Thought for the Day

Narada, the celestial sage, was once so shocked at the ignorance of the Gopikas, that he volunteered to put them through some spiritual lessons. After coming to Brindavan, he noticed that these cowherd girls who were selling milk or curds were calling, "Govinda, Narayana," instead of the wares they were selling; so immersed were they in God-consciousness. They did not know that they had sold off all the milk; they still wandered on, calling out the names of the Lord. They had no vishayavasana, that is, no wish for sensual objects; and so they had no ajnana (ignorance). Narada concluded that they had no need for his lessons instead he prayed to them to teach him the means of getting that yearning and that vision of the all-pervading Krishna. To conquer egoism, no rigorous system of exercise, breath control or complicated scholarship is necessary! The simple Gopikas, have demonstrated this truth.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

எ!ந்த வேலைக்காரனை நீக்க வேண்டும்.

என்ன சொல்லியும் சொன்ன சொல்லை மதிக்காதவன், சொல்லும்போதே மறுத்துப் பேசுபவன், தானே அறிவில் சிறந்தவன் என்ற எண்ணம் உடையவன், விபரீதமாகப் பேசுபவன் இப்படிப்பட்ட வேலைக்காரனை சீக்கிரமாகவே நீக்கி விட வேண்டும்.

விதுரர் சொன்னவை

The wish to satisfy the lower desire is the root of adharma (unrighteousness).

The temptation to ignore Dharma grows from egoism and the acceptance of false values. The wish to satisfy the lower desire is the root of adharma (unrighteousness). This wish takes hold of you slyly, pretending to be a comrade come to save you, or like a servant come to attend on you, or like a counsellor come to warn you. Wickedness has a thousand tricks to capture your heart. You must be ever alert against the temptation; you often remind others of Dharma when you desire to squeeze some advantage from them. You must remember not only the rights that Dharma confers but also the duties it imposes.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Each one must be aware of their duties and rights.

Be fixed in the consciousness that you are the immortal Atma - holy, pure and Divine. This will give you unshakable courage and strength. Then you will develop mutual love and respect. Tolerate all kinds of persons and opinions, all attitudes and peculiarities. The school, your home, your workplace and the society - all of these are training grounds for tolerance.  All relationships must be based on love, and not fear. Only the atmosphere of love can guarantee happy co-operation and concord. Above all, be good, honest and well-behaved. That will make your degrees and achievements more desirable and valuable.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Best ornament.

Speak the Truth and Practice Righteousness, Sathyam Vada Dharmam Chara,’ says the scriptures. They also declare Sathyam Naasthi Paro Dharmaha - there is no dharma or law greater than Truth. Note that the Vedic injunction is “Dharmam Chara” - Practice Right Conduct. It is not enough if you learn about it, you must practice it, fill every moment with thoughts, words and deeds that reflect your awareness of this Dharma. Such a life is the hallmark of one who possesses true good character. And it is this character which the scriptures refer to as one’s best ornament.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

When plans are laid by the rulers for the uplift of the people and for training the children of the land, I want that the ancient wisdom of Bharath, still preserved and practised by scholars, be consulted. That will keep the keel of the ship straight. I want that the knowledge embodied in the Upanishads should be handed down to everyone. Bhakthi or devotion-directed education must take precedence over the Bhukthi or enjoyment-directed learning that prevails today in most countries of the world. Bhakthi is the yearning which goads you onto the spiritual discipline which will endow you with the Supreme Wisdom. Have both - faith and steadiness - in this pursuit, and you will win.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

While studying other things, you should learn the secret of shanti(peace) also. This opportunity should not be missed, for that is the wisdom which will save you. For without Peace, life is a nightmare. The present system of education aims at making you breadwinners and citizens, but it does not give you the secret of a happy life; namely discrimination between the unreal and the real, which is the genuine training you need. The cultivation of viveka(discrimination) is the chief aim of education; the promotion of virtuous habits and the strengthening of Dharma (righteousness) - these are to be attended to; not the acquisition of polish or gentlemanliness, or collection of general information and the practice of common skills.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The Kauravas had all the instruments for victory – wealth, tonnes of arms, allies and fanatic hatred for their enemies. However they were destroyed, for they never paid heed to the nobler values of Righteousness. They did not equip themselves with the Grace of God, which is reserved in abundance for those who walk the path of humility and peace. Nor did they accept the Divine as their charioteer – they put their faith in lesser things! What is truly required for victory is not mere collection of resources but faith and steadiness. The gale helps to toughen the trunk of the tree. So too calamities must deepen your courage, enlarge your faith and intensify your spiritual practices. In fair weather, a care-free attitude is pardonable. But in inclement weather, every precaution is of great value.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

There is no use arguing and quarrelling amongst you. Examine, experience and then you will know the truth. Be silent when you are still undecided or engaged in evaluating. Do not proclaim before you are convinced. Of course, you must discard all evil in you before you can attempt to evaluate the mystery. When faith dawns, it is very important to fence it with discipline and self-control. Just as the tender sapling is guarded with a fence to protect against the goats and cattle; you too should stay away from the motley crowd of cynics and unbelievers. When your faith grows into a big tree, those very cattle which wanted to eat the young plant now lay and rest in the shade of the tree which has spread with lots of branches and leaves.

 

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The system of education, which promotes an attitude of contempt towards learning that does not yield monetary benefits, is largely responsible for the neglect of great scriptures and saints. Another cause is the general decline in the moral standards of living. When all are sliding down the easy path of flippancy, those who advise against it and warn about the inevitable disaster are ignored and laughed at. Sunk in the search of pleasures and cheap recreation, people become deaf to the counsels of the ancient and calls of the sublime. Scriptures are like traffic signals in a busy junction. If the signals are removed, the journey is rendered slow and difficult, filled with accidents and chaos. We cannot afford to destroy them. We have to restore them for the well-being of humanity.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Engage yourselves in good deeds, good company and good thoughts.

Life is short, time is fleeting: your spiritual practice (sadhana) is creeping at tortoise pace. When will you decide to proceed a little faster? Your sadhana is like the answers you write at the examination. If you get only five or six marks, the examiner will strike out even that, saying, "What is the use of these few marks: it will take this student neither here nor there." If you get somewhere near the passing marks, then Grace will give you just a little more so that you may pass, provided you have been a diligent and well-behaved student. Engage yourselves in good deeds, good company and good thoughts. Fix your attention on the goal.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Unless you deposit an amount in the Bank, how will the Bank honour a cheque you issue? So too, ask yourself: ‘Have I deposited enough devotion to the Lord, service to my fellow-beings and faith in my spiritual practices?’ If you do, then you will most certainly draw the Grace of the Lord. Always remember and be sure that you will get as much Grace, in proportion to your perseverance to attain the Lord. The Supreme Divine has and will yield many benefits to you, that you cannot deny. I bless you that you may grow more and more in devotion to the Lord, in whatever Name and Form you choose and I wish you earn the Lord’s Grace to a very large extent.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba  

Pay attention to your physical health.

Pay attention to your physical health. Satisfy the demands of Nature. Otherwise your head would reel and your eyes might get blurred through exhaustion. The car must be given the fuel it needs, is it not? Maintain your body well as an instrument for a higher purpose. How can the thoughts of the Lord be stabilized in a weak frame? A road roller is fed with oil, coal and other types of fuel. But why is it fed and well-maintained? In order to lay and mend the road, is it not? So too be careful not to forget the purpose of this body, even as you tend to it. Never forget that you have been gifted this body, so you might realize the Lord and end the cycle of birth and death.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Be like the referee on the football field, watching the game, judging the play according to the rules laid down, unaffected by success or failure of this team or that.

You must be humble, yet strong to resist temptation. Do not yield like cowards to the sly insinuations of the senses. Do not spend all your time in the task of collecting information and acquiring skills that will give you an income on which you can live. It must also be used to acquire the art of being content and calm, collected and courageous. Also cultivate an ardent thirst for knowing the truth of the world and of your own self. Your words must be like honey. Your hearts must be as soft as butter. Your outlook must be like the lamp, illumining, not confusing. Be like the referee on the football field, watching the game, judging the play according to the rules laid down, unaffected by success or failure of this team or that.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You have the perfect freedom to select the Name and Form that gives you necessary encouragement. When you sit for meditation, recite chants on the Glory of God, so that the thoughts that are scattered could be collected. Then gradually your focus on the Lord will intensify. During meditation, the mind often runs after something else, it takes another road! You have to plug that outlet very quickly by recalling the Name and Form of your favourite Lord. See that the even flow of thoughts towards the Lord is not interrupted. Do not allow the mind to go beyond the twin bunds - the Name on one side and Form on the other! Thus you can easily tame your mind.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Satha Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

When on a pilgrimage, without adequate mental preparation, you may not be able to receive the Grace of God! During pilgrimage, do not act like a postal parcel, which moves from place to place, collecting impressions on the outer wrapper, but not on the core being. Your purpose for a pilgrimage is to strengthen your spiritual inclinations and let the holiness of the place settle in your mind. As a result, your habits must change for the better and your outlook must widen. Your inward vision must become deeper and steadier. You must realize the Omnipresence of God and the oneness of Humanity. You must learn tolerance, patience, charity and service. After the pilgrimage is over, sitting in your own home and ruminating over your experiences you must determine to seek. Aspire to get higher, richer and more real experience of God realization.

Repetition of God’s Name (japam) and meditation (dhyana) are the means by which you can accelerate the concretisation of Divine Grace, in the Name and Form you yearn for. The Lord has to and will assume the Form you chose, the Name you fancy and the way you want Him to be. Therefore do not change the Name and Form you adore mid-way; but select and stick to the One that pleases you most, whatever the difficulty you encounter or however long it takes! All agitations must cease one day, is it not? The dhyana of the Form and the japam of the Name - that is the only means for this task.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba 

The greatest defect today is the absence of Self-Inquiry

At first look, everyone appears to be a devotee, but individuals respond differently to different circumstances. If you keep a ball of iron and dry leaf side by side, when there is no wind, both of them will be firm and steady. But when there is a breeze, the dry leaf will be carried many miles away. The iron ball will remain firm and steady. If one has true love and firm faith in God, one will be like an iron ball, steady and undisturbed. If one is like a leaf running away on account of difficulties and problems, it is a travesty to call such a person a devotee. We should develop pure and steady love and faith.

The mariner uses his compass to guide him aright amidst the dark storm clouds and raging waves. When a person is overwhelmed by the dark clouds of despair and the raging confusion of irrepressible desires, he too, has a compass which will point to him the direction he has to take. That compass is a society that is dedicated to the propagation of spiritual discipline. So long as man is attracted by outer nature, he cannot escape the blows of joy and grief, of profit and loss, of happiness and misery. But, if he is attracted by the Glory of God within him as well as within Nature, he can be above and beyond these dualities and in perfect peace.

The greatest defect today is the absence of Self-Inquiry (Aathma Vichara), which is the root cause of all restlessness. If you are eager to know the truth about yourself, then you will never go astray. All pots are made of mud, all ornaments of gold, and all clothes are of yarn. Here, even though you see so much diversity, there is a unity. The basic substance of everyone is the Supreme Self (Brahman). It is your basis too! Just as a river’s flow is regulated by the bunds, and flood waters are directed to the sea, so too the Upanishads regulate and restrict the senses, mind and intellect, to help you reach the Divine and merge the individual in the Absolute. Scanning a map or a guide book will not give you even a fraction of joy of the actual visit! Scriptures are only maps and guidebooks. Act in accordance and experience bliss. 

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba 

Thought for the Day

Shivarathri is a day when you should establish friendship between the mind and God. Shivarathri makes one aware of the fact that the same Divinity is all-pervasive and is to be found everywhere. It is said that Shiva lives in Kailasa. But where is Kailasa? Kailasa is our own joy and bliss. It means that the Lord lives in the Kailasa of joy, bliss and delight. If you can develop that sense of joy and delight in our mind, then your heart itself is the Kailasa where Shiva lives. How can one get this joy? Joy comes and stays with you when you develop purity, steadiness and sacredness. There is no use in observing Shivarathri once a year. Every minute, every day, every night, you should think of Divinity and sanctify your time, for the Time Principle itself is Shiva.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

If there is a boil on the body, we put some ointment on it and cover it with a bandage until the whole wound heals. If you do not apply the ointment and tie a bandage around this boil, it is likely to become septic and can cause greater harm later on. Now and then we will have to clean it with water, apply the ointment again and put on a new bandage. In the same way, in our life, there is this boil which has come up in our body in the form of 'I, I, I..'. If you want to really cure this boil, you will have to wash it every day with the waters of love, apply the ointment of faith on it and tie the bandage of humility around it. The bandage of humility, the ointment of faith, and the waters of love will cure the disease that has erupted with this boil of 'I.'

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You are all pilgrims, moving along this land of action (Karmakshethra) to the goal - the land of righteousness (Dharmakshethra). The literary men, the poets and teachers who address you are all guides who help you along; but, the road has to be trodden by you, every inch of it. “Kavim Puranaam Anusaasitharam” - scriptures declare that a kavi (a poet or the learned one) places the rules of right conduct before people and warns them when they go astray. These individuals should also be very careful that they themselves do not stray, while professing the right path. The learned are those that have a noble vision, whose role is to interpret God for the benefit of one and all. They should not indulge in meaningless talk or writing about less significant topics.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

When you learn to ride a bicycle, you do not get the skill of balancing immediately. You push the cycle along to a safe and open ground, hop and skip, leaning now and then on one side and another, and make many an attempt to get the balance. Once you get the skill, you never even think or worry about balancing. You automatically make the necessary adjustments. You can now ride through narrow streets and lanes, and even through crowded alleys – you no longer need the large, safe, open ground! So too, practice alone will equip you with deep concentration, that will sustain you even in your most difficult situation. Hence, do not get discouraged that you are not able to concentrate on prayer or meditation for long. It is just the start!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Believe Me, your nature is Sath-Chith-Ananda (Existence, Consciousness and Absolute Bliss). That is why you behave in the way you do. You desire to exist for ever; you enjoy life and avoid all talk of your own death. That is enough evidence to conclude that you are Reality in essence (Sath-swarupa). Then, again, you are filled with wonder and curiosity and a desire to know the world around you. You ask continuously what, why, how and when, about all and sundry. This is the prompting that is given by the Consciousness (Chith). Lastly, you are always seeking joy and try to avoid grief. It is your nature to do so, for you are essentially Bliss. When someone asks you, "How do you do?" and you answer, "Quite well, thank you," they do not stop to enquire why you are well. It is only when you answer that you are ill, you are further questioned anxiously. "Well-ness" is natural; "illness" unnatural. Anxiety is caused only by the unnatural. So, in essence you are happiness.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The most important reason for bondage is giving too much freedom to the mind. For example, when an animal is tethered to a post, it will not be able to go to another place. It will not be able to show anger or violence or do harm to any person. But if it is let loose, then it can roam over various fields, destroy the crops, and cause loss and harm to others. It may also get beaten up for the harm caused by it. So too, if you turn your mind towards worldly objects, it will descend to the animal or even demonic nature. The same mind also can make you rise from the level of the human to the highest level of Divinity. Hence regulate your mind by following certain rules of discipline. In doing so, you will not go astray and can maintain a good name and lead a happy and useful life.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Consider the example of a cinema; on the screen we see rivers in flood, engulfing all the surrounding land. Even though the scene is filled with flood waters the screen does not get wet by even a drop of water. At another time, on the same screen we see volcanoes erupting with flame, but the screen is not burnt. The screen which provides the basis for all these pictures is not affected by any of them. Likewise in the life of man, good or bad, joy or sorrow, birth or death, will be coming and going, but they do not affect the Soul (Atma). In the cinema of life, the screen is the Soul (Atma). It is Shiva, it is Shankara, it is Divinity. When one understands this principle, one will be able to understand, enjoy and find fulfilment in life.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Once, I asked a few people as to what they would like to be in the hands of the Lord. Some said the lotus, some the shankha (conch) and some the chakra (discus), but no one mentioned the murali (flute). I would advise you to aspire to become the flute, for then the Lord Himself will come to you and pick you up. Achieve the hollowness of heart by making it completely egoless. He will then breathe through you and create captivating music for all Creation to enjoy. Be straight, without any will of your own and merge your will in the Will of God. Inhale only the breath of God. That is Divine Life, the goal you must all achieve.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

You need not even read the Gita or the Upanishads. You will hear a Gita specially designed for you if you call upon the Lord in your own heart. He is there, installed as your own Charioteer. Ask Him and He will answer. Have the Form of the Lord before you when you sit quietly in a place for meditation and have His Name - that is, any Name when you do japam (repetition of the divine Name). If you do japam, without a Form before you, who is to give the answer? You cannot be talking all the time to yourself. The Form of the Lord you are calling will hear and respond to you. All agitations must cease one day, is it not? Meditation of the Form of the Lord and repetition of His Name are the only means for your mental agitations to cease.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

Every struggle to realize the Unity behind all the multiplicity is a step on the path of Divine Life. You have to churn the milk if you wish to separate and identify the butter that is present within it. So too, carry on with life and purify your thoughts and action in order to get unshakeable faith. Divine Life does not admit the slightest dross in character or delusion in the intellect. People dedicated to divine life must emphasize this by precept and practice. Wipe out the root cause of anxiety, fear and ignorance, if any, within you. Then your true personality will shine forth. Anxiety is removed by faith in the Lord, the faith that tells you whatever happens is for the best and that the Lord’s will be done. Sorrow springs from egoism, the feeling that you do not deserve to be treated so badly, that you are left helpless. Sorrow disappears when egoism goes!

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

The world is building itself upon the sandy foundation of the sensory world. Like the monkey which could not pull its hand out of the narrow necked pot, because it first held in its grasp a handful of groundnuts which the pot contained, people are suffering today. They are unwilling to release their hold on the handful of pleasurable things they have grasped from the world. When people do not place faith in the Self, but pursue their senses alone, the danger signal is up! People are stuck with the wrong belief that the accumulation of material possessions will endow them with joy and peace. Divine Love alone can give you everlasting joy. Divine Love alone will remove anger, envy and hatred.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Thought for the Day

It is the Divine that inspires, activates, leads and fulfils the life of every being, however simple or complex it may be! From the atom to the Universe, every single being is flowing fast to merge in the sea of bliss. Never forget that every one of you is Sath-Chith-Ananda Swarupa (Embodiments of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss) – only you are unaware of it and imagine yourself to be bound to this form and its limitations! This is the myth that should be exploded, so that your Divine Life may begin. Leading a Divine Life consists of practising Truth, Love and Non-injury (Sathya, Prema and Ahimsa). Since all are parts of the same Divine Self, all should be loved as oneself, without fear and falsehood. When all are one, why should we injure another one, who is part of the same Divine Being?

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba

விதுரர் வாக்கு

உறவினர்கள், ஏழைகள், பரிதாபமான நிலையில் இருப்பவர்கள்,நோயாளிகள் முதலியவர்களிடம் எந்த மனிதன் அன்பு செலுத்தி உதவி செய்கின்றானோ, அந்த மனிதன் குழந்தைகளாலும் பசுக்களாலும் உண்டான செழிப்பையும் அழிவில்லாத சேமத்தையும் அடைகிறான்.