Prasanthi Updates

Monday, July 28, 2008

For the last few days, Bhagawan has been coming for darshan in His chair on most occasions, and going for a second round of the verandah, sitting onstage for a few minutes and then moving to the interview room. This evening, the group from the USA got a chance to present a musical programme with enactments by children in Sai Kulwant Hall. At 5.25 pm their programme got underway when Swami came onstage. Various religions were represented in the group songs for half an hour. Swami interacted with them, and after a few minutes, they began bhajans. Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 6.40 pm

Sai Inspires

July 31 , 2008

Although the sweets which we prepare and eat have many different forms and names, the fact is, that all of them contain one common thing, that is..sugar. Just as we must realize this truth, we must also realize that, in this world, while there are so many individuals with different forms and names, the one common thing that is present in all of them is the Vishnu Thathwa or the Omnipresent Atma. This realization will enable you to develop love for the entire humanity.
- Divine Discourse, December, 1973.

Thought for the Day

July 31, 2008

When a river reaches the ocean, it becomes one with the ocean and the river ceases to exist. Before it joins the ocean, the river is bound by its banks and it has a distinct form. But when it merges in the ocean, it loses its form, name and taste. Likewise, when "man" merges in the Infinite "I" only the Infinite "I" remains and the limited human entity disappears.

- BABA

Thought for the Day

July 30, 2008

There is a tendency to interpret renunciation as merely giving up worldly attachments. Renunciation truly means attaining perfect equanimity. People may criticize you or praise you, take them both with a sense of equanimity. One may try to harm you while another may try to do you a good turn; treat both situations with equanimity. In one business venture, you may incur a loss while in another you may make a profit; treat them both alike. Equanimity is the hallmark of yoga (spiritual attainment).

- BABA

Sai Inspires

July 30, 2008

Do not exaggerate the importance of things that have material utility; they fade even as you grasp them by the hand. Search for "Sath" - that which suffers no change. Search for "Chith" - the state of consciousness, Search for "Anandha" - the bliss that emanates from Prema, Divine Love. This love has no blemish of attachment, is unaffected by gusts of passion, is pure, and free from egoism or the desire to possess. Then alone can you experience the Light, and illumine the path for others. Be like bees hovering on the Glory of the Lord, sucking the nectar of Grace, silently and joyfully.
- Divine Discourse, 25 April 1961.

Thought for the Day

July 29, 2008

There are two forms of Love. One binds you to God. The other binds you to the world. The mind is responsible for either of these states. The mind can be compared to a lock. If you turn the key to the right, the lock opens. If you turn the key to the left, it gets locked. The heart is the key to the lock of the mind. If you turn the key towards the world, you have attachment and bondage; when you turn it towards God, you achieve liberation. That is why, it has been declared that the mind is the cause of human bondage or liberation. When it is filled with wisdom, it makes a man a saint. When it is associated with ignorance, it turns into an agent of death.

- BABA

Sai Inspires

July 29, 2008

Life is like a train journey. You have a long way to go. You must learn to make your journey comfortable. Do not carry heavy and unwanted luggage with you. That will make the journey miserable. Similarly, do not indulge in fault-finding and picking quarrels with others. Don't desire to have the best things for yourselves only. Share with others around, the good things you are given. Anger, hatred, envy, jealousy, these are the heavy luggage I ask you avoid taking with you in the journey.
- Divine Discourse, January 6, 1975.

Thought for the Day

28 July, 2008

This world is the jungle in which you roam; fear is the lion which drives you up the tree of samsara (worldly activities). Anxiety is the bear that terrifies you and dogs your every step in this world, so you slide down into attachments and binding deeds through the twin roots of hope and despair. Day and night are the rats which nibble away at the span of life. Meanwhile, you try to snatch a little joy from the sweet drops of egoism and the 'I' feeling. Finding at last that the drops do not give true fulfillment, you shout in the agony of renunciation, calling on the Guru; the Guru appears from within or without, and saves you from fear and anxiety.

- BABA

Sai Inspires

July 28, 2008

Without firm faith in the omnipresence of the Divine, devotion has no meaning. By developing faith, devotion is nourished and devotion enables one to face all the vicissitudes of life with fortitude and serenity, regarding them as dispensations of Providence. Finally, one-pointed devotion for God leads to union with the Divine...Self-realization is the goal. Love is the means. It is through the cultivation of Love that life can find fulfillment. Everyone must strive to achieve this fulfillment by filling this human adventure with the sweetness of love and transforming it into an expression of Divinity.
- Divine Discourse, January 19, 1986.

Sai Inspires

July 27, 2008

You are calling out but you are not answered often. Why? You address someone other than God. The call does not arise from your heart. The yearning is not total. The motive is selfish and impure. You are knocking at the door and complaining that it is not opened. God is residing in your own heart but you have locked that heart so that love cannot enter. So, He is silent and unresponsive. The door need not be opened, for you to become aware of the God within. It is ever open for Love; knocking is unnecessary. Love will automatically make the heart bright with light and delight.
- Divine Discourse, October 21, 1982.

Thought for the Day

July 27,2008

Sadhana (spiritual discipline) determines the character of a person and character in turn determines one's destiny. Character is cultivated by performing good actions. Actions are based on one's thoughts and intentions. Whenever any thought arises in the mind, one should examine whether it is right or wrong, whether it will benefit society or cause harm. Actions should be based on such enquiry. It is wrong to blame anyone for our misfortunes. Our thoughts and actions alone are responsible for our plight. If one entertains pure thoughts and does all actions with firm faith in God, one will be favoured with God's Grace.

- BABA

Sai Inspires

July 26, 2008

Convince yourselves that life cannot continue long without others serving you and you serving others. Master-servant, ruler-ruled, guru-disciple, employer-employee, parents-children, all these are bound by mutual service. Every one is a servitor. The farmer and labourer whom you serve produce by their toil your food and clothing as their service to you. Remember that the body, with its senses-mind-brain complex has been awarded to you to be used for helping the helpless. Service is the highest of path of devotion which wins the Grace of God. It promotes mental purity, diminishes egoism, and through sympathetic understanding, enables one to experience the unity of mankind.

- Divine Discourse, November 21st, 1986.

Thought for the Day

July 26 , 2008

What man needs today is not Siddhantam (ideology). Instead, he needs sense-control. Without control of the senses, a man cannot become spiritual. This was proclaimed by Saint Thyagaraja in his song wherein he said that without peace of the Spirit there can be no happiness for any one, whether he is a scholar or an novice. Only through self-control can a man experience peace.

- BABA

Prasanthi Updates

July 24 , 2008

This evening, devotees from Italy presented a musical programme. Bhagawan came in His golden chair, reaching onstage at 5.25 pm to start the proceedings. After 45 minutes of traditional Italian music, Bhagawan asked them to sing Bhajans. At 6.30 pm, He accepted Arati and moved to the interview room. When He emerged a few minutes later, some students from the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School were waiting with a card and a tray of sweets, on the occasion of their Hostel anniversary. Swami asked the student with the tray of chocolates in the shape of gold coins to follow Him, and moving to the ladies' side, distributed the sweets to many devotees and even moved among the ladies on wheelchairs giving them the sweets personally. Then He returned to the centre of Sai Kulwant hall, had a set of photographs with the youngest member of their group who had recited Vedam and played a guitar solo, and asked the students to sing Bhajans. At a quarter past seven, Swami moved towards His residence, and the session concluded with Arati once again

Sai Inspires

July 25 , 2008

When you spend your hours in thoughts about God, you are also free from evil ways. You will not be tempted to abuse others or harm them in any way. You live in Love, accepting all the events of life as His Gifts. Homes, where people live in such a manner, really speaking, are heavens on earth... Hearts dedicated to these noble ideals are indeed 'golden.' They cannot be tarnished by the ups and downs of life; they can remain unaffected and pure.

- Divine Discourse, March 9, 1974.

Thought for the Day

July 25 , 2008

When you know that you are but a spark of the Divine and that everything around you too is a spark of the same Divine principle, you look upon all with reverence and true Love; your heart is filled with supreme joy and the assertions of the ego are rendered ineffective. Man seeks joy in far off places and peace in quiet spots; but, the spring of joy is in his heart, the heaven of peace is within him. Even when he walks on the moon man has to take with him his fears, his anxieties, his prejudices and his aversions. Have faith in God and in the correctness of moral living. Then, you can have peace and joy, whatever may be the fare fortune offers you.

- BABA

Prasanthi Updates

Monday, July 23, 2008

This morning, the morning plenary session of the Education conference was to be held in the Sai Kulwant Hall, so the Bhajans did not commence at 9 o'clock. Bhagawan arrived at 10.30 in His chair, and when He reached the stage, Prof. David Gries, the Zone I chairman of the Sathya Sai Organisation, introduced the speakers. Dr. Tom Scoville, Dr. B. G. Pitre, Dr. Dalton de Souza Amorim and Sri Srinivasan Srirangarajan were the speakers for the morning, representing the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation and the Sri Sathya Sai University. They spoke on the techniques and impact of Sathya Sai Education, with illustrative anecdotes. Bhagawan accepted Arati after the speeches and returned to His residence at noon.

The delegates for the conference gathered at various venues in the Ashram for their respective post-lunch sessions and returned to the Sai Kulwant Hall for the afternoon plenary session. Bhagawan arrived in His chair and moved to the interview room after four o'clock. At 4.30 pm, the speeches for the afternoon commenced. Mr. Victor Krishna Kanu, Mr. Jeremy Hoffer, Mr. M. K. Kaw and Sri Sanjay Mahalingam spoke on the inspiration and activities of the Sathya Sai Education programme. Bhagawan then graciously consented to speak to the delegates.

Bhagawan took the sheet of questions posed by the delegates and clarifications desired by them, and reading out the questions one by one, answered them for an hour till 6.30 pm. Swami stressed on the need for parents to take proper care of their children, and for the children to love, obey and respect their parents. The students sang Bhajans for 10 minutes after Bhagawan's Discourse while the delegates moved out from the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall to make way for the devotees from the CIS (former USSR) who were to make a musical presentation. Bhagawan returned to the stage after a brief visit to the interview room and the music program began with a brief introduction. Songs from Russia, Georgia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and so on kept the packed hall enthralled with their catchy tunes and lively beat. After their half-hour programme, Swami asked them to sing one more song, so they sang the popular "Kalinka" and had the audience clapping all through. Bhagawan interacted with the organisers, and then, waved His hands to materialise a large golden lingam. Wrapping it in a small bag, He handed it over to Dr. Goldstein with some instructions. Blessing all the devotees, Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 7.30 pm while prasadam was distributed.

Sai Inspires

July 24,2008

When you spend your hours in thoughts about God, you are also free from evil ways. You will not be tempted to abuse others or harm them in any way. You live in Love, accepting all the events of life as His Gifts. Homes, where people live in such a manner, really speaking, are heavens on earth... Hearts dedicated to these noble ideals are indeed 'golden.' They cannot be tarnished by the ups and downs of life; they can remain unaffected and pure.

- Divine Discourse, March 9, 1974.

Thought for the Day

July 24,2008

The word 'Dharma', which is really bound up with an infinite variety of meanings, is regarded in common usage as referring to actions like charity, performing good deeds, going on pilgrimages and discharging one's duties, etc. But these relate only to external actions. Dharma is eternal, the same for everyone, everywhere. It expresses the significance of the inner Atma. The birth place of Dharma is the heart. What emanates from the heart as a pure idea, when translated into action is Dharma. The true Dharma of every human being is to make every endeavour to realize the Divine; Dharma should lead to Self-realization.

- BABA

Divine Discourses

Divine Discourse
By Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Gurupoornima ,July 18,2008

"It is the power of Love that makes everything possible. All the names are God's names. But the Truth is Aham Brahmasmi. The universe derives from and dissolves into the Truth. There is no place without Truth and God is the cause for everything in the universe.

Shivraj Patil here has written this Gita text after poring over various texts and grasping this essence. There are many who write books but this one is very special for it has been written from the heart.. Whenever, I visited him, he used to get it corrected and verified by me. And since it has arisen of his heart, the essence of the Gita is present in it.

Guru Poornima is not just a day when you pay respects to the elders by giving them some money. "Gurur Brahma, gurur Vishnu, gurur devo maheshwara; Guru sakshath parabrahma tasmai sri gurave namaha". In that sense, God is the only Guru. Poornima is the moon that is full without any defects or black spots. With a pure heart, whatever is said, comes true. And whatever comes from the heart is the true word of the Guru.

Once in their childhood, when the Pandavas and Kauravas were engaged in a ball game, the ball fell into a well and the children began to weep. Drona, his wife and son Ashwattama were passing by that way. Drona, the master, shot an arrow to the ball. Then successively, he shot arrows one behind the other and made a rope out of the arrows and pulled out the ball for them. Such was his greatness. Ekalavya wanted to become his disciple too but Drona refused to take him as one stating that he would not teach hunters. So the lad made a clay idol of Drona and mastered the art of archery. Once when Drona and all the princes were in the forest, a dog started barking and disturbing. Very soon, its mouth had been rendered shut by hundreds of arrows shot with great precision! All wondered who had done so and it was discovered that Ekalavya was the one responsible. At this time, Arjuna grew very jealous. How can there be anyone else who is so skilled? On inquiry, when Ekalavya said that his guru was Drona, Arjuna was angry too! The art of shooting by mere hearing was something his Guru had promised to teach him alone. He wanted his guru Drona to ask as a Gurudakshina( gift of gratitude to the Guru), the shooting thumb of Ekalavya! This stemmed from his ego that he was the best archer in the world. Drona did so to please Arjuna and Ekalavya lost his thumb and thus his career too.

The guru may ask anything, but the true Guru is one who resides in the heart and gives instructions from there. The Bhagwad Gita is the teaching of the heart. Though Shivraj Patil read a lot, he had a lot of doubts. Finally he wrote what his heart felt. He did not follow any other text or teaching. It was Swadhyaya (the delving into the soul or Atma) that gave joy and clarity. Just remove the feelings of I and mine, ego and possessiveness, and the Atma Tatwa stands revealed. Many make attempts to know the Self. To do that first drop the I. That is also symbolised by the Christian Cross. The Cross stands for the fact that when 'I' is crossed, Jesus is liberated. Also, one must give up possessiveness.

Shivraj Patil has been coming to me for 30 years now. Chavan and Patil came together to Swami. Patil was first made a minister in Mumbai and then He moved to Delhi. He became the speaker. But he never asked Swami for anything. He has achieved a good name in the government too. They have full confidence in him. One must always have three things- Self confidence, Self-sacrifice and Self-satisfaction. And for all these 3, faith is absolutely essential. And Love of course! Demons have faith in God, but they hat God! Just reading and speaking is not enough. What you do practiocally counts. See first and develop faith and then follow. That will finally lead to Self-realization and that is Poornima- being spotless in thought, word and deed.

Share with all whatever you know. This applies to the teachers and students alike. Teachers and students are like the positive and negative respectively. Whatever you experience, tell your parents. Have a close relationship with your mother and father. One who pleases parents will have progress on all fronts. God will be with them always. The last shloka of Gita states that where there is Arjuna(devotee) with Krishna (God), there will be ultimate victory and fulfillment.

Today Shivraj Patil has given you a book with beautiful ideas and sentiments. That is why he has satisfaction and the book is respected. But you see boys reading all sorts of novels these days. They will hold a big spiritual book and concealed in it will be a novel! Such bad books must not be kept in our libraries. Even if they are kept, our boys will not even glance at them. Have sacred hearts and that will lead you to The secret place. Boys are all very good, but due to the age some thoughts do come. Be resistant at such times. All of you too must write books. We have one student..... whats his name? (after conferring a while with some people around), Ah yes! Hungary government has called him....He is Gowrishankar. He is going to Hungary for the paper that he has published. Every Tom, Dick and Harry doesn't get called like that.


Then Swami blessed the lecturer Sri.Gowrishankar on stage and told him to earn a good name for his parents and the Institute.

Whatever you learn, you must spread it to some people. You should go everywhere and tell everyone about what you have learnt here in our Institute.There are two girls in the Anantapur campus to. Having excelled in English and Physics, they are being financed for a trip to USA. All of you should earn such a good name."

Sai Inspires

22 July, 2008

You must cultivate charity, which does not mean giving some money to a person in need or to an organization. Charity calls for the removal of all evil thoughts that are within you and development of a largeness of spirit....When you look around today you find that there is little evidence of sacrifice for the sake of society. A person may call oneself a great devotee, or spiritual aspirant or a scientist, but without a spirit of sacrifice there is nothing great in the person. Seva (service) is the salt which lends savour to life. The spirit of sacrifice imparts fragrance to living. One may live for 60, 70, or 80 years but it will have no meaning unless his/her life has been devoted to the ennobling of one's character and rendering devoted service to others. What you must aspire for are not buildings, positions or factories and industries; a good character is the greatest wealth you can acquire.

- Divine Discourse, December 11, 1985.

Thought for the Day

22 july, 2008

He who considers himself free is free indeed, and he who considers himself bound remains bound. Constantly think yourself as being eternal, unlimited, Consciousness-Bliss, and you will be free and happy. So long as you trap yourself in body consciousness you are like a lion moping about in a musty cave. Do not feel satisfied by saying, 'I am the body'. Roar and say, 'I am the Universal Absolute. I am all that is, was and will be.' Pettiness, ego, time and space - all will flee from your heart and you will realise your own Divinity.

- Baba

- BABA

PRASANTHI UPDATES

July 21 , 2008

Sairam To All

The "GURUPOORNIMA" celebrations are ends happily , joyly in the abode of Bhagavan . Bhagavan Started ' The World Educational Conference ' in Prasanthi Nilayam . So many devotees & delegates came to the conference form the world . Now the prasanthi nilayam was fully covered with the Swami Devotees .

Love All Serve All

Sai Inspires

July 20, 2008The world is comparable to a big machine. Each individual is a cog in this big machine. We may feel the futility of our lives when we are compared to a small pin, a bolt or a screw in this huge machine. However, imagine a train running at a great speed. This train cannot be brought to a halt even if hundreds try to stop it. But if the driver puts on the brake, with the help of a small pin, it will instantly stop. In the same manner, when an individual uses their mind, ideals, intelligence and faces trouble and untruth in this world, he/she has the capacity to counter the sorrow in this world. This is so, in spite of his/her being only a small pin or a bolt in this big machine of the world. Therefore, each one must regard oneself as a good and useful person in the context of the prosperity of the world.

- Summer Showers 1973.

Thoughrt for the Day

Attachment causes pain, and detachment results in joy. But, you cannot easily detach yourself from activity; the mind clings to something or the other. Make it cling to God, let it perform all actions for God and leave the success or failure, the loss and the profit, the elation or the dejection, to God. This is the secret of Shanti (Peace) and contentment.

- BABA

- BABA

Sai Inspires

July 20,2008

Friendship should not be based on considerations of fear and favour. You try to be friendly with a person who is in authority and power out of fear; or with an affluent and wealthy person in the hope of gaining some personal benefits. Wealth and status being temporary, our friendships will also turn out to be of a transitory nature. If a person is adopting wrong ways, a true friend should not be afraid of pointing out the errors of their freind, with a view to improving them. It is not enough to merely share joy with each other; but it is more important to share the sorrow with each other. Sacred friendship is that which enables one to help others, at all times, and in all circumstances.

- Divine Discourse, January 19, 1986.

Thought for the Day

July 20, 2008

The mind must become the servant of the intellect, not the slave of the senses. It must discriminate and detach itself from identification with the body. The kernel of the ripe tamarind fruit is not attached to the outer shell; likewise the mind must be unattached to this shell called the body. Strike an unripe tamarind fruit with a stone and you cause harm to the pulp inside; but, when you strike the ripe fruit it is the dry rind that falls off; nothing affects the pulp or the seed. The mature aspirant does not feel the blows of fate or fortune; it is the unripe one who is wounded by every blow.

- Baba

- BABA

Thought for the Day

July 19,2008

Believe firmly that the body is the residence of God, that the food you eat is the offering you make to your deity; that bathing is the ceremonial bathing of the Divine Spirit in you; the ground you walk upon is His domain; the joy you derive is His gift; the grief you experience is His lesson that you tread the path more carefully. Remember Him at all times; many people think of God only when grief overtakes them; of course, it is good to do so; it is better than seeking the help of those who are also equally liable to grief. But, it is infinitely better to think of God in grief and in joy, in peace and strife. The proof of rain is in the wetness of the ground; the proof of Bhakthi (devotion) is in the Shanti (equanimity) the bhaktha (devotee) has, Shanthi which protects him against the onslaughts of success and failure, fame and dishonour, gain and loss.

- BABA

Sai Inspires

July 19, 2008

Love must expand from the individual to the whole universe. We must regard Love as God. The different forms attributed to God are products of fancy. But Love can be directly experienced. Whether one is a theist or an atheist, a hedonist or a recluse, a yogi or a materialist, he has high regard for love. Love is the one form in which everybody is ready to accept God. The cultivation of love and achieving universal Love through Love is the sublime path of Love - that is the path of Devotion.

- Divine Discourse, January 19, 1986.

Thought for the Day

July 19,2008

Believe firmly that the body is the residence of God, that the food you eat is the offering you make to your deity; that bathing is the ceremonial bathing of the Divine Spirit in you; the ground you walk upon is His domain; the joy you derive is His gift; the grief you experience is His lesson that you tread the path more carefully. Remember Him at all times; many people think of God only when grief overtakes them; of course, it is good to do so; it is better than seeking the help of those who are also equally liable to grief. But, it is infinitely better to think of God in grief and in joy, in peace and strife. The proof of rain is in the wetness of the ground; the proof of Bhakthi (devotion) is in the Shanti (equanimity) the bhaktha (devotee) has, Shanthi which protects him against the onslaughts of success and failure, fame and dishonour, gain and loss.

- BABA

PRASANTHI UPDATES

July 18 , 2008

Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant hall at 8.50 am on this Gurupoornima morning resplendent in a yellow robe, in a special gold-coloured chair, preceded by His baby elephant which was bedecked in festival finery. After a full round of the Hall, He came to the veranda and blessed the Gurupoornima cake arrayed there. When He came onstage, He blessed the congregation with both hands and sat for a while listening to the Vedam chanting along with the Nadaswaram and Panchavadyam performed by the students. Sri Shivraj Patil, the Union Home Minister, presented a book to Bhagawan for release. This tome on the Bhagawad Gita was written by him and was made available in English, Hindi, Marathi and other languages. Bhagawan asked Prof Anil Kumar to announce the details of the book and then Sri Shivraj Patil was asked to address the gathering. In his short speech, Sri Patil thanked Bhagawan for inspiring the book. Swami then indicated that His mics be brought. Bhagawan spoke for nearly an hour, seated onstage, outlining the story of Ekalavya and commending Sri Shivraj Patil on his book. He then mentioned that one of the lecturers of the Sai University was going to Hungary for a presentation, and that He wished that in this way, the ideals of the Sai University be propagated in all countries. The students sang a couple of songs after Swami's Discourse as prasadam was distributed. Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence in the chair after eleven o'clock after listening to a few more minutes to the students' Panchavadyam troupe.

SAI INSPIRES

Try to reduce your attachment to the world to the extent possible. Be happy and make others happy. Do not hurt anybody. Consider difficulties as passing clouds. You have developed family relationships and there are bound to be some worries. But do not be perturbed by them. When you look at the vast sky, you find many clouds. Likewise, in the sky of your heart there are clouds of attachment. They just come and go. Do not worry about them. What is the shape of worry? It is a mentally created fear. It is the result of your imagination. Every man is bound to encounter difficulties and losses. We should face them with courage... From this day of Guru Purnima, make your hearts sacred. Just as you wave away the mosquitoes that bite you, brush aside any difficulties that assail you. Do not be depressed by sorrow nor be elated by happiness. Develop equanimity and strive to attain Divinity.
- Divine Discourse, July 24, 2002.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

July 18 , 2008

'Gu' means darkness and 'Ru' means light. Guru (spiritual preceptor) scatters darkness through light; he imparts wisdom which roots out our ignorance. 'Gu' also connotes 'Gunaatheetha' (One who is beyond 'gunas' or attributes) and 'Ru' connotes 'Roopavarjitha' (One who has transcended Form). Do not seek human Gurus, however great their reputation. They are bound by the qualities they have developed and they are still in need of the Form so that they may conceive of Reality. They themselves being limited, how can they communicate to you the Unlimited? Pray to the Parabrahma Principle (transcendental principle) or God within you to reveal Itself. Accept that as the Guru and you will be illumined.

- BABA