"Suklambaradaram Vishnum Sashivarnam 3

Chathurbhujam Prasanna Vadanam

Dhyayeth THE Ramayana has a deep undercurrent of
Saravavignopa Shantaye" significant meaning. Dasaratha means: he
who rides in a chariot of ten, that is to say,
One who wears a white dress; One who is Man. He is tied up with three Gunas or three
omnipresent; wives, as in the Ramayana. He has four sons,
One who shines like the Moon; One who has the Purusharthas; Dharma (Rama), Artha
four hands; (Lakshmana), Kama (Bharatha) and Moksha
One who has a beautiful and shining face; (Satrughna). These four aims of man have to
One who wards off all obstacles. I meditate be systematically realised, always with the
on Him. last one, Moksha, clearly before the eye.
Lakshmana represents the Buddhi or
1 intellect and Sita is Truth. Hanuman is the
Mind and the repository of courage, if
controlled and trained. Sugriva, the master
TODAY is the Birthday of Rama who is
of Hanuman, is Discrimination. With these
Dharma itself. He is Veda Dharma in
to help him, Rama seeks the Truth and
Human Form. He is Anandaswarupa and
succeeds. That is the lesson of the Epic to
Dharmaswarupa. On this holy day of
every man.
Ramnavami you must immerse yourself in
the Atma as Dharmaswarupa as the
motivator of the moral life. Rama is "Atma 4
Rama" in every being. There is no place
where Rama is not. He is imminent and RAMA is Dharma personified. "Vignahavak
eternal. Rama for you should mean the Path Dharmah". Rama is the Supreme Exemplar
He trod, the ideal He held aloft, and the of the Virtues that man must cultivate so
Ordinance He laid down. They are eternal that he might live as a master, husband, son,
and timeless. Now you worship His Form, brother, friend or even foe. The other three
you repeat His name; ignoring His orders. brothers of Rama personify the other three
Without practicing the discipline laid down ideals. Bharatha is the embodiment of
by Rama to purify the mind, all else is mere Sathya; Satrughna of Shanti; and
show, empty rituals. Contemplate on this Lakshmana of Prema. Study the Ramayana
unique day to obtain Godhood. Use it not for with the aim of imbibing from it the ideals
feasting, picnics, hikes, watching films, for happy living, for making this life
playing games, gambling, etc. The Immortal worthwhile and you will be amply rewarded.
had come in the form of Rama to show the Then you can deservedly style yourselves
way to Immortality. "Devotees" of the Lord.

2 5

THE four brothers Rama, Lakshmana, THE Ramayana is a guidebook, a sacred

Bharatha and Satrughna represent the Rig, text, an inspiring scripture for every man in
Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas. When man all lands, whatever his creed or condition
neglects the Divine aspect of their natures might be. It imparts poise, balance,
and the awareness of the Omnipresent and equanimity, inner strength and peace. Peace
Omnipotent OM, he falls prey to the is the best treasure, without it power,
impulses and instincts dominated by the ego authority, fame and fortune are all dry and
and develop faith in material gains. He burdensome. Thyagaraja has sung that there
spends his life in amassing wealth, power can be no happiness without inner peace.
and authority over fellow-beings and
believes that holding others under his sway 6
is a desirable achievement. If there were a
vacancy in Heaven, he would surely apply
WHY is it that the world reveres Rama and
for the position of God, for he believes that
revolts at Ravana? Rama is not the
he has all the necessary attributes.
uncle's son or Ravana the step-mother's
child! It is the kinship of the spirit, innate one who sees the same Divine force
goodness, responding lovingly, adoringly to motivating everyone. "Pandithaha
the goodness in Rama; and reacting Samadarsinha". Hanuman was a good
revoltingly to the wickedness of Ravana. It is example of this outlook.
not enough, nor is it essential that you
should repeat the name of Rama loudly; 10
respect it in the fullness of love and
admiration. If you have no spring of love in
HANUMAN spoke to the brothers in sweet,
you, dig into your heart with external
gentle and pleasing words. Rama was struck
instruments like Puja, Stotra, etc. and it will
by the grammatical accuracy of his
start to flow.
sentences. They readily answered all his
queries; and Hanuman was satisfied with
7 their bona fides. He offered to take them to
his Master and Monarch. The Darshan
VIBHISHANA, Ravana's own brother, (sight) and first Mana of Rama had removed
chastised him for his willfulness and lust all his sins; their Sparshan (touch) burnt
and urged him to save himself, his kingdom away all the consequences of his deeds in
and his kith and kin by restoring Sita previous lives; and their Sambashan
unharmed to her Lord. When Vibhishana (conversation) filled his mind with joy. That
went over to Rama, Rama knew that he had is the experience of all who welcome the
a pure heart and that he could not survive impact of Divinity.
the poisonous atmosphere of Lanka. So He
took him and saved him. The Lord likes to 11
be called "Aarthathraana-paraayana" more
than any other name, for He is most happy
HANUMAN became the messenger of Rama.
when He rescues those in agony.
There are three classes of messengers: those
who do not understand the orders of the
8 Master or do not care to understand and
who operate to the detriment of the work
YOU talk glibly of Ramarajya, but how can it assigned them; those who do only just as
be established if you do not emulate Rama? much as the order literally communicates;
He was "Vignahavaan Dharmah", the very and those who grasp the purpose and
Embodiment of Dharma. He never deviated significance of the orders and carry them out
from it. Dasaratha means one who is master unflinchingly until the purpose is achieved.
of the ten Senses, the five Karmendriyas and Hanuman belonged to the last category.
the five Jnanendriyas; that is to say, the
successful Sadhaka. Such a person can have 12
the holy progeny of the four Purusharthas-
Dharma (Rama), Artha (Lakshmana), Kama
YOU find some one parade all of a sudden
(Bharatha) and Moksha (Satrughna).
some -ism- as new and revolutionary
Become a Dasaratha and save that holy
socialism, for example. Socialism, which
progeny as a gift from God.
means, recognising the equality of every
individual with every one else was in fact
9 practiced in India long ago. Rama,
undisputed Sovereign of a vast Empire, gave
HANUMAN succeeded in coordinating his heed to the flippant scandal uttered by an
thought, word and act. Therefore he had the irresponsible laundry-man during a quarrel
unique distinction of being great in physical with his wife, and sent his Queen, the very
strength, mental stability and virtuous dear person for whom had waged a war of
character. He shines as an invaluable gem tremendous carnage, into exile, regardless of
among the personalities of the Ramayana. the fact that she was pregnant at the time.
He was also a great scholar, who had Every one's voice was given equal weight in
mastered, of all things, the six schools of the empire ruled over by Rama.
grammar. He knew the four Vedas and the
six Sastras. The Gita says that a scholar is
 13 Prince and sending the legitimate heir,
Rama, into exile for fourteen years -
THE Vanaras, while building the bridge Lakshmana, another brother of Rama and
across the ocean, carried huge boulders on Bharatha, did not acquiesce tamely. He
their heads repeating Rama-Nama all the argued that man must meet every little crisis
while; and that made the rocks weigh less. It with courage and self-reliance and that he
is even said that they wrote the name on the should not yield craven-like to the
stones and that made them float. Each time machinations of intrigue. He boasted that
they handled or lifted a stone, they sang his arrow could avert the crisis. But the
Rama-Nama in unison and so they were a arrow is an inferior weapon, even a
happy lot doing Puja, not work, which is negligible weapon when compared with the
unpleasant. Rama's Grace helped all to efficiency of Love. Rama heard him coolly
overcome obstacles. Take the name and and advised him to desist from that hasty
make your work light: that is My advice to Karma, "Dharma must guide Karma"; then
you. alone can it be praise-worthy and successful.

14 17

I INSIST on your seeking and remaining in THE path of spiritual discipline, which is
good company, Satsang. Being in the midst most beneficial to man, is laid down in a
of such spiritual heroes, you can fight simple and sweet manner in the great
against evil with a greater chance of success. Scriptures of Ancient India. They explain,
Once, when Garuda the sworn enemy of through example and precept, the Divine
snakes went to Kailas, he saw the snakes Principle inherent in the Universe and
that Siva wore round His neck, His arms, inspire mankind to gaze with awe and
His waist, and His Feet. The snakes were reverence at the handiwork of God and His
safe now and they hissed with their puffed inscrutable Leela (sport). They prompt man
hoods at the celestial bird, which could not to march along the pilgrim road of sacrifice
do them any harm since they were in such in the happy company of Sages, so that the
Divine Company. Garuda said: "Well! Glide body feels the vision of the Eternal, which
down from the Body and I shall kill everyone can be gained and enshrined in the heart
of you"! That is the value of the Sath one has forever.
reached. Satsang is valuable, for it is like
keeping a pot of water inside a tank of water; 18
there will not be any loss through
evaporation. WHEN Sri Rama decided to end His Avatar
career and walked into the flooded Sarayu
15 River, a dog too followed the concourse.
When asked why it had attached itself to the
PRIDE is one of the worst sins in the entourage, it said, "I desire to enter Heaven
spiritual field. If you feel conceited that you with you all. I was in my previous life a full-
are Bhakta of Hare, He will "hare" (destroy, fledged Yogi; but I slipped and fell from the
in Telugu) you. Remember, Sharanaagathi straight path of self-control. I became the
should be like the attitude of Lakshmana. slave of conceit. I expounded the Vedas as
Rama said: "Take Sita and leave her in the my fancy dictated, in strange but attractive
forest". Implicit obedience! There is no other ways. So, I have now become this animal
way. That is Lakshmana. That is that takes delight in barking, biting and
Sharanaagathi; the rest deserve, only of baying. The persons who encouraged me
"Sarangathi", the arrow of Rama. then by praise are now the fleas and the flies
that crowd on my skin and pester me. Help
me, Lord, to escape from the disgrace. I have
16
worked my Karma; I have lived out my
sentence".
WHEN the queen Kaikeyi persuaded her
husband to agree to her two requests -
enthroning her son Bharatha as the Crown
 19 identified with the hero of the Ramayana,
the Divine offspring of Emperor Dasaratha.
WHEN Rama is installed in the heart, every The Court-Preceptor named him Rama
thing will be added unto you - fame, fortune, because it was a Name, which was already
freedom, fullness. Hanuman was a mere current. Vasishta, the Preceptor, said that he
monkey-leader until he met Rama. He was a had chosen that Name since it meant: He
Minister in the Court of his Master. But who pleases. While everyone pleases the self,
when Rama gave him the commission to nothing pleases the caged individualized self
seek Sita, that is to say, when Rama was more than the free universal individualized
installed in his heart as Guide and Guardian, self. The self is therefore referred to as
Hanuman became immortal. Atma-Rama, the self that confers unending
joy.
20
23
DASA means "ten" and Ratha means
"Chariot". Hence Dasaratha (the father of HANUMAN was ordered to discover the
Rama) in fact symbolizes "man" who whereabouts of Sita and he implicitly,
operates with his ten sense organs such as without question, obeyed and succeeded. He
the eyes, the ears, the nose etc. His three did not calculate the dangers of the journey
wives symbolize man's three Gunas and hesitate; and he did not feel proud that
(attributes) and his four sons, the four he was chosen for the high adventure. He
Purusharthas (purposes). Lakshmana also listened; he understood; he obeyed; and he
represents the Buddhi (Intellect) of Rama. won. The name Rama Dootha, Messenger
Hanuman is the mind, the repository of and Servant of Rama that he earned thereby
courage, while Sugriva stands for has made him immortal. You must earn the
Discrimination. With these to help him, name, Sai Rama Dootha. Have fortitude and
Rama succeeds in finding Sita, the lost self-control; use good and sweet-words; and
Truth. This is the lesson of the Ramayana to examine each act of yours on the touch-
everyone. stone of My preference.

21 24

THERE are many who spend much time in THE toughest fiber is anger. It is the
mechanically reciting the name "Rama" or stickiest dirt. When you get angry, you forget
systematically reading the Ramayana mother, father and teacher; you descend to
according to a fixed time-table, or who the lowest depths. You lose all
worship the images of Rama, Sita, discrimination in the excitement; even
Lakshmana and Hanuman as a daily ritual, Hanumantha set fire to the whole of Lanka
with noisy pomp and pedantry; but like a when the Rakshasas who set fire to the tip of
person who puts a foot forward only to draw his tail incensed him; and he lost sight of the
it back again, these persons do not progress fact that Sita was in the Asoka Vana. It was
at all as the years elapse. Without gaining only after he had exulted in achievement for
purity of thought and intention, compassion a little while that he remembered it and then
and the urge to serve, these outward he started condemning himself for his anger.
expressions and exhibitions are but ways of
cheating yourself for having society applaud 25
you as a great devotee. Your sight must
become an insight; it must be turned within RAMA is extolled as the ideal son who acted
and used to purify and clarify your mind. according to his father's wish regardless of
his own happiness. But Bhishma is a better
22 example in this respect. He acceded to a
whim of his father and in so doing made
THE greatest formula that can liberate, even a greater sacrifice than Rama.
cleanse and elevate the mind is Rama-Name, Dasaratha made Rama an exile in the forest
the Name of Rama. Rama is not to be for fourteen years to satisfy the claims of
Truth, while Santhanu made his son give up 29
the throne as well as a wedded life to satisfy
a sensual desire of his senile body. As a DO not ask God for anything. Let Him deal
matter of fact, it is not the obedience to the with you as He wills. Did Jatayu ask that
father's whim that is important; it is the Rama should come to him and perform the
adherence to Sathya and Dharma, which is last rights? Did Sabari plead with Rama?
Rama's forte. Earn the qualifications - holiness, purity
faith and universal love - then He will
26 approach you on foot, to console, comfort
and save. If you have purity of heart and
RAMANAMA Feast is cloying to some tastes, mastery over the senses, His Grace is your
but it is something ever fresh that gives right.
undying sweetness to the heart that is filled
with the love of God. One single name will 30
yield fresh sweetness and fresh joy every
time it is rolled on the tongue. I have to tell EGO plays all kinds of tricks in order to get
you the things I have told you often before; unholy pleasure. During the construction of
for until digestion is well established, the bridge to Lanka to take the army across,
medicine has to be taken. The face has to be Hanuman heaved a boulder on the raging
washed day after day. One meal is not the waves of the sea as part of the bridge! It
end of the story; you have to eat, again and floated. Rama heaved another; it sank.
again. Hanuman's ego was tickled, naturally. He
laughed in derision; at that very moment,
27 his boulder sank! And the boulder that
Rama had thrown rose from the bottom of
RAMATATWA is known only to Rama. What the sea and floated! Hanuman's ego was
can the rest know? At best, they can have but pricked into nothing. That was the purpose
a glimpse of Rama's grace; and even then, for which Rama had willed that His boulder
only if they are immersed in intense inner should sink!
prayer for God. Think of Him. Call out for
Him; He melts. Whatever form He may be 31
shining in, that intensity will make you
recognise Him. He may be a cowherd boy, RAMA Nama will save you, if you have at
standing under a tree with a flute at His lips. least the Pithru Bhakthi and Mathru Bhakthi
You will see Him and adore Him and place that Rama had. If not, Rama Nama is merely
Him in your heart. You extol the Lord as a movement of the lips. Meditate on the
Love, Mercy and Grace. Rama Swarupa, the Ramaswabhawa, when
you recite or write Rama Nama. That will
28 give exercise to the mind; and it will be
made healthy and strong in the spiritual
EVERY step in the career of the Avatars is sense. Make the Dharmaswarupa your Atma
fire-determined; Rama knew that the Rama on the Janmadina of Rama. That is
coming of Surpanaka was the prelude to My advice and My Blessing.
the coming of Ravana He had asked Sita to
enter the fire and remain in it as just an 32
outer manifestation. Even before the
human manifestation, the Lord had decided MAKARA Sankranti is a holy day because
that the Shakti must also accompany Him. the day takes you from darkness to
Ravana's Tapas were so strong that only a increasing light. From today, the sun enters
major sin could make the blessings he had upon the Uttarayana taking a northward
won from the Gods null and void. direction for six months. When your Drishti
(Sight) is on BRAHMAN and when you have
Uttama guna it is Uttarayana, and when
your Drishti is on Prakriti it is
Dakshinayana. When you have fever, the
tongue will be bitter. The bitter tongue is through the Puranas, the need for mastering
"Dakshinayana". When you are healthy, your the egoistic impulses, as the Sloka says:
sweet tongue tastes well, it is Uttarayana.
The real Uttarayana is when you crave for Ashtaa dasa puraneshu
the thought of the Lord and the company of Paropakara punyaya
the Godly. Bhishma spent days in bed with Paapaaya para peedanam
pain, as he felt death, when the sun starts
towards north is auspicious. Bhishma
Two statements can summarize all the
yearned for the vision of Krishna in
eighteen Puranas composed by Vyasa. "Do
Uttarayana. Become fit for the vision of God,
good to others; avoid doing harm". Doing
cultivating Prema in your heart, full of
good is the drug; avoiding harm is the
fragrance and uncontaminated by the pests
regimen that must accompany the
of greed and egoism.
treatment. That is the cure for the disease of
suffering from joy and grief, honour and
33 dishonour, prosperity and adversity and the
dual thong that bothers man and deprives
WITHOUT the flowers, the plant yields no him of equanimity.
fruit. Without the emerging fruit, ripeness
cannot happen. Without intense Karma, 36
Bhakti cannot emerge. Without Bhakti, how
can Jnana be found? Somaka the wicked,
THE Lord will be the Guide of whoever
spurned and suppressed the Veda. But did
installs Him as his Sarathi. He will not
he reap any happiness? The ten-headed
consider that position inferior. He is the
monster coveted and kidnapped another's
Sanathana Sarathi, come to be the Sarathi of
wife. But did he achieve any gain? The close-
all. He is the Lord for all who seek a Master,
fisted Kaurava refused a pinpoint of land to
a support. The Atma is the Master in every
his closest Kin. But did he keep his loot? The
one; and Krishna is the "Universal Atma"
terror-bound Kamsa sought out and
personified.
slaughtered each newborn baby; but did he
escape from death? Wicked men, even now,
shall meet this fate. Take this Sai word as the 37
word of Truth.
THE moment Krishna was born, the chains
34 that bound his father fell off; the doors that
had been bolted flew open; and the prison
guards were immersed in the Ocean of Bliss,
HERE are the three vows that Krishna had
so that they could not recognise any event or
taken; they are mentioned in the Bhagavad
thing in the material world. The fire of
Gita for all humanity to read, know and
hatred that was burning in them was cooled;
believe: "For the protection of the good and
and darkness gave place to the dawn of
the punishment of the bad, for the
wisdom. The sky showered raindrops to
establishment of the Moral I shall concretize
soften the earth and lay down dust. How can
Myself, age after age. Whoever is wholly
the lament operate against the Divine Will?
immersed in My contemplation, with no
other thought, I shall be ever with Him; and
I shall bear the burden of his welfare. 38
"Surrender unto Me, giving up all the other
duties and obligations. I shall liberate you KRISHNA has three separate meanings - (1)
from all sin; do not grieve". The armlets are the word Karsh is one root from which the
reminders of these tasks on which He is set. name is derived. It means, that which
attracts; Krishna attracts hearts to Himself
35 by His sportive pastimes, miraculous
victories over the forces of evil, His
charming conversation, His Wisdom and
VYASA is the Loka guru, he is Divine
His personal beauty. (2) The word is also
Effulgence. Vyasa sought to bring home,
related to the root, Krish: to cultivate, a
field, for growing crops. The word means,
He who removes the weeds from the heart of 42
Man and sows seeds of Faith, Courage and
Joy. (3) It is related to the root Krish, NARADA, who moves always by and with
meaning something above and beyond the the Lord, feels that God is beyond his
three attributers and the three eras; and understanding; Balarama who came as His
"na" means Sath-Chith-Ananda. own brother could not fathom His
personality. How then can you grasp My
39 Mystery? How can those who strut about in
well-ironed bush-coats fathom the Truth? I
KRISHNA had taken three Vows and the know some that are here, who sold their
Kankans were symbolic of His Faith to hollow men and started talking
determination to fulfill them. They were, as about My dress and My Hair! If you dare,
mentioned by Him in the Gita: (1) seek My Truth. Come, surrender unto Me.
"Dharmasamsthapanaya Sambhavaami Do not teach treason to your friends and to
Yuge Yuge". (I shall incarnate myself, in other seekers. Dress and manners have
every age, to revive and resurrect Dharma) - become polished now; but the inner man has
(2) "Yogakshemam Vaham Yaham" (I shall deteriorated in virtue and faith!
bear the burden of ensuring peace of
prosperity for all who rely on me) - (3) 43
"Mokshayishyami maa sucha" (I shall save
all those who surrender wholeheartedly to DETACHMENT is a plant of slow growth; if
Me and I shall liberate them from the cycle you pluck the tender plant to look for the
of birth and death). pods, you will be disappointed. So too, long
and constant practice alone is rewarded by
40 the Peace that God offers. Grace is acquired
by Surrender as Krishna has declared in the
KRISHNA dealt with the World as with a Gita.
Sitar, pulling its heartstrings to arouse the
melody of comradeship, heroism, love, 44
affection, compassion and conviction. But,
of these, the two emotions of love and WHEN the Gita directs you to give up all
compassion were characteristically His and Dharma (Set Codes of morality), it does not
His own. His breath was Love! His ask you to also give up all Karma, and when
behaviour was Compassion! Adore Him, you do it for God, through God and by God,
placing a garland of tears around His neck; the Dharma of it does not matter; it has to
washing His feet with tears, springing from be acceptable; and it is bound to benefit you.
joy at the contemplation of His Love! That The statement is not an invitation to
very worship will endow you with the licentiousness or complete inactivity; it is a
wisdom that Sages seek and the Bliss that call for dedication and surrender to the
the Books extol! highest in Man, namely GOD.

41 45

THIS is the genuine Bharathiya Vision to OF all the Slokas in the Bhagavad Gita,
transform life into a pilgrimage towards the Ramakrishna was especially impressed by
God resident in oneself; a steady march the one that emphasized the attitude of
along the straight path to Bliss. There is no Atmanivedana or Sharanaagathi:
such steadiness now. Fancy and Fantasy rule
the mind of man. You desire one thing in the
Manmana Bhava Madbakto
morning; at noon you change over to
Madyaji Maam Namaskuru
something else. That desire will not persist
Mamevaishyasi Yuktvaitvam
until evening. If your desire is fulfilled, you
Atmanam Matparayanah.
praise God and parade your devotion. But if
it does not prevail, you throw God overboard
and parade your disbelief!
"Become one with Me; be devoted to Me; deserving". The clear intention of the Lord is
sacrifice to Me and bow down to Me. Unify to encourage women, as well as men, to take
yourself, thus you will surely come to Me". up Pranava-Upasana. You would have seen
that I do not discourage anyone from the
46 Upasana. It is the royal road to spiritual
victory which all are entitled to use.
THE Mahabharatha declares: "What is not
in Bharath does not deserve reverential 50
consideration"; and in Bharath, the message
has always been: tolerance, respect for all THE Gita says that, if you give up all
faiths and the practice of the essential Dharma and take refuge in Him, then He
teachings of love and service with giving up will save you from Sin and wipe your tears.
of hatred, envy and pride. Giving up Dharma does not mean that you
can bid farewell to virtue and righteous
47 action; it means, you have to give up egoism
that you are the doer. Be confirmed in the
faith that He is the "doer" of every deed.
PERFORM all acts with as much love as you
That is the genuine "giving up".
would offer God. In Truth, you eat for the
satisfaction of the "I" in you and dress up to
please the self-same "I". The husband loves 51
his wife for the sake of the "I". And who is
this "I" that is persistently inherent in I AM in your heart all the time, whether you
everyone? It is God Himself. "Iswara Sarva know it or not. Draupadi called out for the
Bhootaanaam" says the Gita: the Lord Lord of Dwaraka, Sri Krishna, when the
resides in the heart of every being. He is the wicked cousins of her husbands cruelly
Atman in every being. He is the Atman in assaulted her, and so the Lord responded
everyone, the Paramatma. but after a little delay. He had to go to
Dwaraka and come from there to
48 Hasthinapura where she was! He told her
that she could have received Him in the
fraction of a second had she called out, "Oh
PONDER over your "sthithi" (present
Dweller in my heart", for He dwells there as
condition), "gathi" (direction of movement),
everywhere else.
"shakti" (capabilities), and "mathi"
(inclination). Then enter upon the path of
Sadhana step by step, so that you approach 52
the goal faster every day, every hour, every
minute. Arjuna became entitled to the Gita THE elders in Brindavan who reveled in
Upadesh from the Lord Himself, because he scandalizing Krishna - successors have been
evinced the "Vishada", the "Vairagya", the born for them even now - set an ordeal for
"Sharanaagathi", and the Ekagratha, Radha to test her virtue. She was given a
essential to assimilate The Great Message. mud pot with a hundred holes and asked to
When the yearning for liberation has bring water in that pot from the Yamuna to
become intense, beyond expression, man her house! She was so full of Krishna-
can set aside all social conventions, worldly consciousness that she never knew the
norms and codes of conduct that do not condition of the pot. She immersed it in the
subserve that high purpose. river, as usual repeating the name of Krishna
with every intake of the breath and every
49 exhalation. Every time the name Krishna
was uttered, a hole was covered, so that by
the time the pot was full, it was whole. That
KRISHNA does not speak of whoever among
was the measure of her Faith. Faith can
men who pronounce the "Pranava" at the
affect even inanimate objects.
moment of death, etc. The word He uses
"whoever" is without any qualification of
sex. He does not say "Whoever that is
authorized" or "Whoever among the
 53 56

IN Realty, Truth is God; Love is God; THE Gita speaks of Bhakthi, Jnana, and
Dharma is God. The Gopis and Gopalas saw Karma as Yogas; and by Yoga is meant what
in Krishna the Embodiment of Truth, Love Patanjali intended it to mean: "Chiththa
and Dharma. What He said was Truth; what Vrithi Nirodha", that is to say, "the stilling of
He was became Love, what He did was the agitations of the consciousness". Vishnu
Dharma. They were so immersed in is the supreme exemplar of this calm, for He
Krishna-Consciousness that they saw is "Saanthaakaaram bhujagasayanam", the
everywhere and in everything nothing but very picture of peace and calm, though
Krishna. Krishna for them did not exist as a reclining on a thousand-hooded snake, the
separate entity in the home of Nanda; He snake being the symbol of the objective
was right in their own consciousness, at all world with its poisonous fangs. Being in the
levels of it. These Gopis and Gopalas were world but not of it, not bound by it - that is
true Bhaktas indeed. the secret.

54 57

WHATEVER is dedicated and offered to THE riches that you should strive to amass
God can never be lost. People can gain are not fields, factories, bungalows or bank-
enormous benefit by offering even a little to balances but the wisdom and experience of
God. "A leaf or a flower, a fruit or a little oneness with the Grandeur of the Universe
water" - that is enough, if offered with and the Force that runs it without a hitch.
devotion. Draupadi gave Sri Krishna the Arjuna is called Dhananjaya by Krishna
fraction of a leaf sticking to the side of a because he had won (Jaya) such Dhanam
vessel and God granted her endless good (riches) that saves man; and that cannot be
fortune. Kuchela gave a handful of parched taxed, stolen or transferred. The method of
rice and received from the Lord awareness winning these riches is Sadhana.
of His endless Glory.
58
55
GIVE joy to all. Prema or Love is the means
THE Lord had Maya as His consort, so to to achieve this ideal. When Love can bring
say, and He had a son called Manas. This even God nearer to you, how can it fail
Manas, to continue the parable, had two where man is involved? Krishna could not be
wives. Pravritti and Nivritti (Attachment and bound by any other means. That is the
Detachment). Of course, Pravritti was His reason why SAI has declared: "Start the day
favorite wife and she had a hundred with Love; spend the day with Love, fill the
children. Nivritti was ill treated and day with Love; end the day with Love. That
neglected; and she had just five. That is the is the way to God".
symbolism of the Kauravas and the
Pandavas. Though all the children lived in 59
the same kingdom, ate the same food and
learnt from the same Teacher, their natures
KRISHNA was known to all as Almighty, All
differed widely from one another. The
knowing, all encompassing, and All-
Kauravas, children of the attachment, were
fulfilling. Yet, the enthusiasm to do Seva
greedy, cruel, self-centered, and vain. The
promoted Him to approach Dharmaraja, the
Pandavas, five of them, each one
eldest of the Pandava brothers, on the eve of
represented a Supreme Virtue, so that they
the magnificent Rajasuya Yaga that he had
could be said to symbolize Sathya, Dharma,
planned to perform and offered to take up
Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa. As they were so
Seva of any kind. He suggested that He
pure and born of Detachment, the Lord
might be given the task of cleaning the
became their Guide.
dining-hall after the guests had partaken of
the feast! Krishna insisted on outer
cleanliness and inner cleansing. Clean
clothes and clean minds are an ideal gladly, spontaneously, without demur and
combination. for the entire period of his life, both wedded
life and royal status. He honoured the Vedic
60 injunction, Pithru Devobhava in the fullest
manner.
DURING the battle of Kurukshetra, which
climaxed the Mahabharatha story, Krishna 64
served as the "driver" of the chariot of
Arjuna throughout the day till dusk on the THIS created Universe has two aspects, one
field and caused the adjournment of the is impermanence (Anityam), the second one
fight. He led the horses to the river, gave is unhappiness (Askulham). In the Gita,
them a refreshing bath and applied healing Krishna has said, "Anityam Asukha Lokam
balms to the wounds suffered by them Imam Prapy Bhajaseva Maam". Nothing in
during the fierce fray. He mended the reins this World can give happiness that is true
and the harness and rendered the chariot and lasting. Mistaking the World as "All"
battle-worthy for another day. The Lord sets and forgetting the Atman, which alone is
the example for the Devotees to follow. He eternal and the only refuge, is the greatest
teaches that Service done to any living being folly of man today. Man is pinning all his
is offered to Him and is accepted by Him hopes on slippery work and is madly
most joyfully. Service rendered to cattle, to running after amassing and hoarding
beasts, and to men is laudable Sadhana. wealth. Of course, material needs are to be
taken care of but within limits and not at the
61 cost of spiritual values. Money and
mansions are not the only wealth. Hoard the
wealth of the Spirit. Character is wealth;
THE World is today in deep distress because
good conduct is wealth; and spiritual
the common man and his leaders are all
wisdom is wealth.
distracted by lower desires and lower
motives, which require only the lower skills
and meaner impulses of man. This is what I 65
call "devaluation". Though man is inherently
divine, he lives only at the animal level. Very WORKERS and peasants - that is the slogan
few live even in the native human level. nowadays. These two classes were given
their due share of social importance and
62 honour during the Krishnavathar. Now,
people are honoured even if they grow not
food but cash crops. Foreign exchange is
KRISHNA does say: "whoever among men
what we are after and so, people are
who pronounce the Pranava at the moment
encouraged to produce what others can buy
of death", etc. The word he uses is "whoever"
not what we need; such as milk and a variety
without any qualification of sex. He does not
of milk products which are highly nutritious
say "whoever is authorized or whoever is
foods. Balarama, the elder brother and an
among the deserving". The clear intention of
Avathar in his own right, had as his weapon
the Lord is to encourage women as well as
the plough. It declared agriculture as a
men to take up Pranava Upasana. You will
consecrated occupation.
see that I do not discourage any one from
the Upasana. It is the royal road to spiritual
victory which all are entitled to use. 66

63 EGOISM is the most dangerous illusion that

has to be exploded and destroyed. Bhima
had it; but when he could not lift and lay
BHISHMA, for example, has to be revered
aside the tail of a monkey, who was really
and accepted as an inspiration, even more
Anjaneya himself, that bubble was exploded.
potent than Rama so far as homage to the
Arjuna had it one day after the battle. When
father is concerned. In order to cater to the
Krishna brought the chariot back to camp,
carnal cravings, which he could have
he wanted that Krishna should get down
ordinarily condemned, he denied himself
first, like all charioteers; the Master must get splendour of the Lord and confirms your
down later, after the Charioteer opens the faith. You say at one moment: "Baba does
door for him. Krishna refused and insisted everything, I am but an instrument; but the
that Arjuna should alight before He should. next moment the same tongue says: "I did
At last Krishna won. Arjuna got down and as this; I did that; Swami did not do this for
soon as Krishna left His seat and touched me". If you never step into wrong, you can
the ground, the chariot went up in flames. In be ever certain of His Grace.
fact, if Krishna had gotten down first, the
various fire-arrows, which had the power of 70
burning the chariot, would have hit the
target; but due to the presence of Krishna,
THE Mahabharatha, for example, is
their igneous powers could not manifest
basically the story of the five Vital Airs of
themselves. After knowing this, Arjuna was
Man (the Pancha Pranas) overcoming the
humbled and his egoism had a powerful
hundred obstacles in the path of upward
shock. He realized that every action of
progress. The eldest of the Five Pandava
Krishna was full of significance.
brothers is Dharmaraja (Morality,
Righteousness); he is ably supported by
67 Bhima (physical strength devoted to Divine
Service and charged with Devotion), Arjuna
THE Gita advises "Karmasamyasa", that is (steady pure Faith in God), and Nakula and
to say, Karma without attachment to the Sahadeva, who represent Steadfastness and
fruit thereof. There are Karmas, which have Equanimity. When these Five are exiled, the
to be done as duties related to the status in Hasthinapura (body) is inundated with
Samsara, and, if these are done in the Adharma (unrighteousness).
proper spirit, they will not bind at all. Do all
Karma as actors in a play, keeping your 71
identity separate and not attaching yourself
too much to your role. Remember that the
IN the Manasa-Sarovar (the deep, placid
whole thing is just a play and the Lord has
mind-lake) of every man lurks a poisonous
assigned to you a part; act well your part;
cobra with six hoods: Lust, Anger, Greed,
there all your duty ends. He has designed
Attachment, Pride and Hate, infesting the
the play and He enjoys it.
air and destroying all who are near it. The
Name of the Lord, when it dives into the
68 depths, forces it to come up to the surface so
that it may be destroyed. So, allow the
IT is when you are in a desperate situation Divine in you - the Krishna, Lord over the
that you call upon the Lord, forgetting your mind - trample on the hissing hood and take
pride and your egoism. The Pandavas were out the vicious viper; let it vomit the venom
so full of misery in a worldly sense that they and become Satwic and sweet.
always had an attitude of prayer. If I had
given you all the comforts and opportunities, 72
you would not have come to Puttaparthi.
Trouble is the bait with which the fish is
LIKE all Avatars, Krishna announced His
pulled out of the water. Kunthi asked that
advent to the World bit-by-bit, step-by-step,
Krishna should continue giving her and her
testing every time how far the Reality will be
sons all kinds of misery so that He may
accepted by the masses. The signs and
grant them His Grace continuously.
miracles were intended, then as now, to
proclaim the Avatar.
69
73
THE Gita prompts you to seek the answers
and directs you to experience them. It helps
THE mystery and splendour of God can be
you to control the "Chittha", the agitations of
grasped only by a pure mind and a clear
the mind; it destroys delusion. It develops
vision. That is why the Lord granted a new
true knowledge; it makes you glimpse the
eye to Arjuna in order that he might not be
confounded by his glory. A resolution that man has lost his understanding of this
adopted by the mind is like a stone thrown Truth.
into a Sarovar or lake. It produces ripples
that affect the entire face and unsettles 77
equanimity. A good resolution or "Sankalpa"
sets up a series of such thoughts, each
VYAS sympathized with man who was
contributing its quota to the process of
caught in the coils of do's and don'ts, of
purification and strengthening.
success and failure, of desire and despair.
He demarcated many a path, which leads
74 man along to fulfillment. The fulfillment
consists in uprooting the animal that lurks
THE One is comprehensive of all this. So, it in man and reaching out to the Divinity.
has no wants, no desires and no activity to That is his essence.
realise anything. Sri Krishna tells Arjuna:
"Name Partha asthi Karthvyam, Thrishu 78
lokeshu Kinchava Partha". (There is nothing
I have to do in any of the three Worlds). He
DHYANA is not mere sitting erect and being
has willed the World as his sport. He has
silent nor is it the absence of any movement.
laid down that every deed must have its
It is the merging of all your thoughts and
consequence. He is the dispenser of the
feelings to God. Without the mind becoming
consequences but he is not involved in the
dissolved in God, Dhyana cannot succeed.
deeds.
The Gita declares genuine Dhyana as
"Anayaschinthayanthomaam Ye Janah
75 Paryapasathi" (Those persons who adore me
without any other thought or feeling).
ONE can also be rid of Maya if one can Krishna has assured such persons that He
discard the three Gunas from one's make- would carry their burden and be by their
up. The "Sathya guna" too has to be side, guiding and guarding them. Persons
transcended; why? The Gita directs that adept in this Dhyana are very rare; most
even the eagerness to be liberated is a bond. people go through the external exercises
One is fundamentally free. Bondage is only only. So they are unable to win Grace.
an illusion. So, the desire to close the bond is
the result of ignorance. Krishna says, 79
"Arjuna, become free from the three Gunas".
In truth, the word "Guna" means "rope", for
LIFE is a song, sing it. That is what Krishna
all three "Gunas" bind the "Jiva" with the
taught through his life. Arjuna heard that
rope of desire. Liberation means liberation
song in the battlefield where tensions were
from delusive attachment or "Moha";
at their highest and when the fate of millions
"Mohakshaya", decline in the desire caused
was to be decided by the sword. Krishna
by attachment to sensory pleasure.
sang the Gita for Arjuna to listen to. Gita
means "Song", and he sang because he was
76 "Ananda" wherever He might be, in
Gokulam, on the banks of the Yamuna or at
CONSIDER for a moment how long worldly Kurukshetra between the warring armies.
triumphs last. They are but the play of the
scintillating name and form of the Divine, 80
which is the core of every being. Earn the
vision that sees the Divine inherent in all.
WHY does He attract all to His Presence? To
We are not troubled when something is
plough the heart, prepare it for receiving the
good; only when it is bad. This is because
shower of Grace, to grow the seeds of Love,
goodness is natural. In our evil aberration,
weed it of all evil thoughts, which smother
we are worried and alarmed when we slide
the crops of joy and to enable it to gather the
into wrong or pain or sorrow. This is
harvest of Wisdom. That wisdom finds its
because Nature plans us to be right, to be
fulfillment in Krishna Himself, for Krishna
happy and ever in a state of joy. It is a pity
also means the pure Essence, the Supreme 84
Principle, the "Sath-Chith-Ananda".
BHAKTI is of various types according to the
81 Damskara of the devotee and the state of his
mind and the stage of his development.
WHERE there is Dharma there Krishna is; There is the Shanta Bhakti of Bhishma, the
so, think for yourself, each one of you, how Vatsalya Bhakti of Yashoda, and the
far have you deserved the Grace of the Lord? Madhura Bhakti of the Gopikas. Of these the
You draw Him near; you keep Him far. You Dasya attitude is easiest and the best for the
entangle yourself, bind yourself, and get majority of aspirants at this time. It means
caught in the trap. No one is your foe except "Sharanaagathi" and "Prapathithi" out of
yourself. No one else is your friend. You are Shanti Bhakti.
your only friend. The Guru shows you the
road and you have to trudge alone, without 85
fear or hesitation.
THE fire of sorrow and joy burns when the
82 fuel of Vaasanas is fed into the furnace of the
mind. Take away the fuel and the fire dies
THE word Dharmakshetra is the first word out. Take away the Vaasanas, the force of the
in the Gita. In the very first verse of the Song impulses, promptings and urges and you
Celestial, the Kurukshetra (field of Action), become your own master. This is done in
in which the Maamakaah (my people, as the Yoga by various physiological and
blind Dhritharashtra described them psychological exercises. But Bhakti is the
through fond attachment and egoistic easier means for this end. Naamasmarana is
delusion), people motivated by greed and enough: it is said that the name Sitarama
passion, and the Pandavas (the other people, sufficed in the Thretha Yuga; the name
the good and righteous, the sons of the Fair Radha-Shama sufficed in the Dwapara Yuga;
one, the Progeny of the pure), is spoken of as and in the Kali Yuga, I tell you, all Names
already transmuted into Dharmakshetra have that capacity.
(field of Righteousness). For victory is
always for Righteousness and not for greed 86
and passion which blind men.
PRAKRUTHI is Dhara, Earth and Creation.
83 Think of it always. Long for it. Pine for
Dhara, Dhara, Dhara and you find you are
IF you ask Me, I will say that the Gita is like pining for Radha, Radha. So, Radha is the
a balance: scales, needle and all. The scale Becoming and Krishna is the Being; the
on the left is the 7th Sloka of the 2nd desire of Being becomes the longing of the
Chapter, speaking of "Karpanya Dosha". The Becoming for the Being - this is the Radha-
fulcrum is the 22nd Sloka of the 9th Krishna relationship, which has been sung
Chapter, beginning with by seers and poets, calumniated and
"Anayaschinthayamshomaam"; and the caricatured by ignorant critics, appreciated
scale on the right is the Sloka in the 18th and apprehended by aspirants, and analyzed
chapter, speaking of "Sarvadharmaam and realised by sincere scholars of spiritual
Parithyajya". See how apt the fulcrum Sloka lore.
is. It speaks of single-minded attention,
"steady, like the needle of a well-adjusted 87
balance". Really, the Gita begins with two
scales and a fulcrum: the two armies of WELCOME all the blows of fate, all the
Righteousness and Unrighteousness with misfortunes and miseries, as gold welcomes
Krishna, the Teacher, in the middle. the crucible, the hammer and the anvil in
order to get shaped into a jewel; or as the
cane welcomes the chopper, the crusher, the
boiler, the pan, the sprayer and the dryer, so
that its sweetness may be preserved and
used as sugar by all. The Pandavas never torn by despair. If only he had known the
demurred when disasters fell thick upon truth, all that grief could have been avoided.
them. They were happy that they helped So too, until you know that all are altars
them to remember Krishna and call upon where the name God is installed and all are
Him. Bhishma was in tears on the arrow- moved and motivated by the Grace of the
bed, when he was about to pass away. self-same God, you are afflicted by hate and
Arjuna asked Him "why" and he replied, "I pride; once you know it and experience it,
am shedding tears because the miseries you are full of Love and reverence to all.
undergone by the Pandavas pass through my
mind". Then he said, this is done in order to 91
teach the Kaliyug a lesson; never to seek
power, position or pelf but to submit to the
WHEN Krishna leapt down from His
will of God in a completely resigned way, so
Chariot with the wheel-weapon in His hand
that you may be ever happy and unmoved.
to slay Bhishma, Arjuna jumped down with
Him and holding both His Feet he prayed,
88 "Oh Lord, you have given word that you will
not wield any weapon. Let it not be said that
THE Gita speaks of Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, you broke your word to save me from
as Yogas. By Yoga is meant what Patanjali Bhishma, I am prepared to die". That was
intended it to mean "Chiththa Krishthi the measure of his Bhakti. Bhishma too had
Nirodha", that is to say, "the stifling of the equal Bhakti. He did not step forward to
agitations of the consciousness". Vishnu is fight the new challenge nor did he question
the supreme example of this calm, for He is the Lord. He stood silent drinking in the
"Saanthakaaram bhujaga Sayanam", the charm of the Lord and filling himself with
very picture of peaceful calm, though the vision of the magnificence of the Lord.
reclining on a thousand-hooded snake; the That was the measure of the dedication to
snake being the symbol of the objective His will.
World with its poisonous fangs. Being in the
World but not of it, not bound by it, that is 92
the secret.
KRISHNA is slandered by ignorant,
89 prejudice critics as "jaara" and "chora" and
extolled by seekers and sages with the same
THE Individual is Arjuna, the Universal, appellations, "jaara and "chora". He stole
which inspires him, is Krishna: Led by the the hearts and the owners were glad of it. He
Universal, the Individual has to oppose the shed light, awakened people and made
attractions and delusion of the Manifested, those, whose hearts he stole, richer and
the Maya, and the Prakruthi, that is, the happier. He destroyed all craving for sensual
Kaurava hordes. The battle depicted in the pleasure and sensual knowledge and filled
Epic is the inner battle, between the the entire being with thoughts of the Divine.
temporary and the eternal, the particular How then can He be referred to as "jaara"
and the universal, the sensual and the super- and "chora"? When the blind leads the blind
sensual, the seen and the seer. The Atma is in this way, both have to fall into the pit.
described as a streak of lightning in the blue
cloud. It is a Gita (streak in Telugu). 93
Discover the Gita, then the purpose of Gita
study is fulfilled.
IN the Mahabharatha, the most noteworthy
theme is Dharmasthapana. When the
90 Pandavas were called into the forest, it was
as if the Five Pranas of Dharma, the
WHEN Dharmaraja, the eldest of the Five sustaining forces of Dharma, were exiled.
Pandavas came to know - after the death of Dharmaraja is the Prana of the Right
Karna which they effected successfully - that Conduct, Bhima, of the protective Might of
Karna was his brother, his agony knew no Dharma; Arjuna, of the Faith and Devotion
bounds; he was struck disconsolate and was needed as its Foundation, Nakula and
Sahadeva, of the shraddha essential for the advantages, they were subjected to the
Practice of Dharma. When the Pandavas severest tragedies in life. What is the lesson
went to the forest, Hasthinapura was that their lives teach? No one can predict
reduced to Astinapura, a city of bones, what calamity will overtake one and at what
without flesh and blood. time. Every thing depends on the will of
Providence; it all happens according to the
94 Divine Plan.

KRISHNA was the Purushothama, Arjuna 97

the Narrothama; It was a friendship between
The Embodiment of the Highest and the THE question on the battlefield was not who
Embodiment of the Best. Krishna was the was the Kin of whom, but who was right and
Avataric Person. Arjuna was the anandic who was wrong; fight for justice, fight for
person; it was a coming together of the truth, fight for these as akshatriyu is in duty
Avathramurthi and the Anandamurthi. bound, and leave the result to the Dispenser
Arjuna was often addressed by Krishna as of all. Krishna told Arjuna: "I am surprised
Kurunandana. This name has a deep that you should weep, for you are Gudakesa,
significance. "Kuru" means "act, activity, the conqueror of sleep and ignorance. You
Karma"; Nandana means "happy, do not kill, so don't be so conceited; nor do
delighted". Kurunandana therefore means they die. They have many more things to do;
"he who is delighted while engaged in and so they are real deathless". "The
activity". Throughout the eighteen chapters sentence of death has been already
of the Githa, Arjuna is alert and active, pronounced on their bodies by Me, and you
participating vigilantly in every turn of have but to carry out My Orders", Krishna
argument. said.

95 98

PRACTICE the constant presence of God KRISHNA felt that it was time to reveal His
and, learn to offer all your activities at the Truth and so He just showed all creation in
Feet of the Lord as an act of worship. Then His Mouth when His mother asked Him to
they will be free from fault. Krishna advised show her His tongue, when she suspected
Arjuna to enter the fight and, at the same He had eaten sand. He made even the
time, told him not to have "hatred" towards longest rope too short to bind Him. It
"enemies". These may appear to be two became the talk of the place and every one
irreconcilable attitudes, for war is rage felt he had all the fourteen Worlds in Him!
(passion, attachment) and renunciation of Avathars choose the time and the mode of
hatred is Vairagya (absence of raga). Arjuna announcement of their Advent and Their
asked Krishna how he was to reconcile these Glory. Even in this Avathara such miracles
two attitudes. Krishna said, "Maamnusmara had to be done when I decided that the time
yudhyacha" (keep Me ever in thy mind, and was opportune for taking the people into My
fight. Do not cultivate the egotistic feeling Secret.
that it is you who is fighting. I am using you
as My instrument). 99

96 WHEN the righteous Pandavas were

harassed by wicked Kauravas, the beauteous
THE Pandava brothers were highly Krishna appeared and saved them. The lord
fortunate. The eldest, Dharmaraja, rose to be can never design violence and blood shed.
the emperor. The second was the Love is His instrument, non-violence His
Indomitable Bhima, armed with the terrible Message. He achieves the correction of the
mace. The third was Arjuna, son of the Lord evil-minded through education and
of the Gods, Indra. The lord poured His example. But it may be asked, why did
Grace on Arjuna and deigned to serve him in Kurukshetra happen? It was a surgical
battle as his charioteer! In spite of all these operation and therefore cannot be described
as an act of violence. The Surgeon saves life must be wise enough to surrender, give up
through the beneficial use of His Knife. all, that is what Bhishma did.

100 103

CONSIDER the Name Krishna which the ARJUNA exclaimed Krishna as the
Avathar bore; what a significant Name? Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient
Krishna is derived from the root "krish" God, when the foe was defeated day after
which means (1) to attract (2) to plough and day. But when his son Abhimanyu was killed
cultivate and (3) the Divine Principle beyond in the conflict he raved in the grief that
time, space and causation. Krishna, like all Krishna had not guided him properly and
Avathars, attracts not only seekers, Saints guarded him efficiently. His mind wavered
and Sages but the simple, the innocent and with every wind of fortune. To many the
the good. He draws also the curious, the mind is the master of the intellect also. One
critics, the Skeptics and those who suffer must be vigilant and preserve the
from atheism. He draws them towards impartiality of instrument called Reason of
Himself by the irresistible charm of His Intellect. Clarify reason, then it will reveal
Person, by His invincible Look, His Voice, God everywhere, even in you once you
His Flute, His counsel and His undaunted accept God as the core of the universe, and
Heroism! He is ever in a State of Bliss, you have that strong and steady faith.
spreading Harmony, Melody and beauty
around Him; He sings everywhere in the 104
peaceful Pasture lands of Brindavan and in
the blood soaked battle field of Kurukshetra.
FILL every moment with energy enthusiasm
and effort. The Epics teach you how to
101 succeed in this. The Mahabharatha describes
how and when every other of the hundred
THE Gita was Arjuna and Krishna, though Kauravas died. The eldest Duryodhana was
Krishna supplemented it with Captious challenged by Bhima to meet him in a duel,
explanations of why and wherefore. Arjuna when at last he fell on the ground; Bhima
admitted that he was a profaner. He had to struck his head with his foot in order to add
surrender to His Wait, so that there was no insult to injury. Duryodhana's pride was
need for Krishna to argue with him. He was hurt, a Kshatriya, such as he, could not pass
convinced of the correctness of His that insult by. He retorted even when he was
command. Still, in order that Arjuna might dying. Do not exult that you have done some
fight with a full heart, He gave him the big heroic act by tramping on my head! In a
reasons, which supported the course that He few seconds dogs and vultures will be doing
laid down for him. I too want you to know that act. It does not require a hero to plant
why I designed it so you should act in a his foot on a dying man. You dared not do
particular manner, and I do not like you to this when I was capable of hitting back, you
behave in another manner. coward! That kind of awareness of one's
potentialities and quick response to all
102 happenings must be present in you too.
Heroism gushed out even when he was
passing away!
BISHMA was a Bhakta and by winning the
Lord's Grace he was clothed with more
Majesty and splendour than any early 105
emperor. What majesty has these scepter-
holders? They cannot claim to have inner KRISHNA, whose advent you should
peace, inner joy, they know not the joy of celebrate, is not the cowherd boy who
sharing love with all. Bhishma surrendered charmed the village folk with His flute, but
to the Lord when He challenged him with Krishna the indefinable inscrutable Divine
the su-darsana (Vishnu), that is to say, when Principle that is born in the navel of the
He offers su (good) dharsana (vision) one body (Mathura) as the product of Divine
Energy (Devaki) that is then transported to
the Mouth (Gokulam) and fostered by the be grateful to them. Do not claim "Anyaya"
Tongue (Yashoda) as its source of sweetness. (Injustice), "Akrama" (Indiscipline), and
Krishna is Yashoda gained the Visualization Asathya (Falsehood and Anachara (Evil
of the Atma that the repetition of the Name behaviour) as your mothers Instead, expand
grants, the vision; you must foster that your heart, taking in all humanity into the
Krishna on your tongue. When He dances on circle of your kin, even the birds, beasts,
it, the poison of tongue will be ejected worms, and insects, trees and plants. The
completely, without harming anyone as Vedic Prayer asks that the aspirant's heart
happened when as a child He danced on the may be expanded "Brhathe Koromi" - I
hoods of the serpent Kalinga. make myself Vast! The vastest is "Brahman"
which comes from the same root, "brh", to
106 enlarge.

PURITY of motive is the best guarantee that 109

you will have Peace. An uneasy conscience is
a tormenting compassion. Righteous action I EAT as you do, move about as you do, talk
will have no bad effects, to disturb your in your Language and behave as you can
sleep or health. recognise and understand, for YOUR sake -
not for My sake! I turn you towards the
If there is righteousness in the heart, there Divine, winning your confidence, your love,
will be beauty in character; If there is your submission, by being among you, as
beauty in character, there will be harmony one of yourselves, one whom you can see,
in the home; When there is harmony in the listen to, speak to, touch and treat with
house, there will be order in the nation; reverence and devotion. My plan is to
When there is order in the nation, there will transmute you into Seekers of Truth
be peace in the World. (Sathya-anveshko). I am present everywhere
at all times; My will must prevail over every
obstacle; I am aware of the past, present and
So, be righteous; avoid all prejudices against
future of your innermost thoughts and
others on the basis of caste, creed, colour,
carefully guarded secrets. I am
mode of worship, status, or degree of
"Sarvatharyami", "Sarva Shakti" and
affluence. Do not look down upon any one;
"Sarvajna". Nevertheless, I do not manifest
look upon all as Divine as you really are.
these powers in any capricious manner or
merely for display. For I am an example and
107 an inspiration, whatever I do or omit to do.
My Life is a commentary on My Message.
ALL Faiths are inter-related and mutually
indebted to each other for the principles 110
they teach and the disciplines they
recommend. The Vedic Religion was the first
LOVE must be manifested as Service or
in time; Buddhism, which appeared about
Seva. Seva must take the form of food for the
2500 years ago, was its son; Christianity,
hungry, solace for the forlorn, consolation
which was influenced much by the Orient,
for the sick and the suffering. Jesus was
was its grandson. And Islam, which has the
himself out in such Seva. The heart full of
Prophets of Christianity as its base, was the
compassion is the temple of God. Jesus
great grandson. All have Love as the
pleaded at the sight of the poor. Jesus is
Fundamental Discipline of the Mind in order
worshipped but His teachings are neglected.
to chasten it and merge man with the Divine.
Sai is being worshipped but His teachings
are neglected. Everywhere pomp, pageantry,
108 hollow exhibitionism and Lectures, Lectures
and Lectures! No activity, no love, no seva.
VINAYAKA is called the child of two Heroes while lecturing are Zeros while
mothers, Gowri and Ganga. You are the pet putting what is said into practice. Develop
children of four mothers, each of you; Compassion. Live in Love. Be Good, Do
Sathya, Dharma, Shanti and Prema. Do not Good and See Good. This is the way to God.
ridicule them by your act. Honour them and
 111 "out"! Learn to speak what you feel, act what
you speak; do not allow them to be at cross-
THE nature we have around us and with us purposes. Man, with the feelings of a demon
is the vesture of God. We have evidence of fuming with hate, engages in fighting, holds
His Beauty, Goodness, Wisdom and Power Peace Conferences and prides himself on his
all around us; wherever we turn our eyes. Plans for Peace! Transform the heart into a
But the art of recognising Him is strange to Tabernacle of Peace, then Conferences to
us and so we deny Him and live on in deceive oneself and others become
darkness. We have all around us, in the unnecessary. What can mere talk achieve?
atmosphere, the music emanating from all
the Broadcasting Stations of the World, but 114
they do not assail your ear at any time. You
are not aware of any Station; but, if you have DISCIPLINE trains you to put up with
a receiver and if you tune it to the correct disappointments; you will know that the
wavelength, you can hear the matter path of life has both ups and downs, that
broadcast from any Station; if you fail to every rose has its thorn. Now, people want
tune it correctly, you will get instead of news roses without thorns, life has to be one saga
only nuisance! So too, the Divine is of sensual pleasure picnic all the time. When
everywhere above, around, below and this does not happen, you turn wild and start
beside, near as well as far. For cognising it, blaming others. If each one cares for his own
you require not a "Yantra" (machine) but a pleasures, how can Society progress? How
"Mantra" (mystical formula potent with a can the weak survive? Mine, not thine, this
psychological undertone). Concentration of sense of greed is the root of all-evil; this
Dhyana is the fixing of the exact location of distinction is applied even to God! - My God,
the Station in the Band; Love is the correct not yours! Your God, not mine!
tuning in; realising the Reality and the Bliss
it confers is the happy clear listening!
115

112
GOODNESS, compassion, and tolerance:
through these three paths, one can see the
THE Divine is a wine that would intoxicate Divinity in one-self and others. Softness of
you. The nectar that the Name of the Lord is heart is condemned by people today as
saturated in produces it. Taste it and you weakness, cowardice, and want of
forget everything else; you are transformed. intelligence. The heart has to be hardened,
Man is, they say, a monkey that has lost its they say, against pity and charity. But that
tail; well, he must lose many more attributes way lies war, destruction, and downfall.
of the monkey before he is entitled to call Love confers lasting happiness and peace.
himself Man. He must dedicate his thought, Sharing can reduce grief and multiply joy.
word and deed to God and surrender to His Man is born to share, to serve, to give and
Will. Then only is this animal entitled to not to grab. When you have faith in God as a
become a Man in whom the Divine is precious truth in the altar of your heart, you
enshrined. will welcome, with equal alacrity, the blows
and blossoms of fortune.
113
116
THE body is the ball filled with the air of
Divinity; it is kicked in play by six players on HAVING come to this place and availed
the side (the six foes: Lust, Anger, Greed, yourselves of this opportunity to treasure in
Attachment, Pride and Hate); and six on the your hearts the things you have seen and
other (the six friends: Truth, Right, Peace, heard, resolve to plunge into a practice of
Love, Compassion and Fortitude); the goal- them. Your resolution and your practice
posts are on each side, and if the ball is hit must happen simultaneously. Have a master
so that it passes through them, they achieve plan and start from tomorrow the execution
"Dharmavidya" (Moral attainment) and of the program, drawn in consultation with
victory. Or else, their kick results in an others. This must happen in all countries.
Do not think that only the Andhra State is vow to remove their hair if, through Divine
Sai's. All are Sai's. All are one. We must intervention, they win a prize in the State
endeavor by all means to realise and Lotteries, as if God is in need of hair. This
establish this Truth in this Kali Yuga. This is trick of bargaining is only cheating oneself in
the message I am giving you today. I am an attempt to cheat God. Do not pray to God
fulfilling all your desires. So you must fulfill for wealth or fame, positions of power or for
this one desire of Mine. I bless that you have the fruits of your actions. The genuine
long life, good health, Ananda, Peace and seeker will pray for nothing else but God.
Prosperity; and that you will dedicate your
physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual 120
strength and skills for the service of the
country and of all mankind.
HUMAN lives are now passing on and on,
filth over filth, bent, broken, diseased,
117 distressed and disheartened. To enrich their
lives and to make the human heritage
THERE are some ignorant persons who worthwhile, I have come, I am evincing all
laugh at "Bhajans" and other acts of worship this enthusiasm to teach you the prayer
and consider them a waste of valuable time. attitude to Seva, for Love expresses itself as
Those persons might laugh at your pouring Seva, Love grows through Seva, and Love is
bags of paddy seeds on a slushy field and begun in the womb of Seva. And God is
condemn that act too as waste of valuable Love. The Avatar is a Child to the children, a
food-material. But you know that, for every Boy to the Boys, a Man among men, a
bag of paddy-seed, Mother Earth will give Woman among women, so that the Avatar's
back grain tenfold or even twenty fold, in a message might reach each heart and receive
few weeks. Time spent in contemplation of enthusiastic response as "Ananda". It is the
God or adoration of the Divine is indeed well compassion of the Avatar that prompts His
spent, for it rewards you with a rich harvest every action.
of mental peace and courage.
121
118
HAVE no thorn of hate in your mind.
WHEN Jesus was emerging as the Supreme Develop Prema towards all. Desire is a
Principle of Divinity, he communicated storm; Greed is a whirlpool; Pride is a
some news to his followers. The statement of precipice. Attachment is an avalanche;
Christ is simple. (He, who sent me among Egoism is a volcano. Keep these things away,
you, will come again) and he pointed to a so that you can do Japa or Dhyana; they do
lamb. The lamb is merely a symbol, a sign. It not disturb the Equanimity. Let Love be
stands for the voice BA-BA. The enthroned in your heart. Then there will be
announcement was "The Advent of BABA". - sunshine and a cool breeze and the gurgling
"He will wear a robe of red, a blooded robe". waters of contentment feeding the roots of
He will be short, with a crown (of hair). The faith.
lamb is a sign and symbol of Love. Christ did
not declare that he would come again, he 122
said, "He, who made me, will come again".
That BABA is the Baba; and Sai, the short
THE title "Sathyam Sivam Sundaram" is full
curly hair crowned, red-robed Baba has
of meaning. It speaks of HE, imminent in
come.
every one of you. Sathyam is the basic reality
of you all; that is why you resent being called
119 a liar. The real "you" is innocent, you will not
accept an imputation that is false. The real
MANY believe that a pilgrimage to holy "you" is joy, happiness, and auspiciousness.
places is conductive to spiritual progress. It is not Savam but Sivam; it is Subham,
They journey to Tirupathi, Rameswaram, Nithyam, and Anandam. How then can you
Badrinath or Amarnath and pray for the bear being called ugly? The Atma has got
removal of their mundane troubles. They entangled in the body, which it does not like;
it is weighed down by shame, when you 126
identify it with the body and attribute to it
the weaknesses and deficiencies of that THE mind plays many tricks with you, the
physical vehicle. chief of which is to foster the ego and hide
the Prompter and the Power within. You
123 must have heard of an Accountant in the
Court of the King of Death, Chitragupta, by
I NEVER speak through another; I never name. He maintains a Register of the good
possess another or use another as a vehicle and the bad deeds done by each living being,
of expression. I come direct, I come straight, and on death, he brings the book to the
I come, as I am to confer Peace and Joy. I do Court and strikes the balance between debit
not accept from you flowers that fade, fruits and credit. Yama, the king, then meets out
that rot, coins that have no value beyond the the punishment that can expiate and
national boundary. Give Me the Lotus that educate. This Chitragupta has his Office in
blooms in your Manasa-Sarovar, the clear, the mind of man, all the time, awake and
pellucid waters of the lake of your inner alert. The word means the secret picture;
consciousness. Give Me the fruits of holiness what he does is to picture all the secrets
and steady discipline. I am above all this from promptings that blossom into activity;
worldly etiquette, which enjoins you to see he notes the warning signals as well as the
elders with some fruit or flower in your occasions when those signals were ignored
hand. My World is the World of the Spirit; or wantonly disregarded. You must see that
there, values are different. If you are happy the warning of the Divine against the merely
with faith in God and fear of sin, that is human or even the bestial inclination is
enough "Service", enough "Kainkaryam" for heeded.
Me. It pleases Me so much.
127
124
YOU have the chance to see, experience and
YOU must speak soft and sweet words to be sanctified by the incarnation of the Lord;
everyone. Do you like the voice of the crow? this chance you have received as a result of
No, you drive the crow away when it starts to the accumulation of merit in many previous
caw; its speech is harsh, it is too loud for lives. That merit has brought you here when
your ears. You must have heard the Koel, the I came down. For this chance, Rishis and
cuckoo, haven't you? That bird looks very Devas have prayed long in the past. Having
much like the crow; it grows in the nest of won this chance, strive to taste the
the crow with the baby crows; the mother sweetness and achieve the Bliss of Merging
crow, along with her own kids, feeds it. But without wasting even a single moment. The
no one will throw a stone at a "Koel"; every rays that emanate from Me are of three
one likes to hear its sweet voice. Speak soft grades: the "Sthula", filling this Prashanthi
and sweet; then every one will like you. Nilayam; the "Sukshma", pervading the
Earth; and the "Karana", covering the entire
Universe. The people who have the privilege
125
of living in this Prashanthi Nilayam are
indeed lucky, for they are nearest to the
NO service is too low or mean; every "Kiran" (rays). The "Sthulakirana" makes a
emergency is immediately noticed and man a "Sadhaka"; the "Sukshma" makes him
attended to. They need not be sorry that a "Mahatma"; and "Karana converts him
during those days they had no time to sit for into a "Paramahamsa".
Dhyana or do Japa or even to go out on
Nagarsankirtan! Why? You can have the
128
Name on the lips, when you sweep the
streets or lift a corpse in the morgue or when
you walk towards or away from the area of I NEVER deviate from Truth. Since I recline
distress. People may dub you mad! But be on Truth, I am called Sathya Sai; Sayi (as
elated that you are not affected by the Seshasayi) means reclining. The name is
insanity they suffer from! very appropriate, let me assure you. It is
only those, who fail to follow My the splendour of God, His reflection. He
instructions and deviate from the path I lay reflected and the Jagath happened! It is His
down, that fail to get what I hold out before own substance, manifesting as multiplicity,
them. Follow My instructions and become as latent or potent energy-matter. When
soldiers in MY army; I will lead you on to activity is in accordance with awareness that
victory. When someone asks you in great is befogged or belittled, dried up or deluded,
earnestness "where the Lord is to be found", there Dharma is decadent and the Avatar
do not try to dodge the question. Give them appears among men!
the answer that rises up to your tongue from
your heart. Direct them. He is here in 131
Prashanthi Nilayam. All Avatars teach, as
the first step in the long road of "Sadhana",
EVERY one must learn the secret of
the giving up of attachment. In the Thretha
happiness, which consists in refusing to
Yuga, the Yoga-Vasistha taught the same
shed tears for anything less than God. You
rule. In the Dwapara Yuga, Krishna taught
have won this human body, this human life,
Arjuna to give up Vishaya-Vasana,
as the reward for many lives spend in
attachment to the objective world. People
acquiring merit. You have won this chance,
utter with apparent faith, "Krishna, Krishna,
this unique good fortune of being able to get
Krishna", but they never give up "Thrishura"
Darshan of Sai. Plunging deep into the
(Thirst) for worldly goods or fame. In each
waters of this tumultuous ocean of Samsar,
Yuga, you have the Avatar of the Lord come
you have heroically emerged from its depths,
to redeem, review and rebuild. At the
with this rare Pearl in your hands - the
present time, Maha Shakti, Mayasakthi, and
Grace of Sai. Do not allow it to slip from
Yogasakthi have come all together in One
your clasp and fall into the depths again.
Human Form. Your endeavor should be to
Hold firmly on to it. Pray that you may have
draw near and earn Grace therefrom.
it forever and be filled with the joy that it
confers. This is the way by which you can
129 render this life fruitful.

WHAT is the immortal part of man? Is it the 132

wealth he has accumulated, the residences
he has built, the physique he has developed,
UTILISE the World as the means to an end;
the wealth he has acquired and the family he
do not desire to stay in it. It is a
has reared? No, all that he has done,
caravanserai, where you can rest a while
developed or earned are destroyed, he has to
during your pilgrimage to the source. It is a
leave them all to the ravages of time. He
bridge wide and strongly built. Can any
cannot take with him even a handful of
pilgrim build a house there on for himself?
earth, the earth he loved so much. If only the
The Cosmos is changing constantly. The
dead could take with them a handful each,
minutes that are past cannot be retrieved,
the earth would have become so scarce that
even if tempted by a billion rupees. The past
it should have been rationed by now!
is not ours any more; the present slips from
Discover the Immortal "I and know that it
our grasp; and the future is uncertain. You
is the spark of God in you; live in the
come naked into the world, you go out of it
companionship of that vast measureless
without informing the survivors of the
Supreme and you will be rendered vast and
address where you can be contacted. In spite
measureless. Consider all objects that you
of this, attachment grows and you cultivate
collect here as given on "Trust" to be used in
bounds. This is the great illusion.
this caravanserai during your pilgrimage in
this Karuna Kshetra.
133
130
THE grace of God cannot be won through
the gymnastics of reason, the contortions of
UNLESS you brighten your vision with Love,
Yoga or the denials of Asceticism. Love alone
you cannot see the Truth. Love helps you to
can win it; Love that needs no requital; Love
see God in everyone and everyone as Divine.
that knows no bargaining; Love that is paid
The Jagath is not false, it is not a trap; it is
gladly as a tribute to the All Loving; and 137
Love that is unwavering. Love alone can
overcome obstacles, however many and THERE are three types of approaches
mighty. There is no strength more effective towards the Lord; the Eagle type, which
than Purity, no bliss more satisfying than swoops down on the target with a greedy
Love, no joy more restoring than Bhakti and swiftness and suddenness which, by its very
no triumph more praiseworthy than impact, fails to secure the object coveted; the
Surrender. Monkey type, which flits hither and thither,
from one to another, unable to decide which
134 is tasty; and the Ant type which moves
steadily, though slowly towards the object
HIN means "Hinsa" (Violence) and "du" which it has decided is desirable. The ant
means "dura" (distant); so HINDU means a does not hit the fruit hard and makes it fall
person who is devoid of violence, who loves away; it does not pluck all the fruits it seeks;
and sympathizes, who helps and serves - not it appropriates just as much as it can
one who hides and hits, harms and draws assimilate and no more. Do not fritter away
blood. The same sky is over everyone's head; the time allotted to you for sojourning on the
the same earth supports everyone's feet; the earth in foolish foppery and fanciful foibles,
same air enters everyone's lungs! The same which always keep you outdoors. When are
God brought all forth, brings up all and you to walk indoors into the warmth and
brings about the end of this earthly career. quiet of your own interior? Retire into
Why then this inhuman role of foe and solitude and silence now and then;
fanatic; of fight and feud? experience the joy derivable only from them.

135 138

I AM the embodiment of Love; Love is My WHAT is the sanctity of Shivaratri? Your

Instrument. There is no creature without answer, "Linga emerges from Swami's
Love; the lowest loves itself at least. And its Udara (abdomen)". "Today is the
"self is God". So, there are no atheists, fourteenth day of the dark of the month,
though some might dislike Him or refuse when the moon is all but invisible, just a
Him, as malarial patients dislike sweets or minute fraction remains visible to man. The
diabetic patients refuse to have anything to mind is the source of all the entangling
do with sweet! Those who preen themselves, desires and emotions. The mind is,
as atheists will one day, when their illness is therefore, almost powerless this day; if only
gone, relish God and revere Him. this night is spent in vigil and in the
presence of the Divine, it can be fully
conquered and man can realise his freedom.
136
Vigilance this night is to be secured by
"Sadhana", this is by means of "Bhajan" or
STRUGGLE to realise the Atma, to visualise the reading of sacred texts.
God; even failure in this struggle is nobler
than success in other worldly attempts. The
139
buffalo has horns; the elephant has tusks,
but what a difference? To live in the body,
with the body, for the body is the life of a RAMA, Krishna and Sai Baba appear
worm; to live in the body with God is good, different because of the dress each has
for God is the life of man. The dull, activity- donned, but it is the self same Entity, believe
hating Tamasic persons have ego and their Me. Do not be misled into error and loss.
love is limited to their kith and kin. The The time will soon come when this huge
Rajasic, active, passionate persons seek to building or even vaster ones will be too small
earn power and prestige and love those who for the gatherings of those who are called to
will contribute to these. But the Satwic, the this place. The sky itself will have to be the
pure, the good and equanimity-filled love all roof of the Auditorium of the future. I will
as embodiments of God and engage have to forego the car and even the airplane
themselves in humble service. when I move from place to place, for the
crowds pressing around them will be too 143
huge; I will have to move across the sky; yes
that too will happen, believe Me. LISTEN to Me. When you wake up, feel that
you are entering the stage to play the role
140 assigned to you by the Lord; pray that you
may act it well and earn His approbation. At
SEE all as Narayana Swarupa and worship night, when you retire to sleep, feel that you
all with Prema. You can understand even My are entering the green-room after the scene,
nature only when you wear the glasses of but with the dress of your role on; for
Holiness. Holy things can be cognised only perhaps the role is not yet over and you have
by the Holy Seeker. You get what you search not yet been permitted to take the dress off.
for; you see what your eyes crave for. The Perhaps, you have to make another entrance
doctor is found where patients gather; the the next morning. Do not worry about that.
surgeon stays in the operation ward; so too, Place yourself fully at His Disposal; He
the Lord is ever with the suffering and knows; He has written the play and He
struggling. Whenever people cry out in knows how it will end and how it will go on;
agony "Oh God", there God will be. Yours is but to act and retire.

141 144

YOU very often condemn the mind as a WHEN the mind of man is unattached to the
monkey; but take it from Me, it is far worse. ups and downs of life, but is able to
The monkey leaps from one branch to maintain equanimity under all
another; but the mind leaps from the heights circumstances, then even physical health can
of the Himalayas to the depths of the sea, be assured. The mental firmament must be
from today to tens of years ago. Tame it by like the sky, which bears no mark of the
the process of Naamasmarana. Make it as passage through it of birds or planes or
Ramdas did into a Bhadrachalam, a stable clouds. Illness is caused more by
and steady mountain. That is the task I malnutrition of the mind than of the body.
assign to you. Make your heart an Ayodhya Doctors speak of Vitamin deficiency; I will
by means of Ramanama; Ayodya means a call it the deficiency of Vitamin G, and I will
city that can never lie captured by force. recommend the repetition of the Name of
That is your real nature: Ayodhya; God, with accompanying contemplation of
Badrachala. Forget this and you are lost. the glory and grace of God. That is the
Install Rama in your heart; and then no Vitamin G. That is the medicine; regulated
outer force can harm you. life and habits are two thirds of the
treatment, while the medicine is just one
third only.
142

145
THINGS are not so important; the
transcendental truth of things is of value.
You must visualise the spiritual in the CARRY on your highest duty - following the
material, the gold in the jewels, the Divine in four F's:
the diversity of character and conduct and
seek to know the Atma. All are equal in birth Follow the Master;
and in death. Differences arise only during Face the Devil;
the interval. The Emperor and the beggar Fight to the End; and
are both born naked; they sleep equally Finish the Game.
silently; they bow out without even leaving
their new address. Then how can their Then you win My love in full measure. Love
reality be different? There can be no doubt is My highest Miracle. Love can make you
on this score. All are basically the same. gather the affection of all mankind. Love will
not tolerate any selfish aim or approach,
Love is God. Live in Love. Then all is right;
all can be well. Expand your heart so that it
can encompass all. Do not narrow it down remind you that you too are Divine. It is a
into an instrument of restricted one. valuable "Upadesh" about your identity. It
also reminds you that the body is liable any
146 moment to be reduced into a handful of ash.
Ash is a lesson in detachment and
renunciation.
THE tongue is the armour of heart; it guards
one's life. Loud talk, long talks, wild talk,
and talk full of anger and hate; all these 149
affect the health of man. They breed anger
and hate in others; they wound; they excite; THE river of human life meanders along,
they enrage; they estrange. Why is silence through many a valley, leaps over many a
said to be golden? The silent man has no cliff, loses itself in many a marsh and seeks
enemies, though he may not have friends. to empty itself in the ocean of Divine Grace;
He has the leisure and the chance to delve though, what happens is that it falls into the
within himself and examine his own faults undrinkable expanse of salt. The flood flows
and failings. He has no more inclination to from the heights to the depths; only the
seek them (fault) in others. If your foot slips, flames of fire do ever rise from the depth to
you sustain a fracture; if your tongue slips, the heights. That is why we speak of
you fracture some one's faith or joy. That "Jnanagni", the Fire of Wisdom of
fracture can never be set right; that wound Realisation. Man suffers because he has
will fester forever. Therefore, use the tongue developed hunger as vast as the sky, with a
with great care. The softer you talk, the less throat as narrow as a needle. His throat
you talk and the sweeter you talk, the better must become as vast as the earth; his heart
for you and the World. must blossom wide through Shanti and
Sahana; that is through equanimity and
147 fortitude. Then the desire of man for full
lasting undiluted "Ananda" can be attained.
BIRTH is the consequence of "Kama"
(desire, lust); Death is the consequence of 150
"Kala" (Time, the lapse of Time). The God of
Desire (Kama) was reduced to ashes by LIFE on earth is as on the ocean, ever
Shiva; the God of Time is Kala or Yama. He restless with the waves of joy and grief, of
was subdued by sin. So, one has to surrender loss and gain, the swirling currents of
to Siva (God) if one has to escape the desires and the whirlpools of passion, greed
consequences of these two frightfully fatal and hate. To cross the ocean, the only
forces. If between "Kama" and "Kala" you reliable raft is a heart filled with the Love of
take refuge in Rama, then you can escape God and Man. Man is born for a high
the rigour. For Rama is the Atma who has no destiny, as the inheritor of a rich heritage.
"Kama" and is unaffected by "Kala". He should not fritter away his days in low
pursuits and vulgar vanities. His destiny is
148 to know the Truth, live in it and for it. The
Truth alone can make man free and happy.
If he is not prompted by this high purpose,
WHEN you seek to learn swimming, you will
life is a waste and a mere tossing on the
have to enter the water and struggle with the
waves, for the sea of life is never calm.
strokes. When Bhasma (Vibuthi) is given,
doubt haunts some people whether Swami is
wishing that the recipient should be a 151
Saivite! It is a symbol of the indestructible
basic substance, which every being is. All OUR car is not meant to be kept as
things become ash; but ash remains ash, showpiece in a glass garage. It is meant for
however much you may burn it. It is also a the roads, for taking you fast and safe to the
sign of renunciation, of sacrifice and of place where you want to go. So too, your
"Jnana", which burns all "Karma" - body must serve the purpose of your
consequently into ineffective ash. It is a sign journey. Journey to where? Not, as it has
of Iswara and I apply it on your brow to been happening, to the cemetery. You have
nobler things to do than merely die! You tongue using it for uttering dirty words.
must know your own Reality before you die Utter the name of God; it acts like a spark,
and merge in that Supreme Joy. Eat just which can burn into ash a big hill of cotton!
enough to keep the body trim; use the body All evil thoughts, wicked plans and plots will
to discover this Reality, namely, God. disappear like fog before the Sun when the
Sanctify every moment of your sojourn here Name of God is remembered sincerely.
with pious deeds and sacred thoughts.
155
152
ONCE man is free from undue attachment to
IT is to persuade you to engage in the body and its appurtenances, he is
Naamasmarana that I am concluding My liberated also from the pulls of joy, grief,
discourses with singing a few Namavalis. An good, bad, pleasure, pain, etc. He is firmly
Officer of the Indian Civil Service has to established in equanimity, fortitude and
write on the slate, A, B, C and D and undisturbed balance. There man discovers
pronounce those letters, in order to teach his that the World is one in God; that all is Joy,
children the alphabet. When you find him Love and Bliss. He realizes that he himself is
doing so, you do not infer that he is himself all this apparent World that all the
learning the alphabet, do you? Therefore, do multifarious manifestations are the fantasies
not be surprised if I sing Bhajan songs; I am of the Divine will, which is his own Reality.
but initiating you into this most efficacious This expansion of one's individuality to
Sadhana. Strengthen yourself, purify cover the ends of the Universe is the highest
yourself, and educate yourself by this leap of man. It gives supreme "Ananda", an
"Namasankeertan". Do it loudly and in experience for which sages and saints spent
company. Let those who join you listen and years of prayer and asceticism.
imbibe the nectar of the Name.
156
153
MAN has been enslaved by money. He lives
WHEN you call out in all sincerity, the a superficial, hollow, artificial life. This is
response will certainly come. Give up all low indeed a great pity. Man should seek to
desires and call from the anguished heart. possess only as much money as is most
Do not pray from the lips, as you do now, essential for his living. The quantity of riches
from the Puja room, which is but a corner of one must earn can be compared to the shoes
the kitchen. You worship the Lord with an one wears; if too small, they cause pain; if
eye on the dishes or cooking on the oven, too big, they are a hindrance to physical and
with a nose inhaling hungrily the smells of mental comfort. When we have more, it
the hot curries. Vishavasana, attachment breeds pride, sloth and contempt for others.
to sensory objects, vitiates your thoughts of In pursuit of money, man descends to the
God. There is a vast gap between what you level of the beast. Money is of the nature of
say and what you do; and between what you manure. Piled up in one place, it pollutes the
are capable of and what you accomplish. air. Spread it wide; scatter it over fields; it
rewards you with a bumper harvest. So too,
154 when money is spent in all the four quarters
for promoting good works, it yields
contentment and happiness in plenty.
FOOD received by foul means and clothing
procured through ease and comfort are the
main things in life. Do not think that ease 157
and comfort are the main things in life.
Disappointment, disease and distress are the MOVE forward towards the light and the
lot of all, rich and poor, educated and shadow falls behind you. Move away from it
uneducated, young and old. They are the and you have to follow your own shadow. Go
common lot of all. Let not your pure, every moment one step nearer to the Lord
immaculate hearts be rendered dirty by and then, Maya, the shadow will fall back
false-hood and wrong. Do not soil your and will not delude you at all. Be steady; be
resolved. Do not commit a fault or take a IF God is implanted in the heart, you will see
false step and then repeat it! Have the God everywhere, even in the objective
"Thaapam" (the deliberation, the decision, World. "Sarvam Brahmamayam" is a fact.
the discipline) first; that is better than Resolve this day to engage only in virtuous
"Paschaath Tapa" (regret for the mistake deeds, good thoughts, and good company.
made). Let your mind dwell on elevating thoughts.
Do not waste a single moment of your time
158 talking in idle gossip, vain boasting or
demeaning recreations.
GIVE something divine if you want the
Divine. Prema, Shanti, Dharma and Sathya 162
are Divine. Do not try to get it for a flower
that fades, a fruit that rots, a leaf that dries THE journey into the inner consciousness,
and water that evaporate. There are some to calm the storms that rage, is more
who write and speak as if they have known important than the journey to the Moon or
Me, all that is to be known of Me. I can only Mars. The latter may be more spectacular,
say this: they can never know Me and My but the former is the more beneficial. Life
nature, even if they are born and reborn a without goodness, good thoughts, good
thousand times. To know Me, one has to be actions and good words is like the sky in the
like Me, rise to this height. Can ants discover night without the moon or stars. It is like a
the depth of the Ocean? wheel without a hub or spokes! No one can
push a boulder away while standing on it;
159 you cannot be free from anxiety while all the
entrances through which it sneaks in are
open. Stop catering to the senses and
IN this Kali age, the wicked have to be
feeding the desires that haunts you.
reformed and reconstructed through love
and Compassion. That is why this Avatar has
come unarmed. HE has come with the 163
message of Love. The only weapon which
can transform the vile and the vicious is the THE ceremony of Brahmopadesam is
Name of the Lord uttered with Love. The Upanayanam, because the word means,
Name is redolent with Divine Glory. So "taking near", taking the young aspirant
when it is turned over in the mind, it near Brahman, that is to say, and
transmutes it into an instrument for introducing him to Brahmajnana, the path
liberation from delusion. of Brahma. It is one of the Samskara, that is
rites, which reconstruct the personality,
160 reform the mind, purify it and rebuild it. It
makes the person receiving it a "Dwija",
twice born! The boy is born first into the
THREE disciplines are essential to become
World; now he is born into the Sadhaka
aware of Divinity in all and in the Avatar; no
World. He becomes a Brahmachari, a person
activity should be taken up with individual
who walks towards Brahma.
aggrandizement in view; intellect and
emotion must be directed to the revelation
of the Resident of the Heart, Atma; and 164
every act should be done sincerely, with
Love, with no yearning for acquiring SEE God in every being and then true
personal profit, fame or benefit. Above all, "Sneha" will blossom. This type of true
listen to the voice of God within. As soon as "Sneha" can come only when you follow the
one contemplates a wrong act, the voice advice of Krishna. "Adveshta sarva
warns, protests and advises giving up. It bhoothanam maitrah karuna evacha
pictures the shame that has to be suffered, Nirmano nirahamkaarah Sama dukher
the punishment that has to be faced and the Sukha Kshami": "He who has no trace of
disgrace that it entails. hatred towards any creature, who is friendly
and compassionate towards all, who is free
161 from the bondage of "I" and "mine", who
takes pain and pleasure as equally welcome 167
and who is forbearing in spite of
provocation". Grow these qualities in you, I AM showing you by My example. You must
for they are the signs of true "Sneha". It is fill every moment with useful beneficial
only when you are proceeding on the God activity. You talk among yourselves, "Oh
ward journey along the nine stages of Bhakti Swami is having his rest hour; Swami is
that you can attain this Divine ideal of true sleeping", but I have never craved, for a
friendship. minute's rest or sleep or relief. Shall I tell
you at what time I feel restful, relieved and
165 content? When I know that you are all
earning supreme Bliss through detachment
MOHAMMED, who sought to establish the and spiritual discipline; not until then. I am
primacy of the One Formless Absolute, had a ever engaged in some activity or other for
large share of persecution, defamation and your benefit. Things that I could get done, I
privation. Jesus, who attempted to rebuild do not entrust to others; I do them myself,
mankind on the basis of Love, was crucified so that they may learn self-reliance and get
by little men who feared that their tiny tower experience thereby.
of hate and greed would be toppled by his
teaching. Harischandra, who had resolved 168
never to waver from Truth, was subjected to
ordeal after ordeal, each more terrifying YAMA or the God of death is described as
than the previous one. Those who seek to dragging his victims to his abode by means
know God must steel themselves to bear of the rope or "Paasa". Well, He has no rope-
insult, injury and torture with a smile. factory there, for supplying him with the
rope he needs. You manufacture the rope
166 yourself and have it ready around your neck;
he has only to take hold of the rope and pull
UGADHI: THE word "Ugadhi" means: the you along! It is a three-stranded rope, the
day of the Inauguration of the "Yuga or Age". strands being "Ahamkara" (Egoism);
On this day dedicate your life anew to the "Vishayavasana" (sense-attachment); and
spiritual discipline, giving up all habits that "Kama" (Desire).
interfere with the constant remembrance of
God. Nature puts on a neat garb of green, 169
but man alone continues with his old
prejudices, out-worn habits and moth-eaten LEARN a lesson from the tree. When it is
principles, which tarnish and demean him. heavy with fruits, it does not raise its head
The spiritual discipline prescribed by the aloft in pride, it bends low, stoops, as if it
Scriptures for the Krita (Yuga) Age is does not take any credit for its
Dhyana; for the Thretha Yuga it is Dharma; accomplishment and as if it helps you to
for the Dwapara Yuga it is Archana or Ritual pluck the fruit. Learn a lesson from the
worship; and for the Kali Yuga it is birds. They feed those who cannot fly far.
Naamasmarana and Seva. With the constant The bird relieves the itch of the buffalo by
remembrance of God, worship the Lord, scratching it with its beak; they help and
leaving the result to the All-powerful, All serve each other with no thought of reward.
knowing and All Merciful. The New How much more alert must man be then
Panchangam reveals the position of the Sun, with his superior skills and faculties? Service
Moon and Stars. Saint Thyagaraja sang that is the best cure for egoism.
Rama's Grace could counteract the evil effect
of Stars. Expand yourself. Take in all. Grow
170
in Love. That is the new dress you have to
wear and shine on this day.
I WOULD advise you to dwell always on one
Name of God, one personification of one of
His innumerable attributes of Glory. Then
there is the expansion of your Love, the
removal of hate and envy from your mental
composition, seeing the God whom you who rely on the Supreme Doctor, His Name
adore in every other person intently as you is the drug that cures.
see Him in yourself. Then you become the
Embodiment of Love, Peace and Joy. 175

171 YOU can call me on the phone, but I will not

be available for all those who do not have the
REMOVE the cataract and the vision sincere and steady yearning for the Lord.
becomes clear. So too, remove the feeling of For those who say, "No, You are not my
inferiority that dwarfs you now; feel that you Lord", I say "No". For those who say, "Yes", I
are "Atma Swarupa", "Nithya Swarupa", and too echo, "Yes". If I am available in your
"Anandaswarupa"; then every act of yours heart, I will be available over the phone. But
becomes a "Yajna", a sacrifice and a Puja. remember, I have My own special Postal and
The ear, the eye, the tongue and the feet Telephone Systems. They operate from the
become tools for your uplift, not traps for heart straight to the heart. There are rules
your destruction. Transform "Tamo guna and regulations for the operations of the
into "Thapo guna" and save yourself. Systems, which the Sastras declare. You can
find them there. I am glad that devotees
172 have today acquired this new convenience at
Prashanthi Nilayam.
REMOVE the weight from your head by
transferring all burdens to the Lord, leave 176
everything to His will and His Law. Feed
your mind with sweet and wholesome food: TRUTH can reflect itself in your intelligence
"Satsang", "Satpravatana", and "Sarveswara only when it is cleaned by "Thapas".
Chintha"; then you are full of joy. I am "Thapas means all acts undertaken with
"Anandaswarupa"; come and take "Ananda" higher motives and all acts indicating
from Me and, returning to your avocations, yearning for the spirit; repenting for past
dwell on that "Ananda" and be full of blunders; staunch determination to adhere
"Shanti". to virtue; self-control; and unyielding
adherence to equanimity in the face of
173 success or failure. "Thapam" means heat,
burning intensity and earnestness of
endeavor. It is "Thapas" that fosters
HE greatest single cause for darkness in the
Renunciation and discipline.
World today is envy. When one is happy and
contented, others envy him and strive to
ruin his peace of mind. When any one is 177
acclaimed as great, malice moves others to
invent calumny in order to tarnish his THE Rama and Krishna Avatars performed
reputations. This is the way of the World. the mission of restoring Dharma and
There is in life the tragedy of ignorance and fostering virtuous living, besides punishing
selfishness. They force man to take the the wicked and teaching the World that vice
wrong road; and suffer calamity. will not succeed. Man is an amalgam of
Humanity, Animality and Divinity. It is a
174 tragedy if he cannot get rid of the Animality;
and it is a greater tragedy if he cannot
cultivate his Divinity. Contemplation of the
A STRONG will is the best tonic. The will
Rama and Krishna Avatars and their Leelas
becomes strong when you know that you are
and Mahimas is the surest method of
a child of Immortality or a person who has
cultivating the Divine in Man.
earned the Grace of the Lord. Medicine and
hospitalization are for those who doubt and
hesitate and argue about this doctor being 178
more efficient than the other and this drug
being more powerful than the rest. For those GOD has four qualities and it is only when
you cultivate them that you can understand
Him. They are: Prema (Love), Beauty binds man to man, so that man can rid
(Soundarya), Sweetness (Madurya), and himself of the animal and rise into the
Shoba (Splendor). The development of Divine which is his goal.
Prema is enough to add into you the other
three. When you are full of Prema for the 182
Divine in all creation, that stage is Beauty;
when you are immersed in the sea of
DO not get elated at the riches, status,
Universal Love, you reach the acme of
authority, and intelligence, which have been
Sweetness; when your mind loses its identity
given to you on trust, so that you may
and merges in the Universal Mind, then
benefit others. They are all signs of His
there is Splendour indescribable.
Grace, opportunities for service and symbols
of responsibility. Never seek to exult over
179 others' faults; deal sympathetically with the
errors and mistakes of others; hear only
MY task is not merely to cure and console good things about them; and do not give an
and remove individual misery. It is ear to scandals.
something far more important. The
important task of the mango tree is to 183
produce mango-fruit. The leaves, the
branches and the trunk of the tree are useful
NOW, there is a wave of anxiety spreading
in their own way, no doubt, but the main
over the World as a result of rising prices;
aim is the fruit. So, also from the plantain-
and attempts are frantically being made to
tree, the fruit is the main gain. The leaves
bring down the level. The fundamental cause
and the edible core of the stem are all
for the rise in prices is the decline in the
incidental. So too, the removal of misery and
price of man. Man must realise his
distress is incidental to My Mission. My
pricelessness; he should not regard himself
main task is the re-establishment of Veda
as a cheap nut or bolt that has no higher
and Shastra in the heart of Bharthavarsha
purpose in life. He should know that he is
and the revival of Knowledge about them in
the imperishable, unconquerable Atma; and
the people. This task will succeed.
the body is only a vehicle for the Atma.

180
184

NARADA once asked Krishna the secret of

DOES thou know why you are given eyes? To
the attraction His flute play had on the
see whatever can be seen? No! No! To fill the
cowherds of Brindavan. "Do they run to You
eyes with the vision of God who resides on
or do You run to them? he queried. "Among
Mount Kailas. We have to cast our looks at
us there is neither I nor they; how can a
sacred sights. We must visualise in everyone
picture be separated from the cloth on which
only the good and the Godly. That is the
it is painted? I am imprinted on their hearts
purpose for which God has equipped us with
so inseparably and so inextricably", Krishna
eyes. He has not gifted them to us to observe
replied. Have God imprinted on your hearts;
and judge others, to follow people into the
be ever so inextricably established in Him -
bazaar or to see unsightly films.
that is My message to you.
185
181
THE snakes move in curves, not in a straight
THIS Sai has came in order to achieve the
line; man too, when he is following the
Supreme task of uniting the entire mankind
senses, has to move in a crooked path. He
as one family through the band of
has greater poison in him than the snake; his
brotherhood, of affirming and illumining the
venom is to be found in his eye, his tongue,
Atmic Reality of each being in order to
his hands, his mind, his heart and his
reveal the Divine, the basis on which the
thoughts - whereas the cobra has it only in
entire Cosmos rests, and of instructing all to
its fangs. The cobra raises its hood and
recognise the common Divine Heritage that
sways in joy when it hears music - so, man
too, when he realises the stage of the excellence of others, are the highest type;
"Nirvikalpa", (steady unchanging those, who highlight their own excellence
establishment in the ultimate Reality), and decry the faults of others, are worse;
dances in heavenly Bliss. those, who parade their own faults as
excellence and deride the excellence in
186 others as faults, are the worst. The last type
is nowadays most rampant.
GOD is the source of all Love; Love God,
Love the World as the vesture of God, no 190
more and no less. Through Love, you can
merge in the Ocean of Love. Love cures GOD has no will or want; He does not confer
pettiness, hate and grief. Love loosens or withhold; He is the eternal witness. To
bonds; it saves man from the torments of put it in the language that you can
birth and death. Love binds all hearts in a understand: He is like the postman, who is
soft silken symphony. Seen through the eyes not concerned with the contents of the
of Love, all beings are beautiful; all deeds letters that he hands over to the addressees;
are dedicated; and all thoughts are innocent. one letter might communicate victory;
The World is one vast kin. another defeat; and you receive what you
have worked for. Do good and have good
187 done in return; be bad and accept the bad
that comes back to you. That is the law; and
there is really no help (or) hindrance.
GOD is all-powerful; God is everywhere;
God is all knowing. To adore such a
formidable limitless principle, man spends a 191
few minutes out of the 24 hours and uses a
minute idol, image or picture! It is indeed THE relief and joy that you give to the sick
ridiculous; it is practically futile. Adore Him and the sad reach me, for I am in their
so long as you have breath and so long as hearts and I am the One they call out for.
you are conscious. Have no other thought God has no need of your service; does He
than God, have no other aim than knowing suffer from pain in the legs, or ache in the
His command; no other activity than stomach? Try to serve the Godly; be
translating that command into action. That "Dasanudasas", the servants of the servants
is what is meant by Surrender. Surrender of the Lord. The service of man is the only
yourself unto Him. means by which you can serve God.

188 192

GOD is the guardian, the corrector, the THYAGARAJA said that, if he is armed with
admonisher and the savior; so, people must the Grace of Rama, the planetary missiles
get into the habit of calling on Him as a could never injure him. Purandaradasa,
living presence. The temple helps to soften another great saint, asked, "What are eyes
the hearts! It instills the virtue of for?" and answered the question himself,
compassion and charity. Greed and cruelty "To visualise the Lord". "Eyes that do not
will spread in an atmosphere that has no yearn to see you, are black balls; ears that do
devotion and adoration to God. Make not hear your praise, are narrow mountain
yourselves into moving temples. Become caves where jackals live; and the tongue that
aware of the God that resides in you. It is He does not relish the repetition of your Name,
who protects you, provides for you and can only croak like a frog", says
prevents you from falling prey to pernicious Purandaradasa.
propensities.
193
189
ALL who come embodied are Avatars, that is
THERE are three types of persons: those, to say, advents of the Divine, Manifestations
who confess their own faults and mention of God. What then is the special feature of
Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Christ? Why do estimation of people. Let me tell you this;
you celebrate their Birthdays with such mine is no mesmerism, miracle or magic.
reverential enthusiasm? The specialty is Mine is genuine DIVINE POWER.
this: they are Aware; you are unaware of the
Atma, which is the Truth. Awareness confers 197
Grace, Glory, Majesty, Might and Splendour.
Awareness confers Liberation from bonds,
LIFE sustained by food is short; life
time, space and causation, and sleep, dream
sustained by the Atma is eternal. Do not lay
and wakefulness. Avatars are ever alert,
claim to long life; but to Divine life. Do not
aware and alight.
pine for more years on earth, but for more
virtues in the heart. Buddha knew and made
194 known to the World the Truth. Everything is
grief. Everything is empty. Everything is
THE name of God, if recited with love and brief. Everything is polluted. So the wise
faith, has that power. Once the mother of man has to do the duties cast upon him with
Agastya boasted that her son drank all the discrimination, diligence and detachment.
waters of the ocean; but the mother of Play the role but keep your identity
Hanuman, who was there, said; "Why go to unaffected.
that extent? My son leaped over it in a trice".
But there was the mother of Rama with 198
them. She said, "Your son leaped over the
ocean, uttering my son's name. Without it,
IN order to escape being tossed about on the
he was helpless". The name has that
waves of joy and grief, one should cultivate
overmastering power. It can bring unheard
unconcern (upeksha), an attitude of
of and unimagined strength and courage.
welcoming either as a sign of Grace. Sri
Ramakrishna said that if you must avoid the
195 sticky fluid in the jackfruit from contacting
your fingers when you peel it, you have to
FOR Naamasmarana, no expense is apply a few drops of oil on them. So, too,
involved; no materials are needed; there is said he, "If you do not want the World and
no special place or time to be provided. No its reactions to stick to you, have a few drops
qualification of scholarship or caste or sex of unconcern applied on your mind".
has to be proved. When a bit of iron is
rubbed to and fro on a slab of stone, heat is 199
generated; only the rubbing has to be
vigorous and continuous. When you do so at
THE foundation for real peace is, according
intervals and with poor pressure, the iron
to the Vedas, the quality of Maithree.
will not get hot. So too, in order to get
Maithree means amicability, friendship,
sufficient heat to melt the soft heart of the
compassion and, kindness. It can also be
Lord, rub the name "Ram", "Ram", "Ram",
taken to mean "My three", that is to say, my
"Ram vigorously and unremittingly; then,
word, deed and thought shall be in
the Lord will shower His Grace.
accordance with words, thought and deed;
that is to say, we shall speak, think and act
196 together without friction or faction, in an
atmosphere of love and understanding. That
THIS is the best time to tell you something is what is wanted in the world today: My
about the authenticity of this Advent. I only three.
wish to communicate the Truth. There are
many who can not bear or tolerate the 200
Splendour that I am manifesting, the
Divinity that is expressed in every act, the
ALL men are Mine; so the whole World has
wonders and amazing happenings that are
to be saved from the consequences of
the result of Grace; these people label these
ignorance or limited knowledge. I will get all
as acts of mesmerism or miracles or feats of
My people near Me, for they are Mine, and I
magic! They hope to bring these down in the
am theirs. Then, I will start teaching and
training them, until they become entirely 204
ego-free. For the last 25 years, it has all been
sweetness, kindness, soft persuasion; THERE are three desires which every "I"
hereafter, it will be different. I will drag cannot escape from. "I must live" is the first.
them, place them on the table and operate. The will to live is overpowering and
That is to say, I have no anger or hate. I have paramount. This is the urge for immortality.
only Love. It is Love that prompts Me to save "The desire to know" is the second. This too
them and to open their eyes, before they get is unquenchable thirst and is an indication
deeper into the morass. of the position of which the "I" is the
inheritor. "The desire for joy" is the third,
201 prompting man behind the senses into the
outer World for pleasures. This evidence
MAN alone can rise through effort to higher shows that deep in the core of the "I" there is
stages of spiritual evolution. No other a spring of "Ananda" which seeks its mate
animal can do so. Animal trainers of the and its fulfillment.
Circus can train a tiger to perform various
tricks, but they cannot change his nature. 205
They cannot make it live on grass and
completely deprive it of meat. But man is THERE is no Vidya, which our students are
different. His nature can be changed by not proficient in. They develop all the virtues
means of his own disciplined effort. He can and they saturate every act of theirs,
control, by his will, the evil thoughts and including their skills and studies, with those
ideas that arise in his mind. This is why high and pure qualities. To demonstrate that
birth as a human being is considered a rare this process will yield joy, peace and
gift. prosperity, I have these students as My
instruments. They would themselves act as
202 ideals. They are the source of My delight and
they sustain My hopes. (They are My
FAITH in God will instill faith in themselves "Aasaya", My "Ananda" and my "Ahaara")
and in others and the World will be happier These students, and those of the same stamp
thereby. The Americans might walk on the are the pioneers in My task of mending the
moon, or the Russians picnic on the planet present World and ushering in a new World.
Mars, but they have both to return to Earth,
which is their common home. One can claim 206
genuine victory only when one has reached
not the dead satellite, but the living star, not PARENTS set bad examples uttering
the Chandra, but Ramachandra, the Lord falsehood, scandalizing others, gambling,
who rules over the inner satellites, the inner drinking, behaving violently, inflicting
planets, the inner motives and aspirations. injury, becoming addicted to nightclubs,
pictures and drinking parties and quarreling
203 after arriving home past midnight. How can
children, used to such low sights and
LIFE is a jungle, where there is a great deal sounds, learn to become bright fresh
of dry wood, which harbors worms and fragrant flowers of the Sanathana Garden of
insects. No one cleans the floor of the forest India?
or cuts away the undergrowth of bush and
bramble. To wade through the thorns and 207
the leech-ridden floor of the jungle, one has
to wear boots. So too, one has to wear the THE student of today is not able to realise
boots of sense-regulation, if one has to pass what he should primarily be concerned with.
through the jungle of life without harming It is only in name that he is a "Vidyarthi",
oneself. the seeker of knowledge. In practice he is
only a "Vishayarthi", a seeker of worldly
pleasures. It is the duty of every human
being to understand and respect his parents.
Similarly, in a nation, it is the duty of every the Heavenly Father to respond to your
national to assimilate and appreciate the prayers if you do not respond to the
historical and cultural background of his demands of the earthly Father? The first
nation and consider these two factors as his step in Dharma is gratitude; the first duty of
father and mother. In fact, one who is the child is reverence to the parents. When
ignorant of the historical and cultural the first step is absent, ascent is impossible.
heritage of his country is like a stupid person
who has no knowledge of his parents. 211

208 IF a school has poor discipline and if its

students are led away by self-seekers into
TODAY the student-world is tossed in the wilderness, the fault lies on the parents,
confusion; not only in confusion but in elders and the Committee of management.
downright insanity. They wear white The Committee often is only a "Come-for-
clothing; but the hearts are still dark. Tea" affair.

Heads are full of evil thoughts 212

Ears are open for scandal-tales,
Eyes delight in peeping unseen; HOWEVER superfine the paper, however
Minds crave for wicked plots; artistic the envelope and however poetic the
Reason pursues plan to cheat. composition of the letter, it will not reach
When Vidya perceives these in man, the addressee by post when it lacks the 50
It will not stay a moment there. paise stamp! So too the trappings, vestures,
shawls, moles and rosaries are ineffective;
When this is the condition, how can one they cannot reach the addressee - God. What
earn Vidya? Of course, man's present will take their prayers to the addressee is the
situation and status are determined by his 50 paise stamp: dedication or Bhakti.
acts and thoughts in the past.
213
209
I WANT each one of you to grow into a
SAMSKRITI the word for culture and strong, steady and straight person. Your eyes
civilization is derived from the word should not seek evil sights; your ears should
Samskara, which means the dual process of not seek evil tales; your tongue should not
removing the dust and dirt of vice, and seek evil speech; your hands should not seek
planting the virtues of Sathya, Dharma, evil acts; your minds should not seek evil
Shanti and Prema. Samskara is also the thoughts. Be pure and be full of Love. Help
name for certain obligatory rites of initiation those who are in a worse condition and serve
and purification prescribed by the Vedas for those who need your help.
the spiritual upliftment of man. Their
number is forty-eight in all, but they could 214
be reduced to ten and if needed, even to one;
the final fulfilling one, of recognising one's
GOD appears in human form; He promotes
identity with Madhava, Siva, or Brahman.
pasture of cattle and agriculture in order
Nara is but Narayana seen through the
that the food must sustain the Head and
limitations of primal ignorance.
render it intelligent and clear enough to
realise God. The body has to be nourished
210 for the sake of the Head, so that "Jnana can
be attained and Liberation gained. Food-
AN Iron box is essential to keep safe Head-God: this is the chain of events.
precious stones; so too, the body is essential
to keep safe the precious gift of virtue, faith,
love and discrimination. The parents gave it
and so they have to be respected by speech,
action and behaviour. How can you expect
 215 219

MOST of the names of the Divine have but GOD is as eager to save you, as you are eager
two letters or syllables; the significance of to be saved; He is Prema, He is Karuna, for
the number two, Rama, Krishna, Hara, Hari, all who flounder on the road. He is called
Datta, Shakti, Kali etc., is that the first "Bhakta - Abhista - Prada" (He who grants
syllable represents Agni (Fire principle), the desires of the Devotees). You say that I
which burns up accumulated demerit or sin; laugh within Myself, that I roll my hair on
and the second represents the Amrita My fingers and draw them right over My
principle, the restorative, refreshing and the face, but let me say why? A sign of My
reformation force. The two processes are "Ananda" is the success of the Bhaktas in
necessary for the removal of obstructions capturing My heart.
and the construction of the structure.
220
216
THE human body has been secured as a
WHEN you live in the World of desire, you reward for many lives of meritorious
must be prepared for both Joy and Grief. activity. Being valued as a boat, which can
Invite the Minister Boga, and along with him help us cross the ocean of change "Samsara",
you must be prepared for the visit of his it has to be tended with grateful reverence.
Private Secretary Roga! On the other hand, The Bhagavad Gita calls the body "Kshetra",
invite the Minister Thyaga or his colleague which means "a field"; one can sow holiness
Yoga, and you will be happy to receive their or sin and gather a harvest commensurate
Private Secretary Boga who plays a minor with the particular quality. Choose the crop
role in the presence of his Master. that you need before you sow the seeds.

217 221

MAAM anusmara - with Me in memory THE bird, in the physical cage wherein man
ever! Do not distinguish this task as Bhajan, is imprisoned, is always, from the moment
or Bhojan (eating) or Pujan (adoration of of birth to the moment of death, chirping
God). All acts are Pujan, for he, eaten by "Soham declaring "Jiva and Deva are One".
Him, for His sake to yield strength for His It is this affirmation that is the justification
work, gives food. Each moment is for the gift of life. When that chirp does not
worthwhile, for He gives it; He uses it; He emanate from the breath, the body is a
fills it; He fashions it; and He fulfills it. corpse: Savam! When it manifests, illumines
When He is fused with every breath, you can and fills the cage with the "Divine
achieve the sovereign task of merging in Fragrance", it is a Tabernacle: Sivam!
Him. Identify yourselves with the Mantra, the bird
chirps and the breath repeats.
218
222
BHAKTI is not to be calculated on the basis
of the institutions one has started or helped, THE Vedavids marked three stages in the
the temples that one has built or renovated, Life of man and assigned one aspect of God
the donations one has given away; nor does to preside over each stage. The first, where
it depend on the number of times one has man is deep in activity of some sort or other
written the Name of the Lord or on the time in Karma, is presided over by Vasu. The
and energy one has spent in the worship of second, under the protection of Rudra, is
the Lord. These are not vital at all; no, not filled with reverential worship of the God in
even secondary. Bhakti is Prema, unsullied all, discovered through the impact of Love.
by any tinge of desire for the benefit that The third is the stage of Jnana, the supreme
flows from it or the fruit of consequence of Wisdom, presided over by the Source of
that Love. illumination, Adithya or the Sun.
 223 us to cross the ocean of Samsara with the aid
of Meditation on God.
THE World is a furnace and a factory where
man has to shape his destiny by his honest, 228
untiring effort. He, who takes up this
challenge and spends his allotted years and WHEN you spend your hours in thoughts
the skills and intelligence with which he is about God, you are also free from evil ways.
endowed, in purposeful activity, is really You will not be tempted to abuse others or
entitled to the status of a KARMA YOGI. harm them in any way. You live in Love,
accepting all the events as His gifts. Homes
224 such as yours are, really speaking, Heavens
on earth; the Joy that bubbles in your hearts
DUTY is God; Work is Worship; and there is is the symbol of Vaikunta; the earnestness
a dictum: "Heads in the Forest; Hands in and care that you evince in your work is the
Society"; Do deeds that are holy and sign of Kailas, the abode of Siva. Hearts
beneficial, untarnished by ego and the greed dedicated to these ideals are indeed
to benefit. Start on the sacred pilgrimage to "golden".
the Divine Goal and make every minute of
your life holy and purposeful. Then surely, 229
this Earth, your field of work, will be
transformed into a Karmakshetra and a WE cannot describe God in the vocabulary
Dharmakshetra. learnt upon the Earth. We have to
experience the Bliss of realising Him as the
225 core of our being. Man is endowed with a
sense of wonder and awe, the sense which
A DEVOTEE once lamented, saying, "Oh makes him either a participant (Karma
God! You have forgotten me"! This is never Yoga), an inquirer into the mystery (Gnana
possible; it is the devotee who forgets that he Yoga) or a devout adorer (Bakthi Yoga).
is the child of God, that God is his never
failing friend and guide. God is all 230
knowledge, all power, and all mercy. Faith in
God has to be constant and firm in the face EVERYDAY before you begin work, pray to
of every challenge by fate or fortune. God for a few minutes at least; and, at the
end of the day, when the work is over, gather
226 in some consecrated spot, a temple or
mandir and offer grateful thanks to the
A PERSON might appear poor, distressed, Lord, singing His name and meditating on
and depressed to ordinary mortals; he might His Majesty. That will make you real Karma
not have the exterior demonstration of Yogins, even heroes of the Karma Path.
devotion, but God could be ever installed in
his heart, guiding and guarding him. He 231
might be doing all acts as acts of worship to
the God residing in his heart. ONE does not have to search for spiritual
power, going around the World and
227 spending a lot of money. Be in your own
house, develop it in yourself, such spiritual
WE, who are crossing the ocean of Samsara power in you! You do not have to run for it
(the chain of birth and death), need to here and there. God is not external; God is
cultivate the art of swimming through not outside you; God is inside you. You are
"Bhagavath Chinthana" (Meditation of God). not a man, you are God yourself. You are not
However learned we may be, if we do not one person, but three; the one you think you
have this training and cultivation, we are are (physical); the one others think you are
bound to sink. Life is a boat which enables (mental); and the one you really are. Do not
be under the delusion that God is
somewhere and you have to search for Him; your receptive Consciousness. That is the
God is in you. main discipline for this Age.

232 236

PARENTS and teachers can earn My Grace REMEMBERING the Lord by means of His
only by becoming good and worthy examples name is enough to save man. The Lord is
to their sons and daughters, or their wards "Anandamaya"; He is also "Ananda". That
and students. You claim to have devotion to "Ananda" is to be tasted through the Name.
Me, but you must examine and discover It is "Sath-Chith-Ananda". You may doubt
whether I am pleased with you. You must whether such a small raft as Rama, or Sai or
examine yourselves every moment, whether Krishna can take you across the boundless
you are observing the discipline I have laid sea of Samsara. People cross vast oceans on
down and the program of service I have a tiny raft; they are able to walk through
marked out. That is the way to earn My dark jungles with a tiny lamp in their hands.
Love. Love others and serve them; then you The name or even the Pranava ,which is
can win My Love. smaller, has vast potentialities. The raft
need not be as big as the sea!
233
237
YOU will see the day when the Chitravati
sands alone cannot accommodate the DO not fret against the rules and regulations
gatherings that assemble here from all parts which the Organisation imposes on you;
of the World; when the sky alone can they are laid down for your own good.
provide a roof for them all. Many hesitate to Regulation is the every essence of creation.
believe that things will improve, that life for The oceans observe their limits. Wind and
all will be happy and full of joy, that the fire respect their limits and bonds. The
Golden Age will ever recur. Let me assure human body has to maintain its warmth at
you that this Dharmaswarupa has not come 98.4 F. in order to be healthy; the heart has
in vain; it will succeed in averting the crisis to beat a definite number of times a minute.
that has come upon Humanity. How, then, can this Organisation escape the
prescription of certain rules and
234 regulations?

WHEN the Dharma of the Age is laid aside 238

to establish it anew, through loving means;
when the World is polluted by conflict and THE same Divine compassion that blessed
confusion, to restore the path of virtue and Dharma, saved Gajendra, restored Kuchela
peace; when good men caught in cruel coils and stood by Prahalada, has come to the
wail, to save them from pain and shame; Earth as the Refuge of the refugees; as the
when sacred texts are not grasped aright, to Lord of Peace, Harmony and Righteousness;
proclaim the message they teach mankind; as the Lord of all the Worlds; as the Sath-
to relieve the earth of the burden of Vice, to Chith-Anandamurthi; and as the Puttaparthi
fulfill the promise made in the Tretha Age; Sathya Sai, Sath-Chakravarthi, the King of
Achutha has incarnated on this earth; Kings.
Vasudeva, Srihari, has come into the World.
239
235
THE Avatar is Atmasakthi that has put on
GOD alone is eternal; man is a momentary the raiment of Kriyasakthi and Yogasakthi.
flash, a tiny wave that rises and falls. So, fill Generally, Avatar or the process of
yourselves with vast thoughts, magnificent Incarnation is described as a "coming down"
ideas, indefinable splendour, by reciting the from a higher status to a lower one. But, no!
names of God, names that describe HIM to When the baby in the cradle weeps, wails
and clamours for help, the mother stoops
and takes it up in her arms; her stoop is not how can he cultivate devotion? Balance and
to be described as a "coming down". If you equanimity alone can confer peace and
earn the necessary credentials, the harmony.
Incarnation will come and save you. If, on
the other hand, you multiply your demerits 244
and descend lower and lower, how can you
be saved?
NARA and Narayana, man and God, are like
iron and magnet. God, by His very nature,
240 attracts man near, for in man there is the
Divine. When the magnet fails to attract the
SAI only reflects your mind. He has no iron piece, we sometimes conclude that the
prejudices or preference. He is a mirror magnet has lost its power. The real fact
wherein you can see yourselves as you really however is, that the piece of iron is too
are. In order to correct their mistakes and thickly covered by rust and dust. Thus, man
remove your faults, I sometimes have to use (the iron) does not realise his own defect,
harsh words; but you may be rest assured but rushes to blame God (the magnet) and
that My sole aim is to turn you to better even to deny Him.
ways. I have no anger in Me. It is the inner
compassion which takes the other form of 245
anger.
REVERE Jnana as you revere your father;
241 adore love as you adore your mother; move
fondly with Dharma, as if it is your own
YOU think that Sai Baba is comfortably brother; confide in Daya, as if it is your
sleeping in the Mandir. Do you know where dearest friend; have "Shantam" as your
I find happiness? I am happy when I am better half; treat "Sahana", fortitude, as if it
with you. That is the reason why I declare is your own beloved son. These are your
"My Life is My Message". I am consistently genuine kith and kin. Move with them; do
engaged in some work or another at all not forsake or neglect them.
hours. I do not get attached to anything nor
do I need to detach Myself from anything. I 246
am ever in full Ananda.
HOLD all your property and wealth in trust
242 for the Lord who gave them to you; even
your family you must treat as a sacred trust,
EGOISM is a thorny bush which, when as persons given to you by the Lord to love,
planted and fostered in one's heart, makes foster and guide. Thus, you must elevate
one pay the penalty. Egoism makes enemies your attachment into worship and make it
of fast friends and rains many good causes an instrument for spiritual progress.
and projects, for it does not allow two good
men to work together. Grief follows it like a 247
shadow. Where there is no ego - joy, peace,
courage, cooperation and love flourish.
YOU come to Puttaparthi, secure a picture,
When man is aware that the same Divine
and taking it home, begin worshipping it
consciousness that motivates him is equally
every day or every Thursday; but, all that is
motivating all others, then Love ousts the
simply "Sathkarma", good activity. They will
ego into the background and takes charge of
not take you far. You must also develop
man's activities, words and thoughts.
"Sathguna", virtues, good habits, good
attitudes, good characteristics and a good
243 character. Otherwise, our life is a chain of
pluses and minuses, one canceling the other
OVERCOME by inner foes, how can man out, totaling up to a mere zero.
succeed in overwhelming the outer foes?
Burdened with sloth and dullness, how can
he achieve wisdom? Prompted by passion,
 248 252

DEVOTION towards God goes ill with SIVOHAM, Sivoham - was the exclamation
hatred towards fellow-men. Fellow-men and that rose from the Souls that knew the Truth
the World must be seen ever in the mirror of in a flash of illumination, after long years of
"Sath-Chith-Ananda". Kinship based on this cleansing the mind through the process of
recognition alone will last. That is the Sai "Tapas". "I am Siva, Siva am I". Though
kinship. When you deepen that kinship, the called by many names and recognised in
true presence, the constant presence of many forms, the Divine Principle is one,
Sathya Sai will be yours. Do not be led, away without a second. It is "Sivam" and it is
by your fancies into the jungle of words and latent in each being, including Man.
feelings. Be firm, true to your inner-most
nature. 253

249 THE serpent can be tamed and its poisonous

fangs removed, when music from the
THERE are many Trusts operating in this Nagaswaram pipe is played and when it is
country and in others beyond the seas. I fascinated by that sweet melody. The poison
wish to emphasis that the Sathya Sai Trusts that Vishaya exerts on the human mind can
have to shine forth among them all by their also be eliminated and countermanded,
special characteristics. They must be based when man is fascinated by the sweet
on mutual trust and cooperation built on the melodies of NNamasmaranaor Sankeertan,
actual experience of the One-ness of all. that is to say, by the repetitive chanting of
There is no room here for egoistic poses, the meaningful Names of the Lord. The
compulsory tactics, greed for power, poison in both can thus be transmuted into
recrimination and jealousy. pure nectar.

250 254

GOD too is a reality, ever present in us and SCRIPTURES are endless; Sadhanas are
in every being; but we miss Him, as we miss countless; opportunities are few; time is
the movement of the earth. We have to infer already overstocked. But you can easily win
God through proofs and evidences of His the battle of life, in spite of these handicaps,
Providence, His grace, His Majesty and His provided you arm yourself with Love, which
Glory, just as we infer the movements of the is the essential teaching of all Scriptures, the
Earth, the Moon and the Stars by watching goal of all varieties of Sadhana, the best use
the sky, the seasons and the precise to which all opportunities can be put and the
procession of day and night. We cannot most profitable way of utilising the precious
describe God in the vocabulary learnt on the capital time.
earth.
255
251
IMAGINE the fate of the cows when a tiger
HUMAN desire is illimitable and without enters the manger. Can they survive the
end. It makes you pursue the mirage in the invasion? So too, the cows of Truth, Justice,
desert; it makes you build castles in the air; Peace and Love cannot survive in the human
it breeds discontent and despair once you heart when the "Tigers", namely Greed,
succumb to it. But develop the thirst for Anger and Pride enter and play havoc.
Krishna; you discover the cool-spring of Today, the human heart, especially the heart
Ananda within you. Krishna-nama makes of the educated man, has become the lair of
you very strong and steady; it is sweet and wild desires and cruel habits.
sustaining.
 256 scatter the darkness of the ages. Cultivate
Love and Prema towards all; that is the way
THE day when devotees sing songs in praise to gain nearness. I do not measure distance
of the Lord and please the ear; The day when in terms of meters or miles. The range of
sorrows of the poor recur and men move Love decides the distance for Me.
closer as brothers born; The day when
servants of God are fed with Love and Care 260
in thankfulness; The day when a Great One
comes to us and relates thrilling tales of THE real aim of education must be to help
God; these indeed are worthwhile days. The the student discover the Divine in every
rest are like days dedicated to obsequies for being Saint Vemana says: Scholars study!
the dead. study! study! But the fools know not what
they are! Studying, studying, studying. The
257 scholar is not free from vice nor has he
become wise. Then why study these mean,
DO not consider any act of service as mortal things? Study only that which is
demeaning. Sweeping the streets, for deathless. The most desirable subject for
example, is not below your dignity. Do you study is the Secret of the Soul which is
not sweep the floor of your homes? Do you Immortal.
not scrub and wash off dirt? When you
undertake such tasks, the villagers will also 261
gladly share in them. Why feel ashamed to
be good? The ridicule that may be cast on SEVA is the adoration of the Lord, as
you has been the reward of many Saints. It "Viswa-Virataswarupa", as having the
will soon fade away. Mohammed was driven multifaceted form and immanence in the
out of Mecca by those who could not entire Universe. The Vedas describe Him as
appreciate his teachings. Jesus was thousand-headed, thousand-eyed and
crucified. But their names resound in thousand-footed. The thousands of hands
reverence in the hearts of millions. and eyes and feet that have come here for
the festivals are all His, the Lord's. Worship
258 Him; that is the purpose of your Seva. And
He is none else than your own self.
ISAA Vaasym Idam Sarvam, all this is
enveloped by God; all this is soaked in God 262
and saturated with God. Everything is the
substance of God. In fact the best teacher is YOU must discover your identity; then only
one's own heart. Time is the best preceptor can you have peace. You are like a man who
and awakener; the World is the best has forgotten his name; his address and his
scripture; God is the best friend for man. So mission in life. Realise it and try to delve
there is no need to wander in search of a into yourself; so that you may know who you
Guru. Man is of God, with and from God. are. Then you get security and peace.
The Cosmos is a bubble born in the Sharpen your intellect for this purpose; and
Absolute. The human essence in man is cleanse your consciousness for this purpose
Divine. The true Guru is not the human through Sathsang, Japa, Dhyana,
preceptor. Revere the World as Divine. All Namasmarana etc.
that is seen or heard is God. Revere the
Universe as Guru.
263

259
VALMIKI was a highway-robber who
waylaid and killed hundreds without
I HAVE no sense of distinction between hesitation; he was the slave of passion and
Bhaktas who worship this form or that. All emotion; but when the seven-Sages, whom
can come near, all who crave for heat and he waylaid one night, counseled patience,
light. The heat of this splendour will destroy forbearance and self-enquiry, he turned
the chill of sensual pleasure. The light will heroically into the path of Ram (giving up
the lure of Kam or Lust) and achieved 268
immortality and immortal fame, as the
narrator of Rama's story. BE devoted to the Universal; be eager to
become that. When you pray to God for a
264 job, a son, or a prize, you are devoted not to
God, but to the job, to the son and to the
SCATTER the seeds of Love in dreary desert prize. Pray to God for God. Love, because it
hearts; then the sprouts of Love will make is your nature to Love, because you know
the wastes green with joy; the blossom of nothing else and because you cannot act
Love will make the air fragrant; the river of otherwise than Love. Expand yourself, take
Love will murmur along the valleys; and in all! Grow in Love.
every bird, beast and child will sing the song
of Love. 269

265 HAVING an open heart, do not relish the

narrow path of restricted love; love all, do
PRAYER is the very breath of Religion for it not develop prejudices against men in power
brings man and God together and with every or position. They too are our kith and kin.
sigh nearer and nearer. Dhyana is the We all sail together. Be convinced of one
process of listening to the Song Celestial, the Truth about Me; Swami will never lay his
Flute of Krishna, with the mental ears alert hand on a task without proper reason and
on the melody. Yoga is the merging of the without some profound effect that will flow
Mind in the Bliss of self-forgetfulness when there from.
the music fills the Consciousness.
270
266
WHEN the Giver of Grace is here, you run
THE Primal Formless Absolute wedded after persons who claim that they got this or
Desire and the Mind was born. The Mind other article from Me or were blessed with
wedded two wives, Inner contemplation and this gift from Me. When you have
Outer activity. The first gave birth to five Kamadhenu here, why seek to know and
sons; Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi, Prema and secure a cow? Kamadhenu can give you all
Ahimsa, the Five Pandava Brothers. Mind that you need. When you have Kalpatharu
was infatuated more with the second wife, here, why bother about the fruits on a tree?
and so, gave birth to a 100, each one with a Kalpatharu can give you all that you ask.
name indicative of badness and wickedness, When you have here the mountain of Gold
the Kauravas. God was on the side of the and Silver, Meru, why cringe for silver and
Pandavas and they won. gold from persons who are themselves
beggars? When you have God come among
you to support and sustain you, why grovel
267
before crude vulgar entities?
THE Universe is seen; it can be learnt about;
271
it can be experienced and enjoyed. But God
is unseen. He has to be inferred through His
handiwork. So too, Society to which social MAN is equipped with a return-ticket when
service is rendered, cannot be seen as such. he takes birth. Holding it in his grasp, he
We can contact only individuals. But earns and spends, rises and falls, sings and
through the individual, you infer the dances, weeps and wails, forgetting the end
immanence of the Divine. All are actors on of the journey. But though he forgets, the
the World Stage, in His play. Every atom is wagon of life moves towards the cemetery
surcharged with His Power, His Might and which is its terminus. It brings no glory to
His Glory. Every being is surcharged with man if he is tied helplessly to the wheel of
His Bliss, His beauty and His Goodness. birth and death. His glory and greatness
consist in disentangling himself from that
revolving wheel.
 272 man follows Dharma, He is pleased and
content.
THE mind is the architect of your progress
or decline. For the fool, the mind is a 277
formidable dinosaur; for the intelligent, the
mind is an angel. The trained mind is torn GET up, place the rosary in its bag and
by fear; the pure elevated mind is placid and engage yourselves in relieving distress; that
unruffled, like that of a homeless Sage. The is the true spiritual path. Do not waste all
Vedas teach how to purify the mind and your years with stone images, pictures or
render it into a useful tool. idols, learn to see in every living vital active
person the embodiment of all energy, all
273 beauty, all beneficence, namely God. God is
subtler than ether filling the smallest crevice
INTELLECT alone can direct man in the with His Majesty. Know this and serve His
path of discrimination, between the true manifestations, wherever you meet them.
path and the false; the proper and the
improper. This is the reason why man has 278
been praying since Ages, through the
Gayathri "hymn" "Illumine me, prompt my CONTENTMENT is heaven; grief is hell;
intelligence, so that I may walk aright". anger is the foe; calmness is the armour; and
compassion is the comrade. You repeat
274 Shanti three times, don't you? It is to
encourage peace in the human, Godly and
SANKARA wrote a verse summarizing the natural milieu in which you have to live; also
advice he gave the poor struggling Brahmin to develop peace, in the body, mind and
house holder at Varanasi (Benares city): intellect.
"Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja
Govindam, Moodha Mathe, Samprapthe 279
Sannihithe Kaale Nahi Rakshathi Duakru
Karane", Praise God, Praise God, Praise ALL men have two constables ever with
God, you fool, when death knocks at your them; they are the symbols of his sentence of
door, rules of grammar cannot save you. imprisonment. They are "Abhiman" (sense
of I) over "Mamakar" (sense of Mine), the
275 egoistic feeling and the pride of possession.
Man is a prisoner of his senses so long as
OF what avail is a car, a bank deposit, a these two keep him under guard. Man strays
bungalow in a posh extension of a city? If away into misery and pain, because he loses
you have all these but no love in your heart, the sense of value and runs after the
the heart becomes a dark deserted temple, temporary and the trivial. He ignores the
where the bats of lust and anger breed in the voice of God which warns and guides from
everlasting night. Such hearts are foul, within; and he pays the penalty for the
diseased with terror and error! transgression.

276

BIRDS, beasts and trees have not deviated 280

from their nature; they are still holding it
valid. Man alone has disfigured it, in his AN act dedicated as an offering to the God,
crude attempt to improve upon it. So, the resident in all, becomes as sacred as the
Avatar has to come as Man among men, and highest Seva, that is why Avatars happen;
move as friend, well-wisher, kinsman, guide, hence, when you offer Seva to mankind, the
teacher, healer and participant among men. Avatar will naturally be pleased and you can
He has come to restore Dharma and when win Grace.
 281 285

THE individual born in the lake of Society THERE is only one God and He is
must swim and float in the calm waters, and Omnipresent, True. But to concentrate on
joining the River of Progress, merge in the the Omnipresent, some fixed point or
Ocean of Grace. Man has to move from the preliminary form is needed. And to conceive
stance of "I" to the position of "We". This of the Divine as present everywhere at all
day we see only the wild dance of ego- times, the mind of man is to be clarified and
stricken individuals, who hate Society and purified by means of a certain psychological
behave most unsocially. process called Sadhana.

282 286

THE call of the Divine echoes in every heart; REMEMBER, God is your guardian, when
it provokes the reaction of awe, reverence, you sleep; when you are helpless; even when
affection, love and sacrifice all ingredients of you have forgotten or neglected or discarded
Bhakti. It translates itself into acts of Him. He has no need for the things you offer
worship, of praise, of adoration and of or promise to offer. He is ever content, ever
rituals symbolizing the Majesty of God. blissful, ever full and ever free. Do your duty
Thus, the Mind gets saturated with Divine to yourself - that is enough offering for Him.
thoughts. It is recast in the Divine Mould
until the flow of "Ananda" becomes 287
unabated.
MAN must first decide, after vigorous self-
283 examination and continuous discrimination,
the path that he wishes to traverse. Moksha
GOD first; the World next, myself last! That or Liberation means the removal of the
is the legitimate sequence for the Sadhaka; bonds of Ignorance that could hide the Truth
and who is not a Sadhaka? You have to be and create a mirage of the Truth. In fact,
one, now or later, so that you can be living is only another name of the process of
liberated from this cycle of birth-death! achieving alternate misery and happiness,
Now, man in his callousness towards his hunger and contentment, illness and health,
own welfare, has turned it topsy-turvy! It is desires and fulfillment.
myself first, the world next, and God is last.
So, God is lost too! Hold fast to God; then 288
you will be safe.
THE Sai Religion is the harmonious
284 blending though Love of all Religions,
though some followers of other Faiths feel
MY activities are not for publicity or that the Sai Religion is contrary to theirs. We
propaganda or even to confer joy on others! should not entertain similar feelings. Ours is
They are for conferring joy primarily on me! the Totality, the Sum; we should not limit or
I have no need to please others and to earn restrict our Vision.
approval or appreciation. For I and you are
not distinct entities; you are I; and I am you. 289
I am the current that flows into every bulk
and illumines it. Those who see me as
YOU may have vast scholarship, fame and
separate are seeing falsehood. I am in your
fortune. But the bee can give you a lesson on
hearts; you are in Mine. Don't be misled into
how to be free from torment. The tree can
doubt and distress. Dogs may bark and
teach you forbearance and tolerance. It
jackals howl; but Truth moves majestically
offers a shade to all, irrespective of age, sex
forward.
or religion, nationality or status. It helps
with fruit and shade even to the foe who lays
his ax on its trunk! The dog can teach you a
lesson in Faith, Selfless Service and the 293
process of Dedication.
EVERYDAY, when you take food you are
offering eatables to the fire that God has put
in you to digest food. You have to eat in a
290 prayerful mode, in profound gratitude. The
Gita says that the fire which cooked the meal
is God; the meal is God; the eater is God; the
FORM small Sathsangas and meet regularly
purpose of eating is to carry on the work
for Bhajans and mutual consultation about
entrusted by God or pleasing to God; and the
spiritual matters. Read some fine spiritual
fruit of that work is progress towards God.
classics like Bhagavatha. Fill your eyes with
the Beauty of His form, your ears with the
story of His Leelas, and your hearts with the 294
sweetness of His Glory; inspire yourselves by
seeing Him everywhere. Think of His PREMA must grow with every moment of
Immanence in every hill and dale, every man Sadhana. It must sweeten every word, deed
and beast, every tree, bird and insect. You and thought of yours. Emerge from Dhyana
will be really thrilled by the joy of that as a person more charged with Love!
Vision. Emerge from Bhajan with a greater measure
of Love! Return from Nagarsankirtan with a
291 firmer conviction that everything is
surcharged with the same Divinity that is
behind all your activity.
MAN is daily growing more and more greedy
to know more about the lives of others, more
extrovert in fact. He wants to escape from 295
himself by interesting himself in others. He
does not want to worry about the details of THE beauty of Nature is but a reflection of
his own life or the problems of his own the Beauty that is God. But like all images, it
rehabilitation. Of what benefit is all this is not substantial. Flowers fade, clouds
burden of information that you seek to scatter into new patterns, physical charm is
carry in your head, this knowledge of the but a flash that disappears in a moment - but
various regions of the world without a Divine Beauty is eternal, full and free. That
knowledge of the region of your own self, the Sundaram is Sathyam, unaffected by the
centre of all the interest that you evince? passage of time, unchanging with the
location; that Sundaram is the real Shivam,
292 the only Good that is. Pursuing petty
physical beauty leads man astray; it is as
calamitous as the pursuit of trivial joy.
REMEMBER, you cannot have the
"Anubhava" and the "Ananda" first. And you
cannot postpone Faith until you get them. 296
You cannot bargain: Give me Ananda and
then I shall have Faith; See the YOU must all study the Gita daily. Read a
Purushothama in all Purushas. Purusha few slokas and meditate on the meaning
means: he who lives in the rural or port-city yourself; it will dawn on you in the silence of
or town. Each one of us is the resident and your heart. You need not read elaborate
the sole resident of a distinct house of God. commentaries. Each word in the Gita is a
But, the Purushothama, the Supreme gem. No more do you need gemstones for
Resident in all the cities, is God. You can the ear, the nose, and the neck; have the gem
recognise the Purushothama, if you educate of the Gita slokas in your heart; let them
yourselves properly. activate your intellect and your hands.
 297 301

WE shall act ever as if we are in the presence HAPPINESS and peace do not follow when
of God, as if God is watching and weighing man is fed well, clothed well, housed well
every thought, word and deed. See and educated up to a good standard and
yourselves in all; See all in yourselves; that is employed under comfortable conditions
the road to lasting peace and joy. Let us not with no injury to health or security. There
seek the outer empire; let us become the are many who have all these in plenty but
rulers of the inner empire. Let us not try to who are still worried or in pain or
defy the outer enemy, leaving the inner foe discontented. They depend on the inner
to grow in striking power. We have Krishna equipment of man, not on his outer skill or
with us, and so, who can defeat us? We shall riches.
win through winning His Grace.
302
298
SPEND the allotted span of years in the
YOU may be in the Prasanthi Nilayam area contemplation and the adoration of the
for 20 or 25 years. But you worry more Almighty, not in servile praise of the feeble,
about physical needs and comforts than the futile and the weak. Life is an
Japam and Dhyanam; the waving of the opportunity afforded to each, not to eat and
camphor flame at the end of the Bhajan drink, but to achieve something nobler and
sessions is to remind you that your sensual grander; to master oneself and merge in the
craving must be burnt away without leaving Reality.
any trace behind, and you must offer
yourself to God for being merged with His 303
Glory.
A PERSON being transferred from one goal
299 to another will have two Constables who will
escort him. The "Punya" and the "Papa"
THE Gayathri Manthram is a Universal (good consequences and bad consequences
Prayer that can be used by men of all climes of actions) are the Constables who lead man
and creeds, for it calls upon the Glorious from one birth to another. You must escape
Power that pervades the Sun and the three from their attention and avoid migration
Worlds to arouse, awaken and strengthen from one goal to another; act - but do not
the Intelligence, so that it may lead to calculate the consequences. That is to say,
intense Sadhana; and Sadhana may lead to do not worry about the consequence; leave it
success. to God who prompted the act and made it
possible. Dedicate the act, the will, and the
300 wish, all to God.

VINAYAKA CHATHURTHI DAY 304

GANAPATHY is described as "Buddhi
Vinayaka" and "Siddhi Vinayaka" (Vinayaka IT takes time for a fruit to mature and
the Wise and Vinayaka the Accomplished). acquire sweetness and become eatable; time
"Vinayaka" means the Ganas, hence He is is a prime factor for most good fortunes.
called Ganapathy. Man is confronted with Make full use of Me, that is all I ask of you. I
many obstacles (Vighnas) in the journey of have at no time any feeling of separateness. I
life. Prayers are offered to Vigneswara - for invite all to come and know and derive
removing obstacles and impediments. He is benefit from Me. Dive and know the depth;
the Deity to whom worship is offered first in watch and discriminate; eat and know the
any ritual. Because of the acute intelligence taste - I long for people who do that.
He displayed, Vinayaka was made Head of
the Ganas by Parameswara.
 305 signs of orthodoxy. A person may appear
strictly orthodox, but his heart may be filled
SARVAM Vishnu mayam jagath: the with the poison of hatred and envy. Has he
Universe is saturated with Divinity; there is realised that God is the God of all, that He is
nothing here which is not HE; ISAA present in every being "Sahasraseersha,
VAASYAM IDAM SARVAM. He is the base Sahasraksha, Sahasrapaad", (thousand
and the superstructure, the material and the headed, thousand eyed, thousand legged) as
manner, the inner motive and the outer He is?
movement. The body is the temple of the
Lord; the atmosphere of this temple is by its 310
very nature filled with Love for all beings.
But man, overpowered by egoism, fouls it WHEN Avatars come, they choose the time
with envy and greed and so it festers with and the place, clan and the family, and they
disease and distress. decide and bring the comrades and the
coworkers. When Rama came, Sesha,
306 Sankha, Chakra and other inseparable
adjuncts of the Lord also incarnated; they
THERE are some who always condemn also came down in order to taste the
themselves and their lives and aspire for the sweetness of the Lord's company and
Grace of God to save them. Jiva and Deva service. Rohini, under which Krishna was
are two separate entities and never can they born, is related to the attainment of Yogic
merge or unite, they declare. The obvious is success and the powers that flow from it.
very often untrue. Sin is not the real nature
of man; it is acquired and can be shed. Man 311
is pure, good, loving and wise. That is why in
the Nilayam, I have stopped people from PUNARVASU, the star under which Rama
reciting slokas which proclaim man as was born, has a mysterious influence on the
sinful, born in sin, reveling in sin, etc., Let authority which accepts all who submit to
the purity, which you are, get manifested; the "Saranagatha-Thrana" aspect of Rama's
endeavour to express it in your activities; glory.
that is what pleases me and wins my Grace.
307. I AM telling you this, because it is a
312
forecast of what you can expect in the
coming days. I have been declaring since six
or seven years that the day, when millions HOW can darkness conquer or stand up to
will gather to benefit from the Avatar, is fast light? Krishna is "Premaswarupa" and He
coming; I am advising you to garner and can be won over only by "Prema". Audacity
treasure all the Grace and all the Bliss you cannot approach Him. Actors in films,
can, while you may, so that you can sustain however, correct their accouterments
yourselves ruminating on the sweetness of (equipment) and intonation; they can never
the memories and the experience. be the Real. Not even the biggest Scientist
can understand Me by means of the
categories to which he is accustomed. I
308
always smile at those who deride Me and
even those who praise Me. I am always full
IF you live on the level of the Body and the of "Santhosh", whatever may happen.
Individual, you will be entangled in food, fun Nothing can come in the way of My smile.
and frolic, ease, envy and pride. Forget it, Derision and Calumny only tend to make it
ignore it, overcome it. You will have peace, grow better and happier.
joy and calm. In the Divine Path, there is no
chance of failure; it is the Path of Love.
313

309
THREE disciplines are essential, to become
aware of Divinity in all and in the Avatar. No
WE have to pay attention to the plans that activity should be taken up with individual
intelligence dictates, not to the external aggrandizement in view; intellectual
emotion must be directed to the revelation with Meditation and they take to a wrong
of the Resident in the Heart, Atma. Every act path. Concentration is something which we
should be done sincerely, with love, with no use involuntarily in our daily, normal
yearning for acquiring personal profit, fame routine life.
or benefit. Above all, listen to the voice of
God within. As soon as one contemplates a 317
wrong act, that voice warns, protests and
advises giving up.
TO many it may appear strange that in this
Anandalaya (Abode of Bliss) there exists an
314 Arogya Nilaya (Abode of Health) or
Hospital. They may wonder why prominence
ONAM FESTIVAL ONAM is the Festival of is given to bodily health, in a place that is
the Vamana's advent as well as Bali's dedicated to the health of the Spirit. But for
Transformation. Emperor Bali was both attaining the four aims of Human life,
humiliated and blessed by God Vamana, the Dharma (Righteousness), Artha
Emperor of the Three Worlds. Bali was (Prosperity), Kama (Fulfillment of Desires)
saturated with egoism. God came to him in and Moksha (Liberation from Bondage), the
the guise of a Brahmin boy and asked for a basic requirement is health of the body and
gift of just three-foot measures of land. The the mind.
Preceptor of Bali warned him about the
identity and bona fide of the strange 318
mendicant who was God Himself. Vamana
drew Himself up to Cosmic proportions and
IT is enough if Prema is cultivated, the
measured the entire earth with one foot and
Prema that knows no distinction between
the vast expanse of space with another foot.
oneself and another, because all are but
Bali offered his own head as the third foot-
limbs of One corpus of God Almighty.
measure and went into the Nether World.
Through Love alone can the Embodiment of
Vamana taught that Pride meets with doom.
Love be gained. Here, no scholarship is
He permitted Bali every year on Onam day
needed; in fact, scholarship will be an
to receive the homage of the people.
impediment for it caters to egoism and it
breeds doubts and the desire for disputation
315 and laurel of victory over others preening
themselves as learned.
ONAM ONAM is the Festival which instills a
Divine Message into those who observe it 319
with an eye on its inner significance. Kerala
has contributed a great deal to the
IT is a national disgrace if the sons and
preservation of Vedic Culture and Sanskrit
daughters of India (which was for centuries
learning. Keralites have a name for faith and
the Light of Asia and the Guru of the West)
dedication. Witness the age-old privilege the
grope in the dark, blinded by the
Nambudris of Kerala enjoy as priests of the
scintillations of the scientific inventions of
great Vaishnavite shrine thousands of miles
the West. But Peace does not drop from
away from their land, namely Badrinath,
outer space! It springs from the heart within.
among the Himalayas.
320
316
THE Himalayas, which form the bastion of
MANY people think that Concentration is
Bharath, are the symbols of might and
the same thing as Meditation, but there is no
majesty; they remind us of the Purity that
such connection between Concentration and
we should develop in ourselves; they teach
Meditation. Concentration is something
us that we should be as firm, as unshaken as
which is below your senses, whereas
the snow clad peaks, as unaffected by the
Meditation is something which is above your
noise and turmoil of the bazaars of mankind.
senses. But many are under the false
impression that concentration is identical
 321 325

BETWEEN Concentration and Meditation, WHAT is a School for? To make man

there is a border area which covers both and human. Man has in him certain specific
that is the area of Contemplation. To be in attributes which have to be developed and
that area of Contemplation is to free yourself fostered, so that he can rise up to his full
of worldly attachments. If you break away all stature. If these are ignored or allowed to lie
the worldly attachments - all the routine fallow, he exists at the animal level only.
attachments in the World - then you enter Discipline alone can make him grow into his
the region of Contemplation. When you have heritage. The animal can be transformed by
completely broken away all your training to behave like a man.
attachments, you break through this area of
Contemplation and you get into the area of 326
Meditation.
I LIKE simplicity, I like a dress that will not
322 discourage people from approaching you for
a kind word, a bit of service, a helping hand.
THE ultimate step of Self-realisation It must be clean and decent; not outlandish
depends upon the base of Self-confidence. and queer. It should not be worn to attract
You must therefore develop as a first step attention. Just as you desire to wear clean
Confidence in your own self. Without having comfortable clothes for the body, desire also
and developing Confidence in your own self, clean, consoling exercises for the mind, like
if all the time you are talking of some power "Japam" and "Dhyanam".
being with someone else, if in this way you
travel all the time and depend upon a power 327
which is with someone else, when are YOU
going to acquire any power and confidence
MAN is flying to the Moon and diving into
in your own self?
the Sea; but he does not know how to live on
Earth with his fellow men in Love and Peace.
323 He moves towards the Moon for fear others
may reach there before him and dives
EVEN when Divinity comes down as Avatar, through the Sea to strike terror, himself
man is unable to pierce the veil and revere terrified of others! The way to live without
the Divine. Lord Krishna says that people fear or causing fear is laid down in the Gita,
are unable to recognise the Divinity that is the very first Sloka which is about
He, because they deem Him to be merely Dharmakshetra!
human. Only those who are aware of the
current within, the Atma, can identify the 328
Source of Power before them.
IF one's passions and emotions have come
324 under control of his higher nature, then the
Lord will assume responsibility for his
ONE of the first principles of straight living progress towards Him. Otherwise, he will
is: Practice Silence. For the Voice of God can have to wait. Do not think that you have no
be heard in the region of your heart only Natha or Guardian. God is the only "Anatha"
when the tongue is stilled, the storm is - Guardianless Person. All the rest have Him
stilled and the waves are calm. There will be as the Natha or Guardian. He is ever beside
no temptation for others to shout when you Man, within him as Conscience, without him
talk to them in whispers. Set the level of the as Companion and Guide.
tone yourself; as low as possible, as high as
necessary to reach the outermost boundary 329
of the circle you are addressing. Conserve
sound since it is the treasure of the element
DO not lay the blame on Godhead, as you
Akasa, an emanation from God Himself.
are prone to do. When everything goes right
you say that God has come close to you; in His Hand; render every tear holy and
when something goes wrong you say that pure, fit to wash His Lotus Feet.
God has deserted you and gone far away! He
does not move far or near. The distance from 334
Him to you is as much as the distance from
you to Him. He is everywhere. He is always
NOW I must tell you, that during this Sai
in your heart. Recognise Him there; realise
Avatar, there is no place for a "drama" with
Him as closest and nearest to you. He is your
scenes of failures and defeats! What I will,
own self, neither terrible nor tender, but
must take place; what I plan must succeed. I
simply IS.
am Truth; and Truth has no need to hesitate,
fear or bend.
330
335
YOU cannot be fresh and feeling fine
wearing a washed vest under an unwashed
DO not attempt to know Me through the
shirt, or an unwashed vest under a washed
external eyes. When you go to a temple and
shirt. Both have to be clean to provide the
stand before the Image of God, you pray
sense of tingling joy. So too, outer and inner
with closed eyes, don't you? Why? Because
cleanliness is but the reflection of the inner
you feel the Inner Eye of Wisdom alone can
achievement. There is a strange glow on the
reveal Him to you. Therefore do not crave
face of a guideless person. Inner cleanliness
for the trivial material objects; but crave for
has its own soap and water - the soap of
Me and you will be rewarded.
strong faith and the water of constant
practice.
336
331
I SHALL tell you why I give these rings,
talismans, rosaries, etc. It is to signalize the
REASON can prevail only when arguments
bond between Me and those to whom they
are advanced without the whipping of the
are given. When "calamity befalls them, the
Sound. Silence is the speech of the Spiritual
article comes to Me in a flash and returns in
Seeker. Soft sweet Speech is the expression
a flash taking from Me the remedial Grace of
of genuine Love. Hate screeches; Fear
protection. The Grace is available to all who
squeals; Conceit trumpets, but Love sings
call on Me in any Name or Form, not merely
lullabies, it soothes, it applies balm. Practice
to those who wear these gifts. Love is the
the Vocabulary of Love; Unlearn the
bond that wins Grace.
language of hate and contempt.
337
332
I HAD to tell you so much about My Truth,
THE true aspirant will have a reverent
for I desire that you should contemplate on
attitude to the duty he is bound to. He will
this and derive joy from the reform, so that
carry out every task assigned to him as if it is
you may be inspired to observe the
an act of worship, by which the Lord will be
disciplines laid down by Me and progress
pleased and through which he can approach
towards the Goal of Self-realisation, the
the pedestal of God. Duty is God; Work is
Realisation of the Sai that shines in your
Worship--that is the motto.
hearts.

333
338

WORSHIP is not a uniform to be put on and

IF each one does his duty in the spirit of
off at stated hours of the day. Render every
dedication, the Light can illumine all, but if
thought into a flower worthy to be held in
the doors of the heart are shut against the
His Fingers; render every deed into a fruit,
Light, how can darkness disappear? You
full of the sweet juice of Love fit to be placed
cannot sit back and expect the Incarnation
to bring Peace and Joy into you. The 342
Incarnation comes to warn, to guide, to
awaken, to lay down the path and shed the TO achieve release, man kneels before a
light of Love on it. But man has to listen, million Gods, in frantic pain. If he but blasts
learn and obey with hope and faith. the ego within, the goal is reached, he is
freed indeed! It is difficult indeed to
339 understand the ego in its depth and devious
ways. It is an inert entity; that is to say, it
THE deer, the elephant, the cow, the horse - cannot know itself nor can it know others. It
these live on Sathvic food and behave in a has no fear; it will not bend before others; it
Sathvic manner. So they are adored and degrades man from the golden glory, which
even worshipped by man. Tigers, bears, is his due, to the level of lowly dust.
hyenas and other wild animals are feared by
man and are driven by him into the dark 343
recesses of the forests. The wonder is that
the wildness, the cruelty and the terror- THE best way to resolve the confusion and
inflicting attributes of these beasts are conflicts that hamper moral, ethical,
developed and exhibited by man himself! material, technological and spiritual
Man prides himself as the crown of creation, progress is for man to live as fully as man
he declares that he has in him the spark of ought to and rise to the height of the Divine,
the Divine. But he ignores it or suppresses it that is his Reality. That is the one eternal,
and revels in displaying the qualities of the universal teaching. The thoughts that the
ferocious beasts of the jungle. intellect frames, must be reflected as feeling
in the mind and translated into action by the
340 hands. Thought, word and deed must be
coordinated. They must fulfill one another.
THE ocean is a vast mystery. It is boundless The sign of a holy person of Mahatma is
and as old as time. It has in its womb chaotic "Manasayekam, Vachasyekam,
whirlpools, raging currents, and it has a face Karmanekam", "One mind, one word, one
with furious moods. No one can hope to sail act".
over it from one shore to another without a
sturdy boat of Divine Grace to cross the 344
raging Ocean of this "Samsara" (ever-
changing, ever-agitated flow of life). This SATHYA and Dharma go together; they are
ocean too is vast and full of mystery; it has the two faces of the same coin. "Sathyam-
its unplumbed depths! It tosses man about naasthi Paro Dharmah", "There is no
from birth to death and again from death to Dharma higher than Sathya. Righteousness
birth. is built on the foundation of Truth".

341 345

TO equip oneself with the Ocean-worthy WORDS can confer strength; they can drain
boat of Grace, one has to develop in himself it off; Words can gain friends; they can turn
the qualities of Faith and Discipline. One has them into enemies; words can elevate or
to clarify and purify the inner lower the individual. One must learn the
Consciousness, the "Chitta". Time is the Gift habit of making one's words sweet, soft, and
that God has blessed man with, for this pleasant. A person is judged by his words;
purpose. So man should use it as an words inflict damage in other ways too.
instrument for the clarification and the Whenever we talk disparagingly,
purification. Contemplating the Glories of defamingly, sarcastically or hatefully of
God, discovering His Presence in Beauty, others, they get recorded on the tape, which
Goodness and Truth seen anywhere, is our own mind.
meditating on His Form, repeating His
Name - by these means the process can be
made successful.
 346 mental energy; and knowledge of cosmic
energy. Cosmic energy works in every
DIAMOND and gold are only material person in the form of Divine knowledge.
things; man has made them precious. But, Matter in all forms is only Energy. Without
man is really the most valuable being on atoms, you cannot have any matter, and in
earth. He has recognised his uniqueness and the atom, energy has the form of electron,
importance for, he declares, "Janthoonaam proton, neutron, etc. Energy springs from
narajanmam durlabham". In spite of the the structure of the atomic constituents.
awareness, man desecrates himself by
bartering himself for trivial pleasures. 351

347 MAN does not live by food alone. In fact he

lives by the power of the Atma. So you must
WE have a feeling that "Ananya Bhakti" use your strength of body and mind, wealth
consists in surrendering to God, saying "I and education with intelligence, in order to
have no Saviour other than you". We think realise the Power of the Soul. Without
that simply by declaring "You are mother, discrimination, what is the use of physical
you are father, you are friend; you are my strength?
saviour, Oh God of Gods", we have
surrendered and are practicing "Ananya 352
Bhakti". Real "Ananya Bhakti" comes from
deep inquiry into the Reality of the Inner ILLNESS, both physical and mental, is a
Self. reaction of the body, caused by poisons in
the mind. An uncontaminated mind alone
348 can ensure continuous health. Vice breeds
disease. Bad thoughts and habits, bad
THE World today is in a very bad state. The company and bad food are fertile grounds
situation can improve only through where disease thrives. "Arogya" and
Asthikas, who are believers in Divinity. They "Ananda" go hand in hand. A sense of
should become Prema Swaroopas or elation and exultation keeps the body free
Embodiments of Love and by their Sadhana, from ill health. Evil habits in which men
backed by patience, forbearance and indulge are the chief causes of disease,
compassion, play their role in serving physical as well as mental. Greed affects the
Society and contributing to the betterment mind; disappointment makes man
of the World. God is present in you and is depressed. Man can justify his existence as
visualizing through thousands of eyes what man, only by the cultivation of virtues. Then
you do. Even when no one is seeing, God is he becomes a worthy candidate for
watching your actions always. Do everything Godhood.
with this awareness.
353
349
THE God ward path is Karma, based on
WHEN clouds gather in the sky, lightning Dharma. That is the path also towards joy,
appears and illuminates the cloud. Similarly, contentment and, therefore, of strength.
"Wisdom must illuminate Education". This Now, the path has become hidden by an
word of SAI is the path of Truth. Smaller overgrowth of briar and bush; the bridges
than the smallest atom, bigger than the and culverts are in disrepair. People have
biggest thing, witness of everything, the forgotten the goal, the path and the habit of
Atma is Brahman and Brahman is "Atma". walking on it. That road is the only refuge; it
must be trodden tomorrow, if not today, for
the goal lies at the end of that road. It was
350
laid down, centuries ago in the Vedas,
beyond the memory of history. "Sathyam
THERE are three types of knowledge: Vada", "Dharmam Chara": the Vedas call on
Knowledge of matter-energy; knowledge of you.
 354 death. Call it "reaching the Goal", or
"Sayujyam" or "Brahmasaakshaathkaaram",
MAN is basically, essentially and fully or "Aikyaanubandhaanam" or "becoming
immortal. He is "Amruthaswarupam" yet he one with the Infinite" - the Names may differ
is afraid he would die! He is but the Finish is the same. Every mortal
"Anandaswarupa"; yet he weeps that he is must attain Immortality; for he is
miserable. He is Santhiswarupam; yet "Amruthasya Puthra", a child of
everywhere he is overlaid with anxiety. This Immortality.
absurd self-deception is the root of the
tragedy from which the World suffers today. 359

355 IT is much easier to speak the Truth and be

done with it. What you have seen or heard or
ALL Religions exhort man to cleanse the done, speak about these just as you saw or
heart of malice, greed, hate and anger. All heard or did! And what is Dharma?
Religions hold out the gift of Grace as the Practicing what you preach, doing as you
prize for success in this cleaning process. practice in life. Earn virtuously; earn
Ideas of superiority and inferiority arise only piously; live in the fear of God; live for
in a heart corrupted by egoism. If someone reaching God. That is Dharma.
argues that he is higher or that his Religion
is holier, it proves that he has missed the 360
significance of his faith.
THE Five Elements have each a
356 characteristic that affects and attracts one of
the five senses: Sound (ether) which
SACRIFICE, service, sharing in the fascinates the mind through the air; Touch
exaltation of others, and compassion when (Air), which draws the mind to itself through
others suffer grief are virtues that purify and the skin; Form (fire), which manipulates the
prepare the individual to the arduous task of mind in its favour through the eye; Taste
reaching the Goal. Expand the limited (Water), which enslaves the mind through
awareness of the individual into the limitless the tongue; and Smell (Earth), which
realm of Divine Glory - that has been the attracts the mind through the nose. Contact
call, down the corridors of Time. with the external world is maintained by the
senses, for the sake of these experiences
which yield joy or grief.
357

361
FOR each person, there is a Code of Conduct
laid down in the Shastras, according to age
and status, the profession adopted, the stage THE symbol on the Flag at Prasanthi
of spiritual attainment reached and the goal Nilayam is a reminder of this ideal, which
of life accepted. Do not carp at the behaviour you have to put into practice. It is the
of others or at the efforts they make to get symbol of Victory, achieved by steady
consolation and courage amidst the turmoil endeavour over the diabolic foes of lust and
of life. For each there is the path that he has greed, of envy and hate and of malice and
chosen and the Name and the Form of God conceit. It is the symbol of the silent state of
he prefers. Also do not give up your Code of the Supreme Bliss, won through Self-control
duties and take up that which is and Self-realisation.
recommended for someone else.
362
358
THERE is not the slightest trace of self-
DELUSION has to die; then only does the interest in Me. Whatever I do, whatever
cycle of change end, then only is man paths I pursue, everything is intended for
liberated from the bonds of birth, life and the happiness of all, for the good of all, and
for the improvement of all. Not a single
action of Mine is undertaken for the of all the objects that surround you in
satisfaction of My own personal desires. nature; your body is an object among so
Desire is something alien to Me. All My many. The original Divine spirit, the
wishes are only to promote the welfare of the individualized spirit, which is the image and
World. "Loka Samastha Sukino Bhavanthu" the objective world of which the body is a
is the only objective of SAI (May all the part - these are the entities called Iswara -
World be happy). Jiva - Prakriti.

363 368

SAI'S main purpose is to develop the minds IT IS not enough you are at Puttaparthi. You
and attitudes of young men on right lines, so have to engage in Sadhana to win My
that they may work for the progress and Sankalpa. You may think that the burden of
welfare of Bharath. Students are the only the consequences of acts done in previous
wealth that I cherish. All My hopes are births cannot be easily brushed away; no,
concentrated on them. To reform them and they can be destroyed, as a heap of cotton is
train them to serve as exemplars of by a spark of fire. "Jnanagni dagdha
righteousness is Sai's sole resolve. karmanam", the speck of Jnana will destroy
the effect of Karma in a trice.
364
369
I DO not have any particular desire with
regard to food or any other need. My DO not jump to conclusions, abdicating your
"Ananda" is My food; and to secure that food discrimination and do not deny the validity
I promote happiness in others and derive of your own experience. Stand on your
delight from their joy. That is the strength. Be unmoved, either by adulation or
significance of My statement, "My Life is My denigration. Follow My lead. I am
Message". To feel blissful enjoying the unaffected by either; I march on alone,
happiness which others experience, is a undeterred and of My own accord. I am My
quality of the Divine. own Guide and Witness; have full faith in
this.
365
370
YOU come to know that you are a spark of
the Divine Flame. Very soon, you realise that TODAY, man dabbles in Yoga (devotional
others too are sparks from the self-same fire. practices) in the morning hours; revels in
How then can hate, anger, envy or greed Bhoga (festivity and luxury, catering to the
survive in the Sunlight of the Vision? senses) during the day; and tosses about in
roga (disease) during the night! Bhakti is not
366 to be "performed" during certain periods
every day and superseded by other
fashionable attractions. Bhakthi is a
CHANGE your Vision and the world will
constant, continuous bent of mind, a habit of
appear accordingly. Let the eye be charged
thought and a way of life. It must be loyally
with the Divine, it will see all as God. It is
adhered to, whatever may happen -
foolish to try to shape the World; shape
dishonour, distress, despair, deprivation,
yourself as the embodiment of Peace, Love
pleasure, prosperity, power and pomp.
and Reverence. Then you will see all as Love,
Compassion and Humility.
371
367
MAN seeks joy in far off places and peace in
quiet spots; but the spring of joy is in his
YOU are the image of the Supreme Atma,
heart; the haven of peace is in himself. Even
the image that is reflected in the body that is
when he walks on the Moon, man has to take
part of "Prakriti". Your body is Kith and Kin
with him, his fears, his anxieties, his
prejudices and his pet aversions. Have faith assigned to him and within the time that is
in God and in the correctness of moral allotted to him. And, man has such a
living. Then you can have peace and joy, formidable task before him; it is to fulfill it
whatever may be the fare that fortune offers that he has come as man, exchanging for this
you. human habitat all the merit he has acquired
during many past lives. The task is no less
372 than the manifestation of the Divinity latent
in man.
THE parents gave you this body and fostered
the intelligence and love that are embedded 376
in it; so gratitude is their due. If you do not
honour the parents who are the creators in RISE up to the Divine, don't bring down
human form, how can you learn to honour Godhead to your human and even animal
the Creator in Divine Form? Moreover, the levels. Do not worship God as the picture
parents reveal to you the glory of God and before you, but worship the picture before
the means of worshipping Him; they are the you as God, because God is in everything
first representatives of authority which you and can be grasped through every single
meet with, authority modified by love and symbol. There is nothing wherein He is not;
care. Learn to bend before that authority; there is no might or right, apart from Him.
and you will learn how to submit to the
Lord. 377

373 SNAKES hiss; pigs grunt; and bulls moo!

They are asserting their ego, intent on
POEMS, that deal with the fundamental keeping others away. Of the traits of ego,
problems of life and death, truth and pride is the most poisonous. But the pride of
delusion, and virtue and vice, will last for the scholar and the vanity of Pundits are so
centuries and will help man at all times. thick that it is impossible for them to get rid
Problems of exterior living change and get of these.
changed. So when poems deal with them,
they are short-lived. "Prakriti" and 378
"Paramathma", Creation and Creator are
like two halves of a pulse: and seedling
GOD is the vastest among the vast, minutest
sprouts from between them.
among the minute. Yet, God has no ego.
How then can man, who has no claim to
374 even the tiniest glory, parade himself as
great? It is really a ridiculous pose. The
YOU have it in your power to make your egoist ignores the source which can bring
days on Earth a path of flowers, instead of respect to him. He loses the chance of
thorns. Recognise the Sai Resident in every developing his skills and talents on the right
heart and all will be smoothness, softness lines.
and sweetness for you. Sai will be the
fountain of Love in your heart and in the 379
hearts of all with whom you come in contact.
Know that Sai is Omnipresent and that He is
WHAT can ten baths a day do to cleanse a
present in you and every living being. Adore
person, when his mind is fouled by evil
everyone as you adore Sai.
thoughts? What can the shaven head and the
ochre clothes do to foster spirituality, when
375 his mind is riddled by desires and wants?
You may rotate a ball of sweets round the
THE span of life allotted to man is very mouth but unless it is eaten, hunger will not
short; the World in which he lives is very be abated. So, develop sincere longings,
wide; time extends far behind and far cleanse the mind, purify the thoughts and
beyond. What little man has to accomplish put the precepts into practice.
must be done quickly, at the place that is
 380 384

SOME of you claim to be Saibhaktas, THE Lord rushes towards the Bhakta faster
Ramabhaktas, and Krishnabhaktas. But than the Bhakta rushes towards Him. If you
unless you are perfect instruments in His take one step towards Him, He takes a
hand, you do not deserve that name. For hundred steps towards you! He will be more
example, Bharata can call himself than a mother or father. He will foster you
Ramabhakta. He lived with Rama-Nama in from within you, as He has saved and
every breath; he suffered as much as Rama; fostered so many Saints who have placed
he was as much as anchorite as his brother; faith in Him.
so, he too become Shyama (dark-skinned)
like Rama. 385

381 YOU must not be like a piece of blotting

paper, absorbing all the passions and
THE body has to be exercised to keep it trim emotions, all the joys and grief that the
as a tool for serving your fellowmen. The actress Nature demonstrates during the
body has not been granted by God in order stages of life. You must be a Lotus, unfolding
to be fed and well-clothed and to be paraded its petals when the Sun rises in the sky,
around in pride. Plunge into the problems of unaffected by the slush where it is born or
Society, take up the burden of the family and even the water which sustains it!
advance the interests of your country. Shine
as examples of Loving Service. 386

382 FAITH in God is the secure foundation on

which hope has to be built. The faith has to
MAN has in him vast resources of Power. be stable and strong. The feeling that God
When he does not utilise them while will come to our rescue has to be vivid and
discharging his duties to himself and the vital, motivating and activating all that we
Society which sustains him, he is only do or speak or think. Service rendered to
becoming a target for ridicule. When you are others in this spirit will be a great source of
at the railway-station, waiting for the train, joy to you as well as to the recipient.
and then you come to know that it will arrive
five hours late, how do you react? You fling 387
abusive words at the train. When the
coaches receive such treatment from you,
WOMEN are proverbially too
then what treatment do you deserve for not
individualistic! There is a popular belief
fulfilling your duty and for disappointing the
born out of folklore, that three women
expectations that you have raised by your
cannot live in unison! There is a Telugu
being a man!
limerick, which says, "The world shivers
before one woman. The ocean will dry up, if
383 there are two! And if they are three, O, the
stars will drop down at noon"! Why are
WHEN you struggle to achieve paltry fame women so characterized? A woman is
by devious means, remember who among extremely deficient in Sahana; by Sahana, I
the crores of your countrymen are honoured mean ability to bear defeat, fortitude,
today and for what? Don't you see that only forbearance, patience and quiet, suffering
those who gave up, renounced, and sought with no thought of retaliation. That is why
the more difficult road of God realisation, woman is said to be the weaker sex.
instead of easier path of World realisation,
are honoured everywhere? 388

SILENCE, Cleanliness and Forbearance. In

Silence the voice of God can be heard, not in
the revelry of noise. Through Cleanliness, observers, weeping profusely over their fate.
you earn purity. By Forbearance, you Worship is more for effect, a play acted with
cultivate Love. You have come today to your the pit in view; there is no sincerity.
own home. This is your home not Mine. My
home is your heart. So do not try to have 393
your lunch elsewhere but in your home
where you get this day food consecrated by
MAN did not come here to sleep and eat; he
Me, the Prasad.
has come to manifest, by disciplined
processes, the Divine in him. That is why he
389 is called "Vyakthi", he who makes "Vyaktha"
(clear) the "Sakthi" that is in him, the Divine
ONE should progress from this stage to the energy that motivates him. For this purpose,
awareness of the Atma. Flowers fade and rot he has come endowed with the body and the
soon. The effect of offering flowers may not intelligence needed to control it and divert it
last long. What God loves more are the to useful channels of activity. You must
flowers blossoming on the tree of man's own achieve this by Dharma-Nishtha, and
life, fed and fostered by his own skill and Karma-Nishtha, steady pursuit of Dharma
sincerity. The are the flowers of his virtues and Karma, morality and good work.
grown in the garden of his heart.
394
390
THE World itself is a great teacher, a
IT is the duty of everyone to live in the constant guide and inspiration. That is the
awareness of Truth. He who lives on Earth reason why man is surrounded and
must become Man at first. Then, he has to sustained by the world. Every bird, every
learn the way to God, and discover the animal, every tree, mountain and star and
delight of the Spirit. This is the "Raja Yoga" each tiny worm has a lesson for man, if he
path that the Vedas teach. The Atma has but the will and the thirst to learn. These
illumines all objects; it needs no other make the World a veritable University for
source of illumination to shine; it is the seer man; it is a Gurukul where he is a pupil from
of the Universe. birth to death.

391 395

NOWADAYS man has the habit of acting THE Linga is the Form of God, emerging
and talking according to his whims. There is from the "Nirakara" to "Sakara". Other
no control exercised by conscience or moral "Akaras" (Forms) are all subsumed in the
sense or manners. For one who is so Linga Form. "Prakrithi" or the Objective
perverse, who is determined to go down to World is the base; it signifies that the Lord is
his doom, there is no need for counsel! established in that manifestation of His,
Medicine is for the ill, not for the wholly which is the concrete presentation of His
healthy, or the wholly dead. Counsel is for play, His potentiality and His power, His
those, who suffer from doubt, anxiety or Sakthi. That is why the Lord is described as
agitation. This counsel is contained in the Shiva, Shakthi, Atmaka and Swarupam, the
Shastras and the Sacred Texts. Supreme to which Shiva and Shakthi belong,
the latent and the patent.
392
396
GOD is seeking the pure heart that longs to
reach Him. The World is reduced to a IF you do not feel the call at the sight of
theatre by man, for devotion to God has human distress, disease or deviation from
become a histrionic performance. You find the right, how can you muster the
people weeping in their heart of hearts but determination and dedication necessary to
laughing their lives away. We find people serve the unseen, inscrutable, mysterious
who laugh in their heart of hearts, but to all God? When you do not love man, your heart
will not love God. Despising brother man, the three attributes of Nature. He removes
you cannot, at the same time, worship God. the three types of grief; He has no basis
If you do, God will not accept that hypocrisy. outside Him; He is the source of Bliss; He is
God is resident in every heart; so, if you the embodiment of the sweetness and
serve any one, that service reaches the God efficacy of nectar. Since every being is Shiva
within him: it brings to you the Grace of Swarupa (for without Siva, it is mere "Sava"-
God. Corpse), man has to live up to that Divine
status.
397
401
THE heart that does not melt at the sight of
persons caught in the coils of ignorance, FAITH has to be cultivated, first and
disease or deprivation, has to be labeled foremost. It has to be nurtured in Love. Love
demonic; to call it bestial is an insult to the is fostered by Shanti (equanimity). Shanti
beasts. Give up egoism, sensualism and can be gotten only when there is full reliance
greed; fill your hearts with renunciation, on God and complete surrender to the
belief in the glory of the Atma (Self) and Divine Will. If one loses wealth, he may
Love. That is the means by which you can regain it by some means or other. If he loses
make yourselves efficient Seva Dal Workers. health, some doctor might prescribe a tonic
to win it back. If one loses status and
398 authority he may, by sheer luck, gain them
back. If Virtue is lost, it is lost forever;
nothing can restore the pristine purity. So
THE pollution of character that is spreading
one has to be ever vigilant and should never
in the cities is fast invading the villages also.
slacken.
The villages should not yield to the
temptation of imitation and invite
catastrophe on themselves. They must 402
appreciate the ancient Indian ideals of
simplicity and sincerity, service and spiritual THE greatest of the virtues is Love. Love is
oriented living. You must curb greed, anger, the basis of Character. You may have all
envy and pride, and live in amity and the other desirable things in plenty; but if you
spirit of brotherhood. Then India will be have no character, that is to say Virtue,
happy and prosperous. Each one must carry which is all strung on Love, you cannot have
out the duties of his role in a worshipful genuine Peace. Money comes and... goes!
attitude. But morality? It comes and grows! Morality
has to be grown in the heart by feeding it
399 with Love; then only we can have justice,
security, law and order. If Love declines
among the people, nations will weaken and
LIFE has been bestowed not for just eating
mankind will perish.
and digesting and roaming and reclining,
but for a far greater purpose - the realisation
of Divinity in us, in all that exists around us 403
and even beyond all things that strike our
senses. To waste such a life in vain pursuits THIS created Universe has two aspects. One
and in a mere sense of pleasures is not the is impermanence (Antiyam). The second one
sign of an intelligent person. Deserve the is unhappiness (Asutham). In the Gita,
Grace of God by helping the weak and poor, Krishna has said "Anityam Asukham Lokan
the diseased and the disabled, the distressed Imam Papya Bhajaswa Maam", nothing in
and the downtrodden. this World can give happiness that is, true
and lasting happiness. Mistaking this World
400 as "All" and forgetting the Atman, which
alone is eternal and is the only refuge, is the
greatest folly of man.
SHIVA is worshipped with the three-leafed
bilva, for He is immanent in the three
Worlds, in the three phases of Time and in
 404 408

TODAY, man is pinning all his hopes on this MAN has been enslaved by money. He lives
slippery World and is madly running after a superficial, hollow and artificial life. This is
amassing and hoarding wealth. Of course, indeed a great pity. Man should seek to
material needs are to be taken care of, but possess only as much money as is most
within limits, and not at the cost of spiritual essential for his living. The quantity of riches
values. Money and mansions are not the one must own can be compared to the shoes
only wealth. Hoard the wealth of the Spirit. one wears; if too small, they cause pain; if
Character is wealth. Good conduct is wealth. too big, they are a hindrance while walking.
Spiritual wisdom is wealth. Money too has to be with us only just
enough for a life of physical and mental
405 comfort. When we have more, it breeds
pride, sloth and contempt for others.
DEVOTE your body, mind and senses to the
service of others. "Paropakarartham Idam 409
Sariram", it is said. This body is intended to
do only good and service to others. The body THE world is becoming more and more
is not gifted to you so that you hate and deeply immersed in irreverence and cruelty.
nurture jealousy against others and live Codes of decent behaviour are being ignored
selfishly, worse than an animal. You should and laughed at. The material is receiving
devote this precious gift of the body in greater attention than the moral and
selfless and loving service always. spiritual. Faith in the victory of Truth,
Justice and Goodness is fast disappearing;
406 the distinction between good and bad is
seldom recognised.
ANY one may blame you, but you should
ignore all such blame and go forward in 410
doing service without rancour. Serving is
your sole duty. The Universe is a JOY is a deceptive trap; grief is the real
manifestation of God. So also is the preceptor, teaching caution, circumspection,
individual. All these three are like Brahma, discrimination, detachment, awareness and
Vishnu and Maheswara, the Trinity. Actually vigilance. Death is not the merciless that he
there are no three; they are one; it is Unified is made out to be; he is the friend and
Godhead. Cherishing this thought of companion, the teacher, the kindly kinsman,
Oneness and serving Society is true who takes you into his fold and clothes you
Adyatmic or Spiritual life. with the halo of remembrance. The heart of
man has to be toughened, not hardened; it
407 has to be made soft, not slithery; this can be
achieved only by the blows of loss, grief and
distress. It is God's way of shaping us in the
SHANTI has detachment as the basic
Divine mould.
quality. The sea, which likes to gather and
possess, lies low; the cloud, that likes to
renounce and give, is high up in the sky. 411
Shanti endows man with an unruffled mind
and steady vision. The Prayer for Shanti is MAYA can be recognised and driven out
usually repeated thrice: "OM Shanti, Shanti, only when the mind is purified by Prema
Shanti", since peace is prayed for in the and the avoidance of envy and hatred, born
physical, mental and spiritual planes. Man of egoism. No act done without Love can be
should not bring his blood to boil nor should commended; there are many who come
he yield to fear. here, thousands in fact, year after year,
sharing in the Bhajans, listening to
discourses, lectures. But, they are staying
exactly where they were when they first
arrived. Name without "Bhava" seldom
reaches the mark. The name of the Lord 416
must be recited with awe and wonder,
humility and reverence. HAVE your Prema fixed on the Lord,
whether your pretty wishes are fulfilled or
412 not. Do not let the treasure slip on some silly
excuse or other. When Sai Baba confers
THE Sages of this land had known the mine success after success on you, you are
of Ananda that lies in every human heart foremost in singing, "Sai Sankara, Sai
and they had discovered methods of Sankara", but when the shadow of
developing that mine and working on that disappointment falls on you, immediately
gold. They said that if "Bhoomata" (Mother you turn around and declare. "This Sai is not
Earth), "Gomata" (Mother Cow), "Nijamata" God".
(the Mother) and "Vedamata" (Mother
Scripture) were revered and fostered and 417
used as best as they could be, happiness is
certain and liberation is assured. PRACTICE renunciation from now on, that
you may set out on the journey when the call
413 comes, you don't know when . . Or at that
moment, you will be in tears when you think
YOU will doubtless agree when I say that of the house you have built, the property you
Ananda is your greatest need. But you have accumulated, the fame you have
cannot order it from any shop. It has to be amassed and the titles you have won. Know
earned the hard way - doing good deeds, that all this is for the fleeting moment;
moving in good company, desisting from evil develop attachment for the Lord, who will be
and keeping the mind attached to the Glory with you wherever you go. Only the years
of God. Good and bad cannot be kept that you have lived with the Lord have to be
together in the same vessel; then the good counted as life, the rest are all out of count.
also will turn bad. Night and light cannot
coexist. 418

414 THE glory of Bharath, which has illumined

for centuries the hearts of humanity, is
YOU are getting the great chance of awaiting the march of the Sai Movement
partaking in a huge Sathsang from today. through proper presentation and practical
Thousands are coming to this place, application by you, to have an even more
prompted by a keen desire to see, hear and brilliant future in the coming years. As the
contact Divinity, and for those who have spark that causes the fire, as a driver in the
kindled desires, the chance to move about in engine drawing a long line of coaches along,
the Sea of Spirit is indeed a sign of Grace. as the designer and operator of a system of
This is the benefit, as fairs and festivals are automatic lights, this Sai is here creating and
held in holy places, the wave of exhilaration, fostering the World and all its various
enthusiasm and exultation lifts men aloft communities living and non living.
into the rarefied air of Holy Beatitude.
419
415
LEARN from childhood the recitation of the
ENDEAVOUR always to promote the joy Name and Prayer and the Practice of
and happiness of your fellow countrymen in Silence. Let children contemplate the
this continent; be sharers in this joy and beauties and the magnificence of God's
happiness. Bharath is so called, because the Handiwork and be filled with mystery and
people of that country have "Rathi" (great awe. Do not count and calculate what the
attachment) to "Bha" (Bhagavan, the God). Puttaparthi Sai Baba gives. "I do not give in
They are afraid of sin; they are eager to order to attract you to Me; I give only to fill
acquire "Jnana". you with Ananda. Showering Ananda, is My
task. I do not want you to extol Me; I shall be
satisfied if you rely on Me. The mysterious 424
indescribable Superpower has come within
reach. It will never engage Itself in any task VEDANTA is like the roar of the lion; it gives
without fruit". courage and enterprise; it makes a man
hero, it does not whine or howl or cry; it
420 drives cowardice away, instills the highest
types of self-confidence; it is the strongest
YOU need not waste time in trying to armour against the arrows of take; it acts
discover Me and My nature. Understand like a waterproof medium against the hail
what I teach not Who is the teacher, for I am storms on sensual pleasure; it is a curtain
beyond your intellect and your Shakti. You keeping out the mosquitoes of worry, which
will understand Me only through My work. would otherwise rob you of sleep. With a
That is why sometimes, in order to reveal Vedanta- saturated heart, you are a rock on
who I am, I Myself show you My "Visiting the shore, unaffected by the waves of
Card", something that you call a Miracle. temptation. Vedanta challenges your spirit
Know the "Marma", or the mystery and of adventure and your own reality.
carry out the "Karma", or the duty I assign
you. 425

421 THE spiritual laws that the sages of India

have discovered and laid down will never be
MUSIC, a vehicle of Peace, is universally overruled. They stand valid forever. Further
popular. Men, women and children of all research can only strengthen and confirm
lands are amenable to its subtle influence. their authenticity, as further facts only
Even animals and plants are susceptible to render the diamond more brilliant. Bharath
music. The Lord has said, "Madbhakthash has contributed to the World the priceless
yathra gaayanthe, thathra thishtaami gem of Truth; "Iswarah Darvabhutaanaam
Naarad": "Where My devotees sing, there I Hrddese, Arjuna, Thishtati". God is the
seat Myself". resident motivator of all beings. Until this
fact is realised by the individual he will be
tainted by traces of anger, pride and hate,
422
for he sees others as distinct and different.
PEOPLE of all ages, of all states of health
426
and wealth, of various levels of learning and
intelligence come to Prasanthi Nilayam. This
Prasanthi Nilayam is also the refuge for all ALL Religions teach one basic discipline -
who have no other place to go to. Do not the removal of the blemish of egoism from
treat any one as an alien. Remember all have the mind, of running after little joys. Every
Me as their guardian and support. Have no Religion teaches man to fill his being with
anger, malice, envy or pride against or the Glory of God, and evict the pettiness of
before anyone. Be full of humility; have faith conceit. It trains him in methods of
in human goodness. detachment and discrimination, so that he
may aim high and attain liberation. Believe
that all hearts are motivated by the one and
423
Only God; that all faiths glorify the One and
the Only God; that all names, in all
PREMA is the motive power in Karmayoga. languages, and all Forms men can conceive,
It is the very breath of Bhaktiyoga. It is denote the One and Only God.
universal and infinite in Jnana; it sees the
Lord everywhere and in everything, when
427
Vairagya has been achieved. The Bhagavata
is saturated with the sweetness of Prema.
IF you have the capacity to draw the Lord to
yourself, He will Himself come to you and be
with you. Be like the flute - a hollow reed -
straight, light, with no substance to hinder
His breath. Then He will come and pick you his heritage of "Shanti", man tries various
up from the ground. He will breathe Divine methods: accumulation of riches,
music through you, playing upon you with a maintenance of health, mastery of
delicate touch. He will stick the flute into knowledge and cultivation of the arts. But
His sash. He will press His lips on it. In His these are not fundamental. Three basic
hand, the Infinitesimal will be transmuted wants still remain after all these methods
into the Infinite, the OM will be transformed have been tried: the need for Reality; for
into the gama. Light; and for Immortality. It is only when
"Sath", "Jyothi" and "Amrutham" are won
428 that "Shanti" will be established.

THE Dharma that is the heritage of India is 432

the stuff of life for all men. It is the backbone
of morality and well-being. It is the nectar DO not cloud your mind with cheap desires,
which can confer Immortality. Others may, transitory hungers, and thirsts that need but
in their ignorance, laugh at Indians for morsels or mouthfuls. Yearn for the
taking a stone to be God. But what they do is enthronement of your soul as the
to realise even the stone as God. It is unquestioned monarch of the Universe,
transformed into God, an act which is a when you merge in the Universal. Celebrate
grand victory. The highest energies of man your triumph over the foes within that
in this land are used for conquering death, hamper your march to victory. Acquire Me
while in other countries they are misused in as your Charioteer. I shall lead you to that
the diabolic attempt to make weapons of consummation. Earn that unfailing Grace by
mass destruction. your sincerity, simplicity, and "Sadhana".

429 433

DO not attach yourself too much to this body YOU have two eyes in your Consciousness,
or to the things that bring comfort to it. You namely, "Sathya" and "Ahimsa". They are
earn three friends in this life: the first is the the guides which will take you to the goal,
riches you accumulate which refuse to come the two lights, the Sun and the Moon of the
with you when you move out of this life. The inner firmament. If you want to know the
second, Kith and kin, accompany your body way in which you have to observe "Sathya"
to the burial ground or cremation ghat. The or Truth in speech, look into the Gita. It tells
third, the merit and demerit that you have you that the best speech is "anudvegakarm
earned, accompany you to the last. Vaakyam". (Speech that does not create pain
or anger or grief to others).
430
434
YOU complain that God is invisible, but the
fault is yours not to recognise God in all His RELY on the Lord and accept whatever is
various manifestations. You are yourself "a your lot. He is in you, with you. He knows
manifestation of God". But you do not know best what to give and when. He is full of
it; you call yourself a sinner, a worm born in Prema. That is My uniqueness: Prema.
sin, wallowing in sin, essentially wicked. But Prema is the special gift I bring, the special
let someone who takes you at your word call medium through which My Grace operates.
you "Hello, Sinner", you resent it. Why? That is the basis of all My acts. God is said to
Because your real nature is purity, peace, reside in everything. Yes. He resides as
and joy. Prema. Devoid of Prema, the World becomes
a cauldron of misery.
431
435
MAN must earn his birthright, namely
"Shanti". "Ashanti" is for him an unnatural BEFORE pointing to the faults of others,
state. His real nature is "Shanti". To recover examine yourselves and assure yourselves
that you are free from faults. That alone people towards Me, attracting them by the
gives you the right; but the wonder is that manifestation of My "Shakti" (Power) and
you discover faults in others only when you "Samarthya" (Capacity). This is not a
have faults in you. Once you rid yourselves "Brahmathathwa" (phenomenon of
of faults, all are pure and good. Whatever delusion). This phenomenon will sustain
you touch becomes gold. That is the Divine Truth, it will uproot untruth, and in that
Alchemy of Love, Divine Love, Universal victory, make all of you exult in ecstasy. This
Love, and Love for Love's own sake. is the Sai Sankalpa.

436 439

TO have faith you must dive deep into the MAN is ill; but he is resorting to remedies
inner mystery of the Avatars, like Rama or that cannot cure. Diagnose yourself.
Krishna, and not lose your way in the tangle Discover the root cause; apply the proper
of the outer events and emotional conflicts, remedy; that is the way of the wise. Do not
the external adventures and activities. Do run after quacks or pseudo panaceas. Sow
not take Rama as a brother, son and the seeds of Prema, after preparing the soil
husband, entangled in the personal calamity of you heart, and removing the weeds. Let
of having his wife kidnapped and heroically them grow, watered by Faith and yield the
rescuing her. You can be moved into the blossoms of "Sahana" (fortitude); later you
adoration only by diving into the cool depths are assured of the fruit, "Shanti". This is the
of the inner mystery. This process was task; this is the duty; and this has to be the
specially discovered by the Sages of the vow.
inner mystery. It was specially discovered by
the Sages of India, and so, India rose to the 440
status of the whole World.
WHEN a Namavali extols Shiva, the next
437 one will have to be on Krishna, the next on
Rama and so on. A person whose favourite
SINCE I move about with you, eat like you, form is Rama or Shiva will feel neglected if,
and talk with you, you are deluded into the out of inadvertence, you stick to only one
belief that this is but an instance of common form. Let the atmosphere of Bhajan be free
humanity. Be warned against this mistake. I from competitive conceit and fanaticism.
am also deluding you by My singing with This is My advice.
you, talking with you and engaging Myself in
activities with you. But any moment, My 441
Divinity may be revealed to you. You have to
be ready, prepared for that moment. Since
YOU are only actors on the stage before the
Divinity is enveloped by humanness, you
footlights. The Director, who knows the
must endeavour to overcome "Maya"
Play, who assigns the roles, who gives the
(Delusion) that hides it from your eyes.
cues, who calls you in and puts you on, is
behind the curtain. You are a puppet; He
438 holds the strings. If He must be seen, you
have to be His "Sakhaa" (friend) or
YOU can hear adoration to Sathya Sai's "Bandhu" (kinsman). Merely being an
Name reverberating throughout the World, onlooker will not entitle you to approach
even while this Body is existing - not at some Him and be in His holy company. Cultivate
future date, but when It is with you and His friendship or kinship by the attitude of
before you. And again, you can witness very Love and Dedicated Service.
soon, the restoration of "Sanathana
Dharma", to its genuine and natural status; 442
the "Dharma" laid down in the Vedas for the
good of all the peoples of the World. The
TO realise the One, the Universal Absolute,
revival of Vedic Dharma is the Sai Sankalpa
which personalizes itself into God and
(the resolve that Sai has), not only drawing
creation, there is no discipline more valuable
and more effective than Seva. All the 1008 446
Names of the 1000-faced Society connote
only the One God that plays in those 1000 INTELLECT alone can direct man in the
roles. The One appears as if it is enshrined path of discrimination, between the true
in the 1000 bodies. This is the Truth you path and the false, the proper step and the
have to realise and cherish as the most improper. This is the reason why man has
precious in life. been praying since Ages through the Gayatri
hymn; "Illumine me and prompt my
443 intelligence so that I may walk aright".

MAN cannot reap the full fruits of his life 447

here below if he only gathers riches or
collects popular votes, or loads his head with MAN loses his status of humanness through
tons of tomes. He has to cultivate and acts that shame even the beasts. He does not
practice virtues too. He has to adhere to strive towards revealing and manifesting his
Dharma. The Sruthis direct that man has to latent Divinity! That is not as big a failing as
earn just enough for his upkeep by honest this sliding back into the animal from which
means and use the rest of his time and skill he rose! If he keeps on with his human
for the general good, Dharma-Artha. Earn attributes and capacities, that will serve him
Artha through Dharma. Then he will well enough. A formidable list can be made
certainly have plenty of Divine Grace. of the inadequacies and defects of man but,
the basic defect is greed; "Uncontrolled
444 desire", always clamouring for more, as a
result of the ceaseless prompting of the
ONE gets the liberating Wisdom of the senses.
Reality through Grace, Prayer, or Prema.
You cannot achieve the Goal through good 448
works alone. In good, there is an extra "O",
something that is a mere Zero; that is to say, THE human body is a temple chariot; the
the desire which prompts you, the fruit that Atma is installed therein; and it is dragged
entices you, the reputation that tantalizes by emotions, impulses, passions and urges,
you - these are all sheer zeros, a big 0. Leave along the streets of desire. Success and
it off and then we have God who is Zeroless, failure, joy and grief, gain and loss are the
with no self intruding. That is to say, we dancers who accompany this procession of
have God. Desire plus Life is Man. Life Life. Here too, many pour their attention
minus Desire is God. only on the chariot; its height, its decoration
and its progress. Many others are concerned
445 with the dance of duality and the pain-
pleasure duet, that is part of the procession.
YOU have to busy yourselves with activity in Few pay attention to the Atma, the Crown
order to use time and skill to the best and Consummation of human existence.
advantage. That is your Duty and Duty is
God. The dull and the inert will hesitate to 449
be active for fear of exhaustion or failure or
loss. The emotional, passionate individuals SAGES and Saints have known that the most
will plunge headlong and crave for quick noteworthy achievement of the senses of
results, and will be disappointed if they do man is the glorification of the God within.
not come in. The balanced persons will be "They are not eyes, they are but globules of
active because it is their duty. They will not glass, that do not earn a vision of God", says
be agitated by anything - failure or success. one. "They are not ears, they are but
The Godly will take up activity as a means of muscular protrusions that do not relish the
worshipping God; and they leave the result praise of God" says another. Surdas
to God. They know that they are but condemns the hand that does not worship
instruments in the hands of God. God and calls such hands "sticks of wood".
The World and its attractions may appeal to
your instincts and impulses but, God draws Adoration of God has to be through one
out your Love, as no worldly being can. name and one form; but, that should not
Develop the inner vision and the habit of limit your loyalty to that particular province
listening to the inner Voice; and you are only.
assured of unshakable Peace and infinite
Joy. 453

450 THE Dominion of God is without horizon. It

envelops space and goes even beyond it. So
LIVE without hating others, condemning do not allow the needs of worship or puja to
others and seeking faults in others. Vyasa, put blinkers on your eyes. Do not have other
who wrote eighteen voluminous Puranas, names or other forms of the same Supra-
summarised all the Puranas in one single Cosmic Magnificence, the Purushottama.
line of a small couplet: "Doing good to For hate breeds fear. Hate is the seedbed of
others is the only meritorious act; doing evil anxiety, scandal, and falsehood. It drains
is the most heinous sin". When you feel you your mind of peace. You may have light
cannot do good, at least desist from doing without oil, fire without smoke, breeze
evil. That itself is meritorious service! Do without a bearer fanning you, a chilliness in
not try to discover differences; discover the air of your room in the sizzling heat of
unity. Creeds, castes and country of origin summer. Unless you are at peace with
may differ; but the inner hunger is the same yourselves and with those around you, your
for all mankind. pulse will be quick and your blood will be
racing in rage and rancour. Love alone can
451 alleviate anxiety and allay fear.

CONSIDER the word "Nara", which denotes 454

"man". Of these two syllables "ra" means
decline, decay, destruction and death. "Na" PREMA, when you cultivate it, will remove
means "without". Man or Nara has no decay, the weeds of anger and malice. It will
he is immortal as God, for he is God. It is blossom into peace and calm. My teaching is
pitiable that man is misled to believe that he Prema. My message is Prema. My activity is
is the decaying, daily dying physical frame. Prema; and My way of living is Prema. There
Whereas "Nara" means Man, "Narayana" is is nothing more precious than Love within
the name for God. Nara symbolises the five human grasp.
constituents of the Cosmos; the five
Bhoothas (projections, elements), which 455
emanated from God to form the Cosmos.
The expression Narayana, which is used in
BHARATH is the birthplace of the Vedas
the Scriptures, implies that Nara is
and of the Shastras, Epics and Puranas that
Narayana.
have elaborated the principles enunciated
therein for the education of the common
452 man. It is the nursery of music and other
fine arts, inspired by the noble passion of
THE spark of Love in you has to be consecrating human skills for adoring the
cherished and fed, so that it may reach God. Divine and communicating the super
Then, every being will be God, every act will sensuous. It is the stuff and sustenance of
be Divine, every reaction you get from the the mystic and the ascetic, the intellectual
outside world will be charged with Prema and the dynamic adorer of God. It is the field
and sweetened with nectar. You love the God where the Science of Yoga was cultivated
in all beings and the God in all beings and systematized.
responds with Love. Love God, though
tribulation may be your lot. Love Him, 456
though you are refused and rebuked. For it
is only in the crucible of travail that the
WHO is Baba? Who am I? And the answer
metal is purified and cleared of blemish.
is: I am the reflected image of Baba. Baba is
the original of which I am the reflection. the 18 Puranas, so highly revered in India,
That is the relationship. That is the bond, is: Merit is when you do good to another; Sin
whether you know it or not. Whether the is when you do evil to another. When you
image is distorted or correct, you do are fixed in this path, you will welcome all
"Dhyana" morning and evening; you do Faiths and Religions as kith and kin. All
"Japam", you engage yourself in Faiths attempt to train man along the path.
"Sravanam", "Kirtanam", "Padasevanam", Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jews,
"Vandanam", "Dasyam", "Archanam", Parsis, all aspire to win the same
"Sakhyam" and "Atmanivedanam" - all for illumination, through the cleansing of the
realising that you are but an image to mind by means of good work.
become a clean, clear image of the Lord; so
clean and clear that you merge in Him. 460

457 WHEN a tree first shoots forth from the

seed, it comes up with a stem and two
ENDURANCE, with joyful resignation of the incipient leaves! But later, when it grows,
ups and downs of life, is the royal road to the trunk is one, and the branches are many!
Peace. Everyone craves "Sukha" and Each branch may be thick enough to be
"Shanti"; but there is no one to instruct called a trunk but, one should not forget that
Youth how to win them. The Ramayana and the roots send food as sap through one
the Mahabharatha are reservoirs of single trunk. God, the same God, feeds the
Knowledge for the seekers of Peace. They are spiritual hunger of all nations and all faiths,
replete with examples and precepts which through the common sustenance of truth,
are inspiring and timely. By taking the virtue, humility and sacrifice.
teachings to heart, Purity can be attained.
The pure heart directed towards God and 461
reflecting His image is indeed Heaven,
Vaikunta, or Kailasa.
BRAHMA'S lotus is not the stalk that grows
in mud and rises above the waters to catch
458 the rays of the sun and blossom but, the
many petalled lotus of the Heart, each petal
LIVING under the impression that you are being the direction in which a particular
the body and you are destroyed with the tendency attracts the individual. The Bull on
death of the body is an illusion which is which Siva is said to ride is not the animal
basically undesirable. Another illusion is called by that name but, the symbol of
that happiness consists in accumulating Dharma or Righteousness which has the
money, knowledge, comforts, or reputation. four legs; "Sathya", "Dharma", "Shanthi"
Trying to be happy through such and "Prema". Gopala did not graze cattle
accumulation is like getting into the Madras but, protected and fed "Jivis", known also as
bus and hoping to reach Bangalore. What is "Go". In the study of the Veda, you should
happiness? It is the state of mind which is, look for the meaning which satisfies the
by fortune, good or bad. By systematic head.
education, the mind can attain the state. If
activity is done as worship, then the mind 462
can attain the state. If activity is done as
worship, then the mind will be steady and
THIS Nilayam is "Prasanthi Nilayam". It is
free from anxiety.
the abode of the highest form of Shanti -
Prasanthi. In fact, you are, each one of you,
459 the Nilayam of Prasanthi. That is why, I very
often address you as "Shanti Swarupulaara".
THE word Hindu means those who keep My object is to remind you that your real
away from the path of violence, away from nature is Shanti, equanimity, peace,
inflicting injury on others, Hin (Hinsa - unruffledness and non-attachment. You
Injury; Violence); du (dura-away, distant) cannot draw out from within you that which
The Shastras declare that the essence of all
is not there. Therefore, Shanthi must be worldly men wander about in their panicky
deep down, at the very core of your being. rounds.

463 467

THIS World is full of people who suffer from YOU are as distant from the Lord as you
insanity but, who are still outside the think you are, as near Him as you feel you
asylums! Suddenly, when hatred envelops a are. Well, let me tell you this. This distance
country, even ordinary sane people go mad from Me to you is the same as the distance
and behave like savages. But sometimes in from you to Me, is it not? But, you complain
the Mental Hospital you will find one type of that I am far from you, though you are
"mad man". He sits in a corner, resting approaching nearer and nearer. How can
without a break, watching the pranks and that be? I am as near you as you are near
the wildness of the other inmates. The Me.
doctors will be thankful to him, for he needs
no care; he causes no trouble. His madness 468
may be melancholia or he may be a Jnani.
The God bound man is like that. He is the
WHEN a prisoner is taken from place to
only sane man in this mad world.
place, he is accompanied by two Constables.
When man, who is a prisoner in this jail,
464 moves from one place to another, he too, is
accompanied by "Ahamkaram" and
BECOME fit for the vision of God that you "Mamakaram": Egoism and Attachment.
seek in the temples. Go humbly, with Prema When he moves above without these two,
in your heart for all creation. Take the you can be sure he is a free man, liberated
"Hrudhayapushpa", full of fragrance of from prison.
Prema, the "Mano-phala" uncontaminated
by the pests of greed and egoism. Become 469
sweet in word, deed and thought, so that you
can dedicate yourself to the services of God's
DO all the household work as acts of
Plan.
Worship for Him. That is more fruitful than
hours of Dhyana, hours gained by entrusting
465 this precious work to paid helpers. Men too
must feel that frittering away precious time,
YOU will have seen the announcement that flitting from one vanity to another and
you should not bring Me fruits, flowers etc. seeking more and more purposeless means
Some of you I know are sad that I have of spending days and nights, is detrimental
announced so. But I tell you; Come to Me to the main aim of life. Spread joy, give
with empty hands. I shall fill your hands strength, distribute courage, console the
with gifts and Grace. If your hands are full, distressed, and help the lame to walk, and
what am I to fill them with? the blind to see. That is the real timetable of
activities of man.
466
470
ALL Worship and Puja is for "Bhakthi" only;
for the better comfort and more luxurious THE wealth that you hoard is not yours. The
consumption of the Worshipper himself. wealth that you have shared is yours. For
Devotion has been vulgarised into a business wealth that belongs to you need not be
deal. I shall give you so much, provided you hidden. The wealth that you have given away
give me so much in return. If another shrine is really yours. That is the reason why Vedas
promises more, this shrine is given up. And have declared: "Not through actions, not
if you do not get quick returns there or through progeny, not through wealth can
somewhere else, some other God, might be Immortality be won; it can be won only
more profitable. That is the way in which through renunciation".
 471 appearance will reveal your character and
attitude towards others. Always have sweet,
IF only you surrender your wish and will soft words on your tongue. Cast your eyes
and your fancies and fantasies to God, He only on holy sights. Wear clean, simple
will lead you aright, and give you peace and clothes and do not imitate those who are
joy. You must not run after diverse ends and fascinated by latest fashions in dress and
fleeting pleasures. Leave everything to God. style. How can you do Seva when you move
Accept whatever happens as His Will. so far away from the common man? I advise
you to "Follow the Master". By "Master" I
mean the Conscience within you, the Voice
472
of God.
GOD is the echo of the hills, the flutter of the
476
leaves, the whisper of men, the babble of
children, and the OM that is wafted
everywhere. God is present at all places but, SERVICE is God. Why has God endowed
to recognise Him Saints have had to man with a body, a mind and an intellect?
prescribe a thousand methods. He is in Feel with the mind, plan with the
everyone, yet He evades discovery by all but intelligence and use the body to serve those
a few, being all powerful. He is the Giver of who are in need of service. Offer that act of
all Gifts, the Providence bestowing upon us service to God; worship him with that
all the wherewithal: "Asvrithya Thishtathi" Flower. Put into daily practice the ideals that
(He remains All Encompassing). Sathya Sai has been propagating and make
them known all over the World by standing
forth living examples of their greatness.
473

477
THROUGH sheer ignorance, and perversity,
the Shastras have been ignored and set
aside, and man is misleading himself into THE Upanishads proclaim that Thyaga
the belief that his fancies are true, just, and alone can grant "Amrithatva" (Renunciation
beneficial. Man has thrown his "humanness" alone can bring about the Bliss of
into the crater of cruelty; forgetting his best Immortality). One has to ignore all bonds of
interests under the influence of hatred, envy, kinship and comradeship, give up all
conceit and power. He has cast aside the attachment and affection, and, in the heart
expanse of his culture. As a result, Peace has thus liberated, install God in all His Glory.
flown from the heart of man, from the fold of This is the only means to earn everlasting
Society, and the boundaries of Nations. and undiminished Ananda.

474 478

ONE flower cannot make a garland. All WHETHER one is a renowned scholar with
flowers must come together to make one. So expert knowledge of the deepest levels of
you must equip yourselves with strong religious lore, a monarch reveling in the
bodies, sacred ideals, and unselfish brilliance of palatial luxury, a hero of many
intentions in order to serve your country. battles, or a miserable victim of poverty - if
You can achieve any high ideal provided you one has no devotion to the Lord, one does
are cooperative, well disciplined, soaked in not deserve homage, honour, or attention.
service and sacrifice, and fully determined to
succeed. 479

475 DO not hesitate to practice humility and

obedience, discipline and compassion; Give
DO not hope to gain Grace by looking down up pride of your status, wealth, scholarship
upon mankind and looking up at Sai. or official position. "Can I, a big Officer, a
Remember that your dress, behaviour, and rich merchant, a great scholar, a man highly
respected in Society, descend to this level of
clubbing with this sorrowing man? "Do not 483
ask such silly questions. Everyone of these
qualifications of which you boast will PEOPLE think that they live on food. Then
disappear with death, or sometimes sooner. how is it that, while the wealthy who can
The Ananada that you give and the Love that afford all kinds of food, succumb to untimely
you share will be your lasting possessions. death, while the poor still live? Man does not
live by food alone. In fact he lives by the
480 power of the Soul. Without discrimination,
what is the use of physical strength?
THE great axioms of Bharathiya Culture
found in the Vedas - 484
"Iswarassarvabhuthaanaam",
"Isaavaayamidam Sarvam", TO presume that either from wealth or kith
"Vassudevassarvamidam" (God is the inner and kin you can derive mental peace, is a
Motivator of all beings; All this is enveloped great error. Such peace only comes from
in God; All this is Vasudeva and the Divine is God. In fact, there is no strength superior to
to be inside one). This is the inner mystery Love. Where Love is, there everything is. So
of the Incarnation: God incarnating in all! you must live in God; and live in Love; then
All are one; The One is All. There is only one everything shall be right. You must make
God; He is Omnipresent! There is only one others also live in Love.
Religion, the Religion of Love. There is only
one Caste, the caste of Humanity. There is
485
only one Language, the Language of the
Heart.
WE talk of Moksha. What is it? It is only
giving up the "Anatma", the Unreal. Suppose
481
you want a tumbler of fruit juice. Unless you
throw away the water already in the tumbler,
WHAT is the root of worry? Wants and the you cannot pour the juice in the tumbler.
efforts to fulfill them, and the fear of not Similarly, unless you give up materialism,
succeeding to the extent desired. Reduce "Atmabhava" (spirituality), cannot come to
wants and you reduce worry. You congregate you. "Moksha" is not a distinct and different
here on the Nilayam verandah seeking a "Sadhana". It is only giving up unnecessary
personal interview with Me, with a load of desires. Through anger, wisdom is lost.
wishes in your heart; wishes, that you want Disharmony is the cause of anger; of
me to fulfill! Why carry all the load? Carry disharmony, jealousy, and of jealousy,
only one load: the desire to win the Grace of ignorance is the cause.
God. He will confer what is best for you.
Leave the rest to Him.
486

482
MAKE your body and mind pure. This place
is like a workshop where broken-down cars
WHAT is this lifetime? Is it to struggle in the are repaired and made whole. Do not
mire or march straight on to the eternal? entertain bad thoughts and do bad deeds.
You will get millions to tell you what is Life is holy and sacred. Go through it with
pleasing to you, but it is difficult to get one joy and happiness. Do not carry gloomy,
in a million who can tell you what is good for unhappy faces. Happiness is union with
you. What is good for you is akin to Truth. God. This period of your life is sacred. If you
Truth is hard but beneficial. It is unpleasant can not derive happiness and live in Bliss at
advice to tell a man to stick to the Truth at this age, can you be blissful when you grow
all costs; Truth alone pays dividends that old? Now, you have only two legs to carry;
satisfy. you can jump about freely. But when you
marry and rear up a family, you will move
like a caterpillar with many legs!
 487 "Atmathathwam", you become Bhagawan
Himself.
SO long as man is bound to the body, his
God too has to be in a body like his own. It is 491
often said disparagingly, that God is
conceived as having eyes, nose, tongue and ONCE Narada was asked to name the most
limbs. When the person who worships has noteworthy among the things of the World.
these, the worshipped too must have them, He answered that the Earth was the biggest.
in order to make the worship meaningful. But, he was told water has occupied three
Only when one is unaware of his "form", can fourths of the Earth; it threatens to swallow
he adore the "Formless"! It is indeed up the balance too, bit by bit. So, water, he
surprising that those who laugh at God being had to agree, was more powerful. However,
pictured as having a body, do not laugh at water too was drunk up by the Sage
their being enclosed in a body! When man Agasthya and the Oceans were rendered dry
has to be corrected and liberated, God has to by him and he, in turn, is now just a star in
come as Man, as Narayana had to do to save the sky! Is the sky the biggest, then? For it
Mahabali. was covered by one single foot of the
Vamena Avatar of the Lord. And, the Lord?
488 O, He enters the hearts of the devotees and
resides there. So Narada had to conclude
THE Vedas are the foundation of the that the hearts of Bhaktas are the grandest
Bharatiya Culture. If in modern Society a things in creation.
trace of spiritual illumination is visible, we
can ascribe it to this Vedic basis and the way 492
of life I demand. All moral codes (Dharma)
have emanated from the Vedas; and all the SANKARACHARYA came for the work of
Worlds have Dharma as their sustenance: Dharma-Sthapana, but he did not wage a
"Vedamulam Idam Jagath". war against the narrow Sectarians, or the
wild Theologians who opposed him as a
489 Pseudo Buddhist. He won them over by
argument, persuasion and preaching. He
YOU will learn that I am Prema itself; that I spoke softly, but with conviction. He gave
give only one thing, Ananda, through that his opponents a fair chance to present their
Prema. My task is to distribute Solace, cases to the best of their ability and
Courage, and Shanti. That is to say, My sometimes he even helped them to clarify
Characteristics are the ancient authentic their own points of view. Through Bodha
ones. Only the Manifested Form is new. My alone, can Dharma be saved in the modern
desire, if I can put it in so many words, is Kali age. That is why I am engaged in Bodha,
this: "More and more should yearn for Me. this task of reconstruction through Upadesa.
The desire will be realised only if I assume
this Form and come among you". 493

490 A LIFE without character is as barren as a

temple without a lamp, a coin that is
EVERY day, when you sleep, where are you? counterfeit, and a kite whose string has
Who are you? Your senses are inoperative; snapped. A teacher who instructs pupils with
your intelligence is in abeyance; your mind his eye fixed on his salary, and a pupil who
creates a World of its own and, after playing learns with his eye fixed on a job are born
in it for some time, it lapses into inactivity. missing their vocation. The teacher has to
That is sleep: the nearest you reach in your help the pupil unfold and manifest the skills
journey to Samadhi. Live in the and qualities inherent in him and encourage
"Atmathathwam" that will ensure "Shanti". him to rise to the fullest height he is capable
With the poison of "Raga" and "Dwesha" of. The Divine is the Core in both the teacher
inside you, how can you be pronounced and the pupil.
healthy? If you experience the
 494 498

EVERYTHING in the Universe is vibrant ATTACHMENT, affection and interest will

with Sath, Chith and Ananda. We (Sath) are create prejudice, partiality and illusion; they
intelligent (Chith) and blissful (Ananda). hide the truth; and they dull the intelligence.
These three are attributes of Divinity, which Raga is Roga; attachment is a disease, so far
is our dormant but dominant force. Ignorant as the inquirer is concerned. It does not
of the truth, structures are built up and become a Yogi to have Raga (affection); He
paraded on other bases. Mankind suffers must be free from favourites, fancies and
from fear and hatred on account of this fondness. Once you attach yourself to some
fundamental defect in their search for person or habit or mannerism, it will be
Knowledge. difficult for you to shake them off.

495 499

PRAYERS for worldly ends do not reach UPASANA means that all your thoughts,
God. They will reach only those deities who deeds and words on those holy days must be
deal with such restricted spheres. But all about God; that you should spend the day
prayers arising from pure Love, unselfish "Near Him", "in Him" and "for Him". It
eagerness to render service from hearts that means that eating, sleeping and other bodily
are all inclusive, will reach God. For God is avocations have to take a secondary role and
the very Embodiment of Love. We know that that Meditation and Japam have to take the
we can see the Moon only through the main role. If your body wastes away as a
Moonlight. So too, God, who is Love, can be result of these fasts, God will be blamed. So,
realised only through Love. Love is God. you are only drawing down the calumny of
Live in Love. people on the God you adore.

496 500

THE desires that cling to the mind are the WHY must man live for years - a burden on
blemishes that tarnish man's inner earth, so much of rice or wheat consumed,
consciousness. Control the senses. Do not year after year with no return in joy or peace
yield to their insistent demands for to himself or others? The Petromax light will
satisfaction. When a corpse is placed on a shine bright only when you pump air
pyre and when the pyre is lit, both the vigorously, that is to say, engage yourself in
corpse and the pyre are reduced to ashes. So Sadhana and illumine your mind better and
too, when the senses are negated, the mind spread light on all who come near you.
too disappears. When the mind disappears,
delusion dies and liberation is achieved. 501

497 THOSE who deny God are denying

themselves and their glory. All have Love in
VAAK or voice has to be rigourously trained their hearts, in some form or other; either
to avoid chatter and wandering prattle. Keep towards the children of the poor or their
the tongue under control; do not express all work for the good of others. That Love is
you are prompted to say; cut that inclination God, the spark of the Godly in them. They
to the minimum. Silence will charge the have Ananda however small or temporary,
battery and you can win through a longer and that is a spark of God and the Godly.
period of "Dhyana". Be full of Prema and They have Shanti, Detachment and
then your words will spread Prema. They Sympathy. All these are the reflections of the
will be sweet and soothing like balm to those Divine on the mirror of their minds. These
who suffer. are all mental excellences, revealed through
an appreciation of the advantages of virtue.
 502 506

THE principle of Love has no trace of ego or WHOLESOME happiness arises only from
blemish. It is fully free from selfish fullness of Love, Truth, Peace, Charity and
attachment. Whatever Sai does, whatever Fortitude. These can fructify only in the
Sai thinks, whatever Sai says and whatever atmosphere of Love - Sathya Sai. Men yearn
Sai observes is all for your sake, not for Sai's for good times, high status, power and good
sake. My only desire is your Ananda. Your life. But seldom do they yearn for good
Ananda is My Ananda. I have no Ananda thoughts, wisdom and virtue. What better
apart from yours. advice can Sai give?

503 507

WHATEVER thoughts arise in Me are only GOD is the entity close to man, dearest to
for the Peace and Welfare of the World, for man. Your mother and father might be far
the progress of Youth and for transforming away, but God is right with you. Even if you
ideal boys and girls who will lead others do not Love Him, He will not depart from
along the path. You must dedicate you or move afar. "Anoraniyam" say the
yourselves for rendering enthusiastic service Vedas (Smaller than the Atom). He becomes
to the people of the World, recognising "Mahathmaheeyaam", expanding beyond
thatthe Sai Principle has no egoistic urge. the Cosmos and fitting all with Grace. In
every call, He will be in you. You can earn
504 this Awareness through intense Love.

WHEN do we need Light? Not during the 508

day, but when night prevails. Then we need
a lamp, a flame, the Moon; so too, until BLESSEDNESS can be conferred only by the
wisdom enlightens us, we need Sadhana; Divine Source; it cannot be acquired from
until we experience the one Unified Divine, worldly achievements and triumphs. It is
we have to accept and practice discipline, dependent on the Immutable Triad, of
regulations and Sadhana. Ignorance is the Sathyam, Shivam and Sundaram.It assumes
Night. Knowledge is the Light. There arenine all forms, this Santham!It assumes all
lamps that can illumine the mind and free it names, this Shivam!It is Sath-Chith-Anand,
from darkness: Sravanam (listening); this only one!It is Sathyam-Shivam-
Keerthanam (Adulation); Smaranam; Sundaram!
Padasevanam; Archanam (ceremonial
worship); Vandanam; Dasyam; Sakhyam; 509
and Atmanivedanam.
LET the children, even grown-up boys and
505 girls, touch the feet of the Father and
Mother every morning before the daily tasks
PRAYER must emerge from the effect to the are started; it will generate a reverential
causes. The individual Self has to yearn for atmosphere in the home. Five minutes in the
the Supreme Self. It must emerge from a shrine room and the Namaskaram for
pure heart. Prayer drinking cup must be Parents - let this be the daily routine. The
clean, both on the out side and the inside. Upanishads recommend this as the basic
Prayer should not arise out of the tongue, as requirement of our Culture: "Mathru Devo
music rises out of the gramophone record. Bhava; Pithru Devo Bhava; Acharya Devo
When the song does not arise from your Bhava".
depth, when you are not involved in it, how
can it draw God unto you? You must achieve 510
confidence, then the self-confidence will
lead to self-sacrifice and self-realisation.
THE home is the temple where the family,
each member of it is a moving temple, is
nurtured and nourished. The Mother is the if hate contaminates it. Love some, but do
high priest of this House of God. Humility is not hate the rest, for that hate will foul the
the incense with which the house is filled. Love and make it mortal. Love comes
Reverence is the lamp that is lit with Love as automatically to the realised soul; but the
the oil and Faith as the wick. Spend the Sadhaka has to cultivate it by means of Seva
years of your lives, dedicating them for such and inquiry into the unity of the Atman.
worship in the homes that you will find. Love must low not only from the tongue or
head, but chiefly from the heart.
511
515
PEOPLE crowd into film shows, rush
towards social clubs, spend days together in PRASADAM means Grace, which flows from
playing cards, but when they are asked to God when He is propitiated. My Grace is
sing the Glory of God and purify themselves ever with you; it is not something that is
and the atmosphere, they clamour for given or taken. It is given always and
concession! When the heads hit against each accepted by the Consciousness that is aware
other in anger, can the feet be steady and of its significance. Win the Grace of your
unaffected? They too will kick and trample own subconscious, so that it may receive the
as maliciously as they can. Grace of God which is ever available. God
does not deny anyone; it is only you, who
512 deny God. When the gift is preferred, you
have to do only one little act so that you may
earn it. You have to extend your hand to
REMEMBER three things always: continue
receive it.
Seva, wherever you are; seek chances of
helping others; never lose an opportunity of
using your skills and enthusiasm for the 516
alleviation of sorrow, pain or distress. Again,
do not omit or neglect or postpone your own THE Kshetra or Field or Body must be
particular spiritual Sadhana. Study Japam, transmuted into the Dharmakshetra, the
Dhyanam, Bhajan, Namasankirtanand other purified area of Virtue and Vairagya
such disciplines. Above all, have the faith (Renunciation of lower desires). Then the
that Swami is with you at all times and all Charioteer will take charge and man gets
places. liberated and the body becomes
Brahmakshetra. That is the life story of a
513 self-realised person.

AS the Vedas announce, there is no Dharma 517

higher than Truth. Truth gets hidden,
appears distorted and is declared to be THE Avatara-Purusha, however, has come
failing; so, the Avatar asserts its validity and solely to save mankind, and so, He is aware
value once again. God wears Truth, the good of the pilgrim, the path and the goal. He is
seek Truth and the bad are rescued by Truth. the master of creation and He is fully
Truth liberates; Truth is power; Truth is conscious of His power. He knows the past,
freedom. It is the lamp that illuminates the the present and future of all. He leads and
heart and dispels doubt and darkness. The liberates.
effulgence of God is Truth. Welcome God in
your heart. Install Him there as a result of 518
yearning. Be always concerned with
Brahman; then you are entitled to be known
AMBITION to earn fame in the world, to
as a Brahmin.
gain some position of authority over fellow
men, to lead a luxurious life - this can never
514 ensure Shanti, Mental Peace. Mental Peace
is the result of quite different attainments.
INJURY inflicted on any being is sacrilege, Wealth cannot command it, nor authority
self injury. Love is transformed into poison commandeer it! It must be won the hard way
through Meditation, Namasmaran and the 522
nine steps to the presence of the Almighty. It
must be won on the Earth, to which man THE Saints and Sages of India and even the
rightfully belongs, and not on any other Incarnations that God vouchsafed to take in
heavenly body towards which he may dare this land have proclaimed and practiced the
navigate. ideal of service to fellow beings. Krishna
drove the chariot of Arjuna during fateful
519 days when the fortunes of the Pandavas were
decided at the point of the sword. Imagine
THE basic lesson that each Religion teaches the Lord of the Universe holding the reigns
is to surrender to the sovereign will of God of Arjuna's horses. Note how Hanuman was
and leave the consequences of deeds well elated when he rose to the status of the
done to the Lord Himself. It is His will, and servant of Rama.
your only duty is to shape yourself into a fit
instrument. To suppress the assertive ego, 523
disciplines have been laid down in every
Religion, by every compiler of moral codes, THERE is no discipline equal to service to
by every educator and reformer of human smother the ego and to fill the heart with
morals. But the oldest, most effective and genuine joy. To condemn service as
the most successfully practiced system is the demeaning and inferior is to forego these
body of directives laid down in the Vedas benefits. If a wave of service sweeps over the
and Shastras of India. land, catching everyone in its enthusiasm, it
will be able to wipe off the mounds of
520 hatred, malice and greed that infest the
World. Attune your heart so that it will
TIME ticks on relentlessly and man is born, vibrate in sympathy with the woes and joys
lives and dies, rotating on the wheel of of your fellow men. Fill the World with Love.
Karma and consequently unaware of the Love will warn you against advising another
means of escaping from the oncoming to do something which you are unwilling to
destiny. Agony and anxiety have not do; your conscience will tell you that you are
softened his heart; adventure and living in a lie!
achievement have not made him humble. He
is proud of his advance in the path of hatred 524
and haughtiness. He revels in cruelty and
sin. He displays an unholy satisfaction in ASCETIC practices, years of constant
immorality and untruth. He has reduced recitation of the Name, pilgrimage to holy
himself to a level lower than that of beasts. places and shrines, study of the sacred books
- these will not help the aspirant to spiritual
521 victory as much as communion with the
Godly and the good. Bharath is a rare
THE receptacle may be different, but the treasure house of spiritual jewels; it can
Divine content is the same. The taste of sea confer all boons on the sincere.
water will be saline whether you test a
truckload, a bowl full, a pit full, a sip or a 525
drop on the tongue; the taste of the Divine
can be experienced in the atom or the NEVER give up the Gayatri. You may give up
Cosmos, the friend as well as the foe, the or ignore any other Mantra, but you should
virus and the Universe. This is the recite Gayatri at least a few times a day. It
Realisation, the Liberation, the Illumination will protect you from harm, wherever you
and the Revelation: "Sarvam Vishnumayam are - traveling, working or at home.
Jagat." This sphere of change is surcharged Westerners have investigated the vibrations
with the Omnipresent Divine. produced by this Mantra and have found
that, when it is recited with the correct
accent as laid down in the Vedas, the
atmosphere around becomes visibly
illumined. So Brahmaprakasa, the effulgence 529
of Brahma, will descend on you and illumine
your intellect and light your path when this THERE are four "F's" that you will have to
Mantra is chanted. Gayatri is Annapurna, fix before your attention: (1) Follow the
the Mother and the Force that animates all Master; (2) Face the Devil; (3) Fight to the
life. End; and (4) Finish at the Goal. "Follow the
Master" means: observe Dharma. "Face the
526 Devil" means: overcome the temptations
that beset you when you try to earn Artha
THE lotus has as many as a thousand petals. (wealth or the wherewithal to live in
They all emanate from the Central Karnika comfort). "Fight to the End" means: struggle
or pericarp. Each petal draws its strength, ceaselessly; wage war against the six
sustenance, colour, fragrance and charm enemies that are led by Tama or lust. And
from the Karnika. Detached from the finally, "Finish at the Goal" means: do not
Karnika, the petal cannot survive. That stop until the goal, Moksha (Liberation from
attachment and that affection can be secured ignorance and delusion) is reached. The
when the petal clings to the ideals of Sai and "F's" are fundamental for the pursuit of the
the lessons of Sai. In My message to you, four Purusharthas - Dharma, Artha, Kama
there is no scope for your seeing differences and Moksha.
or distinctions among those you serve. "Loka
Samastha Sukino Bhavanthu", (May every 530
being in all the Worlds be happy); That is
My wish and Blessing. I HAVE not been Manager, Secretary,
President or Chairman. I am the example,
527 the Leader, the Guide. I have none to compel
Me, nor do I profit. Still I work in order to
FROM the narrow vision of "individual guide and teach. If I remain inactive, how
need" man must voyage out into the broad can the wheels of the World revolve? I
vision of the "Universal". When a drop of attend even to the minutest detail of every
water falls into the Ocean, it loses its narrow arrangement here - the stage, the dais,
individuality, its name and form, and tarpaulins, sheds, water tanks, pumps and
assumes the form, name and taste of the everything else. I do everything even for
Ocean itself. If it seeks to live separately as a Myself. So I do not need your Seva. If you do
"drop", it will soon evaporate and be Seva to those who gather here, that gives Me
reduced to non-existence. Each one must Ananda. I need no other food beyond
become aware that he is part of the one Ananda.
Truth that encompasses everything in the
Universe. It is reprehensible to stick, for 531
one's whole lifetime, to the narrow path of
selfishness, envy and greed. Make the heart NO bird casts the seed on land to grow food
big and the mind pure. for itself, nor do beasts plough and enclose
fields claiming, "this is mine, this is for my
528 children and my children's children".
"Nishkama-Karma" is the natural face of
MEN may have super abundance of food, activity for the children of God, the progeny
clothing and housing, but their hearts may of Immortality. They sing and swim, they
be dry and their spirits gloomy. Sense dance and drive, they talk and walk and they
control, self-confidence, contentment, pray and pine, because they must; it is the
absence of hatred and greed are far more nature too. They do not know what will
precious possessions than land, money or happen as a consequence; they do not care;
houses. they do not anticipate any result. They are
just themselves when they do these things. It
is Sahaja-Lakshana, their innate nature and
their inborn characteristic.
 532 others, to console others and to encourage
others along the spiritual path.
JNANA is not an attribute of the Universal
Absolute (Param-Atma). It is Param-Atma 536
itself. The Upanishads declare, "Sathyam-
Jnanam-Anantham-Brahma" (Truth, MAN is suffering because he cannot rid
Wisdom and Eternity-is Brahman). Jnana is himself of the greed for sense objects and
the fulfillment, it is the goal, the sense pleasures or Vishaya-Vasana. He
consummation. Man is as ugly as a face knows that he has to give up whatever he
without a nose if he has no wisdom, earns and collects, sooner or later; but yet,
whatever other attainments he may decorate his attachment waxes instead of wanes as
himself with! the years go by. If every man on Earth could
take with him on death even a handful of
533 mud from the Earth, there would have been
nothing much left and mud would have been
AGRICULTURE is for living; mind culture is rationed at so many ounces per head!
for life. Skills are for shaping material things
so that they cater more to the comfort of 537
man; studies are for shaping attitudes,
feelings, desires, emotions and impulses of YOU have read that the Lord, melted and
man, so that they may confer more peace, moved when one performs acute Thapas,
more joy and more fortitude on man. comes and asks softly and sweetly: "My dear
child, what is it you need"? He wants you to
534 express in words what you have yearned for
and ask the Lord whom you have brought
ONE day, Anjaneya appeared in a garden on before you through the exercise of silence.
the outskirts of Dwarka. Krishna, who heard That is the little game He plays. And
about the pranks of the strange Monkey, sometimes He wills that the questioner
directed Garuda to proceed and scare the answers in the way His plan demands.
animal out of the city limits. Garuda failed,
even though he later took the entire army 538
with him for the fray. His pride was
humbled. Krishna sent a message through TO cross safely the flood of "Birth-Death-
him to the Monkey, who had declared Continuum", the bridge called Nishta or
himself as Anjaneya, that he should deign to discipline of an unflinching kind is essential.
come to Krishna's court. But Anjaneya, It must be sturdy, a safe bridge or else you
recognised only Rama and would obey only will fall into the raging waters and be drawn
Rama. So Krishna had to send another into the sea, infested with the sharks: Lust
message that Rama was calling him to His and Anger. See how great heroes like
audience hall! Devotion compels the Lord to Prahalada did not lose their hold on the
yield to the whims of His servants. Anjaneya Lord, in spite of heavy odds. Prahalada
hurried to see Rama and Krishna gave him never gave up the repetition of the Name of
the dharsan of Rama Himself. the Lord, though he was tortured, twisted
and burnt. One must have that
535 determination and faith.

EGOISM will be destroyed, if you constantly 539

tell yourself, "It is He, not I"; "He is the
force, I am but the instrument". Keep His SORROWS and disasters are like the clouds
name always on the tongue, and that flit across the sky; they cannot injure
contemplate His glory whenever you see or the blue depths of space. Your duty is just to
hear anything beautiful or grand. See in strive on from this very moment. Do not
everyone the Lord Himself moving in that vacillate or postpone. Who knows when
form. Do not talk evil of others; see only death knocks? Maybe, he will knock this
good in them. Welcome every chance to help very night, this very moment; therefore, do
not delay. Do you postpone for tomorrow Bhagavatha describes the Glory and the
the dinner of this day! Feed the spirit as Grace of the Lord and His splendour as the
scrupulously as you now feed the body. Indweller in All. So, that too is as efficacious
as the Vedas to elevate man and to release
540 him from the bondage to the mean and the
sordid.
YOU will find that you have craved only for
paltry things and for momentary 544
distinctions for fleeting fame; you should cry
only for God, for your own cleansing and PEOPLE talk loud and long from all kinds of
consummation. You should weep, wailing platforms about Dharma, Prema, Shanti,
for the six cobras that have sheltered Daya, Sathya, etc. This is published in the
themselves in your mind, poisoning it with Newspaper the next day and there their
their venom: Lust, Anger, Greed, purpose ends. The paper of today is the
Attachment, Pride and Malice. Quiet them wastepaper of tomorrow! It is used for
as the snake charmer does with his swaying packing or thrown into the dust heap and
flute. The music that can take them is the burnt as refuse. That is the story of all
singing aloud the Name of God. And when platform professions. Put into practice a
they are too intoxicated to move and harm, fraction of what you preach.
catch them by the neck and pull out their
fangs as the charmer does. Thereafter they 545
can be your play things; you can handle
them as you please.
TURN the key in the lock to the right, it
opens; turn the same key to the left; it is
541 locked. Turn your mind towards the
objective World, it is locked, caught,
IF you seek to fulfill low desires, why come entangled. Turn it to the right, away from
here? Come here only if you seek to earn the objects of the senses; the lock is
Grace. Go to a hospital only when you are loosened, you are free and deliverance is at
resolved to take the drug the physician hand. How to turn right? Well, begin with
prescribes and go through the regimen he Namasmarana, as the first step. That will
lays down. So, obey the directions that I itself take you through the second and the
give, whatever others may say or however third....to the very goal.
difficult they may appear to be. You have not
come to Prasanthi Nilayam to please those 546
others. You have to please Me.
IF Liberation means the stoppage of grief
542 and the acquisition of joy, then it is easy.
What you have to do is to place all your
PRASANTHI NILAYAM is the centre for burdens on God; that makes you free of grief
Spirituality uplifting the whole World; and carefree. Then, when you take
devotees from all over the World are here. everything as the Leela of the Lord you love,
The slightest mistake or wrong committed you clap your hands in Ananda whatever
by you will be the talk of the World. Your may happen, for it is His Leela and you are
behaviour must be exemplary; every country as happy as He is, when His plans are going
must learn from you. The foundation must through!
not give way. You must be strong and steady,
sincere and straight. 547

543 YOU heard of the methods by which the

Shastras have asked man to pay his debt to
RAMA is the personification of Dharma. So the Gods, the Sages and the Ancestors. You
Rama partakes of the Excellence of the heard how Sanathana Dharma has laid down
Vedas. The Mahabharatha is generally a "thornless Path" for the progress of man,
known as the Fifth Veda. And the from Humanity to Divinity! Thornless or
thornful, each has to tread the path, alone give up the attachment to the senses; then
and in full confidence. grief and worry can harass you no more.

548 552

THE mind must become the servant of the WHEN you know that thieves have broken
intellect, not the slave of the senses. It must into your neighbour's house, you become
discriminate and detach itself from the body. extra cautious and, every night before you
Like the ripe tamarind fruit, which becomes retire, you examine every lock and bolt in
loose inside the shell, it must be unattached the house. When you know that death has
to this shell, this casement called body. carried away a victim from the house next
door, why do you not examine yourselves,
549 whether you are equipped to meet it when it
comes for you? Why do you immerse
yourselves in distractions like building
LIBERATION is just the awareness of Truth,
houses, piling bank balances, celebrating
the falling off of the scales of delusion from
picnics and contesting elections. Engage
the eye. It is not a suburb of select souls, it is
yourselves rather in things that will make
not a closed monopoly of expert Sadhakas.
you immortal and serve your best interests
Like the Godavari losing its form, its name
by service to the World! Seek your own
and its taste in the sea, Liberation dissolves
Reality; that is what a wise man should do.
the name and form, aptitudes and attitudes.
You are no more a separate, particular
individual. 553

550 DHARMA purifies the mind and leads you to

God. It creates a taste for the Name and
Form of God. When you love the name and
YOU are happy that you have come on a
form of Krishna, you will naturally respect
pilgrimage here, but let Me tell you one
and obey the command of Krishna, His
thing: unless you control the stream of
Agna, which is found in the Bhagavat Gita.
desire that springs in the mind, this is just a
Have the Name on the tongue and the Form
wasted opportunity. If your wish is fulfilled,
in the eye, and the demon called Aasa,
you revere Me; if it is not, you revile Me.
unending desire, will fly from your mind,
That is how Desire debases you. When one
leaving joy and content therein. This kind of
wish is fulfilled, ten rise in its place. For
constant dwelling on the indwelling God will
there is no dearth of want; the same person
promote Love for all beings. You will then
has come to Me seeking success at the
see good in others and you will strive to do
examination, then a job, then a father-in-
good to others.
law, then a child, then a rise in the salary, a
transfer to a cheaper place and a seat in the
Medical College for his son - a never ending 554
series of wants, until at last he comes
seeking My Grace for an end to worldly REMOVE the vices of lust and hatred, and
pursuits and for initiation into the path of put out the raging flames of anger and greed,
spiritual liberation. then the innate Santham and Soukhyam and
the Swarupam and Sevabhavam of Man will
551 manifest themselves unhindered. Santham
is the Swarupam, and Soukhyam is the
Swabhavam of man.
NO one can liberate you, for no one has
bound you. You hold on to the nettle of
worldly pleasures and you weep for pain. 555
The kite is pursued by the crows so long as it
carries the fish in its beak. It twists and THE very fact that man is equipped with
turns in the sky trying to last and then it memory, mind, intelligence, discrimination,
drops the fish. That moment it is free. So the ability to anticipate the future and the
desire to detach himself from the senses is
an indication that he is destined for some honour of "Amirthesya Puthraah". You are
higher goal. In spite of this, if man craves for "Bala-Swarupa", or the Nature of strength.
a lesser consumption, he is a Papi (Sinner). Whenever accosted, you must declare
But he, who persists in spite of temptations yourself so and not otherwise. Do not bend
and obstacles on the path that leads to self- and cringe and barter your self-respect. Do
fulfillment and self-realisation, is a Gopi, for not believe that you are a little lump of body.
the Gopis of Brindavan were the most You are the indestructible immortal Atma of
inspiring examples of such souls. the same nature as Brahman itself.

556 560

FROM birth to death, man is the slave of DO not admit into your mind the demon of
urges and hesitations. One must examine Asanthi. Direct all your cleverness and all
these and rely more on those that lead him your intelligence to the successful execution
towards subjective joy rather than objective of the great Drama, in which all of you are
pleasure. Subjective joy can be acquired by taking part at present. It is His Drama. He is
harmony at home, mutual cooperation the Director, you play a role, an actor
among the members of the family and carrying out His Will, speaking the words
community, acts of service to others and that He put in your mouth and making
concern for the welfare and prosperity of the movements as directed by Him.
Society in which one is living.
561
557
THE experience of this one life must be
THE body can be clean if washed with water. enough to show you that there is no joy
Speech can be clean if it is saturated in unmixed with grief, that both grief and joy
Truth. Life can be purified if it is sanctified are short lived and they both depend on the
by Tapas; and the intellect can be cleared of mind and its control. You do not require the
blemish through Jnana. Above all, the experience of a series of lives to grasp this
conviction that you are not the body but only patent fact. This World is keeping you in
a resident of the body has to grow in you. If bondage; it is a prison from which you must
you identify yourselves with the body that get released; and you should not plan to
you carry about with you, you are inviting return to it again and again.
sorrow and suffering to overwhelm you
instead of the joy and peace which are 562
awaiting to bless you.
THE eye which is scarce two inches long can
558 see millions of miles into space but is
incapable of seeing itself! Man too is as
WHEN the Gita directs you to give up all shrewd and as weak as the eye. He can
Dharmas (Set codes of morality), it does not analyse others "motives, count others "faults
ask you to also give up all Karma (activity); and map out others "skills and capacities
that is to say, you have to do Karma, and but, he is powerless to analyse himself, his
when you do it for God, through God and by feelings and his emotions. Unwilling to
God, the Dharma of it does not matter; it has discover his own faults, he cannot assess his
to be acceptable and it is bound to benefit innate skill and realise his inner reality! But
you. The statement is not an invitation to the power can be acquired if you keep
licentiousness or complete inactivity. It is all company with Sadhakas (aspirants for
for dedication and surrender to the highest spiritual progress), not otherwise.
in Man, viz. God.
563
559
DO not imagine yourselves as Hindus for the
WEAKNESS, vacillation and despair bring reason that you are born in Hindustan. You
dishonour on Him who conferred on you the are too entangled in the rules of Caste, the
Ceremonial of rituals, and the coils of has no faith that he is Ananda and that
Astrology to grasp your own inner Reality. Ananda is his own nature. He is blown away
You do not realise the spark of Divinity in by calamity, for he has no strength to
you and try to raise it into a flaming fire of withstand the blow. Faith in the God within
Divine Splendour, reducing your pretty "I" is the toughest shield against the thrusts of
into ashes. Sanathana Dharma tells you Fate.
about that spark and teaches you how to
foster it and develop it. When you ignore 567
this Dharma and allow Science to entice you,
you are bringing disrespect to your culture
NESTS laboriously built by birds are torn
and disowning your country.
away by storms; the fragrant petals of
flowers are felled by rain. Defeat and victory
564 are the obverse and reverse of the same coin;
when you welcome one, you have to willy-
TO spend some time in the Divine presence nilly welcome the other, too. Forbearance,
is a fortune which is a reward for past merit. compassion and incorruptible virtue are the
You are here, going through Sentences from three pillars of a happy life. Only such a life
Courts for delinquencies. Let me tell you can be called civilized; the rest is barbarian
that all men are undergoing Sentences for existence.
long or short periods with simple or hard
labour, to atone for misdemeanors and 568
crimes done by them in their past lives.
Every fall makes a dent; every fault has to be
PRAYER for some benefit or gain should not
corrected; and every sin has to be cleansed.
be addressed to God, for it means that God
Everyone is a prisoner.
waits until He is asked! Surrender to Him;
He will deal with you as He feels best and it
565 will be the best for you. God does not dole
out Grace in proportion to the praise He
INSIST that you are the body, the mind, the receives!
senses and the intelligence. It encourages
you to care for the strengthening of the body 569
and its beautification; to cater to the fancies
that attract the mind; to pursue the fleeting
WHEN you pray for a thing from God, you
pleasures of the tongue and eye; it tells you
run the risk of condemning Him, if for some
that reason is the only instrument for
reasons the Prayer is not answered the way
measuring Truth and decries intuition and
you want it to be or as quickly as you want it.
experience. "Mine" teaches you to grab,
This contingency arises because you feel that
acquire and possess, merely for the joy of
God is an outsider, staying in some Heaven
possession and the joy of depriving others of
or holy spot, far away from you. God is in
things of value. But the mind can also be
you, God is in every word of yours, every
used for Liberation from these two shackles,
deed and every thought. Speak, do and think
I and Mine. Let it be fixed on God; they will
as befits Him. Do the duty that He has
both disappear.
allotted to you to the best of your ability and
to the satisfaction of your conscience. That is
566 the most rewarding Puja.

MAN thinks that he knows everything, but 570

when asked about himself, he hangs down
his head in shame. Man knows the news of
WHEN you stand before another, his image
every land but he is ignorant of the nuisance
is in your eye and your image is in his; have
that he is to himself and others. He is
you not observed this? You are in Him, I am
moving in darkness but yearning for
in you: that is the Truth this phenomenon
Ananda. He does not know the means of
proclaims. When you believe in this, and
securing Ananda: Prayer, Seva, Study of
when you cultivate Love, Humility,
Spiritual Texts, Meditation and Silence. He
Reverence for Life and Tolerance, you are on
the Right Path. When you are not on this 575
Path, that is to say, when you are traveling
left, you are certainly left out when it is a LIFE is a mosaic of pleasure and pain - grief
question of sharing Divine Grace. is an interval between two moments of joy.
Peace is the interlude between two wars. You
571 have no rose without a thorn; the diligent
picker will avoid the pricks and gather the
WHEN you do not accept the insult someone flower. There is no bee without the sting;
casts on you, it goes back to the person who cleverness consists in gathering the honey
indulged in it first; a registered letter that is nevertheless. Troubles and travails will
not accepted returns to the sender. Do not haunt you but you must not allow them to
damage your mental peace by receiving the deflect you from the path of duty and
letter and reading the contents. Refuse to dedication.
receive it. You have a chance of correcting
the wrongdoers too; accept it and pin the 576
gang of mischief makers. So be warned!
IF you feel you must have something to be
572 happy, pray to God: "God, you have the
responsibility to keep me healthy, happy,
I KNOW many parents who dote on their good and intelligent; give me this thing
children and admire them when they learn which I believe is necessary for my
the bad habits of gambling or drinking! They happiness; but, if you think I am wrong, give
do not curb them when they swagger about me whatever you think best". God will never
in the bazaars, teasing and bullying those desert His obligation. He will feed you and
who pass by. They do not instill into the foster you.
young minds the attitude of reverence
towards property belonging to others. As a 577
consequence, their children land themselves
in trouble and, then, the parents repent and HAVE patience; do not, in your hurry, enjoy
curse themselves for their unpardonable cheap joys, fall into error and unrighteous
foolishness. deeds. Have faith that God will add unto you
all the joys that you desire and deserve.
573 People ask men for favours; they extend
their hands towards others and plead "Dehi"
IF the parent is a drunkard, a gambler and a (Give). But, "Dehi" means also, "He who
cheat, no amount of textbook ethics can cure dwells in the 'Deha' or Body; which is God".
the sons. I like children and the young So, do not humiliate that "Dehi" by calling
innocence. I will not allow them to be out "Dehi" before others. Say "Dehi" to the
blamed. The fault lies wholly on the Dehi; He will respond generously and
shoulders of the elders, the parents, and the graciously.
leaders who shape the norms which they
imbibe. 578

574 WOMEN preserve the culture of this country

with greater tenacity and faith. They keep
CLEANSE your emotions, passions, men on the moral path and inspire them to
impulses, attitudes, and reactions. That is follow spiritual discipline. Their hearts are
the essence of spiritual discipline as laid tender and full of compassion for the hungry
down in all Faiths. Examine your mind, your and the distressed. That is why in this land,
thoughts; do not seek the fault ridden women are adored and revered.
person. Seek only purity; speak ill of none.
Do not humiliate anyone; respect him for
the good in him. Their grief at your
behaviour will haunt you during your last
moments.
 579 along the path of Dharma which makes the
inherent Divinity of Man shine forth;
ELDERS quote the Shastras that say that the Illumination is the purpose of life; of the
home, where the floor is soaked by the tears recurring sequence of birth and death. Man
of a woman, can never see prosperity. Sri has in him the spark of Divinity which is
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa took great care Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent and
to see that Saradamani Devi did not take his immanent in the entire Universe. In order to
simple jokes and ridicules too much to heart, become ever aware of this innate Reality,
for then she might shed tears. We honour man must learn the technique laid down by
the land where we are born as our "Mother the Scriptures revealed by the same Divinity.
Country", the language we learn on our
mother's lap as "mother tongue", and the 583
Scripture that teaches us Morality as
"Mother Veda". In this way, every Indian has THE very first lesson of the Primer of the
four mothers, including the mother who spiritual text is "Control of Speech". Speech
gave birth to him. According to Indian is the armament of man; other animals have
Culture, all these have to be adored as fleetness of foot, sharpness of claw, fang,
Divine. horn, tusk, beak and talon. But man has
sweetness of Speech which can disarm all
580 opposition and defeat all the designs of
hatred. Sweetness makes you "Pasupathi" -
THOSE who deny God, the Supreme Will or Divine; harshness makes you "Pasu" -
the First Cause, can give no real satisfactory bestial. Mere outward politeness or
justification for their stand; nor can those sweetness is hypocrisy! Sincere speech must
who assert that there is God. Both have to flow from real sweetness of heart, a heart
rely on their own experience. After all, how full of love. Remove all evil from the
can sweetness be denied by one who refuses Manasarovar, the pellucid lake of your
to taste sugar? How can one be convinced Mind, and, make it a fit abode of Godhead.
that sugar is sweet until one tastes it? We
have to feel the great marvel of energy, 584
manipulating both, the minutest atom and
cell and the vastest, most distant star. How START from today a new Chapter in your
else can we understand the Omnipresence life, the Chapter of Japam and Dhyanam,
and Omnipotence, except by accepting God Japa- Sahitha Dhyanam or Dhyana Sahitha-
as the Architect of the Cosmos? Japam. In the Tretha Yuga, the Name was
Sitharama; in the Dwapara, it was Radha-
581 shyama; and in the Kali yuga, it is
Sarvanam, that is to say, all Names of the
FOLLOW the call of the Divine arising from Lord; you can select any one that appeals to
the hearts of all living beings. Serve them in you.
an attitude of worship, not expecting
something in return. Do not even accept 585
gratitude, having dedicated all your acts to
the indwelling God. This will purify you, so EVERY man desires to acquire Ananda.
that you shall be able to listen to the From where can Ananda be acquired? Faith
"Soham" that your breath repeats every alone can win Ananda. Peace can be gotten
moment. "Soham" transmutes itself into OM only through Faith; Faith is the spring of
when the distinction between He and I has Joy. But now we see Sorrow, wherever we
dissolved itself in the process of "Samadhi". cast our eyes. Why does this happen?
Because man has lost Faith. He has no Faith
582 in himself. How then can he acquire
Ananda? How can a person, who has not
MAN is born for the attainment of Joy, not enough Faith to live happily for a few days,
for sheer eating and reveling. Real and win the Grace of God?
lasting Joy can be won only by a life led
 586 590

NAMASMARANA is the process by which GO straight along the path of Karma and
this dedicatory attitude can be cultivated Dharma towards Brahma; this is your
and confirmed. When confronted by destiny. Karma has to be done; there is no
calamity, you must attach yourself to this turning away. Each has his allotted task,
Sadhana even more firmly, instead of losing according to the status taste, tendency and
faith in it and getting slack. The drug should earned merit. Do it with the fear of God and
not be given up when it is most needed. The of sin deep in your heart. Welcome pain and
pity is that, when the first disappointment grief, so that you take both success and
faces you, you lose courage and confidence failure as hammer-strokes to shape you into
and give up Rama or Krishna or Sai Baba. a sturdy Sadhaka. Inner contentment is
more important than outer prosperity.
587
591
MANY of you have problems of health or
mental worry of some sort or other. They are THE Sun is about 90 million miles distant
mere baits by which you have been brought from our Earth. The most distant planet so
here, so that you may contact the Grace and far known is Pluto, which is nearly 3670
strengthen your faith in the Divine. million miles away from the Sun. It takes
Problems and worry are really to be 248 long years to make one journey around
welcomed as they teach you the lessons of the sun. Well! Has God planned all these
humility and reverence. heavenly bodies out of sheer caprice? Or
does He intend to convey any lesson through
588 these happenings? God will never produce
an effect without cause or purpose. Nor will
He manifest substance without value. Why?
BHARATHVARSHA knew that the secret of
The rotation of the Earth on its own axis, for
Peace lay in Service and Love towards all
example, causes the seasons, the formation
beings. The Culture of this land proclaimed
of clouds and the falling of rain. God has
that the best form of Service is to foster the
graciously willed to establish peace and
practitioners of the good life; the Sages and
prosperity on Earth.
the Sadhakas. Do not decry the servants of
God; do not obstruct the charity of the
generous; do not discourage the study of the 592
Scriptures, even if you cannot positively
promote any of these; that is the lesson FRIENDSHIP must serve as lids for the eye,
taught in this land. as sandals for the feet. The friend must be
"another Me". He must experience, in equal
589 depth, the joy and the grief of the other.
Friends must be like milk and water. Let Me
elaborate this example. When milk, when
AT present, everyone is after Sukha. The
mixed with some water is placed on a
hunt for comfortable jobs and positions of
burning stove, the water goes, off as steam.
influence, the founding of banks and
The milk laments the separation and boils
business houses, the growth of bungalows -
over. Then, the only way to keep it calm, is
all this is evidence of the eagerness to live in
to sprinkle a spoon or two of water; its
happiness. But there is no eagerness to live
friend is back and it is happy. Milk cannot
in Shanti. Sukha is confused with Shanti.
tolerate separation from its friend.
Sukha is taken to be the same as Shanti.
None of the rich, well placed, prosperous or
powerful have Shanti. You can investigate 593
and find out for yourselves the truth of this.
Shanti is not found in the Pass-Book or OUR friends today attach themselves not to
many roomed bungalows or godowns or iron you but to your purse or to some advantage
safes. Your whole attitude is topsy-turvy. they can gain through your father's
kindness. When your purse is empty or
when your father is no longer in power, they hoard, to fight and to defame. It is not
bid you good-bye. Friends who drag one merely the acquisition of certain skills by
away into evil habits and vicious deeds are which the materials found in nature can be
prowling around in search of victims. reshaped into utility products; it is not
merely the acquisition of information about
594 the laws of Nature. It is the process by which
man makes the best of his own inner
equipment, his Anthakarana, to know
UDYOGAM Purusha Lakshanam, it is said.
himself. It should open his inner eye more
Ud-yoga means, as is commonly understood,
than his outer; the outer must reveal the
employment in some job, something that is
Glory of God; and the inner must reveal the
worth doing. No, it means Ud (Higher) Yoga
God within.
(spiritual discipline): a Sadhana which has
assumed the status of a job. All jobs that you
take up are Ud-yogas, higher disciplines, 598
which mark out (Lakshanam) the Purusha
(the man). When Artha is sought through CHILDREN should grow in the awareness of
Dharma, the Purushartha deserves the the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood
name, "Paramapurushartha", for it is of God. If no provision is made for this
Parama oriented towards the Para or the atmosphere and this teaching, we are
higher eternal values. denying them their due. Faith in man
involves Faith in God; Faith in God creates
595 Faith in man. Without faith, man is a
creature bereft of roots; and he dries and
withers quickly.
IN one of his speeches, Nehru had to
acknowledge that there is a Destiny that
shapes events, irrespective of individual 599
effort. Well, everyone will come to that
conclusion sooner or later; for there is a THE friends that the child collects at school
limit to the capacity of man to control and around the house have a beneficial or
events. You may call it Destiny. Another may deleterious effect on its growth. Comics,
call it Providence; and a third, God. Names horror stories, terrorism, gunmen pictures
do not matter. It is the humility that and cinema posters degrade man into a zero.
matters; the wonder and the sense of awe The child learns to worship money and the
that matters. things which money can buy; he admires
cruelty and cunning, rather than Sympathy
596 and Love. So, the Home, the School and the
Society have to rise and take up this
challenge posed to the future of this great
THE eye sees because it is illumined by a
land.
microscopic spark of the rays of the Sun.
"Chakshos Suryo ajayatha". From the eye,
Surya was born. The Atma is the motive 600
force of all the Senses; the eye is but a
window through which the Atma peeps out MAN is born with a great thirst and a deep
at the external world. Of what use is the eye hunger for bliss. He knows that he can get it,
when the vision is not correct? Samam but he does not know from where. He has
means Brahmam; Samadrishti means seeing faint memories of his being the heir to the
only Brahmam, the one in all things, at all Kingdom of Ananda. But he does not know
times. This Ekathwam is the basic Truth. All how to establish his claim to his heritage.
other experiences are partial, distorted, and Something in him revolts when he is
false. condemned to die, to suffer and to hate. It
whispers to him that he is the child of
597 Immortality, of Bliss and of Love. But man
ignores these promptings and, as one
exchanges diamonds for dirt, he runs in
EDUCATION must include the education of
the mind of man, of his impulses to hate, to
search of meaner pleasures and sordid home, how can it grow into a happy, healthy
comforts. balanced individual? The films that children
are taken to see are full of violence and
601 falsehood, mean tricks and conspiracies,
which tarnish the springs of sympathy and
love.
I DO not care either for praise or for blame. I
only pity these people who, in order to
scrape together a few paise from the poor, 605
resort to such filthy tricks. For all who are
pained by these subhuman antics, I declare THERE are parents who are proud when
"Even if all the fourteen Worlds unite their children join in card games and even in
together, the work for which I have come drinking and gambling; there are parents
will not suffer a bit; even if Earth and who get angry when their children read
Heaven combine, My truth can never be religious books, attend temple rites and sit
fully grasped". quietly for a few minutes meditating on the
awe and wonder that Creation evokes in
602 them. How can such parents claim to be the
well-wishers of their progeny? They are the
greatest foes of their progress.
PRAYER and Meditation Prayer makes you
a supplicant at the Feet of God; Dhyana
induces God to come down to you and 606
inspires you to raise yourselves to Him. It
tends to make you come together, not place ALL the twenty-four hours are spent in
one in a lower level and the other on a attending to the care of the body, the
higher. Dhyana is the royal road to prevention of disease, the promotion of
Liberation from bondage, and with Prayer health, the development of muscle, etc. No
you earn the same fruit. Meditation needs care is spent on the God resident in this
concentration after controlling the claims of physical tabernacle, who has to be
the senses. You have to picture before your recognised and revered. The weighing
inner eye the Form on which you have machine on which you stand to read your
elected to contemplate. weight with pride laughs at you for the silly
exaltation. It sneers at your conceit over
603 physical victories; it warns you against too
much concern over paltry gains. It knows
that death is lying in wait to snatch you
WHEN you see in a house on the walls of the
away, however heavy you may grow.
shrine room a picture of Mine, do you not
Develop "Drishti" (vision); not "Deha"
feel a wave of reverence and kinship surging
(body). Concentrate on the Maker, not the
within you? You may not like him for any
made.
other reason, but this picture will bring him
closer to you, though the owner of the house
may be your rival in the professional field. 607
So, too, know that every other person has in
his heart of hearts a picture of the God you TO elevate man to the level of his
revere. Recognise it and reconcile your consciousness, He (God) has to incarnate as
misunderstandings; close up all gaps with man. He has to speak to them in their own
the brothers in pilgrimage, encouraging and styles and languages. He has to teach them
inspiring each other along the arduous road. the methods that they can adopt and
practice. Birds and beasts need no Divine
604 Incarnation to guide them, for they have no
inclination to stray away from their Dharma.
Man alone forgets or ignores the goal of Life.
WHEN the parents have no reverence for
God, when the pictures of Stalin, Hitler,
Churchill and Lenin adorn the walls of the
home, when the child has to breathe the
atmosphere of scandal, faction and greed at
 608 612

I HAVE no desire to have My Birthday I WISH to emphasise that purity of the

celebrated. Such trivial thoughts can never heart, the mind and the consciousness is
enter Me. My only desire is to share My more important for progress than even
"Ananda". My Birthday is when you get Meditation and Prayer. Purity alone can
"Ananda". My Mission is "Loka Samastha convince you of the Divine within you of the
Sukhino Bhavanthu". May all the Worlds be Kshetrajna immanent in the Kshetra. Love
happy and prosperous! Become aware of the all, adore all and serve all. That is the
unity of mankind. Promote, by Love and Sadhana of worship, to win purity and earn
Service, the Joy and Contentment of Grace.
everyone on Earth and fill your hearts with
that yearning. 613

609 THE consequence of the meritorious

activities of previous births can be drawn
ACTS done between dawn and dusk are upon now; but unless you have them, no
offerings into the sacred Fire of Wisdom. Of cheque will be honoured. Moreover, only
such acts, those that are promoted by those who have the account can operate.
instinct and impulse are material; they do Each must have a separate account in his
not arise from a mind moulded by the own name: One brother cannot draw on the
intellect. When the mind is crossed and the account of another brother; and the wife
outer shore reached, all acts become pure cannot draw on the account of the husband.
and holy. When deep sleep overpowers the
senses, the mind, the intellect, and even the 614
sense of ego disappears. The entire Cosmos
disappears from awareness. That is the
SOMETIMES, the Bank will give you
Truth when the Atman is alone by itself and
overdrafts, so that you tide over temporary
bondage is naught.
crisis; the extent of the overdraft is settled
by the Manager with reference to your
610 reliability and capabilities. It is like the
"Anugraha", Grace that God will confer on
GOD, Over-self or Paramatma is praised by you when you have earned it by
man when his desires are fulfilled. When "Sathkarrna", "Sathchinthana", "Sathsanga"
they are not realised, He is blamed. But He and "Namasmarana" (good deeds, good
has no prejudice or partiality. If He has thoughts, good feelings and, good company),
Love, He must also have anger. Any and constant repetition and reflection on the
manifestation of these feelings is only Name of God and the Glory it seeks to
superficial and does not rise from the core. express.
God is the witness of the act-consequence
chain. You can avoid the consequence by 615
dedicating the act of God and abstaining
from attachment.
WHEN you have attained true wisdom, you
will find that good fortune should not be
611 gloated over, nor bad fortune grieved over.
The Hero treats both with equal unconcern.
ONE'S action decides one's destiny. There is They are breezes and storms that cannot
no use blaming others for our misfortune affect the depths of the Ocean of Bliss in the
and misery. Nor is it right to blame God as heart of Man.
being partial or cruelly unconcerned. When
you plant a bitter seed, how can the fruit be 616
sweet? It has become the fashion to claim all
good as one's own achievement and to
PEOPLE in America, Europe, and Africa,
ascribe all the despair and disappointment
Hong Kong and Australia are establishing
to an irresponsible attitude of Divinity.
Sathya Sai Bhaktha Mandalis and Study 620
Circles; they are having Telugu classes, so
that they may listen to Me and learn things THE chief Characteristics of Sathya Sai are:
directly from Me. As for Me, I have no "near" equanimity and forbearance (sahana). There
and "far"- all are near to me except those are many who are engaged in criticism and
who keep afar. Even they are close to Me, if calumny. Many papers publish all types of
only they dedicate themselves to God, under writings. Many pamphlets are printed. All
whatever Name and Form. kinds of things happen in the World. My
reply to all these is a smile. Such criticisms
617 and distortions are the inevitable
accompaniments of everything good and
CYNICAL laughter cannot harm the great. Only the fruit-laden tree is hit by
Sadhaka. Can a storm shake the Himalayan stones thrown by greedy people. No one
range? Let not your faith in the goal or the casts a stone on the tree that bears no fruit.
road quake before trouble or trial, toil or
travail, distress or despair. They are but 621
passing clouds, casting temporary shadows
hiding for a little time the glory of the Sun or SANKARACHARYA was going along the
Moon. Do not get distracted by doubt of streets of Varanasi, when he saw in a small
despondency. Build the mansion of your life hermitage a monk poring over a book of
on four firm pillars: Dharma, Artha, Kama grammar. He took pity on the aging scholar
and Moksha, the Purusharthas laid down by and warned him that, when the end draws
the ancient sages, each pillar bound strong near, his panditry will not save him from
and safe with every other. perdition or take him to the goal of merging
with God. So he asked him to adore God and
618 fill himself with thoughts of the Divine. This
is the proper way to deal with life, not
THE Ramayana, the Mahabharatha, and the frittering it away as a feast of fancy.
Bhagavatha are to be mastered, not allowed
to become masters. You go through them 622
without allowing them to go through you!
The Volumes are bound in silk; and incense THE tree will grow with branches on all
sticks are burnt before them, while man sides; countless flowers will bloom; it will
prostrates before them in reverence. But no provide and promote peace and security to
attention is paid to what the pages proclaim. the World. In order to realise this result,
The frills and fringes attract the mind more students must do as roots do: remain firm
than the kernel provided by the text. and provide sustenance. I know that the
roots have to be watered so that flowers and
619 fruits may emerge. Students are my all. If
you ask Me, what is My property, many
ACT according to your professions. Do not expect the answer to be, "Oh! All these
play false to yourself and to your ideals. To buildings; all these vast areas of land". But
deny by your acts the truth of what you My answer is "My entire property consists of
preach is a sign of cowardice and moral My students". I have offered Myself to them.
suicide. You say that Baba knows and sees But many are not aware of this fact. Some
everywhere, but you do something wrong in unfortunate people cannot believe the
the belief that Baba is somewhere else. You Reality of this Love: the Love of a thousand
pray to Kali in the idol form, believing it to mothers.
be alive and you hide something behind the
idol, imagining that no one would know 623
about it.
THE situation in India and in the World
today is "Evaniki Vaare, Yamuna Theere"
(Each for each on the Yamuna beach). There
is no togetherness. How happy can man be if
he develops togetherness! Can you eat a pleasures. The life principle that flows as
meal with a single finger? When the five intelligence through every cell and nerve is
fingers work in unison, the stomach is filled also a reflection of the Atma.
in five minutes! So, no attachment should be
developed; no wish is to be welcomed, 627
nothing is to be sought for; and no defeat is
to be taken to heart, without solving deep
WORK is for the physical level, worship for
into the consequences.
the mental and wisdom for the spiritual. You
have to pass through the three stages, each
624 one of you. When I say to you, there are
three of you! The one you think you are,
IT was ascribed to one's past deeds and one's namely the body, the physical person; the
own mental tendencies. It is wrong to cast one the others think you are, the mental you,
the blame on others. But, someone pointed your passions, emotions, impulses,
out that God was the originator of both joy attitudes, and beliefs; and the one you really
and grief and that without His will no blade are, namely, the Atma, the Spirit, the real
of grass can waver in the wind. Yes; if that Reality of your Personality.
Truth be firmly established in the heart, one
gets the unique bliss of liberation. God gives 628
everything; whatever we get is His Grace,
and you have no right to judge if it is good or
ONE can understand the spirit of
bad. Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam
renunciation and the depth of tolerance that
Bhaja Govindam Moodha Mathe
is inherent in India's noble response.
Sammpraapthe Sannihitthe Kaale Nahi Nahi
Whoever is afflicted with calamity, at
Rakshathi Dukrn.
whatever time, under whatever condition,
your heart must react without delay in
625 sympathy shown in the same practical
manner. No one should be condemned as
PRAISE God, Praise God, Praise God, you trash; even a little stick can serve as a
fool, when death does knock at door, rules of toothpick! God has not made any man
grammar cannot save you. Sankara exhorted wholly bad or wholly good; your likes and
his pupils to disseminate the ideal of this dislikes are inducing you to label them as
verse, and they, too, responded with verses such.
on the same lines, each of the fourteen
contributing one verse. Sankara gave 629
another twelve of his own, as well as four
more verses about the transformation that
UNLESS one develops virtue, uses skill,
the teaching would confer. Thus, there are 31
intelligence and discrimination in the most
verses in all, in the text called Bhaja
beneficial manner and directs his physical
Govindam or Moha Mudgaram. The latter
might with restraint, his life is wasted in
name means, "The weapon with which
bitterness and grief. The Vedas declare:
delusion can be destroyed". Each one is a
"Nakarmanaa, naprajayaa-dhanena,
step in the ladder which lifts man into God.
thyagenike amrthathwa masmuth"; (Not by
acts, nor by riches nor by progeny, but, only
626 by renunciation can immortality be gained).
"Renunciation, detachment, sacrifice, giving
ELECTRICITY is found everywhere in up - these alone can ensure the highest
Nature but it can be collected, stored and Realisation and Eternal Bliss. Renunciation
utilised only through certain contrivances is the law of life. That is why life is
designed by man. The spiritual Atma Sakthi worthwhile and a source of happiness.
that is also everywhere is stored in a body
and passed through the thin wires or nerves; 630
it illumines and directs activity. These
activities have to be oriented towards
OF what avail is the shaving of the scalp
Ananda and not attachment to temporary
while leaving inside of it a multitude of
desires clamouring for satisfaction? This will to the infinite will of God, so that it
kind of Sanyasa is a fraud on the person becomes merged in His Glory. Scholarship
entering it and on Society. No Avatar, you or skill, however deep and varied, have no
will note, has granted Sanyasa to any cleansing power. They only add the alloys of
aspirant. These external insignia are not pride and competition. Learned men are not
essential or even necessary. Non- necessarily good, nor are men with spiritual
attachment, born out of wisdom and powers over nature above pride, envy and
fostered by the Grace of the Lord, is the greed. Sathya, Dharma, Shanti and Prema
precious capital for spiritual advance. are the hallmarks of a purified heart, where
God is enshrined and is manifest.
631
635
THE Sanyasi has to declare his death and
perform obsequies for himself and bury his INSTEAD of transforming his heart, his
past. He destroys all that binds him to the home, his village, his state, and this World
rest and to his past, his history and his into a Prashanthi Nilayam, the abode of the
name. He avoids any reminder of his peace that passes understanding; man has
erstwhile adventure and the pursuit of made the World an arena for the wild
sensory joy. He flees from his friends and passions of anger, hate and greed. Instead of
foes, his habits, and habiliments, his hobbies making the senses (which are, after all, very
and prejudices. But we find men who have poor guides and informants) his servants, he
taken the vow of Sanyas still clinging to their has made them his masters; he has become a
long established practices and habits. slave of external beauty, evanescent melody,
Instead they must completely break with the exterior softness, tickling taste and fragile
past. That is why in the Gita, Karma Sanyasa fragrance. He spends all his energies and the
and not any other types of Sanyas is fruits of all his toil in the satisfaction of the
prescribed. trivial demands of these untamed
underlings.
632
636
GURU Nanak said that without faith in God,
man is blind; Without it, you are a moving INDIVIDUAL efforts and Divine Grace are
corpse - your life might be as grand, both interdependent, without effort there
beautiful, and rich as the Taj Mahal but will be no conferment of grace. Without
remember, the Taj is but a tomb! Whatever Grace, there can be no taste in the effort. To
the method of worship and whichever the win that Grace, you need only have faith and
Name or Form, it is faith that matters; it is virtue. You need not praise Him in order to
that which gives life and energy for higher win His Favour.
things.
637
633
THE character of the children must be made
I LIKE the Puja that is done not for the sake strong and pure. Give them all the
of the individual but for the sake of confidence and courage they need to become
humanity. By all means, do Puja in order to good, honest, and self-reliant children. It is
promote the happiness and peace of living not enough if they learn something by which
beings. Develop that love for men they can make a living. The manner of living
everywhere. That is My Mission too, My is more important than the standard of
Resolution, My Sankalpa, and My Deeksha - living. The children must also have
the planting of Love in every human heart. reverence towards their religion, their
culture, their educational attainments and
634 their country. They must learn well their
mother tongue, so that they can appreciate
the great poetical works and epics written by
IT becomes essential to cleanse the mind
through regular Sadhana, to tune the little
the Seers of their land. This will give them hands to serve the embodiments of God
valuable guidance in the stormy days ahead. moving around you as men and the tongue
to soothe pain, praise virtue, and glorify
638 God. Do not use your eye to vulgarise your
brain and your feet to stand in queue for
deleterious movie-shows.
LEARN to share with others their grief and
their joy, do not get jealous when others are
happier or when others win prizes or credits 642
in examinations. Emulate their industry,
pray for a higher share of intelligence or a THOUGH the World has become a very
sharper memory, but do not give room in small globe as a result of fast means of
your hearts to envy and malice. Envy is a communication and transport, man has not
deadly poison, it will contaminate character, yet learnt the art of living together in close
ruin health, and rob you of peace. Be proximity as brothers and as children of the
Anasuyas, unaffected by envy, and you can One God. The closer men are brought, the
subdue the Gods of creation, Protection and larger the differences that appear. Thus, the
Destruction. Like a pest that destroys little World is now riddled with problems of
growing crops, envy enters slyly and spreads conflicting cultures, competing creeds and
quickly. So even in small matters, be vigilant contesting ambitions. The sorrows of one
to ensure that you do not fall a prey to envy. State spread fast into all its neighbouring
ones and infect the whole world. The World
639 has become one vast battlefield.

THE six enemies of man are eating into his 643

vitals, embedded in his own inner
consciousness. They are the demons to be MOST of you are leading a double or triple
killed. They are Lust (Kama), Anger life: Yogam in the morning; Bhogam the rest
(Krodha), Greed (Lobha), Attachment of the day; and Rogam at night. You seek
(Moha), Pride (Mada) and Malice Ananda outside you and suffer from the
(Matsarya). They reduce man to the level of ulcer of desire inside you. You utter one
a demon. They have to be overpowered and thing with the tongue and carry out the
transmuted by the supreme alchemy of the opposite with the hand. You claim to be the
Divine urge. Then the nine nights of struggle seekers of Jnana but you are attached to the
will become a new type of night, devoted to delusion that you have cultivated. You have
the purification of the mind and the a ticket for Calcutta but you are traveling in
illumination of the soul, the night described the train headed for Bombay. With the body,
in the Gita as "the Day of the Worldly". What which is your ticket and Vigna and Vairagya
is clear and attractive to the ordinary man is your luggage, you are traveling not in the
uninteresting and unknown to the Worldly train which goes God ward but in the train
man. This is the nature of the topsy-turvy leading to Prakruthi. This is a pity.
world.
644
640
THE Atma has an eternal festival. It is
THE selfishness fouling your love is veiling Anandaswarupa. It is beyond time and so
divinity from your vision. What is the reason does not calculate the passage of time. Let
for the selfishness which is veiling divinity me ask, how can man celebrate a festival
from us? It is simply our attachment to the when he is afflicted by Dehabhranthi,
body; It is the weakness of our mind and our Manabhranthi, Indriyabhranthi, and
enslavement to our senses. Lokabhranthi? He believes the falsehoods
that are called the body, the senses, the
641 mind and the world. He pursues them and
tastes joy and grief, and when a certain
number of years have passed, he celebrates a
USE the eyes to watch wholesome things,
festival.
the feet to proceed to the Home of God, the
 645 which Silence and Prayer and Communion
with the Master can give, not even a decent
INDIA is the Moolasharam of Sathya, Santhi bank account, nor a string of degrees, nor
and Prema and she has been holding forth the muscles of a prize fighter.
these ideals and emphasising their practice
since centuries. Bharath means the land that 649
has "rathi" or attachment to "bha" or
Bhagavan; it means that the people here are LIVE upon the Ananda that you derive when
God-loving, not so much God-fearing. If you you sing the Name and glorify the Form of
love God, you have to love Man also. This the Lord That is My Food and My daily
teaching, that Sathya is the basis of Dharma sustenance. So, I have no need to talk to you;
which lays down individual and social duties it is sufficient if I sit here and draw in the
and obligations, and that Sathya is also the Ananda that you feel when you do Bhajan.
root of Prema and Shanti, is the unique
feature of Bharath. Sathya is enough, no
650
other God needs to be worshipped.
THERE are certain dire possibilities which I
646
want all social workers to guard against.
First cleanse your own minds and then start
THE task now is to install Dharma in every advising others. Earn mental peace and
heart, to shed light on every road, through strength for yourself and then try to secure
the revival of Vedanta. The World is like a them for others. Learn the secret of lasting
famished person waiting for a feast; it is like happiness yourself and then endeavour to
the parched land waiting for rain. I have make others happy. Seek the real limb not
seen and felt the atmosphere of this land the artificial limb. Get the doctor who will
surcharged with discontent and dishonesty. assure "hereafter you will not fall ill" and not
I have seen it from Kanyakumari to the the doctor who gives some relief only for the
Himalayas: that is the reason why present attack.
thousands, like you seek Dharsan, Sparsan
and Sambhasan. I am only surprised that
651
thousands are denying themselves that
chance.
THE greatest instrument by which success
can be ensured for all your efforts is Bhakti.
647
That will give health, wealth and prosperity
too, for it will eliminate hatred and faction
IT is best you stay away from companions and give more power to your elbow when
who drag you to such distractions that you plough the land. A man with Bhakti will
weaken and worry you; spend a few minutes do every act as worship of the Lord and so
every morning and evening in the silence of the act will be done better and more
your own home, spend them with the efficiently, without any maligning or
highest of all powers that you know of; be in insincerity. It will also win the Grace of the
His Elevating and Inspiring Company; Lord, and so, a Bhakta will be able to raise
worship Him mentally; offer unto Him all more crops and enjoy greater health and
the work you do; and you will come out of mental happiness.
the silence, nobler and more heroic than
when you went in.
652

648
WE light many candles with the flame of a
single candle. But remember only a burning
JUST consider - do you come out of the candle can light other candles. An unlit
cinema more peaceful, more heroic, purer candle cannot light other unlit candles. Only
and nobler than when you went in? No, your one who has earned wisdom can enlighten
passions are aroused, your animal impulses others who are in ignorance. One who is
are catered to and your lower nature is fed. himself unillumined cannot illumine others
Nothing else can give one that rich reward dwelling in the darkness, Maya. One must
light his own lamp from the universal light deserve all the attention you now pay to
of love and thence forward he can transmit fulfill its whims. It is equipped with very
illumination to all who seek and strive. All valuable instruments which can help you in
lamps shine alike since they are all sparks of the journey but which you seldom use.
the Param-Jyothi the Universal Luminosity,
that is God. 656

653 MANY are affected by the problem of what

caused the Cosmos. How did it come into
IS the Universe real? Is it relatively unreal? being? They advance various theories and
This problem has been agitating man since lay down many opposing hypotheses. But
ages in all lands. The realists and the there is no need for seekers to beat about the
idealists have argued on their explanations bush so much. Just as a dream results when
for centuries. The scientists or realists one is cut off from reality in a state of sleep,
believe that the Universe is a the Cosmos is a result of being cut off from
conglomeration of atoms in varying patterns Reality by Maya, in a state of ignorance. It is
which have assumed manifold forms and difficult to discover laws that explain or
names. But this is only partially true. The govern its infinite mysteries.
Vijnana Vedins (the spiritually oriented)
point out to the Dhoatik Vedins (the 657
materially oriented) that a firm base is
essential for all these transformations to
WE find individuals and groups trudging to
happen. The Universe must have a basic
Badrinath, Kedarnath, and Haridwar in
force or energy or phenomenon, as basic as
search of peace and prosperity. They also go
clay is to the pot. That fundamental
to Tirupathi and Kashi. Have they jettisoned
principle is, according to them, the Atman.
even a few of their animal propensities?
That is the test; that is the justification for
654 the money and time they have spent and the
troubles they have undergone. When the
THE human body is a temple-chariot; the animal is conquered and Godhead is felt
Atman is installed therein and is dragged by within reach, man can assert that all these
emotions, impulses, passions and urges, pilgrimages are within him. He has no need
along the streets of desire. Success and to travel from temple to temple. And without
failure, joy and grief, gain and loss are the achieving this victory, you have no right to
dancers who accompany the procession of claim that you are a devotee of Rama or
life. Here, too, many pour their attention Krishna or of another incarnation of the
only on the chariot, its height, its decoration Lord.
and its progress. Many others are concerned
with the dance of durabilities. The pain and 658
pleasure due to that is part of the
procession. Few pay attention to the Atman,
GOOD deeds like Puja, Japam, Dhyanam,
the crown and consummation of human
the observance of vow, etc., are "steps".
existence.
Good thoughts like prayer for greater
discrimination and more chances to help
655 others, also help. Slowly and steadily cleanse
the mind; sharpen the intellect, purify the
WHY is man so pathetically afflicted today senses, and win grace.
with fear and anxiety? Are we to search for
the reasons outside us or do they live within 659
us? The reason lies in the false emphasis we
have laid on things of the material world,
IT is because you feel the urge to use the
ignoring things of the spirit. The body that
body with which you have been endowed,
man bears is essentially the receptacle of
and for this higher purpose you are here in
God. It is a temple where God is installed
Prasanthi Nilayam. The kinship among you
and where God is the Master. It does not
and all of you with Me, is ageless; it is
eternal; it is not based on a worldly the kernel. That is the main mistake. All
relationship; it is based on the aspirations of Sadhana must be directed to the removal of
the heart. It is Prasanthi Nilayam that is the the husk and the revelation of the kernel. So
abode of Supreme Bliss. long as you say "I am", there is bound to be
fear, but once you say and feel "I am
660 Brahmam", "Aham Brahmasmi," you get
unconquerable strength.
THE Lord is described in the Purusha
Suktha as "thousand-headed". It does not 664
mean that He has just a thousand heads, no
more, no less. It means that "the thousands I WANT that you all should build new
of heads" before Me now have just one heart, houses for happy living and install the Lord
which gives life and energy to all, and that therein. I do not mean houses of brick and
heart is the Lord. No one is separate from mortar, but houses of good thoughts, good
his neighbour, all are bound by the one life- words, good deeds and good company,
blood that flows through the countless where you could live calm and collected.
bodies. This is the special teaching of Invite Me for the Grahapravesam of such
Sanathana Dharma, which the World needs. houses and I shall most readily agree. In
fact, then the house is Mine already and I do
661 not need even an invitation to come and
enter it. These houses are for worldly
comfort; that house is for spiritual joy. And
THE Lord has endowed man with the body,
My place of Residence is the pure aspiring
and so, every limb and every sense is worthy
heart.
of reverent attention. Each must be used for
His Glory. The ear must exult when it gets a
chance to hear the wonderful tales of God. 665
The tongue must exult when it can praise
Him. Or else, the tongue of man is as YOU are going about with a temple where
ineffective as that of frogs which croak day God is in the innermost shrine. The body is
and night sitting on the marshy bank. not a mass of flesh and bone. It is a medicine
for Manthras-Manthras which save when
662 they are meditated upon. It is a sacred
instrument, earned after long ages of
struggle, equipped with reason and emotion,
THE human body has been given to you for
capable of being used for deliverance from
a grand purpose: realising the Lord within.
grief and evil. Honour it as such; keep it in
If you have a fully equipped car in good
good condition, so that it might serve that
running condition, would you keep it in the
high purpose; maintain it even more
garage? The car is primarily for going on a
carefully than these brick houses and always
journey, to get into it and go. Then only is it
preserve the conviction that it is an
worthwhile to own. So too with the body,
instrument and nothing more. Use it for just
proceed and go forward to the goal. Learn
the purpose for which it has been designed
how to use the faculties of the body, the
and given.
senses, the intellect, and the mind for
achieving the goal and march on.
666
663
IT is urgent that every one should inquire
into the true, the pure and the permanent;
MAN must proceed ever towards "Balam"
for there is at present a delusion about
strength; he should not take to untruth,
values. Even the leaders of people are
wickedness, and crookedness, all of which
hugging the false hypothesis that happiness
denote a fundamental fatal trait of
can be had by means of wealth or health,
cowardice, "Balaheenam". "Balaheenam" is
housing or clothing, or the cultivation of
born of accepting as true a lower image of
skills in handicraft and manufacture. The
yourself than what the facts warrant. You
bird sits upon the bough that sways in the
believe you are the husk. But really you are
storm, confident of its wings, not confident your skill and resources. Do not fritter away
of the bough on which it sits. So, you too your talents in profitless channels.
should feel strong because of the wings, the
wings of Sraddha and Bhakti, not because of 670
the bough of the objective World on which
you have perched.
THE entire epic Ramayana hinges on two
women and two passions. Manthara
667 representing Krodha (anger, resentment and
vengeance) and Surpanaka representing
YOU know from the experience of the Kama (lustful passion). Manthara plotted to
Cauvery floods, neither status nor castes nor send Rama into exile and Surpanaka caused
wealth nor even health can help unless you the abduction of Sita and the destruction of
know the simple art of swimming. Need I the Rakshasas as a consequence. The two
say that crossing the ocean of Samsar, women are insignificant characters in the
reaching the other shore of the sea of Birth- story; but the roles they play are key-roles,
Death, is similarly possible only for those for they sparked off, by means of the
who know the art of Spiritual Sadhana. passions they represented, strong chapters
Those who are trying to build the seaman of pain and grief. Krodha and Kama are
community on a foundation of "Dhana", are more destructive than atom bombs; but
building on sand; those who seek to build it when Rama is installed in the heart, they
on the rock of "Dharma", are the wise. just fizzle out.

668 671

DHARMA Moolam Idam Jagath. Dharma is WELCOME the epic Ramayana as you
the root of this World. Obey it and you are welcome an efficacious drug; it can cure
happy. The evil man is a coward, haunted by deep rooted illness of the mind, the
fear. He has no peace within himself. disabilities of the inner senses, and the
Respect for the parents who started you in defects of the inner consciousness. It can
life and brought you into this World, clarify your vision and make you strong and
together with the vast and varied treasure of steady on the path towards God.
experience, is the first lesson that Dharma
teaches. Gratitude is the spring which feeds 672
that respect. It is a quality that is fast
disappearing in the World today. Respect for
SANTHAAKAARAM Bhujaga Sayanam is
the teacher, for the elders and for the wise is
one of the ways in which the Divine is
on the decline. That is why Dharma is fast
described. Bujaga is the cobra, the
disappearing and losing its hold.
poisonous snake. Its visha (poison) is the
symbol of the evil influences of vishaya
669 (Worldly desires). The Lord is said to repose
on the bhujaga, the evil filled multiplicity of
JUST as the body is the house you live in, the World. Yet, the description says: He is
the World is the body of God. An ant biting Saanthakaaram (in absolute peace, unruffled
the little toe of your foot is able to draw your in the least). The Lord is unaffected, though
attention to the spot; and you react to the He is immanent in the Universe. Man too
pain, making an effort to remove the tiny must be in the World, but not of it.
enemy. You must similarly feed the pain,
misery or joy or elation whenever it is 673
evinced in the entire land; you must make
an effort to protect the land from the enemy,
YOU must be careful about the food you
however remote the place may be where the
take; the Jiva and Guhya are the two great
enemy has presented himself. Be kin with all
foes of man. The cravings of hunger and sex
your kind. Expand your sympathies, serve
drag you into perdition. Desist from catering
others who stand in need, to the extent of
to the tongue and its greed; do not be a
victim of lust or taste. Have Sathvic food and
eat it in Sathvic company. Be moderate in the intangible, invisible, inner World of the
food and keep the senses strictly under self? The Vedantic vision alone can reveal to
control. you: "Anoraniyam mahatho maheemyam",
"the smaller than the smallest and bigger
674 than the biggest".

WHAT exactly is the aim and purpose of all 677

the Shastras, the Bhagavatham, the Puranas,
these discourses and the Harikathas? It is to DHARMA is the road for individual and
tell man the truth about himself. There is no social progress in this World and through
plot to mislead you. That is not the desires of this World to the next. It is external, basic
the Sages who wrote down these annals and and fundamental. The principles may not be
their own experiences. You know only the altered or adjusted to suit personal whims or
present and what is happening before your pressing problems that appear formidable to
eyes. You do not know that the present is the eyes of some individuals or group of
related to the past and is preparing the persons. It is like the mother who has to be
course of the future. It is like the headlines accepted, not like the wife whom you can
and titles of a film on the screen; as the choose or discard.
letters gleam one after the other, you read
them and pass on to the next that comes to 678
view. Each new letter or word wipes out the
one already before your eye, just as each
IF you can inquire deeply and reason
birth wipes out the memory of the one
fearlessly, you can appreciate the Indian
already experienced.
point of view that, instead of seeking a lower
standard of Ananda by feeding the senses,
675 one can get lasting Ananda by training the
mind to be ever in the eyes of the Cosmic,
PEOPLE who were charged with the social the Universal, the Lord as it is called, when
duty of reminding the masses of their you impose a Name and a Form upon it, and
heritage, have been rendered dispirited and enclose it in your consciousness. Why does
mendicant. The Dharma laid down in the man get Ananda when he contemplates the
Vedas has to be experienced in order to be Cosmic and the Universal? Because he is the
appreciated; it cannot be merely talked Cosmic, the Universal.
about in tall language. The use of the Vedas
does not consist in mere recitation, though 679
the reciters are doing a valuable service,
presenting them in correct form and style of
ALL hearts are His Property. It is all His
pronunciation. Vedas yield Ananda;
Domain, But just as the Zamindar sits only
Vedamatha is the Ananda Matha.
on a clean spot, though the entire area may
be his, the Lord will install himself only if
676 the heart is cleansed. The Lord has said,
"Mad bhaktha yathra Gaayanthe, thatra
WHO am I? Every one of you has to know thishtaami Narada", "Where my devotees
that this question has to worry you sooner or sing of Me, there I install Myself". I must tell
later. And everyone has to discover the you that you are luckier than men of
answer. The senses, each specialising in one previous generations. The accumulated
small field of cognition, are powerless to give merit of many previous births must have
the answer; they are at best very inadequate granted you this luck. You have got Me and
even in their own specialised provinces; it is your duty now to develop this
there are sounds the ear cannot hear; there relationship that you have achieved by sheer
are colours the eye cannot take in and good fortune.
interpret to us; and tastes beyond the ken of
the buds of the tongue. They are imperfect
instruments for the study of the external
World. How can they serve to teach us about
 680 683

IN four or five year's time, you will see Yogis OF the four Yugas, the present Kaliyuga is
and Maharishis and Munis crowding here far more congenial than the previous three
and you may not have such chances of (Kritha, Thretha, and Dwapara) for the
asking Me questions and getting the answer, acquisition of wisdom and the cultivation of
of approaching Me and directly speaking to discrimination (Viveka), for we now have
Me. So, do not be like frogs around the many simple paths available for liberating
Lotus, be like the bees. Plantains and ourselves. The Scriptures say:, "No age is
mangoes are kept, while yet green, in straw equal to the Kali Age. Just through Smarana
or dried grass or in a closed room so that the and Chinthana we can reach the Goal".
heat may make them ripe and tasty. The Smarana is the process of keeping the Lord
meditation on God gives you too the right ever in the memory; and Chinthana is the
temperature to ripen yourselves and become process of thinking of His glory all the time.
sweet and tasty. Many people are scared because they believe
that the Kali Age, in which we live, will
681 witness the ultimate Deluge. Others call it
the Kalpa Age, the Age of Conflict. This Age
is the Golden Age for the seekers of God and
THERE are seven things that have to be
for earning and learning Viveka.
fostered for the welfare of the World: the
Cow, the Brahman-ward aspirant or the
Brahmin, the Vedas, Chastity, Truth, Non- 684
attachment and Dharma. All these are now
fast declining and I have come to restore PILES of books are plentiful in bazaars;
them in their pristine purity and strength. schools abound; and there is no dearth of
Do not think that this Sathya Sai Gita was teachers. But wholesome learning and
composed by some Bhakta and that he reads sincere teaching are not to be seen. It is for
it and explains it here. As he said, I am the this reason that these spiritually oriented
inspirer and it is for your benefit that he has educational (Sai) institutions are being
summarised My Teachings in this way. established to impart teaching in proper
"Ekkam Sathyam Vimalam Achalam". It is ways in order to preserve the hearts of
said that the One Truth is pure and students in pristine purity, stability and
unshakable. unselfishness; to develop them into workers
dedicated to the progress of Bharath, intent
682 on removing the anxiety and gloom that
spread all over the land; and determined to
revive the Glory of the Bharathiya Culture.
THERE are now thousands and thousands
of educated institutions in the world. But,
there is a great difference between the rest 685
and those founded by Sathya Sai. The
fundamental objectives of Sai institutions IF Divinity is absent, everything is devilry.
are humility, adherence to discipline and So, teachers and students must have faith in
application of what is learned in daily life. If, God and boldly call on God. This will drive
what is learned is not put into practice, the away the devilry that encompasses us. Of
student is like a cow that does not yield milk; course, hesitation to address God is only
a fruit lacking in taste, a book bereft of superficial. During examinations, every
wisdom. It is not really man's task to stuff student prays to the Almighty. When
his head with transient knowledge and waste calamities happen, when loss is sustained,
time in acquiring it. He should not engage in and when members of the family are struck
valueless activities and fritter away years of by disease and are in mortal danger, people
life. When man ruins himself , he descends do pray to God. Why, then, yield to false
to the level of the beast. When man uplifts pride and refuse to acknowledge God? This
himself, he ascends to the level of God. is sheer hypocrisy.
 686 689

BHAKTI, to be effective, must be regularised I HAVE come for the re-establishment of

through self-discipline; it should not be Dharma and so, I always insist on people
allowed to grow wild and untended. You observing Dharma in all walks of life.
rush forward to touch My feet or to prostrate Dharma is the inner voice of God. It is the
before Me, ignoring the children, the aged conscience that has shaped itself as a result
and the sick, upon whom you fall when you of centuries of experience and generations of
press forward towards Me. Do not forget the asceticism and austerity; it is the voice of
Sai in those people, when you rush forward history, warning you against the branch of
towards this Sai. The merit of all the its command.
hardship you underwent to see and hear this
Sai is as good as canceled, when you inflict 690
pain on the Sai who resides in them. That
plus and this minus add up to zero. In your
FOR treading the Bhaktimarga, one needs
frenzy to offer homage, you should not
not scholarship, nor wealth, nor riches, nor
forget others who have been waiting long for
ascetic rigours. Tell me what was the lineage
the chance; you must provide facilities for
of Valmiki, the wealth of Kuchela, the
their dharsan.
scholarship of Sabari, the age of Prahalada,
the status of Gajaraja and the attainments of
687 Vidura? - Prema was all they had and it was
all they needed. The Grace of the Lord is as
TRANSMUTING humanity into Divinity is the Ocean, vast and limitless. By your
the task allotted to man. Word, thought and Sadhana, your Japam, Dhyanam and
deed are instruments for this unavoidable systematic cultivation of Virtue, this Grace is
destiny. By unremitting practice, this has to converted into clouds of Truth, and they rain
be achieved. The priest in the temple has to on humanity as Prema Showers, which
ring the bell with the left hand and wave the collect and flow as the flood of Ananda back
camphor flame with the right hand, an again into the Ocean of the Lord's Grace.
exercise in manual coordination which
comes only as a result of practice. A new 691
priest will use both hands and shake the
camphor plate. Vemana has said that, while
YOU have come here to learn and practice
the serpent has poison in its fangs and the
detachment. Get wet in the rain, while
scorpion in its tail, man is capable of
engaged in serving others. It does not matter
inflicting poison through his tongue, eyes,
if death comes while serving; do not pause;
hand and mind. He has to overcome this
if you are so determined, God will not allow
acquired tendency and remind himself that
it to approach you. You complain "Swami
he is "Amrithasya Puthra" (the Child of
has not softened towards me". Well, melt
Immorality), conferring sweet nectar and
His heart, yearn, show Him the warmth of a
not death-dealing poison.
repentant heart and of a sympathetic heart
anxious to alleviate distress. Through deep
688 detachment the craving for sensual pleasure
must disappear; that will cleanse the Chitha
IF your circumstances do not allow you to or consciousness. God will then be reflected
partake in this Sankeerthana, stay at home clear and the Reality can be recognised. This
and sing the songs alone in the silent cave of results in Peace and Equanimity which is the
your heart. Do not do so according to a fixed highest bliss.
measure, so many times or so many songs at
a sitting. The heart does not calculate in 692
numbers; it confers contentment which is
immeasurable. That contentment can arise
THE wise will not give place in their hearts
only through faith. When the mind wavers,
to covetousness and possessiveness. They
loyalty sits light; love disappears; and
know that there is a "Kshetragna" who is the
faction begins.
motivator of this "Kshetra"; "a knower of the
field, who is the master of this field". Vyasa, immanent principle). So one must
who collected the Vedas, composed the endeavour to know God, who is Truth.
aphorisms that demarcate the Divine
Principle (the Brahmasatram) and wrote the 696
Mahabharatha, reputed to be the fifth Veda,
could still not win mental peace. Those were
THE internal foes can be destroyed by the
intellectual feats, flights of poetry and
light of Jnana (the illumination that
philosophy but not flowers that blossomed
accompanies the Realization of the Reality).
from authentic experience.
To acquire that illumination, one has to
cultivate the spirit of impartial, steady,
693 unfluctuating inquiry, based on the
revelations made in the Vedas about the
IDEALS must become higher and grander. nature of man and God and the relation
Desires must become more and more between the two. The Vedas have to be
selfless and sublime. Attachment must be studied reverentially, for they give us the key
transmuted into nobler and subtler to Jnana. The Veda is the Philosopher's
emotions. The story will be gripping only stone that turns all metals into gold, all
when there is steady development towards students into Sadhakas and all Sadhakas
the denouement. That is why one passes into Sages.
through the crucible of joy and grief and
emerges all the purer and stronger for the 697
experience. When a child's growth is
stunted, it causes grief; when he starts to
SEE how the insufferable heat of the Sun is
grow normally, it causes joy, when the
controlled and modulated and reduced by
growth is abnormal, it causes grief again.
your bodily mechanism to the congenial
temperature of 98.4 degree F. So, you too
694 should keep the destructive force of your
elemental passions born out of the clamour
THERE is none to question Me if I do not of Sabdha, Sparsa, Rupa, Rasa and Gandha
act; there is nothing I would lose if I do not rigorously in check and bring it down to
engage in activity. Nor have I any great urge tolerable levels, yielding comfort and
to be active. But yet, you see Me very active. congenial living. You yourselves create the
The reason is, I must be doing something all Maya of which you are the slave. Deny it the
the time, for your sake, as an example, as an chance to lord over you and it will not harm
inspiration, as a piece of training. Those who you.
are leading must themselves follow; and
those who command must themselves carry 698
out what they expect others to do. I am
engaged in activity so that you may learn to
SHEER ignorance is the root cause for the
transmute every minute into a golden
disrespect that is being shown to Indian
chance to enable you to move into Godhood.
culture and the fascination exercised by the
West. Do these people at least grasp the
695 values of Western culture fully? No, only the
fringe and the foppery are adopted. How can
MAN is endowed with many skills; he is a person, who is unable to understand his
offered many lives; he is shown many paths. own culture and heritage, understand the
The purpose of all these gifts is to develop in meaning and significance of an alien
him the spirit of devotion and dedication culture?
and release him from the dual dribble of joy
and grief. When man visualises the Universe 699
as God, its capacity to confer the dual
experience disappears; he knows the Truth
THE most fundamental teaching of the
and is calm. God is One and One only;
ancient culture of India is Love. For
"Ekam eve Adhivitiyam Brahma" (One only,
generations, the youth of this land have been
without a second-Brahmam, which is the
exhorted, encouraged and taught, by precept
and example, to love the poor, the helpless, 703
the handicapped, the illiterate and the
disabled, for the same spark of Divinity that OM must be recited slowly and with
is in us, is also equally evident and active in deliberation. The sound must be like an
them. Education must endow man with this aircraft, first approaching from a distance to
compassion and this spirit of service - the spot where you are and then flying away
intelligent, timely and full. That is to say, again into the distance (soft at first but
education must not only inform but also gradually becoming louder and louder and
transform. then slowly relapsing into silence; this
silence, after the experience being as
700 significant as the Pranavas). "U" is the
zenith, the Kailas, reached by the sound in
THE mind is like a boulder which the its adoration. "A" is the initial nadir and "M"
intellect transforms into an image, as a the final.
sculptor does. If the intellect allows the
senses to dictate the design, the boulder will 704
be shaped into a horrid idol. If, however, the
senses are sublimated by the spirit, the YOU must realise that the Divine current
image wrought by the intellect will be simply that flows and functions in every living being
adorable. One must have the mind fully is the one Universal Entity. When you desire
cooperating in the spiritual discipline and to enter the Mansion of God, you are
not obstructing its progress at every step. confronted by two closed doors - the desire
Liberation is the goal and the mind must to praise yourself and the desire to defame
help the pilgrim at every stage of his others. The doors are bolted by envy; and
journey. The Mind should not admit any there is also the huge lock of egoism
activity that is contrary to Dharma or preventing entry; so if you are earnest, you
injurious to spiritual progress. have to resort to the key of Prana (Love) and
open the locks, then remove the bolt and
701 throw the doors wide open.

IN order to live up to the high standards of 705

morality which Indian culture exhorts, you
must cultivate Love, non-violence, fortitude THE day on which Jesus was born is a holy
and equanimity. The last three guard and day. He announced himself as the
foster the first, Love, which you must Messenger of God. In fact, all humans are
cultivate. Many people have succeeded, with born as Messengers of God. The sole
the help of the latter three qualities, to get purpose of this human career is to propagate
their minds established in universal Love; the Omnipresence of God, His Might and
but a large number of Sadhakas give up the Glory. No one has incarnated for merely
ascent midway, because they lose confidence consuming food and catering to one's
in their true selves. They do believe in God, senses. Human life is much more precious
who is the embodiment of Love and is their than that. That is why the capacity to
Real sustenance. appreciate beauty, truth and goodness has
been endowed only on man.
702
706
YOU must have heard some people say that
no living person can be adored as God, even THE Brahmin, when born, is just a Sudra;
though the Sruthi declares: "Daivam birth does not entitle him to take up the
Mansushya Roopom" (God is to be seen in study of this Mystery, even if the boy
the human form). Perhaps they can revere happens to be the son of a great Vedic
only a corpse. Not Sivam, but Savam, is what scholar. It is only when he has been formally
they wish to revere. initiated by a special ceremony that he can
start the study of Sacred Scriptures. The
ceremony makes him a Brahmin; he is then
born again into a sacred world of study and 710
responsibility.
WITHOUT mastery over the inner
707 instruments of emotion, no man can be
deemed to be educated. The latent has to be
MY Prema towards the Veda is equaled only cleansed so that the patent can flourish.
by My Prema towards Humanity. My Experience is essential for the confirmation
mission, remember, is just fourfold; of consolidation of what is learnt from
Vedaposhana, Vidwathposhana, books. We do not see any sign of this in the
Doarmarakshana and Baktharakshana. present educational system. There is no
Spreading My Grace and My Power along attempt to awaken the Divine in Man and
these four directions, I establish Myself in awareness of the possibility of rising to the
the Centre. psychic plane.

708 711

WHAT profit is it for the children to know EDUCATION must produce wisdom and
the length of the Mississippi River or the moral character. It can be acquired only by
height of the Vesuvius? Why load them with hard living and spending days of toil, with
information they may never require? On the no respite even for sleep. But present day
other hand, give them the tonic to education makes those who undergo it mere
strengthen their spirit, the tonic of the bonded-slaves to their senses. They do not
Repetition of the Name of the Lord, the tonic know how to avoid this bondage, so they
of meditating on the Glory of God in the revel in envy, greed and egoism. What the
silence of the heart. Formerly, children were country expects and demands from the
learning Rama Nama and the Aksharamala educated person is, however, that he should
together: "Suddha Brahma Paraathpara set an example of honest labour and light
Rama". They were taught to read and write. the lamp of knowledge in every home.
Now, they sing, "Ding dong bell, Pussy is in
the well". This type of silly meaningless 712
jargon is spreading everywhere like a
poisonous infection, destroying the seeds of SANKARA asserted that God is Formless
peace and joy. and without Attributes and is best described
as Supreme, Effulgence or Jyothi. He also
709 said that the individual is not different from
the Universal, that Jiva is Brahman itself,
LIVING becomes a glorious experience only that the manifold nature is also Brahman
when it is sweetened by Tolerance and Love. itself and seen through a strange veil as a
Willingness to compromise with others' mixture of truth and falsehood, a peculiar
ways of living and cooperation in common make-believe called Maya or Avidya.
tasks make living happy and fruitful. Certain
modes of behaviour have been laid down 713
and proved beneficial by centuries of
practice. These have to be observed with BRAHMAN is the cause and Prakruthi
modifications to suit the conditions of today. (Nature) the effect. Nature is the deluding
We are developing in each department of manifestation of Brahman. It is what can be
life, but it is a pity that we are not called Leelavibhuthi or an expression of
developing the unique qualities of human Glory (Vibhuthi) done as more sport (Leela).
beings. Develop the Atmic awareness, the When the Leela is perceived as apart from
consciousness of the Divine and the Brahman, it is a false and incomplete
acquisition of Divine attributes. Expand love perception. The Leela is manifold, Brahman
and understanding. is all. To discover the One in the many is the
purpose of human existence. Brahmam is
eternal. It is the Nithyavibhuthi, the
everlasting Splendour. It is named the
Kingdom of God. Leelavibhuthi is Prakruthi of Divinity. Pomp, Paraphernalia, Jaw-
or Maya or Avidya or Nature with deluding, breaking formula, abracadabra and dark
deceptive diversities. mysterious mumblings are alien to the spirit
of true Religion. These are tricks by which
714 man wants to monopolise or gain God.

SPIRITUAL health is preserved and 717

promoted by attention to three Gunas:
Sathvika, Rajas, and Thamas. Health is PEOPLE do not understand the ways of God.
preserved and promoted by attention to How can they know why a particular event
three humours: Vatha (wind) Pitha (bile) takes place at a particular time, in a
and Kapha (phlegm). Thri-dosha has to be particular manner? He alone can know. But
avoided, that is to say, the three humours people try to sit in judgment and talk ill
must not get vitiated or unbalanced. A when, for example, someone dies of illness
healthy body is the best container for a at this place. How can anyone escape death?
healthy mind, illness makes the mind Even Avatars cast off the physical form when
agitated and anxious. The material and the the task for which they have come is over. It
spiritual are the two pans in the balance. is the height of foolishness to lose faith in
They have to be attended to, in equal God, when someone you cared for dies. The
measure, at least until a certain stage of sentence, that he earned is over and he is
progress is attained in spiritual released. No one is born and allowed to live
development. for the sake of another.

715 718

THERE is a conscience in Man, a whispering I ADVISE you to utilise every moment of

right advice, restraining unjust hands which your lives in the most beneficial manner, to
man has almost succeeded in silencing; but, serve your fellow men to the best of your
it is the voice of God; it can never be made capacity, to cultivate Love towards all
dumb. Make the children cognizant of it. In mankind and to give up hate and malice.
Kerala there is a practice, still happily Believe that your God, the Form that you
existing in rural parts, of the elders revere, is in every one and sanctifying every
gathering the children around them every act as worship of that Form.
evening and spending an hour or so reciting
aloud the Stotras in praise of God. It is 719
essential that it must be revived. Time thus
spent is well spent. It will give great peace
MONKS are instructed to shave their heads
and joy.
so that they can move about unrecognised by
former friends and companions, but now, we
716 find that they desire recognition and even
appreciation, adulation and adoration,
THE Upanishads were not composed or things that cater to the ego, things they are
collected by persons who craved for fame or asked to flee from. A monk should, strictly
fortune; nor are they vapours of idlers and speaking, eat like a dog and sleep like a fox-
scribblers. They have the true ring of actual that is the popular saying. Eat whatever one
experience. They arose out of compassion gets and appease the hunger; and sleep
for others wandering in the wilderness, out wherever one finds shelter. Do not store
of concentration on the means of liberation food for another day or build a house
from the dual chain of tears and triumph. wherein to pass one's days. Escape the
Those, upon whom the people are entangling coils of the senses and of the ego
traditionally depending for guidance, have that prompts them.
become callous, forgetting their task, or
involved in darkness and dialectics. So, there
is need to spread the message of Love, which
is the message of God. Simplicity is the sign
 720 deeper and deeper into perdition, so that his
downfall will be more terrible.
OF what benefit is the discourse of Mine if
you do not receive it into your hearts and act 724
accordingly? I find that all the efforts, all
these years to awaken you to your duty are YOU cannot have this chance of being near
not fructifying in you. You are like the rocks to the greatest source of joy in any other
on the seashore that unflinchingly face the place. Here it is so near, so easy to attain and
beating of the waves. The rock does not so full of grace. If you fall back, you will
move; the wave will not stop. This seldom get the chance again. Ask and get
predicament should end. Awake and avail what will save you, not what will bind you.
yourselves of this unique chance. You ask from Me a thousand things of the
World, but rarely do you ask for "Me". That
721 is why I seldom address you as Bhaktas; I
usually address you as "Divyatma
DRAUPADI moved into the tent and fell at Swaruplara", for that is your real Swarupa.
the feet of Bhishma who blessed her This Divyatman is Divinity. Though you do
spontaneously as was his wont: "May you not know it, it is a fact. Therefore, I can
have many years of married life". Draupadi address you so, with confidence. I can even
revealed herself as soon as she was blessed. call you "Divya Divya Swarupalara" but as
She prayed that the Pandava Brothers, her for Bhakti, it is a quality that will make you
husbands, may be saved from arrows. desire the Lord and nothing else.
Bhishma guessed that Krishna must be the
author of this stratagem. "We are but 725
puppets in His hands", he said; and when he
found Krishna at the entrance of the tent, he WHEN the pot of milk on the hearth boils
inquired what the bundle contained. over, you pour cold water on it, and it settles
Imagine his dismay when he was told that down. Durvasa is the example of the pot of
the Lord had condescended to carry under milk boiling over; and Narada of the pot of
His arms the sandals worn by His devotee. milk that does not. Narada had the Name of
Have faith in Him; He will never give you the Lord always on the tongue and so the
up; He will guard and guide you until victory senses did not establish mastery. If you too
is won. Sincere devotion and unshaken faith keep your senses and your wishes in check,
can never fail to earn Grace. you will gain by listening to these talks and
by this visit; and I will be happy that you
722 have taken to the path that will give you real
strength and joy.
IN this Kali Age, the wicked have to be
reformed and reconstructed through Love 726
and compassion. That is why this Avatar has
come unarmed. It has come with the IN the past Ages, Avatars rid the world of
message of Love. The only weapon which evil, by destroying the few fanatics and
can transform the vile and the vicious is the heroes who wrought it. But now, fanaticism
Name of the Lord uttered with Love. and felony reign in every heart. The number
of Asuras or evil men is legion. All are
723 wicked to some extent or other. Therefore,
everyone needs correction; and everyone has
BEFORE every Incarnation, two to be educated and guided into the right
collaborators for the task, which causes the path. Every being is a pilgrim destined to
incarnation to come, also appear as reach Madhava and merge in Him; but most
Mayasakthi and Yogasakthi. Maya comes, as people have forgotten the road; they wander
the elder sister, to warn the wicked; Yoga like lost children, wasting precious time in
comes, as the elder brother, to enthuse and the by-paths.
keep constant company. Maya thrusts Kama
 727 731

BHAKTI involves dedication with nothing WHEN someone sitting near you is
held back; not even a wisp of ego should immersed in sorrow, can you be happy? No!
remain. His command alone counts; His will It may be that a that when a baby weeps
prevails. Like a drunkard, the Bhakta has no within hearing range, you will get tears in
sense of honour or decency, pride or conceit. your eyes in sympathy. Why? There is an
He is a Matha, as Unmatha, a mad person, unseen bond between the two. Man alone
unconcerned with all that is unrelated to his has the quality of sympathy. He alone can be
ideal. He is deaf to the call of hunger and happy when others are happy, and miserable
thirst; he misses steps in logic and he when others are miserable. That is why he is
calculates wrongly while dealing in the the paragon of creation and the acme of
marketplace. animal advance. Man alone is capable of
Seva; that is his special glory and unique
728 skill.

Kurukshetra must be made a 732

Dharmakshetra. Kurukshetra is the field
where brothers fought over a handful of GOOD ideas have to be accepted and bad
earth; but it must be made a field for the ones eschewed. Each idea has to be judged
uplift of man through the practice of in the Supreme Court of Viveka (Intellect).
Dharma. It is for the sake of Jnana that And the ruling has to be treated as
Dharma has been laid down. Bhakti and inviolable. It is in this context that we have
Karma are the two feet; and, the head is to remind ourselves of the prayer of
Jnana; walk on with the help of these two. Gandhiji; "Sabko Sanmathi de Bhagavan",
"Oh, God bestow the right understanding on
729 all".

WHEN the heart is pure, the Lord is 733

revealed, He is the judge. He cannot be
bamboozled. The doctor may assure you that YOU must devote sometime regularly for
you do not have a fever, but the study and for Sadhana. Now you are wasting
thermometer cannot lie. The doctor may say time till late at night in clubs and frivolous
so in order to save you from panic, but the company. A portion of that time, if spent
thermometer declares the truth. God knows with God, can confer valuable results. This
and God will deal with you as you deserve. Motherland has given you a culture that is
Have that faith. Repent for all the wrongs attracting distracted people from all parts of
done and resolve not to repeat the mistake; the world. Be grateful, study the culture and
then God will extend His grace. practice the disciplines it lays down. Serve
the poor and the helpless and those who eke
730 out their livelihood by hard work.

YOU are the citizens of no mean land. 734

Bharath is indeed a Divya Bhoomi: a land
saturated since the ages with Devotion and TODAY, we have factions everywhere at
dedication to God, the path to God was home, between husband and wife, in the
sought for by even the common folk; and school between teacher and the pupil, and in
spiritual discipline permeated every activity Society between group and group, This is
of life and every detail of daily life. You are deterioration indeed. Peace and harmony
the inheritor of a great culture which has between members of the same family are the
survived the onslaughts of alien rule and foundation for peace in the land. The
political suppression. individual must be at peace with himself.
The coordinated effort of all the organs of
the body is essential for the healthy life.
 735 profound authentic declaration the breath is
making every moment of your life while
FEEL happy that this is your mother waking, dreaming or in a deep sleep,
country; love of the country is the basis on whether you listen to it or not! If this simple
which you can build love for the World lesson, this Truth which is being dinned all
Community. Love expands; it does not limit twenty-four hours of the day does not alert
itself to boundaries. Love your mother you or inform you of your real task, how can
tongue; then you will discover that all you understand your Reality by the mere
languages are as sweet as yours, for a study of books?
language is as sweet as the tongues of the
speakers. 740

736 DO not get involved with borrowed

ideologies, imported fashions or attitudes or
DO not preach; practice. In politics, in the apparels and exciting notions of social
field of administration, in schools and behaviour. Youth today is ruined by this
colleges, in spiritual institutions, fascination for the false. Borrowed ideas
everywhere, we have a surfeit of preachers cannot fit into the pattern of our Culture.
but a famine of practitioners. Heroes on Sanathana Dharma is the Culture that has
platforms prove themselves to be Zeros grown on this soil and is best suited to
when they descend to the ground. Therefore, maintaining peace and joys. You cannot
demonstrate in your own lives how Love can shine in borrowed feathers for long. They
confer peace and joy; how all faiths lead to can give only temporary delight. So, do not
the same goal; and how all men are brothers distort or disfigure your culture by limitation
of one another. or neglect.

737 741

THE only Message, the only lesson I can I AM neither a Sastravadin or a Budhivadin.
impart to you today is to remind you of the I am a Premavadin. So I have no conflict
great traditions of Bharath and ask you to with either the scholar who adheres to texts
spread Love throughout the length and or the devotee of Reason. Both have their
breadth of this great Land. Then, India can good points as well as their limitations. If
again be the spiritual leader of humanity and you acquire Prema, then you can dispense
fill the whole World with Divine Love. with the Shastras, for the purpose of all the
Shastras is just that: to create the feeling of
"Sarvajnana Samaanaprema" equal love for
738
all and to negate egoism which stands in the
way.
STRIVE to move away from Untruth
towards Truth; attempt to acquire
742
knowledge of yourself and of the origin of all
selves and thus shed your fundamental
ignorance. Move away from the thoughts PILGRIMAGES too are for elevating the
and anxieties about this body, subject to heart, sublimating the impulses and leading
decay and death, and become aware of the the lower self to higher levels of thought and
immortal soul which you really are. action. Reason serves the same purpose, or
at least it ought to. Reason seeks to know the
unity of the Universe, the origin and goal of
739
it all, the laws that govern the anu and
brhath, the microcosm and the macrocosm,
WHO is the real resident of the body? You and it peeps behind the curtain to get a
are the positive aspect that is activating the glimpse of the "Suthradhara", who pulls the
negative aspect, the body. The life-breath strings.
repeats Soham, every time you breathe. It
means: "I am He, I am God"! What a
 743 Some said the Lotus; some the Sankha;
some the Chakra; but no one mentioned the
JUST as you tend to the body with food and Murali. I would advise you to become the
drink at regular intervals, you must also Murali, for then the Lord will come to you,
tend to the needs of the inner Atmic body by pick you up, put you upon His lips and
regular Japam and Dhyanam and the breathe through you and out of the
cultivation of Virtues. Sathsanga, Sath hollowness of your heart, due to the utter
Pravarthana and Sath-Chinthana are all absence of egoism that you have developed,
essential for the growth and the health of the He will create captivating music for all
inner personality. The body is the Bhavanam creation to enjoy.
of the Bhabaneswara, His Bhuvanam. In so
far as you are particular about coffee or tea 747
at regular intervals, be also particular about
Dhyanam and Japam at fixed times for the YOU have to carry on certain processes of
health and liveliness of the spirit. thought and action in order to get to the
hard core of faith that this World is a funny
744 mixture of Sathya and Asathya, which is
Mithya in fact. The Divine Life does not
IT is only when attachment increases that admit to the slightest dross in character or
you suffer pain and grief. If you look upon delusion in intellect. So, people dedicated to
Nature and all created objects with the it must emphasise this by precept and
insight derived from the Inner Vision, then example. Wipe out the root causes of
attachment will slide away though the effort anxiety, fear and ignorance. Then only can
will remain. You will also see everything the true personality of man shine forth.
much clearer and with a glory suffused with Anxiety is removed by faith in the Lord; the
Divinity and splendour. Close these eyes and faith that tells you that whatever happens is
open those Inner Eyes and what a grand for the best and that the Lord's will be done.
picture of essential unity you get.
Attachment to Nature has limits but the 748
attachment to the Lord that you develop
when the Inner Eye opens has no limit. YOU are all Sath-Chith-Ananda Swarupas;
Enjoy that Reality not this false picture. The only you are unaware of it and imagine
Lord is the Immanent power in everything. yourself to be this individual or that, and
subjected to this limitation or that! This is
745 the myth that must be exploded in order that
Divine Life may start. It is the Divine that
IT is here in India that there is a mine of inspires, activates, leads and fulfills the life
Spiritual Wisdom and Spiritual Treasure. of each being, however simple or complex its
The Dharsanas, Upanishads, Gita and the physical structure may be. From the "Anu"
Vedas have to be distributed pure and to the "Brahath", every single entity is
unsullied, guaranteed in value and quality to moving towards the estuary where it merges
eager aspirants everywhere. We have had a in the Sea of Bliss.
succession of Sages and Saints. On account
of the teachings and the lives of these 749
people, there is a vast field of spiritual virtue
in this Land which needs only a little more THE Guru very often tells you that you have
care to yield a rich harvest. forgotten your real name or that you have
lost the most precious part of yourself and
746 yet are unaware of the loss. The Guru is the
physician for the illness which brings about
YOU must each one try to become ego-less; the suffering of alternate birth and death. He
and then the Lord will accept you as His is an adept at the treatment needed for the
Flute. Once, when a number of people were cure. If you do not get such a Guru, pray to
asked by Me what they would like to be in the Lord Himself to show you the way and
the hands of God, I got various answers. He will surely come to your rescue.
 750 with the Divine Essence. Love the branches,
twigs, leaves, flowers and fruits. They may
WHEN the sun is over your head, there will appear to be different in colour, feel, taste,
be no shadow; similarly, when faith is steady smell, etc. but they all are products of the
in your head, it should not cast any shadow Earth, drawing sustenance from the Soil and
of doubt. When man loses his way and strays the Sun. Live together in Love; live in Peace;
into the wilderness believing that he is the and live in Service.
body, the Gunas or the object, then the
Avatar comes to warn and guide. Keep the 754
faith in the Lord undiminished, you can then
safely move about in the World. No harm WHEN clouds gather in the sky, lightning
can come to you. illuminates the clouds; similarly, wisdom
must illuminate education. The word of Sai
751 is the path of Truth. Smaller than the
smallest atom; bigger than the biggest thing.
HUSBAND and Wife are like two pieces of The Atma is Brahmam; witness of
Wood, drifting down a flooded river, they everything, and Brahmam is Atma.
float near each other for sometime and,
when some current comes between them, 755
they are parted. Each must move on to the
sea at its own rate and in its own time. There BAMBOO is valued for its form and strength
is no need to grieve over the parting of the and beauty. Similarly, the real worth of man
two. It is the very nature of Nature that it lies in his intelligence. His intelligence has
should be so. come to him over many lives and the real
value of his Buddhi is to practice Thyaga or
752 renunciation. But the Buddhi is covered by
illusion, which is only the real reflection of
DIVINE family exists in peace and concord. the Truth. When we throw away the water in
Siva has snakes on His arms, on His head the pot, we throw away the reflection of the
and around His waist. One of His sons, Sky in it as well. The reflection of Truth in
Kumara, rides on a Peacock, which attacks our minds is only the conglomeration of our
snakes; another rides on a Mouse, which the desires.
snakes feed on. One son has the head of an
Elephant which whets the appetite of the 756
Lion, which is the vehicle used by Durga, the
consort of Siva, who is so inseparable that THERE are three types of Knowledge:
She is the left half of the body of Siva Knowledge of matter energy; Knowledge of
Himself. Nor is the Lion friendly by nature mental energy; and Knowledge of cosmic
to the Bull, which Lord Siva Himself has as energy. Cosmic energy works in every
his vehicle! Siva has Fire on the central part person in the form of Divine knowledge.
of His Brow, and Water, the River (Ganga), Matter, in all form, is only energy. Without
on His head, both incompatible. Imagine atoms, you cannot have any matter; and in
how loving and how cooperative the various the atom, energy is in the form of electron,
components have to be to render life on proton, neutron etc. Energy springs from the
Kailas smooth and happy. structure of the atomic constituents.

753 757

CARRY to every door the name of God and VOICE breeds disease. Bad thoughts and
let the clouds be illumined by love and habits, bad company and bad food are
reverence. Let every street in the towns, hostile grounds where disease thrives.
every village in the State ring with the "Arogya" and "Ananda" go hand in hand. A
adoration of the Almighty; every sunrise sing sense of elation and exultation keeps the
of Rama, Eswara, Sankara, and Krishna. Any body free from ill health. Evil habits, in
Name is effective, provided it is suffused which men indulge, are the chief cause of
disease in the physical as well as the mental 761
state. Greed affects the mind;
disappointment makes man depressed. Man MOHAMMED preached monotheism and
can justify his existence as man only by the was driven out of Mecca. Jesus preached
cultivation of virtues. Then he becomes a mercy and charity and he was charged with
worthy candidate for Godhood. treason. Harischandra refused to give up his
allegiance to Truth and was driven to such
758 straits that he had to sell his wife and son as
slaves. So, when you stick to the path of
ANYONE may blame you; but you should Truth and Righteousness, pain and poverty
ignore all such blame and go forward in haunt you. But they are only clouds passing
doing service without rancour. Service is through the sky, hiding for a little while the
your only duty. The Universe is a splendour of the Sun.
manifestation of God. So too is the
individual. All these three are like Brahma, 762
Vishnu, Maheswara - the Trinity. Actually,
there are no three, they are one - it is the THE motherland is not a mere lump of
unified Godhead. Cherishing this thought of earth. When we desire its progress, we have
Oneness and serving the Society is true to promote the progress of the people who
Adhyatmic or spiritual life. dwell therein. The skill needed for
resuscitating and reforming man are found
759 only in students. The reforming process
involves the removal in daily living of bad
YOU should take to "Sarvada, Sarvakaleshu conduct and bad habits and the practice of
Sarvatra Haricharithanam". It is just not good conduct and good deeds. A man's
sufficient holding a mala and doing Japa, worth can be measured by his efforts to
once in the morning during Brahma reform himself. This day, the Government
Muhurtha time, once in the afternoon and has no authority to reform the people; and
once in the evening. All the twenty four the people have no authority to reform the
hours you should be in the remembrance of Government.
God. You should all the time be striving to
awaken the spirit within you and for its 763
blossoming (Atma Vikas). This is the real
purpose of life. THE Pranava is the essence of all
sustenance, the embodiment of Rasa; of the
760 Earth, Water is the Rasa; of the water,
Physic (Oshadi) is the Rasa; of the Physic,
MAN has in him vast resources of power. the Human Person is the Rasa; of the
When he does not utilise them while Human Person, the Word is the Rasa; of the
discharging his duties to himself and to the Word RK is the Rasa; of the RK, Sama is the
Society which sustains him, he is only Rasa; of the Sama (Veda), OM is the Rasa.
becoming a target for ridicule. When you are These eight Rasas, the Earth, Water, Physic,
on a railway station platform waiting for the Person, Word, RK, Sama and OM lead to the
train that is due, and when you come to ninth Ananda (Bliss). These are the
know that it arrives five hours late, how do Navaratnas, the nine Essences, the nine
you react? You fling abusive words at the Sustainers; and Ananda is the goal which
train. When the coaches receive from you man is seeking, the aim of human life.
such treatment, how much worse treatment
you deserve for not fulfilling your duty and 764
for disappointing the expectations that you
have raised by your being a man? Utilise THE A of AUM is the Viswa; the U is Tejas;
your skills and learning as consistently and and the M is Praajna- this is another
as effectively as duty demands. interpretation in the Scriptures. Viswa is the
Walking; Tejas is the Dream; Prajna, the
Deep Sleep stage. The Pranava Sadhana (the
spiritual exercise of meditation on OM) is 768
therefore very important for Seekers. The
Vedas prescribe the repetition of the PARAMATMA reveals its Glory in man;
Pranava, while studying holy texts, reciting Prema appears in various forms, attaching
the Name of the Divine, carrying out daily itself to riches, parents, children, one's life
duties and offering gifts. mate or friends. All these are sparks of the
same flame and the Love of the Universal is
765 its highest expression. This Prema cannot be
cultivated by reading essays, guide books,
YOU have a Kalpavruksha, ready to give you and made-easy lessons and learning the
all that you want; you have the Lord, who steps by note. It has to begin with yearning
protects and promotes all. The virtues of the for the Light and an unbearable agony to
people are treasures of the State; the escape from the Darkness as in the prayer
Smarana of the Name of the Lord is the root "Thamasomaa Jyothir Gamaya". The
of all virtues. Narada, who was afflicted with yearning itself will draw the light. The Love
conceit that there was no other who had will grow by itself and, by its own slow
dedicated his very breath to the recital of the alchemy, turn you into God.
Name, was once humbled to find that a ryot,
who managed to repeat the Name three 769
times in the course of his overwhelming
multitude of distressing preoccupation from YOU must cultivate non-attachment towards
cock-crow to dusk, was judged a great Prakruthi and attachment to the Lord. I am
Bhakta. reminded of the story of Sankara Bhatta. He
was a great Sadhaka intent on Japa and
766 Ahgama to such an extent that he was
reduced to skin and bone. He worshipped
JOY is your birth right; Shanti is your in- Saraswathi or Vidya which is the key to open
most nature. The Lord is your Staff and the doors of Mukti. Goddess Lakshmi saw
Support. Do not discard it; do not be led his sad plight and was moved with great
away from the path of faith by stories pity. She chided Saraswathi for denying Her
invented by malice and circulated by spite. votary even the common joys of life and she
Take up the Name of God, any of the in- hid in his leaky hut to pour on him Her
numerable ones, any that appeals to you Grace. She offered him plenty, prosperity,
most and the Form appropriate to that fame and fortune. She derided Saraswathi
Name and start repeating it, from now on. for neglecting to award comfort and joy on
That is the Royal Road to ensure Joy and Her hapless servant. But Sankara Bhatta
Peace, that will train you in the feeling of turned a deaf ear to her allurements; he said
brotherhood and remove enmity towards politely but firmly, "No, Saraswathi has
fellow men. blessed me with the most precious wealth,
the gift that liberates me. I do not crave your
Grace. Please remove yourself from my
767
presence".
BECAUSE you have taken residence in this
770
body, you cannot call the body "I". When
you sit here in this Hall, you do not call the
Hall "I". You know you are separate and that JEWELS give Joy, not Gold. You can
you are here only temporarily. When you go experience the Name, you can imbibe the
about in a tonga, you do not say that the Form; you can take them to heart and dwell
tonga is you, do you? You do not take the upon them and fill yourself with the joy that
tonga inside, when you step down from it on they evoke. That is why Jayadeva, Gomanga,
reaching home. So, you also have to drop Ramakrishna and others wished to remain
this body when you reach "home". ants, tasting Sugar rather than becoming
sugar itself. The Name is like the seed
implanted in your heart; when the shower of
His Grace falls upon it, it sprouts into a
lovely tree. All trees that sprout from the Pasupathi (master of cows). Still, the innate
Name are equally lovely and shady. urge to fight comes up in the heart of man
and he uses the name of the Lord as an
771 excuse for provoking the fighting tendencies.

MANAVA can become Madhava by engaging 775

himself in Madhava Karma; he can then
discover his "Narayana - Tatwam". What is THE airplane has to land at a certain place
the use of doing only Manavakarma or even to take those who have reserved the right to
Danavakarma and claiming that man is fly with the tickets they have purchased. So
divine? Virtue is the life-breath and too the Lord has to come down so that those
character is the backbone. Without these, no who have won the right to be liberated may
meritorious act will fructify. A man without be saved. Incidentally, others too will know
character is like a pot with many holes, of the Lord, of His grace and ways of
useless for carrying water or for storing it. winning it, of the joy of liberation. There are
Renounce and win Peace. some who deny even today the possibility of
air travel; they curse the contrivance. They
772 cavil at it. Similarly, there are many who
cavil at the Avatar who has come to save
them.
HOW far have you progressed using the
chance of these Discourses and the Dharsan
and Sparsan? Bring something into your 776
daily practice, as evidence of your having
known the secret of higher life from Me. YOUR minds are wayward like monkeys that
Show that you have greater brotherliness, skip and jump from bough to branch. Give
speak less with more sweetness and self- them to Me. I can make them steady and
control and that you can bear defeat as well harmless. When I say "Sit", they will sit;
as victory with calm resignation. when I say "Stand", they stand. That is what
Sankaracharya offered to do; he told Siva
773 that he would hand over to him the monkey
that was his mind to Him so that it might be
tamed and used for his delight. But it must
WHILE speaking of God, who is guarding
be a complete handing over with no
you, I am reminded of a note that someone
reservations.
has sent Me from this gathering. The note
wants Me to explain why I have not
mentioned SAI BABA in any of my 777
Discourses so far, though I bear the name as
the Avatar of SAI BABA. Evidently, the MAN comes into the World, burdened with
writer of the note had in mind the people Maya and its instrument, the Mind. The
who engage themselves in publicity work of Mind expresses itself through Attraction and
Rama, Krishna or SAI BABA. Repulsion, Raga and Dwesha, Affection and
Hatred towards the external World. Raga is
774 Rajasic in its effect and it can be used for
one's uplift as Narada used it to fix attention
on the Lord. Dwesha is Thamasic as Durvasa
FOOLISHNESS, egoism, and sheer
expressed it in his dealings with Ambarisha
ignorance are the causes of misery of man
and others. Without Raga and Dwesha, the
today. The eye, the ear and the tongue lead
Mind cannot function at all. If these two are
man to anxiety and malice instead of making
removed, there can be no mind and no
him a messenger of Peace and Harmony.
Maya; and you get fixed in Jnana.
Intellect is the root of pride and envy.
Vishnu is Jagannatha at Puri; at Kasi Siva is
Visweswara; where then is any room for 778
rivalry between those who worship at Puri
and those who worship at Kasi? Vishnu is THE study of the Vedas is the highest type of
Gopal (protector of cows) and Siva is learning since it leads to the conquest of
Death. All other studies deal with the means 782
of living or the surroundings which you have
to live; they deal with earning and spending, BECOME entitled to the honoured title of
deriving a little pleasure by this trick, Bhakta. My glory is spread daily through
escaping a little grief by that trick. The those who call themselves My Bhaktas. Your
Vedas show the path to the Realm of Eternal virtue, your self-control, your detachment,
Bliss, where there is no Birth or Death. your faith and your steadfastness are the
People learn details about China, Russia and signs by which people read of My Glory. Not
America; they know about the volcanoes of that I want any such prop. But it just
the Pacific or the islands of the Arctic happens that in this World, where men
regions; but they do not know an iota about estimate others indirectly rather than
the features of their own inner realms. directly. Let me tell you, such Bhaktas are
very rare. That is the reason why I do not
779 address you as "Bhaktulara". You can lay
claim to that name only when you have
THE Karma Kanda is the biggest part of the placed yourself in My hands fully,
Vedas, because Karma or sanctified activity completely, and with no trace of ego kept
is the means by which the tree blossoms and back to cater to your vanity.
the fruit matures and grows. The Upasana
Kanda deals with Upasana, the method by 783
which the fruit ripens. The Jnana Kanda
describes Jnana, the process by which the ALL ills are traceable to faulty living. And
fruit fills itself with sweetness. The first what is that traceable to? The ignorance of
stage takes the longest time. Also, it one's real Nature, ignorance so deep-rooted
comprises the largest portion, the second that it affects thoughts, words and deeds.
and the third are quicker by comparison. The drug that can cure it is presented under
And so they are shorter. The third stage can different Names: Jnana; Karma; Upasana;
be accomplished, even apart from the tree, and Bhakti. They are all the same in potency
by keeping in a warm place amidst straw or and curative power. The difference lies only
a hot room. in the method of administration: either as a
mixture or as a tablet or by injection.
780
784
MAN can acquire the sweetness of Jnana by
keeping himself in Sathsang or even by THIS Nilayam should not be treated with
remaining in a solitary place by himself with scant reverence. Make the best use of your
Dhyana, for example. But, by whatever stay here. Do not treat this chance lightly.
means, the sweetness (Jnana) cannot be You come, spending lots of money and you
injected from outside; it must grow from have put yourselves to much trouble to reach
within. It is the transformation of the inner here. But you do not bloom as fragrant
nature won by a struggle with the inner foes. offerings at the Lord's feet by learning the
Sadhana path. The senses have to be curbed
781 into obedient servants of the Sprit. For
example, I insist on silence. Talk less. Talk
JUST think of this for a while. You are in low when you must talk. Do not thrust your
this body, in this receptacle, in order to sorrows, your needs, and your problems into
realise the God you really are. This body is the ears of those who come here with their
the cocoon you have spun round yourselves own bundles of such things.
by means of your impulses and desires. Use
it while it lasts, to grow wings so that you 785
can escape from it. You came into this world
crying, announcing your grief at being thrust IN this Prasanthinilayam, there are certain
into it, grief for having lost hold of God. limits laid down, certain modes of spending
Having come with grief, decide not to go time usefully recommended by Me. All who
with it from here. Get rid of it in this life. come here, whether longtime residents or
new arrivals, have to observe them. You is not limited to one country, one individual,
have seen Me, stayed here, and heard the one period or one set. It has a variety of
Discourses. Let me ask: What is the gain? procedures, points of view, disciplines and
Are you going back unchanged, unaffected? guidelines, in accordance with the special
Dogs do not chew sugarcane; they seek a features of the region, the age, and the
bone instead. Ill-fated mortals recoil, when environment.
the talk is about God, Goodness, Sadhana,
and Saakshathkara. But you must pull 789
yourselves away from slums and bylanes and
travel on the highway to God. Dwell always
THE human body is the home of countless
on the Glory of God then you will shine in
microbes and other parasitic beings. No one
that Glory. Adhere to Truth. That is the
can be free from these disease-inducing
surest means of removing fear from your
causes. But one can easily overcome this
heart. Prema can grow only in the heart that
sorrow by developing feelings of compassion
is watered by Truth.
towards all beings, and by thoughts which
thrive on and spread Love. Illness, both
786 physical and mental, is a reaction on the
body caused by the poison in the mind. An
THE Shastras warn you of false steps. They uncontaminated mind alone can ensure
console you in times of stress and they continuous health.
strengthen you in distress. They give correct
interpretations of moral dilemmas. They 790
prescribe the dress, the food, the manner of
speech, the methods of social conduct, the
MAN struggles variously to attain Ananda.
mode of mutual behaviour and the lines of
Ananda is the height of happiness, the
onward march. They are the conscience of
embodiment of joy. It is sought in three
Society.
different ways, according to the innate
quality of the seeker - the Sathwick, the
787 Rajasik and the Thamasik. The Sathwik path
is poison in the early stages and nectar while
THE whole World knows what sacred ideals coming to fruition. It involves firm control
inspire the Sathya Sai Organizations. It is and regulation of the senses of cognition and
true that a big bag of rice might contain a action. This will be very hard to accomplish.
few grains of sand. Any human organization But as one progresses in practice, the joy
is bound to have a few black sheep. But that increases and bliss is attained. How can such
will not affect the Organization as long as it a goal be secured, without undergoing
is true to its principles. The kind of service hardship?
and sacrifice the Sathya Sai Organizations
are rendering is colossal. The basis for all is 791
the Love that prevails among the members.
From ancient times, the Upanishadic prayer
THE Scripture says: "Happiness cannot be
said "Sahanaa Vavathu; Sahanaa Bhunaktu"
won through happiness (Na Sukaad
(May He protect us all; may He nourish us
Labhyathe Sukham). Happiness can be won
all.) The spirit of Oneness proclaimed in
only through misery". Pleasure is but an
these Manthras is operative today only in
interval between two pains. To achieve the
the Sathya Sai Organization.
Sathwik happiness that is positive and
permanent, man must perforce take on trials
788 and tribulations, loss and gain.

SANATHANA Dharma is bound to overcome 792

today's rampant materialism, for it can
harmonize the secular and the spiritual into
TECHNOLOGY must be dedicated to the
a single way of life. It can bring into closer
promotion of high ideals, those which are
kinship both man and God. It is based on the
cherished in Bharathiya culture. For without
Divine which is the reality of the Self. So, it
the background of the culture, educated
people are easily turned into slaves of other Motivator, the Atman within, the voice of
cultures. Those who belong to a country God.
have to proceed along the special
circumstances and resources of the country. 796
Of course, one must love all mankind; all are
children of God. One must not emphasize
THE awareness of the Atman or the Divine
the differences between Nations or between
in man can neither be gifted to another nor
castes and creeds. Cultivate Universal
be accepted from another. It is all the time
heartfelt Love.
hidden behind the veil of ignorance. When
the false image disappears, the Truth shines
793 in all its Glory. It is like the Sun behind the
passing cloud. Your duty is to draw this veil
MAN must withstand both praise and and let the Sun of Awareness shine forth and
blame, success and failure, pleasure and illumine your thoughts, words and deeds.
pain, like the Meru Mountain Peak. He must
strive to be steadfast and unmoved. Once 797
you collect desires, you become their slave;
you will find no end to them. When they are
ACTIVE participation in Society, in a spirit
attained, others assail you and still leave you
of dedication and surrender, conceiving all
discontented. Be aware of your innate
acts as worship and all men as the
Divinity and show these recurring desires
embodiments of the Supreme, is a more
their due place. The Atma in you is
beneficial form of Sadhana. For there is no
unaffected by desire, defeat or victory. They
spot where He is not, no object which is not
are passing clouds.
He. For, as the Sruthi declares, He willed
that He becomes all this. Worship,
794 adoration, and pilgrimage cannot be the
end-all. The goal is the realization of "I am
SENSE-Control will guard you against a host He; He is I". That alone can fill the heart
of evils. Do not believe that because you are with Bliss.
equipped with the senses nothing harmful
can happen. Through their free exercises, 798
you may have your car registered in your
name and be driving it yourself, but, if you
IT has been proclaimed that God is one, and
do not apply the brakes in a timely manner,
that He is known and can be known through
accidents are bound to be your lot. Your
various Names and forms. It has been
body can be compared to a car. Your eyes are
declared that God is installed in the heart of
like the lights. Your stomach, the petrol
every being. Look at the emblem of the
tank; your mouth, the horn; your mind the
Sathya Sai Organization. It tells you that the
steering wheel; Dharma, Artha, Kama and
Hindu, the Muslim, the Parsee, the Buddhist
Moksh, the wheels; the air within the tires is
and the Christian are all adoring the same
faith; and intelligence or Buddhi, the switch.
God for the same consummation. The mind
of man has to be a garden of many coloured
795 flowers, a Nandavanam. Krishna will
certainly delight in dancing there and
FAITH is the basis of every act. You do not playing on the enchanting Flute in the
run away from the barber because he is bowers of the garden.
armed with a sharp razor. You place faith in
him and allow him to cut your hair, quietly 799
submitting to his idiosyncrasies. You give
away costly clothes to the dhobi since you
THE knowledge derived through the mind
have the faith that he will return them
utilising the senses is always incomplete, but
washed and ironed. You have faith in the
the knowledge that is earned through the
driver of your car and in the engineer who
Buddhi or intellect, illuminated by the Atma,
built your house. So too, believe in the inner
is full, freeing and revealing the Truth. The
first is termed "Manojnana" and the second
"Atmajnana". "Manojnana" informs that you 803
are distinct from others; that God is at
Kailas, Tirupathi, Kasi, or Prasanthinilayam. THE five Pandava brothers are five qualities
But Names, Forms and Temples are only for in human character, all observing the norms
the Kindergarten stage. set by the eldest, which is the noblest and
the most righteous. Rama is the example of
800 uncompromising adherence to the principle
of Righteousness, regardless of the
THE prayer that rose from millions in this temptation to bypass it. Rama was charged
country from all its temples, yapiaskas, with a Love that transcended all
theerthas, holy sea fronts, shrines and altars considerations of advantage, Caste or Creed
for centuries has been, "Sarve janaah Sukine and extended it to animals and birds, human
bhavanthu", Let all the peoples of the World and subhuman beings. Love is the key to
be happy and prosperous. "Samastha open the doors locked by egoism and greed.
Lokaah Sukino Bhavanthu", May all the
Worlds have peace and prosperity. So pray 804
for all humanity, for the welfare and
happiness, the peace and progress of Russia, WE have at present persons who pride
China, Africa, Pakistan and all the countries themselves on their encyclopedic
of the World and all beings everywhere. scholarship and technical skills; they claim
to know the innermost secrets of Nature;
801 they fly into outer space and even land on
the moon. But ask them if they have
YEARN to fill your heart with Him, not with "Ananda" and can stay in "Ananda". They
you. Your yearning must be warm, so warm will reply that they have not yet experienced
that it can be called "Thapas" (Heat). it. If they know everything worth knowing,
Become hot (earnest). Now it is only a why have they missed this? It is clear that
lukewarm longing, a surface activity. they are suffering from some delusion.
Examine yourselves how far you have filled
your heart within. Measure the heights you 805
have reached with the yardstick of virtue,
serenity, fortitude and equanimity. You now BE eager to confer consolation and courage;
become easy victims of lust, anger, malice, be anxious to be of help. Watch for the
envy and the rest of that evil brood; the chance. Snatch each opportunity to expand
atmosphere of the heart is polluted by the yourself by sympathy, to enlarge the horizon
ego-fumes. of Love by understanding and prayer. Do not
keep another at arm's length, saying "My
802 God is different from yours or my God is
opposite to yours". It can never be so.
MAN has all the resources he needs himself. Paramatma, the Name for God, does not
He can tap them by identifying them and mean a strange God but the Supreme God.
manifesting them and by sharing them with Who can vouchsafe for the correctness of the
others. He is Sath-Chith-Ananda; he is Siva- picture which you now worship as the
Sakthi Swarup, Matter-Energy. When man picture of Rama or Krishna? The poet
extols himself, he is extolling God. Do not described and the painter delineated, but
cultivate the conviction that you are mere both rely on their imagination rather than
men; be assured that you are destined for on actual authentic vision.
Divinity. When Divinity takes on the human
form, as described in the Ramayana, the 806
Mahabaratha and the Bhagavatha, one has
to interpret the actions as providing CYNICS question the validity of the type of
examples and lessons and not as human adoration and say that it will only confirm
stories enacted for entertainment. faith in a superstition. "Can God be a stone,
or a piece of paper?", they ask. This attitude
is not correct. By adhering to the
traditionally laid down ritual worship many material and the Form are inseparable, but
aspirants have attained the vision of the the seeker must dwell on the Form which he
Omnipresent and stayed in that desires to be manifested in all its Glory
Incommunicable Bliss. rather than on the material.

807 811

IN fact, Puja (formal worship at regular WHAT exactly is implied by "Adhyatmic"? Is

hours), with the recitation of hymns and Bhajan or congregational prayer
songs, is the very first step in the spiritual "Adhyatmic"? Or does it involve "Japa" or
pilgrimage. Many seekers have undoubtedly "Dhyana"? Or does it denote religious rituals
achieved an awareness of God by years of and ceremonies? Or does it extend to
asceticism among jungle caves. But starting pilgrimages and holy places? No. These are
early with puja and continuing with only beneficial acts. "Adhyatmic", in its real
scrupulous care, the rites of archana, sense, relates to two progressive
bhajana and aradhana (offering of flowers achievements or at least to sincere attempts
with the repetition of God's Name, singing towards those two achievements:
His Glory and adoring Him as a living elimination of the animal traits still clinging
presence), are more fruitful and satisfying. to man and unification with the Divine.

808 812

PUJA, Japa, Archana and Aradhana are the DHYANA is interrupted in most cases by
letters of the Spiritual Alphabet. The worry and anxiety regarding one's kith and
collection of the various items (lamps, kin, and one's earnings and riches. Since all
camphor, flowers, plates, caps, a bell and the are manifestations of Maya, which is natural
book) are necessary for precious hours-long to Brahmam or Paramathmam, the
concentration on the Divine. The Puja itself Paramathmam or Lord, in whom you take
may take another hour or two of refuge, will certainly free you from fear.
concentrated and devout attention, and the Why? You are, each one, the Atman and
performer rises up after the recitations and nothing else. This is the reason why I begin
meditations as a stronger and steadier the Discourse, addressing you as
pilgrim on the path. "Divyatmaswarupas"!

809 813

THE sixteen modes of worship, laid down in THE mind is the altar. Place the animal
the Shastras to make the aspirant aware that which is to be offered as oblation (the evil
he is the very presence, and that every aspects of your character, behaviour,
gesture and movement of his has to be attitude etc.) and sacrifice it to the deity
motivated by devotion and dedication, involved. Though born as a human, man is
ensure the purification of the mind of men burdened by animal instincts and impulses
from ego and all its brood of blemishes. This that have attached themselves to him during
is "Chittha Suddhi", the cleansing of all his previous lives as an animal. He has
levels of one's consciousness. passed through many an animal existence
and each has left its mark on his mental
810 makeup like a scar on the skin when a
wound has healed.
PUJA or archana offered without a purified
heart is a sheer waste of time. But even a 814
short sincere session of Puja, spent in Divine
Awareness, yields much fruit. Thiru BUDDHI is the only instrument for
Thondar, a Tamil Saint, confessed that he realisation. Jnana alone can grant the
had engaged himself in worship of the Lord's Vision, the ultimate Truth. That is why the
idol in order to cleanse his mind. The Gayatri, a Vedic prayer to the Light that fills
the Universe to illuminate the intelligence, is 818
a prayer for prompting the spirit of inquiry
and for illuminating the path by the inner WHEN you scatter seeds on the surface of
light of the Spirit. the soil, they do not germinate; you have to
keep them inside the soil. So too, Bodha, if
815 scattered on the surface, will not germinate,
grow into the tree of knowledge and yield
YOUR devotion to God is best expressed by the fruit of wisdom. Plant it in the heart;
achieving the control of the senses. For the water the plant with Prema; and measure it
senses rush towards the temporary and the with Faith and Courage. Keep off pests with
tawdry; and they foul the heart. I require the insecticides of Bhajan and Sathsang, so
from each of you no other gift, no more that you may benefit in the end.
valuable offering than the heart I have
endowed you with. Give Me that heart, as 819
pure as when I gave it to you, full of the
nectar of Love I filled it with. KARMA must not be felt as a burden, for
that feeling is a sure sign, indicating that it is
816 against the grain. No Karma which helps
your progress will weigh heavily on you. It is
IT is certainly wasteful to spend precious only when you go counter to your inner-
time in mere study without any attempt to most nature that you feel it as a burden. A
translate it into action. You need not give time comes when you look back on your
your word to Me now, but try to put into achievement and sigh at the futility of it all.
practice at least a few of the good things that Entrust your mind to the Lord before it is
appeal to you and that are helpful in giving too late, and let Him shape it as He wills.
you peace and contentment. To evoke the
Divine in you, there is no better method 820
than Namasmarana.
WHOM the Muslims adore as Allah, the
817 Christians as Jehovah, the Vaishnavas as
Phullajaakshe and the Saivites as Sambhu,
YOU must take every step in Sadhana or in who grants in answer to their several
Samsara, only after deep deliberation and prayers, health, prosperity, and happiness to
satisfying yourself that it will be for your all wherever they may be, He is the One God
good. Otherwise, it will be like the story of of all mankind.
the weeping city. One day, a close female
attendant of the Queen came to the palace 821
weeping in great sorrow, and so the Queen
began to shed tears. Seeing the Queen in FOOD and recreational habits are the two
tears, the entire Zannan wept and the main causes for ill-health. Great care has to
weeping spread to the male attendants also. be bestowed to ensure that injurious
The King, finding the queen inconsolably tendencies do not affect these two. At
sad, also wept profusely in sympathy, and present, drugs have multiplied and hospitals
the sight made the entire city weep loudly have been established in every nook and
without end. At last, one sensible person set corner, ill-health is also widespread. This
in motion an inquiry, which passed through situation is attributable to the spread of
person after person until the Queen herself deleterious food habits and pastimes.
was accosted. She said that her attendant
was in sore grief, and when she, a washer-
822
woman by caste, was interrogated, she
confessed that it was all due to the sudden
demise of her favourite ass. Reason out; TO remove the evils of Egoism, Service is the
discriminate; and do not rush to conclusion most efficient instrument. Service will also
or be led away by mere hear-say. impress on the person doing the Service, the
Unity of all mankind. He who dedicates his
time, skill and strength to Service will never admire. Examine the daily conduct, the
meet with defeat, distress or motive, the outlook, the trend of the advice
disappointment, for Service is its own and the coordination between what is said
reward. His word will be ever sweet and soft and what is done.
and his gestures ever revered and humble.
He will have no foe, no fatigue and no fear. 827

823 WITHOUT surrender there can be no

liberation. So long as you cling to the narrow
THE Scriptures proclaim that health is the "I", the four prison walls will close in on you.
very root of all endeavours in the four fields Cross out the "I" and you are free. How to
of human achievement: Dharma, Artha, kill the "I"? Place it at the feet of the Lord
Kama, and Moksha. Without health, man and say "You", not "I" - and you are free of
cannot brave temptations, earn a decent the burden that is cursing you. Associate
living, fulfill his basic needs or succeed in always with the Niranjana, the vast, the
spiritual Sadhana. Man can engage himself unlimited, the Divine; dream and plan to
in obligatory and optional functions only if merge with the Absolute; fill your ears with
he is healthy. the call from the Beyond and the Boundless.
Transcend the walls, the bars and bolts, the
824 locks and chains. You can do so easily by
fixing your mind on your own Infinity.
THE same Divine Compassion that blessed
Dhruva, saved Gajendra, restored Kuchela 828
and stood by Prahlada, has come to the
Earth as the Refuge of the refuge-less, as the I HAD to do My Dharma; and every act of
Lord of Peace, Harmony and Righteousness, Mine has its significance which you cannot
as the Lord of all the Worlds, as the Sath understand. You are in the dark and you fear
Chith-Anandamurthi, as the Puttaparthi more. You cannot notice the heaps of earth
Sathya Sai Sath-Chakravarthi, the king of and the pits on the road. You cannot even
kings. know that the road is smooth and fine. There
is no fault or partiality in creation; be
825 confirmed in that. Then you will no more
waver in your faith. If God's creation was
faulty, all would have suffered equally.
INDIA is the land where the ideals of
service, renunciation and spiritual
endeavour were born and have flourished. It 829
is only recently that India fell under the
impact of alien cultures which highlighted LAKSHMI or wealth accrues by fair means
material comfort, physical luxury, sensual as well as foul; money is earned by
liberty, and exterior display; and that gambling, by various forms of deceit; by
Indians have trodden the wrong path of highway robbery; by high and low; by all and
exploitation and violence, idleness and sundry. Worship Lakshya. I shall appreciate
pompousness. With the spread of alien you! Keep the Lakshya, the Goal of
cultures and alien ways of thought and life, expanding your Love till it embraces all
diseases too have multiplied and mental beings, until it sees every being as your
imbalances have increased. mind's eye; then, Lakshmi will, of her own
accord, favour you to the extent necessary
826 for realising the Goal. Never doubt that.
Never falter.
DO not try to delve into Me; develop Faith
and Sraddha and derive Ananda through 830
Prema. That is the utmost you can do; do
that and benefit. Do not run after all and YOU do not know the Gem shining inside
sundry who blabber textbook stuff and wear you, the Divinity whose effulgence is your
the cloak of fakir hood. Examine, judge and intellect and whose reflection is the Prema
you evince. You know many things other 834
than this, but not this essential thing; you do
not know where such and such a scholar WHAT exactly is a dream? It is a dream
lives in Venkatagiri, but you know where within a dream. It is a dream which unfolds
such and such a film star lives in Madras: before you even while you are "awake" in
This is something to be ashamed of, this loss another dream. It tries to shed some light,
of the sense of values. You must recognise some joy, some courage, some faith, some
the Higher, the Highest. hope, and some meaning on the dream
called Life. Naturally, man has to seek all
831 means of discovering the meaning of Life,
for without knowing it, he is lost; he
YOU believe that those who have no faith in wanders from birth to birth, receiving knock
the Vedas and the Shastras and those who after knock and is seldom the better for all
do not aver that there is some Omnipresent, the experience.
Omniscient Being, are Nasthikas. But let me
tell you, those who revere their Parents and 835
foster them, and those who love and protect
with care their brothers and sisters, are WHERE you go to a temple, you see the idol
Theists. Asthikas believe in Gratitude, Love, within but your thoughts are with your
Affection, Duty, and Dharma and these footwear that you had to keep outside the
qualities are enough to save them from gate. These are matters that reveal the
perdition. concentration that you are capable of. Every
little point has to be taken care of, lest the
832 benefit of the Sadhana will be lost. You
cannot get liberation by merely coming here;
THE Truth can flash only in a mind clear of you cannot get it even by Dharsan, Sparsan,
all blemishes. The first blemish that I would and Sambashan. You will have to follow the
like to warn you against is: "inability to bear instructions, the Ajna, the Order and the
the success of others". Envy is the greatest of Directions.
the sins. Vanity, envy and egoism are kin.
They cut at the root of man's real nature. To 836
feel proud that you are a Bhakta is also a
blot. Though you may be a mountain, you MOKSHA or Liberation results from the
must feel you are a mound; and you should breaking of the Mind with all its vagaries
not pretend to be a mountain. and wishes. You have to break your Mind
but, how can you do it, when the fibrous
833 armour of sensual desires encompasses it?
Remove it and dedicate the Mind to God and
ALL men are kin, they are of the same smash it in His presence. That moment you
likeness, the same build; moulded out of the are free.
same material, with the same Divine essence
in each. Service to man will help your 837
Divinity to blossom, for it will gladden your
heart and make you feel that life has been ONE should accept the body as the "Tantra",
worthwhile. Service to man is service to God, one's own breath as the "Mantra", and one's
for He is in every man and every living being heart as the "Yantra". There is no need to
and in every stone and stump. Offer your seek them outside oneself. When all words
talents at the feet of God; let every act be a emanating from you are sweet, your breath
flower, free from creeping worms of envy becomes Rig Veda. When you restrict what
and egoism and full of the fragrance of love you listen to and prefer only sweet speech,
and sacrifice. all that you hear becomes Sama Gana. When
you do only sweet deeds, all that you do is
Yajur Homa. Then, you will be performing
every day the Vedapurusha Yajna, the Yajna
which propitiates the Veda.
 838 842

THE vehicle of human life is drawn by two THE mansion called life must be built on a
wheels by the senses, which are driven by strong foundation and the pursuit of Artha
Buddhi, with Viveka and Vairagya as the and Kama, of Wealth and Welfare, and all
reins, the two wheels being the Kala Chakra desirable objects must be regulated by the
and the Karma Chakra. The spokes of the standard of Dharma. Dharma fosters those
wheel are the rules of Dharma, bound by the who foster it. "Dharma Rakshithi
rim of Prema. The self is the Rider and he Rakshithah". The strongest foundation is
will not come to harm if the axle is Sathya ever-present Faith in the Almighty. Some
and the goal is Shanti. may ask, "If He is Almighty, why then is He
not patent"? He reveals Himself only to the
839 person who yearns for the answer, not to the
one who questions out of impudence or
ignorance.
THE Gita is for saving all and granting them
liberation. Gita, in Telugu, means a line; it
draws a line across and cancels the series of 843
births and deaths; it teaches you to stand
erect, unafraid, along the straight path of HE will be patent only in the transparent
Dharma, along the line laid down. heart, the heart that is not clouded by
egoism or attachment. The string of the
840 Rosary is patent only in the Spatika Heads,
the crystal beads, not in the coral or
Rudraksha beads. Though the string runs
HAVING been born, man earns and acquires
through these latter also, it can be seen only
land, riches, materials, grains and articles of
by splitting those beads. This is the meaning
comforts and luxury, which he feels will give
of the story of Hiranyakasipu who split the
him happiness and which, therefore, become
pillar. When he did that, he could see for
the object of his struggle. But the object of
himself the Lord, who is the core of every
realising God is forgotten. You may ask: why
object and being.
should anyone seek good company, do good
deeds, and direct his mind towards good
thoughts? You are listening to Me and what 844
do you get when you so listen? You agree
that I am giving you Anandam. What do you YOUR Reality is the Atma, a wave of the
give Me in return? Give Me the Aacharana of Paramatma. The one object of this human
what I am telling you, practice what I teach, existence is to visualise this Reality, this
that is enough. That is all I ask for. Atma, this relationship between the wave
and the sea. All other activities are trivial;
841 you share them with birds and beasts; but
this is the unique privilege of man. He has
clambered through all the levels of animal,
IN every country today, men have become
all the steps in the ladder of evolution in
power-mad and they resort, without any
order to inherit this high destiny. If all the
compunction, to self praise and dry
years between birth and death are frittered
declamation. They develop hatred against
away in seeking food and shelter, comfort
others, foster envy and feed their fatal egos.
and pleasure, as animals do, man is
They plunge the Society to which they
condemning himself to a further life
belong into fear, anxiety and disorder. They
sentence.
do not know, that if elevating ideals are
adhered to and practiced, they could gain
eternal fame; instead they are content with 845
cheap applause and short-lived publicity.
THERE are only three ways of saving
oneself: Prakruthi, Nivrithi and Prapatti.
Prakruthi (action, external activity) is a
method of sublimating the instincts and
impulses. Nivritti (detachment; internal uprooted and man's handiwork of brick and
quiet), is a method of subduing the thirst of mortar is laid in ruins, with the roofs flying
the senses and of the ego. Prapatti in the air. On what basis can he erect his
(surrender) is a method of utilising the pride?
senses, the instincts and impulses, the
intelligence and the emotions for the 849
glorification of the all-knowing, all-directing
Divine. Do and dedicate, work and worship,
ALL who come embodied are Avatars, that is
plant and protect; but do not worry about
to say, advents of the Divine, Manifestations
the fruit; that is the secret of spiritual
of God. What then is the special feature of
success.
Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Christ? Why do
you celebrate their Birthdays with much
846 reverential enthusiasm? The specialty is
this: they are Aware, you are unaware of the
THE boulder on the hill, from which a Atma which is the Truth. Awareness confers
portion has been blasted away to carve an Liberation from bonds, from time, space and
idol for the temple, tells the idol, "Thath causation and from sleep, dream and
Thawam Asi" (You and I are the same), That wakefulness. Avatars are ever alert, aware,
and this are one substance. Yes, of one and alight.
substance, but what a difference? The
hammer and chisel have made one, a thing 850
of beauty and a joy for ever, an inspiration to
make life beautiful and holy. You too must
THERE was a huge halo of splendour
subject yourself to the hammer of discipline
illuminating the sky over the village when
and the chisel of pain-pleasure, so that you
Christ was born. This meant that He who
become Divine.
was to overcome the darkness of evil and
ignorance had taken birth; that He will
847 spread the Light of Love in the heart of man
and the councils of humanity. Appearances
WHEN you reach the bank of a river in a of splendour and other signs to herald the
strange land, you do not take advice from a era that have dawned are natural when
lame person or a blind person on where you Incarnations happen on Earth. Jesus was to
can best wade across. You follow a person shatter the darkness that had enveloped the
who has waded often and who is neither World and the Aura of Light was a sign that
lame nor blind. The man who can see is a announced the event. The Masters arrive in
scholar; the man who can walk is a person answer to man's prayer, "Thamasomaa
with experience. The man with both Jyothirgamaya"; "Lead us from darkness
capacities is a good guide, not those who unto Light".
prattle things learnt from the books or dole
out set formulae irrespective of the stage the 851
recipient has reached, or roamed about in
search of people whom they can squeeze for
THE word "Hindu" has been interpreted by
money.
scholars in various ways, but the real
meaning is "Hin" (Hinsa or Violence), "Dur"
848 (far from): people who keep away from
violence. The Hindus have been praying
MAN imagines that he has achieved much as since the ages for the peace and prosperity of
a result of his search for material pleasures. all the Worlds. "Loka Samastha Sukino
He has discovered electricity and is using it Bhavanthu". Their conception of the
for giving light. But what poor glory is this? immanence of God is strong and
When the sun rises even the brightest bulb unshakable. The rituals, ceremonies, vows
pales into insignificance. Man has invented and rites prescribed in Hinduism are all
the fan and, by means of electricity, he is directed to the promotion and well-being of
able to create a breeze. But, when a storm "all the Worlds". This is the reason why
arises in Nature, the toughest tree is Hinduism is still alive and active.
 852 you are ill, that he stops and expresses
concern and probes into the causes,
VISHNU is described as "Buyagasayamam" symptoms and care of the illness. "Wellness
sleeping on the snake and also as is natural"; illness is unnatural. Anxiety is
"Samthaakaaram". The "Bujaga" or snake, caused by the unnatural only. So you are
which has visha or poison, represents the "Suka-Swarupa" also.
World or "Vishaya" and, when you rest upon
it, instead of allowing it to envelop you, you 856
can afford to have "Santham". Let your boat
be on the waters; but do not allow the waters CLARIFY the Buddhi by Sadhana so that you
to enter the boat. Be in the World, but not of get a vision of the Lord who dwells within,
it. That is the secret of a successful life. that is the Sudarsana which saved Gajendra,
the wild elephant (man) that was caught by
853 the alligator (egoism) while rollicking in the
lake. The objective World (Samsara) looks
SARANAGATHI, or unconditional upon joy and grief as teachers of hardihood
surrender, is the main gate to enter the and balance. Grief is a friendly reminder, a
mansion of Mukthi. It has four floors: good task-master; even a better teacher than
Dhyanam, Karma, Bhakti and Jnanam. Each joy. The Lord grants both, protection and
floor rests upon the one beneath and the punishment; for how can he be the Lord if
uppermost cannot be reached without he does not insist on strict accounting and
ascending the first three. Remember this, strict obedience?
when you hear people arguing about the
relative superiority of the Yogas or labeling 857
themselves as "this" or "that" in the
Adhyathmic field. TAKE everything as it comes. Cultivate
contentment, do not multiply your wants
854 and foster greed and despair. You take off
your warm clothing when you start feeling
PLEASE do not be under the delusion that warm. The coat of desire has to be taken off
God needs light and that He requires when the warmth of Bhakthi increases.
illumination. He is "Jyothiswarupa" with the Strive to secure Grace; do not strive to
splendour of a thousand suns. He is the secure any lesser fruit.
force which makes Light shine, and He is
above and beyond the Thejas that Nature 858
can supply. It is not so much this stone
structure that needs illumination. When you THE youth today, in India as well as in other
come to think of it, it is the temple that you lands, are afflicted with deep discontent
are carrying about with you in body that which manifests itself in revolt against rules,
must be fitted with lights. "Dehodevalaya regulations, curricula and social norms and
Proktham". The body is said to be the an agitational approach to every little
temple. "Jivodevah Sanathanah". And in problem that affects them. What is the basic
that temple is installed the Jivi who is the cause of this phenomenon? The Reason lies
"timeless" God. in the fact that they have started to neglect
the ancient culture of India and its ideals.
855 They are imitating undesirable and fanatic
norms of behaviour and are addicted to a
YOU try to avoid grief; you try to taste joy code of disbelief, having no roots anywhere.
instead. It is the nature of man to do so. For
he is essentially "Anandaswarupa". When we 859
seek "Ananda", it is like the call of the deep
for the deep. When someone asks you, "How WHEN God has come assuming a Form,
do you do?" and you answer, "Quite well, take it from Me, it will not fill inferior
thank you", he does not stop to enquire why vessels or embellish tawdry stuff or enter
you are well. It is only when you answer that impure bodies. So, do not extol these
falsities and ruin those unfortunates. Deal 863
with them severely and they will be cured.
Those who have seen the brilliance of the YOU have to trace your ancestry and be
diamond will not be misled by glass trinkets. proud of it. From Paramatma, Moola
The Lord is like the diamond, call it by any Prakrithi descended with the emergence of
name. But a trinket cannot be turned into a Maya, and from the stuff of that illusion,
diamond, however loud the praise and Akasa; and from Akasa, Vayu; from Vayu,
however adamant the claim. Agni; from Agni, Jala; from Jala, Earth. By a
combination of the five elements, this
860 Tabernacle of Paramatma, which is you, was
produced. The entire ladder has now to be
WHO can give us the secret of transcending climbed up in order to reach the
the barrier that divides the region of death Paramatma, the Origin of all. There is a
from the region of immortality? Of course, regular syllabus for the promotion of the
the Lord has often sent Messengers to tell spiritual aspirant, which is given in that
humanity about it, and He himself has come form in the Veda and in the form of an
down in human form to communicate it and elaborate story in the Bhagavatha.
save mankind from perdition. It is because
the task of guiding man has gone on so 864
consistently that today, at least in India,
there is this quantum of earnestness to THE discovery of Truth is the unique
achieve it and to escape from the cycle of mission of man. Man is a mixture of Maya
birth and death. and Madhava; the Maya throws a mist which
hides the Madhava. But through the action
861 of the healthy impulses inherited from acts
performed while in previous bodies, or
THE Jnanendriyas are more important for through the cleansing done by austerities in
Sadhana than the Karmendriyas; Buddhi is this body, or through the Grace of the Lord
more important than all the rest of the inner Himself, Maya melts away; for it is just a
instruments given to man. Make Buddhi the mist which flees before the Sun. Then Nara
master of your Manas and you will not fail. is transformed into Narayana and this
You will fail only when the senses establish Bhuloka is elevated into a Prasanthi
mastery over the mind. Nilayam.

862 865

EASWARASSARVOTA Bhoothaanaam EVERYONE has a mother as the source of

Hrddese Arjuna Thishtath, "Oh Arjuna, the his life and body. So, the mother has to be
God resides in the heart of all being" says the strong in mind and body, ripe in culture and
Lord. He is not to be found specially in character, sanctified by holy thoughts and
Amarnath, Kasi, Tirupati, Kedaram or steeped in love and dedication. Good
Gokarnam. Just as every drop of the ocean mothers make a good nation. Mothers have
has the taste, the composition and the name to be repositories of "Thyaga, Yoga and
of the ocean, so too every single being has Bakthi", Detachment, Discipline and
the Divine taste and composition and the Devotion. Their Karma (Activity) must be
name of the Lord. Only you do not realise it based on these three urges.
so clearly. The Godavari realises itself by
reaching the sea; man realises himself by 866
merging in the Absolute. "Gamyam ithi
Lingam" (That which merges in the goal is THE one Namaskaram you do, do with
Lingam). devotion. That is enough. You do not even
do that; you do it so callously, so
indifferently and automatically. When you
fold your hands and bring them together,
feel that you are offering at the Feet all the
actions of the Five Karmendriyas and the Heart of God respond? When there is no
Five Jnanendriyas as indicated by the ten response, infer that there is something
fingers. Again, the purpose of Namaskaram wanting in the cry; perhaps, the cry is
is to touch the Feet, to have Sparsan of the hollow, insincere, mere play-acting set to a
Lord. The Negative pole Mayasakthi, and the pattern, addressed to someone alien to
Positive pole, Mahasakthi, have to meet in oneself, taken to be far away and distant as a
order to produce a spiritual current that will tyrant or task master.
flow through you.
870
867
KNOW that God is the One that is dearest
COME, I am the repairer of broken hearts, of and nearest to you, as dear and as near as
damaged Anthahkaranas. I am like the your own heart and pray to him. Surely his
smith who welds, mends and sets right. Ten answer will be vouchsafed immediately. You
years ago, a devotee prayed to Me in song, may have huge hordes of men in the army;
"My heart has gone dry, my lamp has gone but they are useful only when the few
out, my path is dark, my brain is confused. Generals who lead them know where they
Lord make me fit again for life's arduous are and whether they should proceed and
journey". The Lord will be waiting outside how to overcome the enemy, whose strength
the door of the puja room of the Bhakta, and weakness they have comprehended.
anxious to fulfill his wish. Verily he, who has Hordes of people sing, recite, adore,
the Lord as His Servant, is the real Prabhu. worship, praise and prostrate, but these are
the soldiers. Those who believe, those who
868 have faith and who practice the disciplines
are the Generals in whom the Master
confides.
EVERY little movement or incident results
in sound. Only, you may not be able to hear,
because the range of your ear is limited. The 871
falling of an eyelid over the eye makes a
sound and the dropping of dew on a petal TALKATIVE persons easily step into scandal
makes a sound. Any little agitation mongering. Too much talk and a tongue
disturbing the calm is bound to produce a addicted to scandal are twins; they work
sound. The sound caused by the primal together and in unison. A poet addressed his
movement that resulted in the enveloping of tongue thus "Oh, Tongue, knower of taste,
Brahman by self-evolved Maya is the relisher of sweetness, always prefer the
Pranavashabda or OM. The Gayathri is the Truth". One should not inflame passion,
elaboration of that Pranava and so, it is now diminish enthusiasm or inflict injury
held so venerable that initiation into "Sathyam Brooyath, Priyam Rooyath"
Adhyatmic life is achieved by its (Speak the Truth, Speak pleasantly),
contemplation. "Nabrooyath Sathyam Apriyam" (If
unpleasant, do not speak the truth), "Priyam
869 cha na anvartsham brooyth" (Though it may
be pleasant, do not speak falsehood).
YOU may complain that God is hard and
heartless since He does not respond to 872
prayer, give a signal from his pictures and
speak from "nowhere" in clear unambiguous THE Lord has said in the Gita: "Anudevega
terms, assuaging, assuring, advising - but let Karam Vakyam Sathyam Priya Hitam
Me tell you: God is Love. Love is God. His Chayat". (Speech, that does not offend, that
Akara (Form) is Prema (Love). His is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, has to be
Swabhava (essential Nature) is Ananda praised). Such speech sanctifies the tongue.
(Bliss); and His Raktha (Life-blood) is It knows and respects the limits. The ear
Sathya (Truth). Even when the stony cliff cannot tolerate a false or discordant note.
echoes your voice and responds when you Every one of the senses responds within its
cry, will not the Softest, Sweetest, Love-filled own limits of tolerance and protests when
that limit is exceeded or disregarded. You mankind will become a mighty family full of
must be vigilant that they are put to use with peace and joy.
proper attention to those limits. When they
stray from the path or overstep the 876
boundaries, reason bites its head and makes
you inhuman.
MOHAKARMA flows from delusion and
leads to further delusion. Man must outgrow
873 this tendency and turn towards Dharma
Karma, that is to say, moral activity,
YOU can master all Knowledge and win loud idealistic activity, activity that sublimates
applause. The crowds that gather may praise lower instincts and impulses and transform
and proclaim: "Ah, what a wonderful lecture every deed into an act of dedication. When
he gave". You can be hailed as a King and the attitude is confirmed and consolidated,
rule over the realm. You can pile up vast all Karma becomes Brahmakarma. Man
wealth and donate old and land. But what is merges in the Universal and loses the
the benefit gained? Karna gave away the inhibiting individuality. That is the Karma
earrings he wore and even sliced off his which the Atma craves for and delights in.
Divine suit of armour and gave it away in
charity. Wherein lies the key to greatness? 877
Whereto does renunciation lead? The
question is, does it purify the heart? Does it
PREMA or Love is a much misused word.
help the Divinity within to manifest itself?
Any positive response to the attraction is
called Love. Any feeling of attachment,
874 however trivial or transitory, is
characterised as Prema. We must certainly
BRAHMACHARYA does not mean merely coin new words or set aside specific words to
desisting from marriage. It means becoming indicate the forms of Love. The attachment
soaked in Holy Love for the Divine through of parents to their children or of children to
transparent sincerity, unselfish will, pure parents must be called affection. The
consciousness and holy thoughts. You all response to the attraction of sex can be best
know that Hanuman is described as the described as fancy, fascination or delusion,
Eternal Brahmachari. He was married to Moha. The feeling of Kinship or
Srivatsala, yet he earned that description. comradeship evokes dearness. The pleasure
How? Brahmachari means, "He who is in one gets through a sense of possession,
Brahman". Hanuman had no other thought especially of material objects, can be known
than Rama (who is Brahman) and so, was as satisfaction. Only the yearning to reach
ever moving in Brahman and living in for the sublimity that lies inherent in Truth
Brahman. Your thoughts, feelings, desires is entitled to be called by that holy word
and activities must all move in Brahman, the "Prema".
Universal Absolute. That is to say, whatever
is spoken and whatever is seen must be 878
cognised as Brahman. That is the real
Brahmacharya stage.
IT is My general practice to induce people to
learn the sweetness of the Name. I begin My
875 Discourses with the recitation of a spiritual
poem and end them with these Namavalis
LIFE can be sanctified and elevated to a and in between I give the lesson I love to
worshipful pilgrimage if only every one teach. It is like a tasty health giving meal
clings to his way and sees it in its proper which I serve to you on a plate (the problem)
perspective. Idle brains exaggerate matters; covering it with a lid (the Namavalis). That
and cynics cause great social damage. Gulfs is how you may take it.
are widened by thoughtless criticism. If only
all of you would remember the principle 879
underlying the brotherhood of man,
HOW can a person, who cannot swim, teach give you all that you need. Do not demean
others the art? How can one whose granary the relationship into bargaining: give me
is empty, pour out charity? Acquire the this; then I shall give you that in exchange. If
wealth of devotion, fortitude and peace, you insist on wages you become a coolie.
before venturing to advise others how to Become His own. He is providing for the
acquire them. Bharath (India) has suffered idler, the insane and the shirker; can He not
slights and disregard as a result of a spate of provide for you?
teachers who have not cared to practice what
they teach. I know you have the enthusiasm 883
to carry My message among the people of
this country and other countries. Let Me
THE duration of life is under the control of
remind you that the best and the only
Him who gave life, the Creator. It does not
successful way in which you can do it is to
depend on the calories of food consumed or
translate the Message into your own lives.
the quality of drugs that are injected, or the
Your thoughts, words and deeds must be
qualification of the physician who prescribes
saturated with the message. They then will
the medicine. The chief causes of ill health
spread effortlessly and efficiently, and the
and death are Fear and Loss of Faith. If one
face of the World will be transformed.
concentrates on the Atma, which has no
change in characteristics, no subtraction or
880 senility, and no decline or damage, man can
conquer Death. Therefore, the most effective
THE Name undoubtedly brings in the Grace prescription is the injection of Atma-Vidya
of God. Meerabai, the Queen of Rajasthan, (Knowledge of the Atma, the Soul as one's
gave up status and riches, fortune and family Real Self).
and dedicated herself to the adoration of the
Lord, Giridhara Gopala. Her husband 884
brought a chalice of poison and she was
ordered to drink it. She uttered the Name of
THE future of India is in your hands. You
Krishna while she drank it. It was
are fully aware of the characteristics of this
transformed into nectar, by the Grace the
Kaliyuga we are passing through. You find
Name evoked.
around you injustice, irregularities,
immorality and untruth, with all their
881 devilish attributes and atrocities. But we
have to march ahead in spite of all this with
GOD is the harmony of all the Forms and a quite tolerant and benign attitude towards
Names that man gives Him. Only those who life. Almost all the fields and walks of life are
are ignorant of the Glory of God will insist polluted with these poisonous feelings; but
on one Name and one Form for His the field of education, being the most
adoration and, what is worse, condemn the prominent organ, needs our special
use by others of other Names and Forms. attention.
Since you are all associated with the Sathya
Sai Organisation, I must warn you against 885
such silly obduracy. Do not go about
proclaiming that you are a sect, distinct and
EVERY Indian will have to recognise the
separate from those who adore God in other
culture based on Vedic philosophy. You will
Forms and Names; thereby, you are limiting
know how restless and agitated the youth of
the very God whom you are extolling.
India are today, trying to rob everything of
pride and without achievement and thus,
882 getting involved in meaningless pursuits.
The student of today is not able to realise
PEOPLE pray to God to relieve them from what he should primarily be concerned with.
pain, grief and loss, to confer on them It is only in name that he is a "Vidyarthi",
health, strength and wealth. But if you the seeker of Knowledge. In practice, he is
develop an intimate attachment to Him and only a "Vishayarthi", a seeker of worldly
make Him yours, then He will manage to pleasures.
 THE six demons, Kama (Lust), Krodha
(Anger), Lobha (Greed) Moha (Attachment),
886 Mada (Pride) and Matsara (Hate) pursue
you and turn you on to wrong paths and
make you servile, stupid and sad. Fight
LOVE is the seed, courage is the blossom
against them resolutely. That is the life-long
and peace is the fruit that the Sages grow in
war you have to wage. It is not a seven year
the garden of their hearts. They toiled for
war or a thirty year war; it may be a hundred
identifying themselves with the Truth, not
year war, if you live a hundred years. The
for painting falsehood with the authenticity
struggle knows no respite. This is a civil war,
of Truth and parading as if they had
where vigilance alone can bring dividends.
accomplished the mission on which they had
come to earth. They achieved such success
that Bharath, for centuries, was the 890
Preceptor of Humanity; but now the
Preceptor has started to take lessons from THERE are no characteristics in God, but in
the least intelligent of the pupils and is the characteristics of Sathya, Jnana and
rearing its head in pride when the pupil Ananda there is God. God is everywhere and
congratulates him. no spaceship can hit against Him; no
astronaut can espy Him. He is too subtle for
887 all that type of contact, subtler than ether or
Akasa. So, do not lend your ears to people
who swear there is no God. God is too vast
IN the Gita, the Lord has declared
and too far above the reach of reason or
"Beejaymmaam Sarva Bhoothaanam", "I am
imagination. You can only get glimpses of
the seed for all beings". The tree is a broad
the Bliss derived from the contemplation of
spread of leaves and flowers, fruit and green.
His Magnificence.
All have grown out of one single small seed,
and every fruit of that tree has seeds of the
same nature inside it: contemplate for a 891
while on the magnificent multitude of life,
all its rich variety of strong and weak, prey KRISHNA is hiding in the recesses of your
and hunter, distressed and delighted, hearts. You have to trace Him there and hold
creeping, crawling, flying, floating, walking, fast. He runs away but leaves footprints
hanging, burrowing, living, and swarming. marked by the spilled milk on which he has
All this uncountable variety of created trodden in His hurry to be beyond our reach.
beings have come out of the "Beejam" (Lord) Yes, the lesson is: recognise his Footprints in
and again, visualise the immanent Divinity. everything of beauty, every act of goodness,
You will become humble, wise, and full of every tear of gratitude and every sigh of
Love. compassion; and discover Him in the bower
of your own heart filled with the Fragrance
888 of Love and Light of Virtue.

DO NOT waver, hesitate or doubt your 892

destiny. Yearn to realise your Reality; that
yearning itself will endow you with a steady A HEART without Love is as dreary as a
endeavour and the Grace of God which will town without a temple. Spiritual pride is the
remove all obstacles. Be an example to most poisonous of all varieties of Pride. It
others. Do not scatter advice without the blends and leads the person suffering from it
authority born of practical experience. Do into ruin. Beware of Pride; be always aware
not search for the faults of others, seek your that you are but an instrument in My Divine
own. Love, Cooperate, Help, and Serve. This Mission of Dharmasthapana, Revival of
is your prime duty. righteousness. Try to be more and more
efficient as such instruments. The hand that
889 wields the instrument knows how and when
it has to be applied.
 897

THE chief means by which you detach your

mind from distractions and attach
893 yourselves to the search for God are: Yoga
and Thyaga. Kama (desire) has to be gotten
rid of by Thyaga (Renunciation); and Rama
AT THIS critical hour in the history of the
(God) has to be secured by Yoga (the
World, when the demoniac forces of fear and
conjunction of all your faculties for the
anxiety, injustice and inequity are raging in
common purpose). Desire discolours the
wild fury, it is the duty of every human being
intelligence; it perverts judgment; it
to be equipped with spiritual strength so
sharpens the appetites of the senses; it lends
that he may not be overwhelmed by the
a false lure to the objective world. When
storm. This is an urgent and essential task
desire disappears or is concentrated on God,
and I must say, that the women of India
intelligence is self luminous and it shines in
have a contribution to make, a service to
the pristine splendour; and that splendour
render and a role to play. They must bring
reveals the God within and without. That is
God into the heart of the child and help it to
the real "Atmasakshatkara".
keep Him there. For Faith in God is the tonic
that man needs to get back his health and
happiness. 898

894 OF WHAT benefit is it to have a body if you

do not seek to know how best to utilise it?
Learn from the Saints and Sages who have
SOCIAL service should not become show-
realised the Truth about the path you shall
cial, work carried out for publicity or with
tread and the goal you have to attain. That
the camera in view. Nor should it become
goal is God. He is beyond all notions of good
slow-cial work. Why go slow, when you are
and bad, right and wrong. These are earthly
doing good to the deserving? Do as much as
measures, by which the temporary is
you can. If you cannot do any good, at least
weighed and judged. He has no Form, no
desist from doing harm or from finding fault
Limbs, no duality, no preferences, no
with those who serve you.
prejudices and no predilection. To say that
He is "Sathyaswarup" (having the
895 characteristic of Truth), and "Jnanaswarup"
(having full wisdom), and "Anandaswarup"
YOU know that you can draw cheques upon (full of Bliss) is also not correct. For He has
a bank whenever you need money, provided no "Swarup" or "Swabhav"; He is Sathya; He
you have enough current deposit therein. If is Jnana; and He is "Ananda". That is the
the Bank goes bankrupt, it will be a disaster. experience of those who have tasted
The educational system is the Bank on which "Ananda".
the nation draws a cheque whenever it wants
strong, reliable skilled workers. If it goes 899
bankrupt, as it nearly has today, it is a
national disaster.
YOU may boast that you have been visiting
Puttaparthi since twenty years or that you
896 have made the place your permanent
residence; but, unless you follow the lessons
SERVICE: Let that be the slogan for this I emphasise, that boast is mere empty
nation. Service not for those who have many vanity. If you develop love for all beings, in
to serve them and the wherewithal to help the faith that God resides in all, you may be
themselves, but for the diseased in the anywhere else, but your prayers would reach
hospitals who have no one to nurse them, Me and My Grace will reach you. While in
give them a smile or a flower or write a letter My previous body, I told Nanashab that I am
home for them. in ants, insects and animals, besides all men.
When a dog ate all offerings intended for
Baba, it was declared to have reached Baba, MAN strives to provide himself with food
for he had eaten it in that form. "Nana says, clothing and housing for the sake of the
he is giving Me food, but when I go in the body. He must also provide himself with
form of a dog, he drives Me off". something to keep the mind healthy and
happy. It is the mind that conditions even
900 the body. The mind is the instrument, the
flywheel, and the thickest comrade of man.
Through it, one can ruin oneself or save
INDIA has always laid down disciplines to
oneself. Regulated and controlled,
cultivate Universal Love; the Yagnas and
channeled properly it can liberate; wayward
Yaga which are recommended in the Vedas
and let loose, it can entangle and bind fast.
are for Lokakalyana, Lokasangraha, the
welfare and security of all mankind. That is
why India is like the engine which drags the 904
wagons along, all the wagons that are
coupled with it. The wagons are the different TRAIN the mind to dwell on the inner
nations. "Lokaasamathaah Sukhino equipment rather than the outer attractions.
Bhavanthu" is the prayer that rises from the Use the mind to cleanse the feelings,
children of the land since thousands of impulses, attitudes, tendencies and levels of
years. God is Omnipresent. He is immanent consciousness. Let it not accumulate dirt
in every being and in equal measure. So man from the outer world and deposit them
must visualise Him equally in himself and in within itself. If it is attached to work
others. (Pravriti Marga), the consequences of work
get attached to it. Unattached work is the
901 purest; it does not encumber the mind with
elation or disappointment. "I did it", this is
mine", these are the two fangs that make the
ONCE Ramadas wailed, "Oh Lord! you are
individual poisonous. Pull out the fangs, the
Mighty, all powerful, all knowing; I am alone
snake can be handled and played with as a
helpless, orphaned and poor". Then the Lord
pet.
interrupted the self condemnation and said,
"No, how can you call yourself poor, helpless
and orphaned? I am with you and in you, 905
showering My Grace. The only orphan in the
Universe is Myself, for I have no guardian, THE Lord is closest to you. He is the
no means of support, nobody to fall back Mother, Father, Teacher, Friend, Guide and
upon. I am the A-natha; all else are Sa-natha Guardian. Call on Him and He responds
(with Lord), for I am their Natha (Lord)". immediately. From dawn to dusk, spend
every minute in His company. That is the
902 reason why I have directed that every Sathya
Sai Organisation must arrange for Nagar
Sankirtan in the pre-dawn
THE Universe is the Body of God; in that
Bhahmamuhurtham. It is a mission of Love
Body, the Unity Consciousness is Bharath,
and all will welcome it. It is a great act of
the Ekabhava. "Ekam Sath" the Vedas
social service to wake up people with the
declared eons ago! That is the heartbeat of
Name of God. It is a purifying pilgrimage,
Bharath today. This is the reason why Sages,
casting off anger and hate that infest the
Saints, Divine Personages and Incarnations
atmosphere.
of God appear here and proclaim their
message to mankind from this land. The
precious message is being exported but very 906
little is used inside the country. That is the
tragedy. For the influence available from THE Gita speaks of "Yukthahara Viharasya",
positions of authority and for acquiring and habits of feeding and recreation, which are
accumulating power, individuals talk ill of controlled and regulated. The gross part of
others and breed hate. food is discarded as feces, the subtle part is
transformed into muscle, blood etc., and the
903 more subtle of the subtle aspects are
transmuted into the mind and its activities. doorstep. That light will drive out the
That is why the Sages have prescribed darkness from both, inside and outside.
certain limits and levels of food, in order to Have it ever burning, clear and bright. You
promote the spiritual urges and prevent will soon reach remarkable heights and
contrary tendencies. But nowadays, as a enjoy happiness, the like of which you
result of the downgraded time, spirits and cannot get by sticking to the senses.
food that damage the spiritual urge, are
being increasingly favoured. 911

907 KRISHNA took upon Himself three vows: (1)

"Parithraanaya Sadhoonam Vinaasaayacha
THE Karma or activity is the indicator of Dushkrithaam, Dharma
inner character. Observing one's actions, Samasthaapanaarthayya Sambhavaimi Yuge
their motives, their consequences and the Yuge" - "For the protection of the good and
extent of one's involvement, it is possible to the punishment of the bad; for the
declare one as a Pasu (beast) or Pasupathi establishment of the Moral Order, I shall
(The Lord of Individual Souls: that is to say, concretise Myself, age after age"; (2)
as Divine as God Himself). "Anayaaschinthayathramanm Yejanah
Paryappasatha, Shaamnishya-
908 Abhiyukthaanaam Yoga Shemam
Vahamyaham" - "Who ever is wholly
immersed in my contemplation, with no
AT school, the first lesson is "Baa Baa Black
other thought; I shall be ever with him and I
Sheep, Have you any Wool?", and the second
shall bear the burden of his welfare"; (3)
is "Ding Dong Bell, Pussy in the well". Gone
"Sarvadharmaan Parithojya Maamekam
are the days when the first lesson was on
Saranam Vrajas Ahamthwaa Sarva
Rama, Krishna or some great sage or saint?
Paapebhyo Mokshaysh Yaami Maasuch" -
Getting to know about black sheep will make
"Surrender unto Me, giving up all other
children black sheep; getting to know about
duties and obligations, I shall liberate you
the great and the good will make children
from all sin; do not grieve".
great and good. Children of Baba Vihar are
therefore told stories of Rama, Krishna and
other Divine Persons. Learn those tales and 912
decide to live like them. Learn Indian ways
and Indian tales, and be true Indians. WHEN Dharma (which means, that which is
worn, the apparel, clothes) was sought to be
909 removed from the wearer, the Lord blessed
Draupadi with the grant of an unending
series of saris. Today, the Sanathana
WHY say "Good morning" or "Good night".
Dharma which is the robe of Bharathamatha
"Namaskar" or "Namaste" is the Indian way,
is sought to be taken away by her unworthy
the really humble way. You must have Bhaya
and deluded sons; and the Lord has come to
Vinaya and Viswasa - Fear, Humility and
grant solace and strength. You will see
Faith. Fear of what? Fear of doing wrong
splendid saris pouring into her lap from
and of falling into falsehood. Humility
every door of the Durabar Hall, where she is
before whom? Before elders, teachers and
being insulted. You will witness this great
parents. Faith in what? Faith in God, in your
Miracle by the Avatar who has come to
own strength and in your own victory.
protect her honour and her heritage.
910
913
"TAMASOMA Jyothigamaya" is the prayer.
YOU stay far and complain that Grace has
Egoism is Thamas. There is an easy way to
not come. You do not scrape off, by the
illumine the inner consciousness and the
process of repentance, the mud and rust that
outer behaviour with the light of God. Put
prevent attachment. You come for needs
the lamp of the Name of the Lord, the
sometime and stray away into the distance. I
illumining flame, on the tongue! That is the
do not mean physical distance at all. You CONSIDER the condition of the field of your
may be physically far but mentally by My heart; it is overgrown with thorns and
side. I do not measure distance in miles or bushes of lust, anger, greed and envy.
meters. I am always with you, in you, beside Remove them, root and all. Do not allow the
you; only you have to be aware of that and land to turn fallow. By continuous good
make use of My presence. You must become work, plough the field and fill the field with
an "Aartha", torn by intense suffering to the water of Prema. Select the Nama-seed
sense the Lord. that appeals to you and sow it in the field.
Discipline is the force which will guard the
914 growing crop against cattle. Virtue is the
pesticide. Fostering the field with great care,
you can bring home the precious harvest of
THE Lord has to take the Form that is
Ananda.
suitable for the task He has to fulfill. To
catch a gang of decadents, the Police Officer
has to move among them as a decadent. 918
That is why the Human Form has been
taken. But who, challenged with impurity by ONE day, Krishna pretended to be fast
their own wives, dare challenge the Avatar asleep! With the flute carelessly thrown
and ask for proof! Of course, if you desire to aside by His side, when Radha approached
understand, you are welcome; be near, the fortunate flute and asked it in plaintive
watch, learn and believe. Put on the role, if terms, "Oh lucky Murali! Tell me how did
you have the courage and the conviction that you earn the great good fortune. What was
you can enact it well. Are you not tired of the vow you observed, the vigil you kept, the
playing the parts of beggar and clown, in pilgrimage you accomplished"? The flute got
scene after scene, birth after birth? Aspire a voice through His Grace: "I rid myself of
for the nobler role, at least now, in this birth. all sensual desire of envy, greed and ego,
that is all. I had no feeling of ego left to
915 obstruct the flow of His Prema through me
to all creation".
IF you plan to give joy to others, you will be
joyful. Who are these others? Even when the 919
Lord has come with a definite Human body,
all humans that you come across are but REVERE Jnana as you revere your father;
parts of His Glory and Splendour. adore Love as you adore your mother; move
"Iswarasarvabhuthanaam, Hrdresse Arjuna fondly with Dharma as if it is your own
Shrishtethi", "Oh! Arjuna, the Lord, dwells brother; confide in "Daya" as if it is your
in the regions of the heart in all beings", says dearest friend; have Shantams as if it is your
the Lord in the Gita. better half; treat Sahana (Fortitude) as if it is
your own beloved son. These are your
916 genuine kith and kin. Move with them; live
with them; and do not forsake or neglect
them.
HOW can we find time for all this when we
have to toil every moment for feeding and
clothing ourselves? But you forget, the Lord 920
will grant you these material things and even
immortality, if only you place full reliance on THIS is a place where you must try to help
Him. Whatever you do, have the name, and not hinder; this is the atmosphere of
Rama or Krishna, or Siva or Hari on your peace and Prasanthi. Do not behave here as
tongue, no extra time or energy is needed for you do when you gather elsewhere. There is
that. When you rise in the morning, rise with no scope here for envy or malice of hate or
the Name on your tongue and slide into competition. When Kama and Vrodha are
sleep with the Name on your tongue. rising in hot flames from the heart, how can
the cool rays of Shanti, Sathya, Ahimsa and
917 Prema emanate therefrom? This human
birth is a rare chance! Use it for spreading
joy, and not grief. Of course, it is natural for recognised as great by time or recreating the
man to resent and to grow angry. But you damaged structure of the good of Society or
should not allow anger a free and furious restoring vigour to some fine art that is
scope. declining, you can count on My Blessings. I
always exhort people to win, not the titles
921 that come to those who canvas support but
the title that the Upanishads proclaim as the
highest decoration for spiritual aspirants:
KRISHNA had undoubtedly the power to
"Amirthaaya-Pathrash", "Children of
transform in a trice the wayward mind of
immortality".
His kinsman into unillumined instrument
for resolute action. But Krishna did not use
the power! He only prescribed the medicine 925
and the regimen. Arjuna had to swallow the
drug and follow the regimen himself in order EVERYONE'S heart is Dharmakshetra
to be saved. He said, "You are My friend; you where the battle between the forces of Good
are My kinsman; you are now so near to Me and Evil is fought. The whole country is
that I am now your charioteer; you are also Dharmakshetra. So, the mothers and
in great distress; I agree that the delusion, children of this land must be devoted to
which has overpowered you, must be Dharma, above all. The Gita begins with the
removed quickly; but, your Ajnana must fall words, Dharmakshetra, and ends with the
off through your own efforts not through words: "Sarva Dharmaan Parithajiya";
some Miracle of My design". "Through Dharma, you have to transcend
Dharma". That is why Kausalya exhorted
922 Rama when He went into the forest: "May
the Dharma, which you are upholding by
this act, be your guardian when you are in
ONE can claim genuine victory only when
the forest as an exile". And Rama upheld
one has reached not the dead satellite but
Dharma even under the most trying
the living star; not the Chandra but the
circumstances.
Ramachandra, the Lord who rules over the
inner satellites, the inner planets, the inner
motives and agitations. Then one's inner 926
reaction and agitation will be transmuted
into the Divine. All that one experiences THIS World is His play; it is not an empty
through the senses, the mind and the dream; it has purpose and use; it is the
intellect will take on the Divine lustre, reveal means by which one can discover God; see
their Divine core, and man will be shaped Him in the beauty, grandeur, the order and
through the mould of Love. the majesty of Nature. These are shadows of
His Glory and His splendour; that is why the
923 Vedas have three Sections or Kandas;
Karma, Upasana and Jnana. Karma leads to
the consciousness of the ever-present,
ONE can be in the World but yet unaffected.
immanent, all powerful God. Upasana or
Activity will then be for the Almighty by His
adoration of that God lends to the
Grace and through His will. Do not get work
knowledge that He is in all. When you
done by cooks, servants, ayahs and others in
experience that, there is no second, that is
the home, women must not depend on these
Jnana.
for the care of their children or attendance
on their husbands. Earning leisure for
Dhyana through these servants is not a 927
spiritual gain.
MY place is among you, with you and
924 wherever work lies. That is why I moved
among you and stood at your back. This is
just to show you that, even in your own
I ALWAYS encourage Samathanam,
places, when you do Bhajan or some other
Sanghikam and Saam Krishikam activities:
type of adoration like serving children, the
the three S's. If it is for reviving the values
sick or the poor, I do not sit on a special seat, dead could take with them a handful each,
apart and distant. Do not believe I am on the the Earth would have become scarce; it
pedestal that you offer Me. I am part of you, should have been rationed by now! Discover
a partner and partaker in all your efforts, the Immortal "I"; and know that it is the
inspiring and instructing when you ask or spark of God in you! Live in the
need inspiration and instruction. companionship of that vast measureless
Supreme and you will be rendered vast and
928 measureless. Consider all objects that you
collect here as given on trust to be used in
this caravansari, during your pilgrimage, in
BY developing spiritual qualities, you will be
this Karmashetra.
promoting the resuscitation of this country
and its culture. Look at the warning that the
sacred texts offer! Somaka, the Asura, stole 931
the Vedas! Ravana kidnapped Sita,
Duryodhana grasped an empire; Kamsa THE law of Karma is not an iron law. By
slaughtered children; but not one of them dedication, by purification which invites
realised their heart's desire that their names benediction, its effects can be modified and
be exalted by history. Sentence of death its rigour mitigated. Do not despair; do not
awaits everyone, cutting off their pride and lose heart. When vices hold sway over your
pomp. Some young persons feel that the heart, it becomes foul and sooty. The flames
work they have on hand gives them great of Kama, Krodha and Lobha char the heart.
pleasure but they do not pay heed to its Grace is provided by the quenching of these
future consequences. When you seek flames. Grace confers Ananda, which Kama,
beneficial results, you have to involve Krodha and Lobha can never confer.
yourselves in beneficial activity.
932
929
WHY is it that the World reveres Rama and
THERE are some who are attracted by revolts at Ravana? Rama is not its uncle's
various systems and methods like son or Ravana its step mother's child. It is
Hathayoga, Kriyayoga or Rajayoga, which the kinship of the spirit, your innate
claim to help people to realise the self. But I goodness, responding lovingly and adoringly
must tell you that none of these can make to the goodness in Rama and reacting
you realise God - I am saying this most revoltingly to the wickedness of Ravana. It is
emphatically. The Prema Yoga, Discipline of not enough nor is it essential that you
Love, alone can lead you to God. Those should utter the name of Rama loudly,
Yogas may calm the minds' agitation respect it in the fullness of love and
temporarily and may improve health and admiration. If you have no spirit of love in
prolong life for a few more years - but that is you, dig into your heart with external
all that they can do. What is the good you instruments like Raga, Stotra etc., and it will
hope to achieve with that body in those extra start to flow.
years? If Love is absent, they weigh you
down as life's big burdens. 933

930 WE are today celebrating the Advent of

Krishna. The Avatar (incarnation) in the
WHAT is the immortal part of man? Is it the Krishna. Form has a vast mystery enshrined
wealth he has accumulated? The residences in it. Brindavan (the forest of Brinda) is the
he has built, the physique he has developed, tangled jungle of life. The cows tended by
the health he has acquired, and the family he Lord Krishna in Brindavan are none other
has reared? No, all that he has done, than the humans that are helpless without
developed or earned are destroyed; he has to His care and guidance. Gokula (the herds of
leave them all to the ravages of time. He cows) is the name given in the Bhagavatham
cannot take with him even a handful of (book on the Glory of the Lord) to the region
earth, the earth he loved so much. If only the where Krishna tended the cows. "Go" means
also the individual who is enclosed in the Stars beyond numbers. And in the Milky
body. So, Gokula, is the region inhabited by Way, we see thick masses of Star Clusters. In
man. space, there are more than ten thousand
crores of Stars, and regarding the Galaxies in
934 the Milky Way and elsewhere, we have more
than ten crores. Without being lost in
numbers, we must ponder over the mystery
ONE poet has sung, "Oh, Krishna, Oh,
of the Unity and Harmony of this Cosmic
Gopala, do not count on your being kind to
projection.
me, being moved by my appeals for mercy.
Don't I know that you killed with your own
hands your maternal uncle? You killed the 937
very nurse who came endearingly to you in
order to feed you at her breast! With no iota IT IS not possible to consider Creation and
of compassion towards the father of your the Creator, Nature and God as different or
dearest devotees, you tortured him and separate. Can we see that waves are separate
killed him while the son, Prahlada was from the sea? They are of the sea, with the
looking on! You approached Bali as if for sea, and from the sea. Man too is of God,
alms, and when he gladly placed all he had with and from God. The bubble is born in
at your feet, you trampled on his head and water, stays in water and is lost in water.
pressed him into the nether regions! How The Cosmos too is a bubble born in the
can a heart that has no tenderness melt at Absolute, exists as the Absolute and merges
my misery"? Yes, the Lord is above all in the Absolute or Paramatma. Nara (the
attachments, He has no favorites or foes. human) is the bubble. God (Narayana) is the
sea. Recognise this truth, as the bubble
935 cannot be conceived without positing water.
The Cosmos, this World, cannot be
conceived without God.
BY THE example of your lives, you have to
restore confidence among the people in the
higher values of life. Do not neglect the great 938
lessons embedded in Sanathana Dharma,
which have sustained countless generations GOOD men are the targets for maligning by
in this land for many centuries. "May all the the small. Have your own errors and evils
Worlds be happy", this is the goal towards hidden so that you can tackle them in
which Sanathana Dharma is leading us. solitude; do not inflict them on others.
Welcome within the fold of your Love, all Wrestle with them and overwhelm them in
men without distinction or race or religion, the silence of Sadhana. Deal with others only
colour or class. Have the picture of the beneficially and in joyful cooperation. Look
Happy, Love filled human community in at Lord Siva. The poison, which will ruin the
your heart. That will give you enough World ruthlessly, has been contained in His
encouragement in your mission. throat! The Moon that can shower cool, calm
comfort is worn by Him on His head for all
936 the Worlds to benefit from! That is a lesson
for you. Why render others miserable,
because you are too weak to suppress the
ISSA Vassyam Idam Sarvam; "All this is
bandits your heart has welcomed?
enveloped by God". All this is soaked in God;
saturated with God. Everything is the
substance of God. We are on the Earth; 939
around it revolves the moon. Both, the Earth
and the Moon are illumined by the Sun. I KNOW there are many of you who argue
Dependent on the Sun, planets like Mercury, and discuss how and in what manner these
Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, structures came to be built so grandly. If you
Pluto, and Saturn dutifully move along the have known Me through and through there
orbits at different speeds. Their Satellites will be no such argument at all. You will
also belong to the Solar family. Whenever we know that this is but an insignificant
lift our eyes up to the sky at night, we notice product of My power. I have done this only
as an example; unless those who lead are That is why I want you to read the Gita; it is
themselves active and earnest to bend and like learning Eatha (Swimming) - this
bear the burden, all those who are learning of the Gita. Eatha saves you from
encouraged to follow will lose heart and miss drowning. Gita saves you from drowning in
the way. Religious leaders have a great the treacherous flood of worldly desires. The
responsibility in this respect. People fly high, Gita is the real purpose for which the Avatar
only to cast their eyes on a wider circle, of Krishna was undertaken.
searching for sustenance as vultures do! The
eye belies what the wings proclaim. 943

940 TO condemn all is unjust, untrue, and

unkind. Take My own instance. I never exult
WHEN you have filled your heart with when I am extolled, nor shrink when I am
sympathy for the distressed, the Lord will reviled. Few have realised My purpose and
shower His Grace. Draupadi had earned the significance: but I am not worried when
Grace through her devotion and virtues. things that are not in Me are attributed to
Sita, too, had stuck to the highest ideals of Me. Why should I worry? When things that
life in spite of her severe sufferings. She was are in Me are mentioned, why should I
kept as a prisoner by her abductor. When exult? "Sayiki Sarvam Yes, Yes, Yes". For Sai,
Hanuman offered to cross the ocean with it is always S.S.S. If you say "Yes, you are the
her on his shoulders and take her safe to her Lord", I am the Lord to you. If you say "No",
Lord Rama, she replied that she would not I am "No" to you. I am "Ananda, Shantham,
allow herself to be abducted back from the Dhanam", Bliss, Equanimity, and Courage.
custody of Ravana since that would deprive Take them as your "Atonathathwam" and
Rama of the chance to punish him for his you will not be wrong.
crime and retrieve her. Quite in consonance
with Dharma. 944

941 THE influence of the Divine is such that

while you are contemplating it, all traces of
THE Gita is His Command; how can you envy and greed will disappear from the
earn the Master's Grace if you do not carry mind. The boy Krishna had entered a Gopi's
out the Master's commands. If the son says, house and was just standing beneath the pot
"Leave me to myself, I need no instructions of curds when she discovered Him. Krishna
from you"; how can he expect the father to ran out into the street and the Gopi pursued
give him a share of the property? The Gita Him and wanted to catch Him quickly, for
also helps you to recognise the incarnations she was so distressed that the boy was
of God. Usually, when the Lord appears with running in the hot sun. She never worried
Form, man is pestered by doubts and he about the loss of curds or milk or butter, but
actually loses the precious chance. He asks the very thought of Krishna's tender feet
himself and all those whom he meets "Is it walking over the hard stones in the sun was
true?"; "Can it be true?"; and before his something she could not bear. The Prema
doubts are removed, he deserts the quest that Krishna showered made everyone forget
and wanders into the wilderness. Of course, everything else. He too gave such disarming
steady enquiry is essential! Do not be led by replies to the queries of the mother and the
others; awaken your own reason; amass Gopis that no one could have anything but
your own experience; and decide for yourself Prema towards Him. That is the
your own path. characteristic of Avatars at all times.

942 945

NOTHING that is experienced will go to DHARMA is the very habiliment of India,

waste. It will shape the course of events. It the dress that Bharathamatha wears to
will change attitudes and habits. It will protect her, honour to reclaim her status to
purify and clarify situations and outlooks. shelter herself against heat and cold and to
set a standard to her sisters. When the thrusts of the path fraught with danger. As a
wicked Kaurava princes seized hold of the matter of fact, no road is strewn with rose
sari that Draupadi wore and tried to inflict petals. Life is a battlefield, a Dharmakshetra,
insult on her honour, Krishna rescued her where duties and desires are always in
and foiled the foul design. Dharmaraja sat as conflict. Smother the fiery fumes of Desire,
if he was unaware of his rights and duties. Hatred and Anger that rise up in your
Bhima was involved in doubt concerning his hearts. It is sheer cowardice to yield to these
obligations to his elder brother and his enemies that turn you into beasts.
consort. Arjuna cared more for his own
interests. Nakula and Sahadeva waited and 949
weighed the pros and cons. But the Lord did
not wait! His Grace knew no delay or doubt.
THE vision of the Virat, the Cosmic Form, is
given to those who surrender their ego and
946 take refuge in the Lord (as Arjuna did) and
who imbibe with care the Gita sung by the
DHARMA, the very clothes that Lord in the silence. God is Omnipresent. He
Bharathamatha has worn since centuries, is the inner Motivator of every particle in the
which is the expression of her natural style, Universe. To declare that He is amenable
is now seized by wicked irreverent hands. only to your style of worship and that He will
They wish to dress her in unbecoming styles answer only the Name that you have learnt
on their own initiative or frenzied dictates. to use, is to insult His Omniscience and His
So Krishna has to come again for resuming Glory. See Him in all; serve Him in all;
the eviction of the wicked. Krishna revealed revere Him in all. Pray, "Let the Whole
the hollowness of the people who were World prosper; let all mankind be happy".
confident of their capacity to dishonour
Draupadi and the weakness of those 950
entrusted with the task of protecting her.
Now too, the Lord has to foil the attempts to
IMAGINE the Prema of the Gopis. One
undermine Dharma and to stand in support
noon, Krishna stealthily entered the house of
of those who are the traditional protectors
a cowherd and drank all the milk in the pot.
and protagonists of Dharma.
The Gopi discovered Him and, when she
admonished Him, Krishna took to His heels.
947 When the Gopi saw Him running over the
hard cobblestones of the street, she shed
YASODA one day was searching for Krishna tears of contrition. "These Lotus feet must
who had strayed away. She thought He went feel great pain", she wept. "Oh, what a great
to the house of Radha. Radha just closed her sinner I am", she wailed. Krishna will make
eyes and meditated on Krishna for a while the most wicked heart melt in repentance.
and when she called "Krishna", Krishna was He is Premaswarupa and Santhaswarupa
there. Then Yasoda shed tears of joy. She and so He makes every heart sprout up to
said, "I love Krishna as a mother. I have a Prema and Shanthi.
sense of egoism in me that He is my son and
that I must save Him from harm and seek to 951
give Him guidance and protection. Your
Prema is pure; it has no egoism promoting
VASUDEVASSARVAMIDAM does not mean
it".
that all this is just Krishna, the son of
Vasudeva. It means that all this is God, by
948 whatever Name He is known. So if you decry
anyone, you are decrying God, which is His
REMEMBER always that it is easy to do real core. If you become aware of the God in
what is pleasant; but it is difficult to be you and the God in all else, there is nothing
engaged in what is beneficial. Not all that is to equal the peace and joy that you get.
pleasant is profitable. Success comes to
those who give up the path strewn with roses 952
and brave the hammer blows and the sword-
LET Me tell you, without reforming conduct the Festivals a success. No paise is spent on
in daily behaviour and acts, "Ananda" will be any item.
beyond reach. I consider "Pravarthana",
Practice, as essential. A man or an
institution is to be judged by his integrity
and whether acts are according to the
955
principles proposed. The mind, the body and
the word; all three must work in unison. By
such disciplined Karma, the senses will be TODAY, you find the Prasanthi Nilayam
sublimated and Prasanthi won. Then out of area clean and pleasing. What is the reason?
this Prasanthi will arise Prakanthi or the How many sweepers have we employed?
great light. From that will emerge How many coolies are engaged, you may
Paramjyothi, the Supra-splendour of wonder? No, not one, Everyone cleans the
illumination. That illumination will reveal place where he is staying and the adjacent
Param-Atma, the Over-Soul, the Universal. area. Thus, cleanliness is ensured without
any cost. It can be asserted that at no place
in the World are resources put to such good
953
use, with the least expense, as at Prasanthi
Nilayam.
PRASANTHI Nilayam is holding forth and
exemplifying the higher ideals in the
956
material, ethical, economic, moral, spiritual,
worldly and even political fields. There is no
place here for anything contrary. This can be MAN has Truth as his nature, that is to say,
asserted without any possibility of you can rely on man's behaviour being
contradiction. In spite of this, some ignorant always true; he will speak out only what he
individuals rely more on their guesses than feels to be sincere; he will act according to
on facts and indulge in spreading wrong his words. His thought, word and action will
conclusions. Let me tell them that if a single be consistent and complementary. If in any
person in the whole world points out a one case this concordance is absent, then the
wrong step in Prasanthi Nilayam, he shall be person is a man only in outer form. He is
met with and be convinced that the worse than a beast, for beasts are free from
Prasanthi Nilayam is eagerly bent upon the the burdens of thought and speech.
task of upholding and demonstrating high
and holy ideals of achieving spiritual 957
realisation. It does not seek those worldly
riches, nor does it yearn for earning favours GOD gives an ear to the prayers that rise in
and fame. all languages and even from the silence of
the dumb. He has no trace of anger or worry.
954 You too have no reason to develop anger and
anxiety. When the teeth bite your tongue, do
IN Prasanthi Nilayam, no misuse or you get angry at them for hurting? Do you
extravagance can ever happen. For any break the teeth that hurt it so? No, teeth and
festival, either Sivarathri, Navarathri or the tongue are both yours. Similarly, he who
Birthday, many people imagine that lakhs of hurts you and you are both limbs of the
Rupees are spent here. For the Dasara same body - God. Feel that Oneness and
celebration, all who have come served their avoid hate. God is on the lookout for the
best in the fullness of devotion that dwells in inner vision. He blesses those whose hearts
their hearts and so, not a Naya paise is spent are so vast that they can take in all His
for any purpose. The Rithuriks, who officiate children. How can He be pleased when you
at the Yagna and the lecturers who deliver are so selfish and narrow minded that you
discourses, all come and share in the joy out send away His children from the doorstep of
of Love and Faith. Their comforts are looked your heart?
after by the members of the Seva Dal and the
Sevasamithis and by the Volunteers who 958
dedicate their strength and skills to make
WHAT has brought you all, in this vast command is to wipe the tears, nourish the
number, from your homes and villages to sick, and help the lame to climb over the
this place?. It is the Love you have for Me, stile through pity and sympathy. Believe
and the Love I have for you. The reason for through faith in Karma that God has to be
your presence is not any force or authority adored through dedication. The highest
or temptation to earn material profit or gain. form of adoration is by means of Seva done
Ponder over the things I have told you out of in Love.
My Love. Try to cleanse your minds through
repentance for the wrongs done or 962
contemplated and, through a firm resolve to
shape your lives anew according to the
RAMA is the personification of Viveka, the
Divine Plan, by which each can stand
discriminating faculty of the intellect. Sita
revealed as fully Divine.
and Lakshmana are the higher levels of
consciousness - Sujana and Prajnana. Rama
959 puts an end to evil feelings and promotes
good thoughts. Rama is the emperor of
RAMA strove to uphold Sathya as the main Ayodhya. That name means impregnable
plank of Dharma. Whatever the trial and will. No enemy, that is to say, no demeaning
however hard the travail, He did not give up feeling or thought can invade the heart when
Truth. Sathyam is Dharmam; Dharmam is Rama is installed therein. Thyagaraja sang
Sathyam; the two are irrevocably "Telisi Rama Chinthana Cheyeve Manasa",
intertwined. "Sathyam Vada; Dharmam (Oh Mind, Meditate on Rama with the full
Chara", say the Upanishads. Rama will be knowledge of what He represents).
remembered as long as mountains raise
their heads and the ocean exists because of 963
this strict adherence to Sathya and Dharma.
If He had argued "Why should I be bound by
INDIA shone for centuries as the
the word of my father?", He would not have
Karmabhoomi, where each activity of man
earned this immortality. The Immortal had
was ennobled by a high purpose and sense of
come in the Form of Rama to show the way
dedication. She was therefore acclaimed as
to Immortality.
Yogabhoomi, the land where the people
yearned for atonement with God. She was
960 revered as the Thyagabhoomi, where the
ideal of the mendicant monk, the naked fakir
WHEN you travel towards God, obstacles and the simple monarch, counseled by the
have to be bypassed. Prahlada went against sage, was placed before the people through
his father; Vibhishna went against his precept and example. At the present time, it
brother; Jamadagni had to harm his own is being forged into a Bhwyabhoomi, the
mother; Meera could not obey her husband; land of skyscrapers, air conditioning and
because they stuck to the path of God and tinned foods and an undisciplined mass of
broke through all those who opposed them. humanity pulled from its roots and
Young men like you have the problem, I transplanted in other soils. This is an insult
know, of being forced to marry against your to our past and a defiance of history.
will by parents who seek to hasten you into
marital security. You have to win them over 964
and get their approval as Sankara did when
he wanted to enter the monastic order.
SRI Sathya Sai College is not founded, as
some of you are guessing, to promote
961 financial considerations, nor is it intended
as an instrument for publicity. It will be an
BELIEVE that All are God through Jnana, example of an inspiration, a beacon, a
even then compassion compels you to love pioneer and a lesson for educators and for
and serve. Believe that God is Master or all those who have the future of humanity in
Father and that you are His children or their hearts. The usual answer to the
servants through Bhakti. Even then, His question, "Why College education? Is it to
help secure jobs? Why this college?" is, "It is false step and then repent! Have the
to sweeten the hearts of the future mothers "thaapam" (the deliberation, the decision
of this land with humility, faith and and the discipline) first, that is better than
discrimination; and to light the path they "Paschaath Thaapam" (regret for the
tread towards truth and virtue". mistakes made).

965 968

YOUR car is not meant to be kept as a THE Universe is seen; it can be learnt about,
showpiece in a glass case. It is meant for the it can be experienced and enjoyed. But God
roads, for taking you fast and safe to the is unseen. He has to be inferred through His
place where you want to go. So too, your handiwork. So too, society to which social
body must serve the purpose of your service is rendered, cannot be seen as such.
journey. Journey to where? Not, as it has We can contact only individuals. But
been happening, to the cemetery. You have through the individual you infer the
nobler things to do than merely die! You immanence of the Divine. All are actors on
must know your own Reality before you die the world stage in His play. Every atom is
and merge in that supreme joy. Eat just surcharged with His power, His might, His
enough to keep the body trim and use the Glory. Every being is surcharged with His
body to discover this Reality, namely, God. Bliss, His Beauty, His Goodness.
Sanctify every moment of your sojourn here
with pious deeds and sacred thoughts. 969

966 DO not compare the various manifestations

of the Divine and pronounce judgment,
MAN has been enslaved by money. He lives declaring that Rama is greater than Krishna
a superficial, hollow, artificial life. This is or Siva superior to Vishnu. This line of
indeed a great pity. Man should seek to thought is poisonous and harmful to the
possess only as much money as is most devout aspirant. You do not know your own
essential for his living. The quantity of riches self, but yet, how dare you pronounce
one must earn can be compared to the shoes judgment on personalities and powers you
one wears; if too small, they cause pain; if have never experienced or understood.
too big, they are a hindrance while walking. Rama is as unknown to you as Christ and so
Money too has to be with us only just it is best to keep silent, and revere both with
enough for a life of physical and mental equal ardour. For all are manifestations of
comfort. When we have more, it breeds the same Divine Effulgence.
pride, sloth and contempt for others. In
pursuit of money, Man descends to the level 970
of the beast. Money is of the nature of
manure. Piled up in one place, it pollutes the
THE airplane runs on wheels for some
air. Spread it wide, scatter it over fields - it
length on the ground before it takes off into
rewards you with a bumper harvest. So too,
the air. You may ask "Why wheels for the
when money is spent in all the four quarters
airplane?" so too, when you reach a certain
for promoting good work, it yields
height in spiritual Sadhana, rules and
contentment and happiness in plenty.
regulations can be folded up, as the pilot
folds up the wheels when up in the air.
967 While serving others through the Samithi,
do not forget to do some Sadhana for your
MOVE forward towards the light and the own advancement. Paraseva (service of
shadow falls behind; you move away from it others) is the negative Pole. Atma - Seva
and you have to follow your own shadow. Go (service to oneself) is the positive Pole, and
every moment one step nearer to the Lord when they meet, the flash of Ananda (Bliss)
and then Maya, the shadow will fall back and emanates. Bliss obliterates all worries, all
will not delude you at all. Be steady; be fears, and all anxiety. March on to that
resolved. Do not commit a fault or take a
Consummation, through Sadhana and Seva. may be confused, but take the Name and the
These are my Blessings to each of you. Form automatically appears before the
mental eye.
971

THE Purusha Suktah of the Vedas says

"Sahasra Seersha Purushah, Sahaeraakshah,
Sahasrapad", The supreme Sovereign Person
has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes and a 974
thousand feet. The heads, eyes and feet of
the thousands who gather here, are my
THE true Guru is not a human Preceptor. It
heads, My Eyes, and My Feet. Nurse them
is the Cosmos itself, Prakrithi, Creation, the
respect them, attend to their needs - you
World around us. Life must have an ideal
have done your japam dhyanam and puja!
before it, it must proceed towards a goal, it
The mantra says "Sarva Deva Namaskaraha
must be a constant march. Life has as its
Kesavam Prathi, Gachachathi"; the homage
sole purpose: man becoming Divine, the
that you pay all to the Gods flow towards the
transformation of the man. We profess to be
one only, Kesava. I would elaborate it
the God we really are. "Gu" in the word Guru
further and give you this new mantra; "Sarva
indicates the qualities of Gunatheetha, that
Jeeva Namaskaraha Kesavam Prathi
is unaffected by attributes and attitudes, not
Gachchathi"; The reverence, the Service that
associated with any one particular
you offer to every single being (Jeeva) flows
characteristic, and "Ru" means rupa-rahitha,
automatically to the One, namely Kesava.
that is not limited to any form but pervasive
in all forms. In this context, the Universe
972 and all its components are to be looked upon
as one's Preceptors and lessons learnt from
GOD is to be recognised in all that exists, all each.
that is charming or suffering, blooming or
drooping. He is Intelligence in the insect, 975
Faithfulness in the dog, latent Energy in the
rock! Vivekananda announced at Chicago
IT is all God, an expression of His Majesty!
that Hinduism uncovered the upadhi
Derive joy from the springs of joy within you
(Scabbard) and sought the inner core of the
and without you; advance, do not stand still
Divine in all things, animate and inanimate.
or recede. Every minute must mark a step
A gentleman may wear morning dress,
forward. Rejoice that it is given to you to
evening dress, dinner coat or luncheon
recognise God in all and welcome all chances
slacks; he is the same inside all these
to sing His Glory, to hear His chronicle, to
dresses, isn't he?
share His presence with others. God has His
Hands in all handiwork, His Feet on all
973 altitudes His Eyes beyond all horizons, His
Face before every face. That is what the
THE Vedas are for the Glorification of the Bhagavad Githa declares, you who read the
Gods, "Devaanam sthuthy antham", in the Githa can vouch for the accuracy of that
Kaliyuga, one is asked to rely more on statement, if only you have faith in it and
Namasmarana for Liberation. Why is it live in its light.
considered enough for the people of this
Age? For other sadhanas are fraught with 976
difficulties. They need rigorous discipline
and much preliminary effort. Again, there is
THE sages have laid down three categories
another advantage in Namasmarana; as
which comprise the knowable world; God,
soon as the Name is uttered, the owner of
Nature and the I (Iswara Prakrithi and Jiva).
the Name comes into view. When you think
God, when seen through the mirror of
of the Form, the Name may not always
Nature, appears as I. Remove the mirror,
accompany; you may not be able to identify.
there is only God, the image merges in the
There may be more than One Name and you
Original. Man is but the Image of God. Even
Nature is but an appearance of God; the pollution, how can the word be helpful, the
reality is He alone. The Principle of thought beneficial, or the deed
Appearance that deludes as multiple commendable?
manifestation is Maya. It is not external to
God; it is inherent in God, just as all Powers 980
are inherent in Him.
SOME people are afraid of cynical criticism
by unbelievers and therefore reluctant to
move out in groups along the streets in the
977 early morning hours singing the Glory of
God. When you have the embodiment of
GOD, the Eternal Absolute is pictured, fearlessness installed in your heart, why
praised and adored as temporarily apparent should the slightest tremor of fear affect
and is adored in limited regions as Rama, you? If others do not join for fear of derision
Krishna, Vishnu, Eswara, etc. These are not or ridicule, move out alone singing the
basic fundamental expressions of His Name. You came into this world alone with
Nature. These are only Forms assumed for no companion, didn't you! During the years
certain purposes, like conferring peace on of life you collected all this kith and kin, you
earth, re-establishing the norms of justice gathered wife and children, friends and
and strengthening the ideal of faith in the acquaintances, which attached themselves to
Supreme. The fixed and fundamental you. When you return to the Realm from
Attributes are Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantham. which you came, you enter the portals alone,
This is the swarupa of Brahmam. with no one to keep you company. So too, let
it be with the journey called Nagarsankirtan.
Come into street alone, collect kith and kin,
978
if they come to you, move with them
unconcerned and unaffected; revel in your
THE Lord is now worshipped by offering own sweet solitude and finally enter your
Him all things that you crave for; by treating home in the satisfaction that your job is well
Him with all the honour you like to have done.
yourself. The idol is bathed and washed,
bedecked with jewels, fed and fanned,
981
surrounded with fragrance, etc. since these
are things you desire. But the Lord is
pleased only when you do things the Lord GOD likes such pure souls who come gladly
desires! How else can you win the Grace? to merge in Him. Some people say, "Oh, it is
How else than by nursing and nourishing, the Dasara Festival and lakhs and lakhs of
scouring and saving His Children? How else people throng there. And they pour lakhs
than by helping them to realise Him as their and lakhs of rupees there". Well, what they
Lord and guarding and cultivating Faith in give is Alakshyam, not Lakshyam! My hand
Him, through your own straight and sincere stretches out for receiving only when a pure
living? heart full of Prema is offered; on all other
occasions, He gives, never takes. Let the
People with poison in their hearts, barren of
979
Love and Service, feel shame, and resolve to
cleanse themselves from now on.
CLEANSE the heart by listening to spiritual
discourses seeking the Company and
982
comradeship of the righteous, the simple,
the sincere, the seekers and by cultivating
goodness of character and sweetness of IT was announced that I was born like
disposition. Fill your hearts with the sweet, Janaka, as the result of some Karmasesha! I
fragrant waters of Prema (Love). Then every have no sesha or Karma as already
act of yours, every word of yours (which are mentioned in the Githa. The Mahasakthi
like the water drawn from the tank through puts on the cloak of Mayasakthi in order to
the taps - tongue, hand, brain etc.) will be fulfill the purpose of contacting and
sweet and fragrant. If the tank is filled with protecting mankind. I have no desire and so,
no binding Karma. It is only you have the 986
desire, aim and wish that drag you along
various paths. For Me, your Ananda is My THE doctors can serve the poor by treating
Food, your elation is the swing on which I them without insisting on payment: give the
sit, your activity is My Playground. poor all the attention and care that you
lavish on the rich paying patients. Do it for
the sake of God; feel that it is the Puja you
are offering Him. The lawyers can help
those, who for want of a skilled advocate
have to go undefended or have to suffer at
the hands of unscrupulous men. Do not
983
publish these acts of sympathy, do them
spontaneously without fanfare. That is more
WE have hospitals and dispensaries and precious than demonstrating your service
clinics in every street now because disease with the help of headlines and photographs.
has its hold in every family, in every home. These reduce the worth of the deeds of
Even little children wear glasses, young compassion. You must be uncomfortable
people dye their hair, many wear dentures. when those around you are unhappy; when
The reason is, the atmosphere in the modern you ease their discomfort, you are making
home is filled with artificiality, anxiety, envy, them happy and making yourself happy,
discontent, empty boasting, vain pomp, isn't it?
extravagance, falsehood, and hypocrisy.
How can anyone, growing up in this
987
corrosive atmosphere, be free from illness?
If the home is filled with the clean fragrance
of contentment and peace, all its occupants TAMASO maa Jyothirgamaya, is the Prayer,
will be happy and healthy. Egoism is thamas; sharanagathi is Jyothi.
There is an easy way to illumine the inner
Consciousness and the outer behaviour with
984
the Light of God. Put the Lamp of the Name
of the Lord, the illumining flame, on the
THE Patient must drink the drug himself. tongue! That is the doorstep, that Light will
There is no vicarious cure. The balm must he drive out the darkness from both, inside and
applied where the pain is. The cause of the outside. Have it ever burning clear and
illness and the misery is in your mental bright. You will soon reach remarkable
vision, for you are many when there is only height and enjoy happiness; the like of
one. You say "My God", "Their God", "Your which you cannot get by sticking to the
God Baba", as if there are many Gods senses.
existing to help you quarrel and fight among
yourselves. Ask the Lord for the removal of
988
your earthly troubles. There is no mistake in
that. It is much better than asking other men
and losing self-respect and honour. SIVARATHRI is a very auspicious day for
all. It is the fourteenth day of the Lunar
fortnight, when the moon is waning and the
985
sun is in the sign of Aquarius. The festival is
however related to the moon, rather than the
ATMA is the Ocean, Prakriti is just a wave of sun. That is the reason why it is called
that vast ageless, boundless Ocean, and the "Sivarathri", the night of Siva, unlike other
Jivi is just a drop of that wave. You cannot nights, this particular night is the night of
give up the wave or the sea, you can only consecration or dedication of illumination.
merge the Name and Form of the drop, Once On this night, there is just a minute part
you enter the depths of the Sea, it is all calm, more to be conquered and that can be done
it is all peace, agitation, noise confusion - all by keeping vigil and dwelling on the Glory of
are only on the outer layers. So also in the God. The Vigil that is prescribed is symbolic
innermost recesses of the heart, there is a of the eternal vigil one has to observe, while
reservoir of Santhi where you must take the rite of fasting is symbolic of diverting the
refuge.
senses of the pleasures they crave for. The forces that dwelt in the three bodies die?
night-long bhajan is significant of the They could not exist where there is Ananda;
lifelong consciousness of the Divine for they are products of grief. Develop
Presence that every one should cultivate. Ananda; then evil impulses and tendencies
will vanish, for they will not get any foothold
989 in the heart.

THE Lord is closest to you. He is the mother,

father, teacher, friend, guide and guardian.
Call on Him and He responds immediately. 992
From dawn to dusk spend every minute in
His company. That is the reason why I have THE human body has been secured as a
directed that every Sathya Sai organisation reward of many lives of meritorious activity.
must arrange for Nagarasankirthanam in the Being valued as a boat which can help us
pre-dawn Brahma-muhurtam. It is a cross the ocean of change, Samsara, it has to
mission of Love and all will welcome it. It is be tended with grateful reverence. The
a great act of social service to waken people Bhaghavad Githa calls the body "Kshetra"
with the Name of God. It is purifying which means a field. One can sow holiness
Pilgrimage, casting off the foul fumes of or sin and gather a harvest commensurate
anger and hate that infest the atmosphere. with the particular quality. Choose the crop
you need before you sow the seeds.
990

THERE was once a wicked commentator

who said that this direction removes the
need to discriminate between the right and
wrong! He must have been the same person
993
who said, "The Lord says in the Githa that
He will be pleased if even a leaf, a flower, a
fruit or a little water is offered to Him". KSHETRA also means the entire earth.
Well, this hookah contains all four, the Another significant meaning of the word is
tobacco leaf, the red flower, denoted by the "a holy place". We say "Kasi - Kshetra",
cinders, the shell of the coconut, fruit, and "Prayaga - Kshetra", etc. to indicate those
water through which the smoke bubble places are sacred. The body is also a kshetra
bubbles! Impertinence and irrelevance since it is a temple where God is installed
cannot hide irreverence from the eyes of and worshipped through thoughts, words
God. and deeds. The temple has to be cleaned and
kept healthy and pure. Purity is to be
preserved and promoted not by multiple
991
baths or by avoiding contact with others
"condemned as untouchable". You cannot be
THE Anandam that will well up within you pure by the observance of the superficial
and the contemplation of Anandaswarupa taboo, "Don't touch".
will drive out all grief, all worry. Siva it
seems laughed when He took a good look at
994
the chariot that was provided for Him when
He started out to slay the Thripura - Asuras,
the Asuras of the three bodies; Sthula, THE body can be cleaned if washed with
Sukshma and Karana (the Gross, the Subtle water. Speech can be cleaned if it is
and the Causal). Vishnu, the Charioteer, was saturated in truth. Life can be purified if it is
mostly in yoganidra, the Stable Earth was sanctified by Tapas, and the intellect can be
the Chariot and the two wheels were the Sun cleared of blemish through Jnana. Above all,
and the Moon, two spheres which never the conviction that you are not the body but
revolved in Unison! That slaughter laid the only a resident of the body has to grow in
Asuras low. There was no more need to you. If you identify yourself with the body
proceed against the Asuras. How did the evil you carry about with you, you are inviting
sorrow and suffering to overwhelm you, 998
instead of the joy and peace which are
awaiting to bless you. COURAGE comes out of the grace of the
Lord, it needs generations of learning and
995 struggle. Meanwhile you must start with the
first step, the cleansing of the mind and the
AVATARS manifested in the Krithika Yuga cultivation of virtue. Even if you do not start
for preservation of Vedic tradition, in the with that step, at least do not laugh at those
Tretha Yuga for the protection of Dharma, who do and discourage them. Do at least this
and in the Dwvapara Yuga for the much! Then, do not depend upon others for
promulgation of the right of Property. In the doing your work like attending to your
Kritha Yuga the Avatar saved the Vedas from personal wants. Do it yourself; that is real
neglect, in the Tretha Yuga, He saved freedom. Again, never accept anything "free"
women from dishonour, and in the Dwapara from others; Pay it back in service or work.
Yuga He saved property from injustice. Now, That will make you a self-respecting
in the fourth Age, the Kali Yuga, all three are individual! Receiving a favour means getting
in dire peril. The Vedas are ridiculed, bound to the giver. Grow with self-respect
women are tempted into unworthy lives, and and dignity. That is the best service you can
property is condemned as theft! So, the do to yourself.
Avatar has a threefold Task. Man has no
purity in the heart, no sanctity in his 999
emotions, no love in his deeds, no God in his
prayers. THAT which is born has also to die; coming
implies going; that which has no birth has
996 no death either. The Atma has no birth, no
death, nor can you say it spreads or grows or
THE Earth is a caravanserai where men weakens. It has no history, that is all that
come and stay for the night and when dawn can be said about it. It is ever Intelligence,
breaks, one by one they tramp their different ever Bliss. There is the urge to desire a thing
ways. Kith Kin are the words we use for the that is named Ichcha Sakthi - but it too is a
attachment to the travelers cultivated in the derivative of the Atma Sakthi, the Divine
caravanserai during the short term of that is your core. Realise it as such and do
acquaintance. Husband and wife are like two not demean it by desiring deleterious
pieces of wood drifting down a flooded river; objects. Desire, so sublimated, is the basis of
they float near each other for some time and Love, "Prema". It is the fruit of the tree of
when a current comes between them, they God-ward directed Ichcha Sakthi.
are parted. Each must move on to the sea at
its own rate and in its own time. There is no 1000
need to grieve over their parting of the two,
it is in the very nature of Nature that it WHY attached false values to exterior
should be so. symbols? Why develop prejudice for the
reason that a man was born on the other
997 side of a political boundary or calls on God
in another language? God is the origin of all
MAN must be Yoked to Samsara and languages. Boundaries shift and are subject
broken; that is the training which will teach to revision, resettlement and change. These
that the world is unreal; no amount of are man-made differences and should not
lectures will make you believe it is a snake interfere with God-ward activities. God has
unless you actually experience it. Touch fire made the Universe as one single Home for
and get the sensation of burning; there is one Single family. Each state is but an
nothing like it to teach you that fire is to be apartment in that mansion.
avoided. Unless you touch it, you will be
aware only of its light. It is both light and 1001
heat; just as this world is both true and false;
that is to say unreal.
BAKTHI is defined as the means of yourselves to some Name and Form, do not
discovering the Divine Reality within each change it, do not choose another in place of
being. Four steps are laid down in the the Prema Swarupam.
scriptures to help man succeed in this effort;
Discrimination between the Permanent and 1005
the Impermanent; withdrawal from the
process of catering to the senses; Positive
HAVE your mind fixed on one. Do not, now
control of the feelings, thoughts, and
and then, allow clouds of doubt like "Is He
pursuits; and incessant yearning for
Great?", "Is He God?" to dim your faith.
Liberation from all bonds. Bakthi is the urge
Behold and Acknowledge the Glory that you
which manifests as all four endeavours.
have witnessed; proclaim the joy that you
Bhakthi is derived from "Bha" or Bhaghavan
have experienced; confer the Grace that you
or God. It directs man to have God ever in
have earned. For example, when people ask
mind and to cultivate love for God within
you whether you are going to Puttaparthi
him.
and whether you too are singing Bhajans,
say, "yes" proudly, for there is no shame in
1002 walking on the right path.

DEVOTION fosters the highest virtue; it is 1006

the most precious treasure, it is the truest
path, the only way to God. Man must live in
THE only new thing is man's perverse
Bakthi; for Bakthi; through Bakthi. For
behaviour, the directions in which he has
Bakthi is Love of the purest and the noblest
been wasting his talents, misusing his
variety. Such love is the breath that sustains
capacity of playing false to his own nature.
life that supports the Soul in the effort to
He has been forgetting the path prescribed
merge in the super-soul. The years of life
in the Scriptures for the cultivation of his
spent without the Light of Love are years of
nature, therefore all this suffering and hence
ruin, of dust and disease. One could as well
My advent.
be dead and decay forever.

1003
1007
THE Jivi has come to this birth in order to
reveal the splendour of the spark of Godhead
which it is. The body is the wick of the lamp, YOU might have heard people talk about the
yearning for God is the ghee which feeds the miracles; My "making" this and "giving"
flame. But like the rat which, attracted by that, My fulfilling all your wants, My curing
the strong smelling cheap stuff inside the your illnesses. But they are not so important
trap, neglects all other articles of food in the as the Sathwa guna I appreciate, promote
granary and falls prey to its foolishness. Man and instill. Of course, I confer on you these
too neglects his real sustenance and wastes boons of health and prosperity but only so
his life in pursuit of mortal riches. that you might, with greater enthusiasm and
with less interruption, proceed with spiritual
Sadhana. Bakthi leads to Sakthi and Sakthi
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will grant Yukthi. The Yukthi will help you to
fix your Rakthi or attachment on the proper
YOU must dive deep into the sea to get the objects and your Bakthi thus promoted,
pearls. If you must realise the full fruit of finally results in Mukthi.
this Avatar, dive deep and get immersed in
Sai Baba. Halfheartedness, hesitation,
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doubt, cynicism, listening to tales, all are of
no avail. Concentrated complete faith, that
alone can bring victory. This is true of any CRITICISING others and finding fault with
worldly activity, is it not? Therefore, how them are both results of egoism. Search your
much more true must it be in the spiritual own faults instead. The faults you see in
field? But if you have already attached others are your own faults instead. The
faults you see in others are but reflections of
your own personality traits. Pay no heed to
little worries; attach your mind to the Lord
and then you will be led to the Company of
good men and your talents will be
transmuted.