Thought for the Day

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