.

3.Reflect for a while how inspiring is the example of Lord Krishna while he underwent his education and how his conduct and earnestness contributed to the joy of the elders. Though all learning emanates from Him and is to be earned through His Grace, He plays the role of a pupil, as a representative of the ideal pupil, in order to show the world by His own example, the way in which a Guru is to be chosen and served, the quality of humility that education must instil, and the gratitude and respect that the pupil has to offer to the teacher. It is with the intention of guiding and prompting the students of today that Krishna Himself went through the educational process and lived the ideal. Notice how subtle is the mystery of God and His Leelas!

4.If you tread the holy path of truth, righteousness, peace, and love, the Lord Himself will bestow on you, all that is needed and deserved! That will give you peace of mind. Offer everything to the Lord without any desire for the result; that indeed yields complete joy; that is indeed the easiest! While it is very difficult to speak untruth and act against Dharma, it is very easy to utter the truth and walk the path of Dharma (righteousness). It is a very pleasant task to speak out the thing just as it is; one need not spend a moment of thought upon it. To speak of what is not, one has to create the non-existent! It also plunges one into fear and fantasy, into an atmosphere of restlessness and worry. So, instead of following sensory actions (Vishaya Karma) which offer all these troubles and complications, follow actions that liberate (Shreyo Karma) - the path of Atmic bliss which is true, eternal, and holy.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

1.All things that are seen are transient and unreal. God alone is eternal and real. Attachment with objects ends in grief. God is your own Reality and this Reality, that is, the God in you, has no relationship with the changing transitory objective world. He is only Pure Consciousness. Even if you posit some relationship for it, it can only be the type that exists between the dreamer and the objects seen and experienced in dreams.

2.Everything has energy latent in it be it a piece of paper or a strip of cloth. When this latent energy is exhausted, it results in death; when energy fills, birth happens. Sath-Chith-Ananda is energy. In fact energy is all and this energy is derived from God - it is the very basis of man. These days we are building superstructures ignoring this basic and foundational Divine principle. We are fascinated by subjects and studies that promise to feed our stomachs and make us materially happy and powerful. But the hard truth is that the Divine underlies everything. Man must either know the supreme truth of the One Being behind all Becoming or at least know the practical truth of love and brotherhood.

3.God is Omnipotent. He knows no distinction between the possible and the impossible. His wizardry and His sport, His play and His pranks cannot be described with the vocabulary that man commands. Though He has no Form, He can assume the Form of the Universal Person, embodying all Creation in His Form. He is One, but He makes Himself Many. Matsya, Koorma, Varaha, Narasimha,Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna,Buddha, Kalki - people usually relate God to these Divine Forms that He has assumed. But that does not describe Him as vast as His magnificence. We have to visualise all forms as His. The vitality of every being is His Breath. In short, every bit in Creation is He, it is the manifestation of His Will. There is nothing distinct or separate from Him.

Actions that bind include all activity in relation to exterior objects. Such acts are usually resorted to with a desire for the result. This craving for the results leads one to the morass of “I” and “mine” and the demons of lust and greed. If one follows this path, there will be sudden flares, as is seen when clarified butter (ghee) is poured in the sacrificial fire! Assigning priority to sense objects (Vishaya) is the same as assigning importance to poison (Visha)!

4.Those who seek to know or lay down the causes for the Lord willing one way and not another are really on an impertinent adventure; so too are those who assert and describe His power and His plans through different characteristics, qualifications and limits, and also those who claim to know that the Lord will act only in a particular mode, and that the Divine Principle is of a specific nature and not otherwise! There can be no limit or obstacle to His Will. There can be no bounds to the manifestation of His power and His glory. He fructifies all that He wills. He can manifest in whatever form He wills. He is unique, incomparable, and equal to Himself alone. He is His own measure, witness, and authority.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

"As the Teacher, so the pupil"

1.When viewed without the twin distortions of like and dislike, love and hate - all forms, all effects, and all causes are experienced only as Brahman (Divinity). When the vision is affected by love or hate, each form, effect and cause, appears different from the rest. When feelings are calm and balanced, the many is experienced as the one. An agitated mind can never have a single vision. It runs along contrary lines, so it experiences the world, nature, and the cosmos as separate from God. Such vision also creates division. Serene vision reveals unity. As is the vision, so is the impression, the view of the world.

2.You must exercise constant watchfulness over your feelings and reactions. You must keep out selfishness, envy, anger, greed and other such evil tendencies from entering your minds. These are nets which entrap you; these vices overwhelm and subdue your holiness, so that you cannot be influenced any longer. Then you forget yourself and behave like an individual caught in frenzy. You blabber as your tongue dictates without regard to the effect - good or evil and engage in those works which your hands favour. Be aware and keep them in control! If you carefully discriminate, you can be recognised by the good company you keep, the noble works you delight in and the good words you utter.

3.Among students today, we do not find the spirit of focus, singleness of purpose and fraternal co-operation. Sadbhava (good feelings) and Sathsanga (good company) have become rare; mutual love and yearning for good company have weakened. “As the ruler (Raja), so the ruled (Praja),” says the proverb. “As the teacher, so the pupil” seems to be equally true. Realizing this, teachers, therefore, have to be interested in high thinking and a life steeped in renunciation.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the day

1.The process of purifying the inner equipment of man in the crucible of single-pointed speech, feeling and activity, directed towards God is called thapas (penance). The inner consciousness will then be rid of all blemishes and defects. When the inner consciousness has been rendered pure and unsullied, God will reside therein. Finally, he will experience the vision of the Lord Himself, within him.

2.Every sense runs after external objects one after the other, one supporting the other, restlessly and miserably. One must bring under control the mind, the reasoning faculty and the senses which roam aimlessly behind objective pleasures. One must train them to take on the task of concentrating all attention on the glory and majesty of God to follow one systematic course of one-pointed discipline. Bring them all and lead them towards the Higher Path. Their unlicensed behaviour has to be curbed. They must be educated by means of japa (chanting God’s name), dhyana (meditation) or noble deeds, or some other dedicatory and elevating activity that purifies and ennobles.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Each Teacher should strive to encourage the all round development of the student

As a teacher, you must ask yourself, "Have the pupils grasped the lesson alright? Which subject has to be taught in which way, and through which method?” These problems should bother you as a teacher. Moreover you should conduct yourself just in the same manner as you advise and expect the students to behave. When they are taught the lessons through love, their reverence for the teacher will also deepen. Each teacher should strive to encourage the all-round development of the student. You must expand your heart through love, and not waste the years of your life in furthering your own interests.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Law of Nature

Of the instruments used by everyone, the body with its hands ready executes the thought which is expressed in words. The deed, the work, the labour that the hand of man is engaged in, is the source of all the happiness or misery for everyone. Man asserts that he is happy, or that he is anxious and afraid or that he is in trouble; and he attributes the cause of these conditions to some person other than himself. This belief rests on a wrong basis. Happiness and misery are due to one’s own actions. Whether one accepts this truth or not, one has to go through all the consequences of one’s actions. This is the Law of Nature.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The teacher come down to the level of the student

The teacher must come down to the level of the student. This process is called ‘descent.’ It does not mean stepping down from the top to the ground. It only means accepting the level of the person who is to be benefited. The baby on the floor cannot jump in to the arms of the mother, when she calls upon it to come up. Iif the mother feels “I am a great person, I will not stoop”, she cannot possess the child. Stooping does not make a person small. The teacher too, is not demeaning himself when he comes down to the level of the pupil in order to teach him. It is only a laudable sign of love.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought, word and deed must be free from pride, greed and hatred.

1.Hands are not the only limbs or agents that are involved in Karma or human activity. Whatever is done, seen or heard, one should be vigilant about its purity. Thought, word and deed must be free from pride, greed and hatred. The words that one utters must be free from these faults. Things that one yearns to hear must be free from these superficially attractive qualities; the pleasures that one seeks must not be polluted by evil. You must first assimilate these mental lessons and demonstrate their effect in your speech. You must translate this lesson taught by words into action.

2.A person bound by objective desires will try in various ways to fulfil them. He becomes a slave to his senses and their pursuits. But if he withdraws the senses from the world and gets control over their master, the mind, and engages that mind in thapas (penance), then he can establish Swa-rajya or Self-mastery or independence over himself. Allowing the senses to attach themselves to objects is what causes bondage. When the mind that flows through the senses towards the outer world is turned inwards and is made to contemplate on the Atma, it attains liberation or Moksha.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

It is a matter of great bliss to be loved by many. To win over the hearts of so many is a sign of Divinity. I love everyone and all love Me. Do not hurt anyone by your harsh words and enter into any evil paths. Recognise the truth that God pervades everything from microcosm to macrocosm. With Shraddha and Vishwasa (sincerity of purpose and faith) and self-confidence, you can achieve anything in the world. Love God from the depths of your heart. Follow Swami’s commands and you will attain everything and be victorious in all your endeavours!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Education should be used for promoting the welfare of the Nation

1.The power of the Divine Name is unparalleled. People often take it lightly. This is wrong. One should not mistake a diamond for a shining piece of glass. The real diamond is truly different. Incidentally, do you know the meaning of diamond? It is ‘Die mind’. God’s name is the real diamond. Keep it safe and secure. Do not ever be bothered by pain and suffering, losses and difficulties. They just come and pass. That is not your real nature. Your innate Self is strong, eternal and real (Sath). You should not follow the fleeting and unreal, forsaking your own true and eternal nature. Once you seek refuge in the lotus feet of God, you should never give up. Wherever you go, the Divine Feet will protect you. If you install the Divine Name firmly in your heart, your life will become sanctified. It is only for making people realise this truth that the Sadhana(spiritual exe rcise) of Akhanda Bhajan (continous singing) has been prescribed for devotees at least once in a year.

2.What you should offer to God through the fruit of your Sadhana(spiritual exercise) is the essence of good qualities, noble thoughts and love. The world itself will be benefited by an individual who has good conduct. If fire starts on one tree, it will not stop after burning that particular tree. It will spread and burn the entire wood. In the same manner, if there is one individual who has bad qualities, he will spoil the whole community in addition to ruining himself. On the other hand, if there is a plant which is full of fragrant flowers, it will fill the entire area with sweetness. In the same manner, even a single person with a noble code of conduct will not only improve himself but also will better the condition of the entire society around him through his noble deeds.

3.A person driving a car concentrates on the road for he is anxious to save himself and others from accident. Fear is what induces single-mindedness in this case. Love is a greater force for achieving concentration. If you have steady and resolute love, your concentration becomes intense and unshakeable. Faith develops into love and love results in concentration. Prayer begins to yield fruit under such conditions. Pray using the Name as a symbol of the Lord, by keeping all the waves of the mind still. Let the performance of a duty be the only justification for your coming into the world. Hold fast to the Lord. The bhaktha (devotee) should never retract. Never give way to doubt or despair.

4.‘Bhagavatha’ connotes three sections of knowledge: (1) The glory and majesty of the incarnations of God, (2) The names of those who are fully devoted to God and (3) The intimate relationship between God and the godly. Wherever and whenever these three are found together, there we have the Bhagavatha. All that is visible is not beyond or outside God. To put it succinctly, everything is Bhagavatha!

5.Every concrete manifestation of God is significant. There can be no higher or lower. The story of each one of them is elevating. Each is a complete manifestation. Listening to their stories may make you feel that one incarnation is grander and more sublime than another. It would appear as if you get more inspiration from one Avatar than another. But all are equally Divine and enigmatic. Every manifestation is suited to the time, the task, the circumstance and the need. Its form is in accordance with the purpose.

6.From time immemorial, women of Bharat, by their adherence to ideals have bestowed joy on this land and hence occupy an exalted position, which is higher than that of men. Women of such exalted character have set great ideals of womanhood in Bharat. Only if the women come up in society, will the whole world turn sacred. There is nothing in this world that women cannot achieve. Recognising the nature of such women, we must encourage them and give them equal opportunities in society. However, in today's world, there is no encouragement for women to cultivate high ideals. In modern times, the ways of life have become so perverted that only evil thoughts, feelings and behaviour rule the roost.

7.For the protection of the world, for upholding Dharma (righteousness), for fulfilling the yearnings of devotees, He wills and assumes a special Form and moves in the world. He confers joy on the devotees by His Divine acts, which convince them of His Advent. They are thus confirmed in their faith and prompted to dedicate their activities to God and thus save themselves, and liberate themselves. On certain occasions, for resolving certain urgent crisis, God has incarnated with Forms embodying only a part of His Divinity, with some Divine powers and potentialities.

8.The common man is drawn by external pomp and apparent motives. So he judges the leelas (Divine sport) as common and even low. The inner meaning and purpose are not easily patent to all. But the Lord can never engage Himself in purposeless and paltry activities. His advent is for the uplift of the world from the morass of wickedness and unrighteousness, for fulfilling the needs of those devoted to Him, for the reestablishment of righteousness and morality, and for the revival of the Vedas. He has to take into account the merit acquired by each in previous lives and shower His grace accordingly. His leelas or Divine activities are so shaped that they suit the time, the person, the aspiration and the compassion which cause each shower of grace!

9.Education should be used for promoting the welfare of the nation. Knowledge gained through education should be used selflessly for promoting the well-being of humanity. What we need today areUttama-purushulu (noble and ideal men and women). The nation will prosper only when there are such persons. And people like these will emerge in society only when there is purity of mind and morality in society. Only a society with a moral foundation can foster such noble persons. Spirituality is the only means for redemption.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

1.It is not possible to limit the freedom of God in assuming Forms. He adopts endless Forms to manifest Himself to save the world. His incarnation is in conformity with the need of the crisis at the time. When the Earth moaned under the injustice of the demon Hiranyaksha, He had to appear as a boar, taking Form and equipped with Attributes, though in essence, He is without Form and Attribute. The will of God cannot be explained by categories or as consequences. It is according to the needs of the situation, in the Forms best suited for the destruction of the wicked and for the protection of the good and godly.

2.The Upanishads prescribe certain sadhanas (spiritual exercises) to achieve inner peace. One of that is engaging in Karma or beneficial activity - that is to say, service to people which will help diminish the sense of ego; this refers to acts that are good and godly. When one’s thoughts are engaged in such activities, the mind turns away from the talk it indulges in. Listening to spiritual advice, reflection on spiritual directions, and discovering ways and means of confirming faith in the Lord, recital of the names of God and withdrawing the mind from sensual pursuits have been prescribed by the scriptures for silencing the mental chatter, this inner talk, as a preparation for attaining the Supreme Lord. For it is only when the mind is cleansed and clarified that it can achieve such a profound task. Only then the lessons taught and the experiences undergo ne can be pure and unsullied.

3.The rain falling on the mountain range slides down the sides into many valleys and flows as turbid streams. The same rain falling on fresh water lakes or limpid rivers remains pure and clear. The sages who are cognizant of their Atmic reality are transformed into the purity, equanimity, and charity that it represents. They are ever in the full awareness of the Atma, their inner core. In the purified consciousness of these persons, there is the experience of identification. Likes and dislikes, sense of “I” and “mine”, anxiety and calmness, elation when praised and depression when blamed - these cannot contaminate or agitate a person who has attained that state. These opposites become balanced and are accepted with equanimity as waves on the Atmic consciousness. This is the authentic Atmic attitude, the Brahman inner-look, the unitary vision.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Look inward

Ordinary humans struggle to win material happiness and external pleasures. They do not seek the spiritual bliss (ananda) that the Atma, their inner reality, can grant. They lose the great opportunity of experiencing it, and they don’t take any steps appropriate for the purpose. All the time, their attention is directed only to the external world. It does not turn inward. Looking outward is the characteristic of animals, not of humans. The important organs of sense perception in the human body - the eye, the nose, the tongue, etc. - all open outward in order to contact external objects. The Sovereign Lord is the embodiment of indivisible sweetness (rasa), the treasure house of bliss, and can be realized only when you look inward. A wise person would gradually and steadily endeavour to look inward and acquire that victory of Bliss.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The mind is engaged in two activities: alochana or planning, and sambhashana or dialogue. Both these follow different lines. Planning is intent on solving problems that present themselves before the mind. Dialogue multiplies the problems and confounds the solutions causing confusion and adoption of wrong and ruinous means to solve them. The inner conversation and controversial chatter continues from morning till night, until sleep overtakes the mind. It causes ill-health and the early setting in of old age. The topics on which the chatter is based are mostly the faults and failings of others and their fortunes and misfortunes. This perpetual dialogue is at the bottom of all the miseries of man. It covers the mind with thick darkness. It grows wild very quickly and suppresses one's genuine worth.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

IF THE DIFFERENCES AND DISPARITIES ARE HARMONISED WISELY, THE WORLD WILL HAVE HAPPINESS AND PEACE.

1.The Supreme Sovereign Lord manifesting Himself as Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara, through the prompting of Primal Will is engaged in creating, fostering and destroying the worlds. In what is thus created, there is always the principle of Dualism. There is difference and disparity between one and another. If these differences and disparities are harmonised wisely, the world will have happiness and peace. If, on the other hand, living beings behave wrongly, the world will be sunk in anxiety, misery and confusion. When these arise, the Lord assumes appropriate Forms and affords necessary protection and correction. He sets right the damaged world, removes the evil forces that caused the damage, and instructs mankind in the science of fostering the right and the good.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

1.Unfortunately, no transformation is taking place in the human beings in spite of repeating the Divine Name several times. You should chant the Name of God wholeheartedly with full faith. Faith develops love towards God and that love towards God confers Grace. No doubt, people today are repeating the holy name, but not with love and steady faith. They are more concerned with how others are singing and whether their shruthi (pitch) and raaga (melody) are in order, etc. They are doing Naamasankirtana with a wavering mind. There can be no transformation in them by such fickle minded sadhana in spite of doing it for hours together. Naamasankirtan has to be done with absolute concentration and steady faith like a yogi. It is said “Sathatham Yoginah”. One can achieve great transformation if the mind is steadily fixed on the Divine Name.

2.Bhajan is very necessary to melt the heart of God. When you do Nagar Sankirtan early in the morning, everybody will get up and listen to the Divine Name. Hearing the name of God as soon as they wake up will fill them with great bliss and enthusiasm. Constantly remember the name of God; never forget Him. This is the noblest path; the true spiritual practice. When you do this, you will be immensely blessed.

3.Surrender does not mean offering your body to God. Real surrender is the chanting of the Divine Name and making it the basis of your life. It is for the same reason that Guru Nanak, the first Guru of the Sikhs, started community singing. He told his followers that they should seek fulfillment in life by chanting the Divine Name. Consider the chanting of the Name of God as the most important spiritual practice. You may spend any amount of money in charity and in doing acts of service, but these practices will give you only temporary mental satisfaction at the most if they are not complemented with the chanting of the Divine Name.

4. Today the country is facing a lot of problems because people are not doing enough Naamasmarana (remembering the divine name). Let each and every street reverberate with the singing of divine glory. Let each and every cell of your body be filled with divine name. Nothing else can give you the bliss, courage and strength that you derive from Naamasmarana. Even if some people make fun of you, do not bother about it. Do Naamasmarana with total concentration and dedication. Do not be afraid of anyone. Sing the glory of God wholeheartedly without any inhibition. Only then can you experience divine bliss.

5.There are many snakes of wicked qualities in the anthill of your heart. When you do Naamasmarana (remembering the divine name) all the ‘snakes’ of bad qualities will come out. Naamasmarana is like the musical wind instrument (Nadaswaram) which attracts snakes and brings them out of anthills. This Nadaswaram is your Jeevana swaram (music of your life) and Prana swaram (breath of your life). One has to repeat God’s name in order to get rid of evil qualities. Today there are many who do not attach any importance to Naamasmarana. It is a great mistake. In this Age of Kali only chanting of the divine name can redeem your lives. There is no other refuge. Singing the glory of the Lord is highly sacred!

6.Fill the reservoir when it rains, so that in times of drought, you can feed the fields. Do intense Sadhana (spiritual exercises) now, when you are young and strong so that you can be in peace and joy for the rest of your life. Make the most profitable use of this present period of your lives. Do not waste the hours in irrelevance and irreverence. Do not indulge in the condemnation of others or in self-disapprobation. Let your hearts rejoice, clothed in fresh ideals, feelings and resolutions. Mould your lives into sweet songs of Love.

7.The farmer, intent on cultivation, ignores even food and sleep, for he is too busy ploughing, levelling, scattering seeds, watering, weeding, guarding and fostering the crop. He knows that his family will have to subsist on the harvest that he brings home and that if he fritters away the precious season in idle pursuits, his family will be confronted with hunger and ill-health. So, he sets aside or postpones other pursuits and focuses all his attention on farming alone. He puts up with difficulties and deprivations, toils day and night, watches over the growing crops and garners the grain. As a consequence, he is able to spend the months ahead, in peace and joy, with his happy family. Students and spiritual seekers have to learn important lessons from the farmer. The stage of youth is the season for mental and intellectual culture. These years should be intensively and intelligently cult ivated irrespective of difficulties and obstacles. The clamour of the senses has to be silenced; hunger and thirst have to be controlled; the urge to sleep and relax has to be curbed.

8.Deepavali has to be observed as a day for getting rid of all the bad qualities in us, symbolised by the demon Narakasura. The inner meaning underlying the festival should be rightly understood. A whole array of lamps is lit by the light from one lamp. That one lamp symbolises the Supreme Effulgent Lord. The others represent the light in individual selves. The truth of the Vedic saying, "The One willed to become the many" is exemplified by the lighting of many lamps by the flame of one. Deepavali festival thus bears out the profoundest spiritual truth. The lamp also points to another significant fact. Wherever it may be placed, the flame rises only upwards and never moves down. Likewise, the flame of Jnana (Spiritual Wisdom) leads one to a sublime level through the path of Righteousness.

9.When the person who is bound relies on the one who is not bound, he can get rid of his bonds and move about freely. The person who is deep in grief must seek refuge in the one who is floating on spiritual bliss (ananda) filled with joy. Bondage plunges one into sorrow; the Lord is Total Bliss Personified. Therefore, one can be completely cured of grief only by resorting to the inexhaustible spring of delight, the Lord. And what exactly is liberation (moksha)? It is release from grief, the absence of sorrow, and attainment of spiritual bliss (ananda-praapti). The supreme Self, the sovereign Lord, is the embodiment of indivisible sweetness (rasa), the treasure house of bliss (ananda nilaya). Hence, those who seek and secure His grace gain eternity itself

10.Teachers who teach with the salary paid to them in their minds, and students who learn with the jobs they may procure as their focus are both pursuing wrong paths. In fact, the task of the teacher is to discharge his duty of instructing and inspiring the students so that they develop their latent talents and advance in the perfection of their skills. The task of the student is to unfold the Divine in him and equip himself for serving society with his skill and knowledge.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai baba

Thought for the Day

1.It is quite a common occurrence that stories of the Divine are narrated and heard by gatherings of thousands. But Jnana (wisdom) can be achieved only by placing complete faith in what is heard. That faith must result in a cleansed mind, a pure heart. Whoever listens to the Lord's narrative and imbibes the nectar therein with a heart bubbling over with yearning for the Divine, with unshakeable faith in God, they will attain constant joy and Self-realisation. This is beyond the realm of doubt.

2.Eyes and ears that seek evil, tongue that craves to malign, nose that enjoys the foul, and hands that delight in wickedness—these must be totally avoided. Whoever has any of these must correct them immediately. Or else, one’s future is bound to be disastrous. The wrongs of the five indriyas (senses) will result in the destruction of the five pranas (vital energies) and the killing of the five koshas (sheaths of existence). Of course, the senses yield momentary pleasure and joy but, as the saying goes, “senility lies in wait.” Sensual pleasures bring about great grief quite soon.

3.Liberation is the realisation of awareness, achievement of oneness with the Divine. Each and every living being has to attain this consummation, this goal - the Brahman. That is its true destination. Some day or the other, the urge to win release from the shackles of grief and joy, and the bonds of “I” and “mine” will awaken and emerge. The path that is taken then inevitably leads to freedom (moksha). Seeking that path is the sign of the intelligent person. Instead of this search, when one considers the objective world as all-important and feels drawn toward its charm, life is barren and is of no consequence.

4.Each one of you require faith in yourselves, more than most other qualities. The absence of self-confidence marks the beginning of one’s decline. Today, the world is facing ruin and disaster because people have lost confidence in themselves. Self-confidence alone is capable of granting peace and prosperity to each and every person. If you cultivate self-confidence, you will receive kindness everywhere. You will be honoured in all places. Whatever you touch, will become gold!

5.Those who are intent on sensory pleasures spend their days in worry, anxiety, pain, grief and tears throughout a long period of life; they breed like birds and beasts. They eat good food and cast it away as waste. This is the purposeless life that most people lead. Can you call this the process of living? Enormous numbers of living beings exist on the earth. Living is not enough. It has no value by itself, for itself. One can be considered to be alive only if the motives, feelings, thoughts, and attitudes that prompt a person reveal the divine qualities within.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Correct vision will reveal to us unity in diversity

When the cause is known, one can know all its consequences. The entire universe was formed from the five primordial elements (prapancha), and is a projection by the Divine Will. It is a consequence of the Will of God (Bhagavath-Sankalpa). God is the cause of all creation. Correct vision will reveal to us unity in diversity; one’s limited intelligence cannot unravel it. With distorted vision (ku-darshan), one sees only the name and form, the appearances, and therefore gets deluded and confounded. One gets tossed by likes and dislikes, pleasure and pain, elation and depression. One is aware only of the unreal which appears in diverse names and forms. Correct vision (Su-darshan) makes you see the One in the many. It reveals unity in diversity and confers supreme delight.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

What deform your character? and how to overcome it !

Envy expands the string of mischief it plays on people. It makes one revel in scandalising others. This evil today is widespread among the youth. It comes naturally to them, for it is a sign of ignorance. To get rid of this habit, you must devote some time, early in the day and before retiring for sleep, in exploring the mind and examining faults that have secured foothold therein. You must pray to God to save you from this tendency. When once you have won the Grace of God, you can be rest assured that such absurdities will not deform your character!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

There is no greater spiritual practice than singing His Glory

Those who listen to the narration of the Lord with earnest devotion (and not just hear casually) and not only reflect upon its value and significance but also act according to the light it sheds on their minds will merge in the Bliss of the Lord. Their hearts will be filled with the sweet nectar of the personification of His captivating charm. They will experience the Adwaitha Ananda, the Bliss of being one with Him. To attain this fruit, the highest Sadhana (spiritual exercise) is the recitation of the Name of God with full vigilance of thought, feeling and utterance (mano-vaak-kaya) and the loud singing of His Glory. There is no greater spiritual practice than singing His Glory.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Darkness can never remove darkness

Your desires - wants, longings, resolutions, and wishes - are multiplied and prompted by our activities (karma). The initial impulse for desire is ignorance of the reality (ajnana). If so, then naturally the doubt arises as to how the consciousness that is unaware can transform itself into the consciousness that is aware (jnana)? Darkness can never remove darkness. So too, ignorance can never destroy ignorance. It can be accomplished only by spiritual wisdom (jnana), which is, Awareness of the Truth. This is the dictum promulgated by Adi Sankara. The world today very much needs this harmony and awareness.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Be happy when you see others prosper, share your joy with others

1.Discover for yourself your stage of spiritual development, to which class in the school you would fit in. Then determine to proceed from that grade to the next higher one. Strive your best and you will win the Grace of God. Do not bargain or despair. One step at a time is enough, provided it is towards the goal, not away from it. Beware of the pride of wealth, scholarship, status, that drag you into egoism. Do not seek the faults of others; look for your own. Be happy when you see others prosper, share your joy with others.

2.You must exercise constant watchfulness over your feelings and reactions, and endeavour to keep out selfishness, envy, anger, greed and other such evil tendencies from entering your minds. These are nets which entrap you; these vices overwhelm and subdue your holiness, so that you cannot be influenced any longer. Then you forget yourself and behave like another worse individual, a person caught in frenzy. You blabber as your tongue dictates, without regard to the effect—good or evil, and engage your hands in work that it favours. Be aware and keep them in control! If you carefully discriminate, you can be recognised by the good company you keep, the noble works you delight in and the pleasant words you utter.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The sweetness of the cuckoo is bitter to the ear of the crow

When the good are happy and living in peace, the bad cannot tolerate it; they develop intense headache! Unless the wicked contemplate on the loss and hardships that the good undergo, they are never happy! The problems suffered by the good is the gain of evil minds. The sweetness of the cuckoo is bitter to the ear of the crow. The Kauravas tried their best to create dissension among the Pandava brothers and spread heinous scandals. But the five Pandavas respected Truth and abided by it, and so, nothing could separate them. No event could make a dent on the happiness of the five brothers.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Be aware

1.Each one of you should transform yourself into a Sumathi (a person with a good mind). You must avoid turning into a durmathi (an individual with perverted and polluted intelligence). A huge heap of fuel can be reduced to ashes by a tiny spark of fire. A drop of poison can render a pot of milk totally undrinkable. Envy and hatred are the sparks that destroy the cluster of virtues in you. Be aware!

2.Brahman (Divinity) cannot be comprehended by means of proofs or arguments. It is beyond reason and calculation. It is indefinable, cannot be pronounced as being such or so, for this reason or that. It is immeasurable (aprameya) by time and space. The usual evidences for truth are direct perception (pratyaksha) and inferential perception (anumaana). But Brahman cannot be cognized by these two means. The sages experienced it and expressed this in the scriptures, and these Holy Texts themselves are the proof. The Word or Shabdha is the firmest testament for the existence of Brahman.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

God has no bondage to time and space

1.You must learn to be happy and filled with joy when others are acclaimed as good and are respected for their virtues and the ideals they hold dear. You must cultivate broad outlook and purity of motives, and also must be ever vigilant such that the demon of envy does not possess you. This demon of jealousy is certain to destroy all that is precious within you. It will even ruin your health and damage your digestive system. It will rob you your sleep and sap your physical and mental stamina, ultimately reducing you to the state of chronic illness. Hence, if someone is praised and you desire it, you must resolve to emulate those who do better than you and earn equal appreciation. You must strive to acquire knowledge, skills and experience as much as others. That is the proper ambition you must have.

2.God does not incarnate merely for the destruction of the wicked. Truly speaking, God incarnates primarily for the sustenance of the faithful, the devoted, the virtuous and the good. But even the faithless and the bad, use the chance for their own purpose. In the Bhagavatha, stories of wicked persons intervene amidst the accounts of the Glory and Grace of God. These stories do not make the Bhagavatha any less holy. When the sweet juice has been squeezed out of the sugarcane, the bagasse is discarded. When the sweetness of Divine Majesty has been tasted, the pulp can be thrown out. The cane has both bagasse and sugar; it cannot be only sugar. So too, devotees have to be amidst the faithless; they cannot be without the others.

3.The apparently moving (chara) and unmoving (achara), the active and inert, are both willed by the Divine. That Divine Will is a conscious act (chetana); it is not a form of inertness (achetana). Whatever arguments and counter-arguments are advanced by any person, the truth that Divine Will is the root of everything stands unshakable. People who argue about this either are deluded by appearances or are only trying to bolster up their pet fancies, avoiding deeper probes. -

4.Praising oneself and condemning others are equally dangerous. Attempting to hide one’s meanness and wickedness, and putting on the mask of goodness, justifying one’s faults and exaggerating one’s attainments - these are also poisonous traits. Equally evil is the habit of ignoring the good in others and assiduously seeking only their faults. Never speak words that demean the other. When we are friendly with another and like them very much, whatever he/she does is certain to strike us as good. When the wind changes and the same person is disliked, even the good he/she does appears to us as bad. Both these reactions are misconceived. They are not commendable at all.

5.God has no bondage to time and space. For Him, all beings are the same. He is the master of the living and the non-living. At the conclusion of every aeon, the process of involution is completed in the Pralaya (Great Deluge). Then, evolution starts again as Lord Brahma, the Creator creates beings again. He enlightens everyone with a spark of His own Glory and fosters every one of them on the path of fulfilment as Lord Vishnu. He, as Lord Siva, concludes the process by the destruction of all. Thus, you can see that there is no limit to His might; no end to His potency. There can be no boundaries for His achievements.

6.The blind cannot be saved by one who has no eyes; the destitute cannot be helped by the impoverished. How can a person who is needy and helpless remove the poverty, suffering, and pain of another? The poor must approach the affluent, the wealthy. The blind must seek the guidance of a person who can see. One who is bound and blinded by the dualities of creation has to take refuge in the inexhaustible treasure of compassion, power, and wisdom, namely, the Divine Atma. Then, one can get rid of the destitution of grief, revel in the wealth of spiritual bliss, and attain the goal of human existence. This consummation is won through the Grace of the Lord.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Story of the Lord is an enchanting treasure

1.We may not always be able to know the reasons for our faith. It originates and is shaped by our personal likes and dislikes, our dominant feelings. But we must not become the target for anger, hatred, jealousy and the evil deeds they lead us into. We must cultivate broad, inclusive feelings. Only then are you entitled to acquire Vidya (higher learning), and you will earn respect in society. You must keep far away from narrow selfish thoughts, feelings and plans.

2.Withdraw your mind from worldly thoughts and fix it on the Name of the Lord, Hari, who charms all hearts. Listen to the wisdom of the Divine, the Bhagavatha Thathwa with all your heart. There is no activity holier than that. There can be no greater spiritual exercise or discipline or vow. The human body is a worthy boat. The story of Lord Hari is the rudder in this world of constant change. Lord Hari is the boatman who will safely ferry you across Samsara, the sea of birth and death.

3.The root cause of all anxieties and calamities of man is envy. We can find from the Bhagavad Gita that Krishna warns Arjuna repeatedly to be free from this negative trait. Envy is invariably accompanied by hatred. These two are twin villains. They are poisonous pests. They attack the very roots of one’s personality. A tree may be resplendent with flowers and fruits. But when the inimical worms set to work on the roots, imagine what happens to the splendour! Even as we look on admiringly at its beauty, the flowers fade, the fruits fall off and the leaves turn yellow and are scattered by the wind. At last, the tree itself dries up, it dies and falls. So too, when envy and hatred infect the heart and set to work, h owever intelligent and highly educated the individual may be, he falls. He is turned into an enemy of society. He becomes the target of ridicule because he is no longer human!

4.Today, the experience and wisdom of great seers who have unveiled the mystery of the cosmos and their feelings of universal love are not appreciated, accepted, and respected. All religious dogmas, except a few, can easily be harmonized and reconciled. The same God is extolled and adored under various names through varied ceremonial rituals in many religions. In every age, for every race, God has sent prophets to establish peace and goodwill. Presently, many religions have spread far and wide across the world and have lost fraternal feelings over time. There is an urgent need for harmony. All great people are images of God. There is only one single caste in the realm of God and all belong to one nation, the Divine Fellowship. You must interest yourself in understanding the practices and beliefs of the others. Only then you can, with cleansed mind and loving heart, attain the Divine Presence.

5.No enemy can be as insidious as jealousy. When one sees a person more powerful or knowledgeable, or with greater reputation, wealth or beauty, or even wearing better clothing, one is afflicted with jealousy. You may find it difficult to acknowledge and accept the situation. Your mind may seek means to demean and lower them in the estimation of people. Such propensities and evil tendencies should never strike root in your minds. You must be careful such that your character is not polluted.

6.The story of the Lord is an enchanting treasure. Store His story in your memory and save yourself from delusion and grief. You may have listened to the recitals of all shastras (scriptures) and mastered all sadhanas (spiritual practices). But the greatest of them all is the sacred Name of the Lord and the sweetness that it oozes. When His Name falls on the ear, your heart will be filled with joy. When you recall His Name, a stream of Love will spring forth from your heart.

7.Love for the Divine Self is primary; while for other worldly objects or persons is secondary. Worldly love for another person cannot be termed as genuine love. The Jagath (cosmos) or the Prapancha (five-element composite) emanated from the Brahman (God). There is no spot in the Universe where the Divine is not manifest. The cosmos is ever in movement and the Lord of the Cosmos (Jagadiswara) is the mover. Love for the Divine Self is the source of all worldly love. The Upanishads clearly proclaim that when you love the Divine Self, it brings everyone nearer and dearer to you (Atmanastu Kaamaaya Sarvam Priyam Bhavati).

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

1.It is an arduous process for people to become aware of the One that is their core. People are of the essence of food (Annam). The gross body is the product of the food consumed. But within everyone there is a subtler force, an inner vibration named Vital Air (Prana). The mind (Manas) within is subtler still, and deeper and subtler than the mind is the intellect (Vijnana). Beyond the intellect, people have in them the subtlest sheath of spiritual bliss (Ananda). When people delve into this region of spiritual bliss, they can experience the reality, the Brahman (Divinity). That Divine awareness is indeed the most desirable.

2.During the war, the palms of Lord Sri Krishna, soft and tender like lotus petals, developed boils all over, since the steeds strained their hardest, when they were restrained or controlled as He had to hold the reins tight. The Lord devoid of food and sleep, performed services both high and low, and kept ready both horses and chariot in perfect trim. He also went on various other sundry errands, which were fundamental to achieving victory. He bathed the horses in the river, attended to their wounds and applied balm to cure them. Basically, He acted as a servant in the household of Pandavas! He never assumed the role of the Universal Sovereign that is His real nature and status. That was the measure of His affection for those devoted to Him!

3.The ideas and pronouncements of others may often be personal, or may induce feelings of hatred between people. Why should we accept them as ours and mould our feelings accordingly? We should not try to shape our feelings and patterns of behaviour to conform to those of others. We must not relinquish our faith, our experience and our innate holiness. Born as human beings, moving about as educated persons, yet foolishly following others as sheep do and polluting the minds with ideas borrowed from others are things to be avoided.

4.The scriptures are as affectionate to us as a mother is. They teach lessons as a mother does to her children, in conformity with the level of intelligence and according to the needs of time and circumstance. A mother with two children gives the strong and healthy one every item of food for which it clamours, but she takes great care not to overfeed the ailing child and gives it only those items that can restore it soon to good health. Can we, on that account, accuse her of being partial to one and prejudiced against the other in conferring love? The scriptures draw the attention to the secret and value of work (Karma). Work can improve life and set its ideals aright. Everyone must be instructed on how to transform work into beneficial activity. Yet, Karma is not all; it is only the means to the end. Advocacy of Karma is not the chief goal of the scr iptures.

என்ன விதிமுறையோ?

தேனியிலிருந்து ஆண்டிப்பட்டிக்கு ஒரு பெண்மணி சின்ன அட்டைப்பெட்டியுடன் பஸ்ஸில் ஏறினார். அட்டைப்பெட்டியில் முட்டை இருப்பதாக சொன்னதற்கு அதற்கு லக்கேஜ் சார்ஜ் உண்டு என்றும் டிக்கெட் வாங்க வேண்டும் என்றும் நடத்துனர் வலியுறுத்தினார். சின்ன அட்டைப்பெட்டியில் உள்ள முட்டைக்கு லக்கேஜ் சார்ஜ்கொடுக்கவேண்டும் என்று உலகத்தில் எந்த நடத்துனரும் கோரமாட்டார்கள் என அப்பெண்மணி கூற பதிலுக்கு நடத்துனர் டிக்கெட் எடுக்க இஷ்டம் இல்லை என்றால் என் கைக்காசு போட்டு டிக்கெட் போட்டுக்கொள்கிறேன் எனக் கூறவும் அம்மணி முட்டைக்கு டிக்கெட் வாங்கினார். சின்ன அட்டைப்பெடிக்கு லக்கேஜ் சார்ஜ் உண்டா? என்ன விதிமுறையோ?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

1.Everyone is endowed with a hridaya (spiritual heart). When you fill your heart with love and compassion, peace will reign supreme in the world. There will be no jealousy, hatred or anger, but only love everywhere. Restlessness will disappear from the face of the earth. One who has filled his heart with compassion will always remain in peace. It is most essential to know this truth. People mistake hridaya for the physical heart but truly it represents the all-pervasive Atmic principle, in other words, the Aham. So you should keep your heart absolutely pure and sacred.

2.Engage yourselves in selfless service. The reward for it will come of its own accord. Do not have any doubts on this score. Whatever you undertake, do it with all your heart and to your full satisfaction. That satisfaction is all the reward and recompense that you will need. It will confer great strength on you. This is the virtue that you have to cultivate. Acquire this true wealth. Without goodness, all other riches are of no avail.

3.The shastras (scriptures) direct and counsel everyone. People yield to delusion and become one with the darkness caused by false values and attachment to the unreal - the “me” and “mine”. But scripture is the mother; she does not give up. She persists and pursues; she reminds people of their goal in order to ensure that they will be saved. One need not drink the entire ocean to know its taste; placing just one drop on the tongue is enough. Similarly, it is impossible to understand all the contents of the scriptures. It is enough if one grasps the important lesson that is elaborated therein and puts that lesson into practice. The lesson is: Constant thought of God.

4.Keep the mind and the intellect serene and sacred, free from dirt. When thoughts and feelings are impure and agitated, you cannot be calm and happy. When the mind is polluted, so are our reactions. To keep the mind clean, you must analyse sympathetically situations involving others and their activities, and then decide on how to react to them. You should not rush to draw conclusions. Adopting the reactions of others is certainly not desirable. You must resolve on any action only after intelligent discrimination and inquiry. “Some course of action is being followed by someone; so, we shall follow that course ourselves” - this attitude is mean and demeaning, it is a sign of weakness. It is the consequence of basic ignorance. Only sheep behave in that manner

BAGVAN SRI SRI SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

What is spirituality?

1.Students have to pay great attention to an important quality—cleanliness, both outer and inner. When either of these is absent, that person becomes useless for any task. The clothes you wear, the books you read and the environment around you must be clean. This is the outer cleanliness. That is to say, every material object you deal with for living has to be kept clean. The body has to be scrubbed and washed every day, or else, it may cause infection to you and others. The teeth and eyes, the food and drink, all should be free from dirt. You can then lead a healthy life.
2.When the ruler becomes cognizant of the activities of evil times, ‘Kali’, he must investigate into the conditions favourable for its spread. Emperor Parikshit analyzed the situation and declared that Kali or wickedness can have sway only through the incompetence of the ruler, the loss of self-reliance among the people and the decline in the earning of Grace. These three are the factors that promote the plans of Kali. Without them, man cannot fall a prey to its wiles. Hence, Parikshit promoted alertness and leadership through personal example to his people. “Yatha raja, thatha praja” (As the ruler, so the ruled) is the proverb, he said. As their king, he attempted to give no room to injustice, force, evil character, untruth and violence; he formulated preventive plans to effectively check the influence of Kali .
3.Many feel that it is human to err and that Bhagawan should forgive their lapses. In fact, if they were truly human, they should not commit mistakes at all. Even if sometimes a mistake is committed, willingly or unwillingly, it should not be repeated. It is a grievous error to think that it is natural for a human being to err. To follow the directives of the senses is the mark of an animal. To be guided by the Atma is the sign of a human being. None should attempt to justify his or her weaknesses and lapses as natural to a human being; they should be regarded as signs of mental debility. When you have truly acquired sense-control, you will experience the power of the Divine in you.
4.What is spirituality? It is the resolute pursuit of cosmic consciousness. Spirituality aims at enabling a person to manifest in all its fullness the Chaitanya (Divine Cosmic Consciousness) that is present both within and outside oneself. It means getting rid of one’s animal nature and developing the divine tendencies in one's personality. It connotes breaking down the barriers between God and Nature and establishing their essential oneness. Today, people think that spirituality has no relation to mundane life, and vice versa; this is a big mistake. True divinity is a combination of spirituality and social obligations. National unity and social harmony are founded upon spirituality. It is the Divine that links spirituality and social existence.
Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

அரிசி கடத்தல்

அலுவலக வேலையாக லோயர்காம்ப் செல்ல வேண்டியிருந்தது. கம்பத்திலிருந்து குமிளி செல்லும் தமிழக அரசுப் பேருந்தில் பயணம் மேற்கொண்டேன். அப்பொழுது ஏழை அப்பாவி பெரியவர் ஒருவர் கையில் ஒரு சின்ன அட்டைப்பெட்டியுடன் ஓடும் வண்டியில் ஏற முற்பட்டார். நடத்துனர் வண்டியை நிறுத்தி பெட்டியில் என்ன இருக்கு என்று கேட்டார். மிளகாய் பொடி இருக்கிறது என்று கூறி , குமுளிக்கு ஒரு டிக்கட் வாங்கி கேட்டு அமர்ந்தார். குமுளி கேரளா மாநிலத்தைச் சேர்ந்த ஊராகும். வண்டி கிளம்பி ஐந்து நிமிடம் கழித்து நடத்துனர் மீண்டும் பெரியவரிடம் வந்து அட்டைப்பெட்டியில் என்ன இருக்கிறது? உண்மையைச் சொல் என்று கேட்டார். அதற்கு பெரியவர் மிளகாய் பொடி என்று கூறினார். நடத்துனருக்கு சந்தேகம் வந்து அட்டைப்பெட்டியில் என்ன இருக்கிறது என்று சோதித்துப்பார்த்தார். அதில் அரிசி இருப்பது தெரிந்ததும் கோபம் கொண்டு வண்டியிலிருந்து இறக்கி விட்டார். டிக்கெட் கட்டணத்தை திருப்பி கொடுக்கவில்லை. பாவமாக இருந்தது. இது அரிசிக் கடத்தலா? ஒன்றும் புரியவில்லை.(பெட்டியில் மிஞ்சிப்போனால் நான்கு அல்லது ஐந்து கிலோ இருக்கும். ஒரு கிலோ அரிசி ஒரு ரூபாய்க்கு விற்பதால் அரிசி மட்டும் சமைத்து சாப்பிட முடியுமா? விற்கும் விலைவாசிக்கு பருப்பு,எண்ணெய், காய்கறி வாங்க முடியுமா? அதற்காகத்தான் கேரளாவிற்கு அரிசியை அதிக விலைக்கு விற்று பருப்பு,எண்ணெய், காய்கறி வாங்க நினைத்தாரோ?????)

கொசுறு செய்தி : அரசு ஊழியர்களூக்கு பத்து சதவிகித அகவிலைப்படி உயர்வு!!!!!

Thought for the Day

1.The genuine characteristics, the Swaroopa Lakshana, never undergoes change. It abides in all. The form, name, time or space may suffer change; but the core of truth (the Swaroopa Lakshana) will not alter. That core is denoted as Asthi (existence), Bhathi (luminescence) and Priyam (attractiveness) in Vedantic texts. Existence is the unchanging truth; it may change its form and name, in time and space, but the ‘is-ness’ is genuine. It makes itself known as existing, through the native characteristic of Prakasha (luminosity) or capacity to attract our awareness and confer knowledge. We can know it because it has luminescence; all things we are aware of have this innate characteristic. Each thing also has the nature of likeability, the capacity to invoke attachment and love as a result of usability. The above three together are the nature of God.

2.The Gita warns that any insult or injury or even neglect directed against any living being is an act that ridicules or hurts the Divine (“Sarva Jeeva Thiraskaaram Keshavam Prathigachchathi”) The Gita also clearly says, “Sunee chaiva svapaakecha, pandithaah sama darshinah”, that is, the learned man who has acquired humility through Vidya (knowledge) must deal with equal compassion and consideration for all living beings. Uniform kindness shown in this manner transforms itself into homogenous welfare for the recipients. Wishing well for all is the sign of one who has earned Vidya. The narrow vision that is limited to one community must be given up. Bhaarathiya culture thus emphasises the highest truth, the broadest vision.

3.The hearts of the great will be so full of divine content and equanimity, that they will not be affected by the ups and downs of fortune. A fragrant flower will please one with its captivating scent, whether it is held in the left hand or in the right. So too, whether in the sky or in the forest, village or city, on the heights or the valley, the great will be equally happy. They know no change as demonstrated by the Pandavas in the epic Mahabharatha. Even though they were in the jungle, they were able to spend their days happily by the grace of Lord Krishna.

4.Brahman (Divinity) is the source of all the Holy Texts and is therefore all-knowing. Brahman is the very source of illumination. Only the Omniscient One can be the source of the Vedas. Only the scriptures can liberate people through that illumination named knowledge. They regulate one's life and foster it, guarding it from grief. The Vedas offer comforting counsel; they deal with people affectionately and lead them forward, for they are received through venerable personages who attained the highest knowledge, Brahman.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

1.Every being has its own Dharma or innate specialty or individuality or special characteristics. This rule applies equally to blades of grass and the stars. The cosmos is not one continuous flux; it progresses persistently towards achieving a totality in the qualities and circumstances. But if you are too immersed in the all-pervasive delusion, you cannot elevate yourself. When in delusion, you are not aware of the path of peace and harmony in the world. You will also not be able to hold on to the good and avoid the bad, and establish yourself in the righteous path. However, you can transform yourself from the present status through self-effort and discrimination. The moral forces permeating the cosmos will certainly promote your achievement

2.If you seek Vidya (knowledge), you must possess kindness, compassion and love towards all living beings. Compassion to all beings should be your very nature. If it is absent, you become a boor. Vidya means, more than anything else, the quality of genuine concern for all living beings. If you bear ill-will against any being, your education has no meaning. The advice given in the Gita, “Adweshta Sarva Bhoothanam (with no ill-will towards any being)," conveys the same message. Love and compassion must not be limited to mankind only; they must embrace every living being.

3.Ganapathi is the embodiment of Buddhi (intellect) and Jnana (wisdom). Truth emerges out of wisdom and ultimately leads to Ananda (bliss). This is the teaching of Ganapathi. You are under the false impression that today is the birthday of Vinayaka, but He has neither birth nor death; neither beginning nor end. He is the Eternal Witness. All the festivals of Bhaarath (India) are suffused with deep inner meaning. They are highly sacred. Festivals are not meant just for preparing and consuming delicious items. Their purpose is to remind us of Divinity. On festival days, you decorate your houses with buntings of green leaves and also wear new clothes, discarding the old ones. Likewise, you should give up your past bad habits and cultivate new and sacred ideas.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the day

One may be subjected to calumny, insult and dishonour; Or plunged into poverty or pain; but the person who has surrendered to the Will of God will welcome each of these gladly and bear it with equanimity. The Lord will never give up His children. Those devoted to God have to be patient and calm, under the most poignant provocation. The fact is the pious and the God-fearing are those who are most visited by travails and troubles: in order to teach mankind these great truths, Krishna enacted the drama in Mahabharatha, with the Pandavas as the cast. Every incident in their lives is but a scene in His Play.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The bubble born of water floats in it and bursts to become one with it. All the visible objective worlds are like the bubbles emanating from the vast ocean of Divinity, Brahman. They are on the water and are sustained by water. How else can they arise and exist? Finally, they merge and disappear in water itself. For their origination, subsistence, and mergence, they depend only on water. Water is one; bubbles are plentiful. Water is real; bubbles are appearances. Water is the basis; bubbles are delusive forms of the same imposed on it.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

While dealing with uncultured folks, you must exercise caution. So too, you must be careful with ungrateful people, who forget the good done to them. The law is the instrument that Government will use to punish those who do wrong. As educated persons and students, you should not condemn difficult people outright. You must manifest your natural virtue of detachment and practise your characteristic attitude of helpfulness.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Real Education

Every educated person and student must cultivate simplicity and discard ostentation. If they are addicted to pompousness, they lose their genuine nature or individuality. Even if a person is a master of all sciences or famous as a great intellectual, he is certain to be counted out of scholars and pundits if he has no humility and discipline in his dealings with others. He may win respect for some time but that will decline pretty soon. Alertness to serve and simplicity alone will confer honour on a person. When one gives up an attitude of pretentiousness, one earns permanent respect from people. Real education imparts a spirit of renunciation, a dislike for ostentation, and the yearning for serving others.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Love is the basis for love

Love has no reason. Love is the basis for love. Only through this love, we can attain God. Any other spiritual pursuits give us temporary joy not permanent bliss. Only through the principle of love and its practice, we can recognize and realize the Embodiment of Love. Where is this Love? This love is within us, but we divert this in different ways. We have a variety of sweets, but the same sugar is present in all of them. Similarly, Divine Love is inherent and immanent in everybody; there is no human heart bereft of love. So, we should visualize the love which is in everybody. To teach this path of love, Lord Krishna incarnated who said, "Yadaa, Yadaahi Dharrmasya Glaanir Bhavathi Bharatha; abhyuthaanam adharrmasya, Tadaatmaanam Srujaamyaham - Whenever the hearts of human beings become barren, because of unrighteousness and lovelessness, in order to sow the seeds of love and in order to propagate the principle of love, God incarnates.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

We have to learn Good things from others.

1.We have to learn good things from others. We sow seeds in the ground and provide it with manure and water. The seed sprouts, becomes a sapling and grows into a huge tree. It does not become soil when placed therein, nor manure when it feeds thereon, nor water when it partakes thereof. It only imbibes from each of them whatever it can benefit from them. It grows into what is essentially IT, namely, a huge tree! May you too grow likewise. You have to learn much from others; imbibe about the Supreme and the means of attaining it from even the lowest. Learn from others how to practise progressive sadhana (spiritual exercise) and saturate yourselves with it. But do not be transformed into others.

Inescapable Destiny.

2.A bird in flight in the sky needs two wings; a person on the earth below needs two legs to move; an aspirant eager to attain the mansion of moksha (liberation), the abode of freedom, needs renunciation and wisdom - renunciation of worldly desires and wisdom to become aware of the Atma. When a bird has only one wing, it cannot rise up into the sky. In the same manner, if one has only renunciation or only wisdom, one cannot attain the supreme Self, Brahman. The sense of “mine” is the bond of deluding attachment. How long can one cling to what one fondles as mine? Some day, one has to give up everything and leave, alone and empty handed. This is the inescapable destiny.

Unable to understand secret.

3.It is due to the gift of His Divine Grace that we survive in this world. Every drop of blood coursing through our veins is but a drop from the shower of His Grace. Every muscle is but a lump of His Love. Every bone and cartilage is but a piece of His mercy. It is clear that without Him we are but bags of skin. But, unable to understand this secret, we strut about boasting “I achieved this,” and “I accomplished this.”

Immortal spirit can be discovered.

4There is a technique by which the Immortal Spirit can be discovered. Though it may appear difficult, each step forward makes the next one easier, and a mind that is made ready by discipline can discover the Divine basis of man and creation in a flash. There is no short-cut to this consummation. One has to give up all the tendencies that one has accumulated so far and become light for the journey. Lust, greed, anger, malice, conceit, envy, hate – all these tendencies have to be shed. It is not enough to listen to spiritual discourses and count the number you have listened to. The only thing that counts is practising at least one of those teachings

All activities of Krishna were for the well being of the World.

5.Even the smallest acts of Krishna were saturated with supreme sweetness. Krishna was everyone's dearest kinsman and fastest comrade. The Leelas (Divine Sport) of Krishna are sweet and meaningful. All activities of Krishna were for the well being of the World. His advent was for the uplift of the world from wickedness and unrighteousness. It was also for fulfilling the needs of those who are devoted to Him, for the establishment of righteousness and the revival of the Vedas. Though people caught in the coils of ignorance see the Leelas as self-centered and even motivated by delusion, genuine devotees cherish each one of these as significant and sustaining examples of Grace. The Lord showers Grace on each and every one in such a way that suits the time, the person and their aspirations.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba