Divine Discourse on 22nd October 2005 - Cultivate Sattwic Qualities right from the Childhood

[Guest guest]

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba delivering His Divine Discourse on 22nd October

2005 at Prashanti Nilayam

Text of the Divine Discourse delivered by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on 22nd

October 2005 (Children's Festival of Joy), in Sai Kulwanth Hall, Prashanti

Nilayam

Childhood passes in trivial play with other children.Youth passes in amorous

sport,Middle age absorbs time and effort in amassing wealth,Come dotage, time

crawls in futile longing for worldly desires, yet there is no time for

contemplation of God.Thus is wasted the precious heritage of human birth,

deeply entangled in the net of karma. (Telugu poem)

Why waste your time in idleness?Time wasted is life wasted;Arise, awake, it is

not too late,Think of the future, at least now. (Telugu Poem)

Embodiments of Love! Dear Students!If you spend your time thus, if you fritter

away your time and energy in vain pursuits thus, what for is your human birth?

What will happen to you in future? Did you ever ponder over this? Time is the

measure for human life. Time is the most precious aspect in human life. Don't

waste time. "Time wasted is life wasted". You have to seriously question

yourself whether it is sensible to waste your time thus. If you waste your

precious time in this young age, when will you be able to sanctify your

life?Man has to perform Karma in this Karmabhumi (field of activity) right from

birth to death. In fact, the human birth has been given to us to perform Karma.

We are, therefore, engaged in performing various Karmas, continuously. But,

very few make any effort to enquire to their selves whether the Karmas

performed are Sathkarmas (good deeds) or not.One has to

strive to sanctify his time, right from childhood. We are, partaking of a

variety of items as food, to sustain the human body. But none is making an

enquiry whether the food one partakes of is proper and healthy; whether it is

beneficial for nourishing and nurturing his physical, mental and spiritual

health.

"Man is born out of karma, grows and departs from the world due to karma;Karma

is verily the embodiment of divinity.It is only due to Karma that Happiness and

sorrow occur in the world." (Telugu Poem)

The Bhagavadgita exhorts that man has a right only to perform his duty and none

to the fruit thereof. Of course, there will be a result for every Karma that is

performed by a human being. There will be a good result for a good Karma and a

bad result for a bad Karma. This is the eternal law. When you partake of a

mango fruit, you will only have the belch of that fruit and not that of a lime

fruit. In the same manner, your head (thoughts) will always be conditioned by

the type of food you consume. "As is the food, so is the head (thoughts). As is

the head, so is God." Thus, the food, the head, and God will be on the same

wavelength. Hence, one has to cultivate good and noble thoughts always. If you

eat Sattwic food and cultivate Sattwic nature right from childhood, your entire

life will run smoothly. Hence, one has to be wary of his food and head

(thoughts). If you wish to sanctify your human birth, you should not

live like a bird, beast or an animal. Having taken birth as a human being, one

has to perform the Karmas worthy of a human being. One has to conduct oneself

as a human being. What does the term "Human Values" imply? Sathya (Truth),

Dharma (righteousness), Santhi (Peace), Prema (Love) and Ahimsa (non-violence).

It is only when we cultivate and exhibit these five human values in our daily

lives that we will be entitled to be called as human beings. Human being is a

repository of Trigunas, namely, Sattwa (calm serenity), Rajas (passionate

activity), Thamo Guna (sloth and slumber). Unfortunately, today, we find the

Rajo and Thamo Gunas more active in human beings. We do not find even a trace

of Sattwic Guna anywhere. Hence, it is of utmost importance today that people

are taught and encouraged to cultivate Sattwa Guna, perform Sattwic karmas and

finally reach the abode of

Sattwic Guna.Embodiments of Love!You are now in the stage of childhood. This is

the right age to cultivate Sattwic Guna. The quality of your life in the later

stages will depend upon the qualities you cultivate now. What is the use of

trying to cultivate Sattwic Guna at the fag end of your life, when your

physical body refuses to co-operate with you in your Sadhana? Hence, you must

cultivate and put into practice the sattwic guna in the youthful age itself. If

man wishes to experience Manavatwa (humanness) and reach Daivatwa (divinity),

Sattwic Guna is very essential. It is only when you consciously cultivate

Sattwa Guna that you will be able to attain Sattwic nature. If you aim to

attain Sattwic nature but indulge in Rajasic and Thamasic acts, it is not

possible. All our ancient sages and seers did their Sadhana when they were

young and strong. Embodiments of

Love! You have to partake of Sattwic food. By partaking of Sattwic food, you

will be able to cultivate Sattwic thoughts. And, by cultivating Sattwic

thoughts, you will be able to undertake Sattwic Karmas. It is absolutely

necessary that one should have Sattwic friends in youth and constantly move

about in their company. It is said,

"Good company leads to detachment;Detachment makes one free from

delusion;Freedom from delusion leads to steadiness of mind;Steadiness of mind

confers Liberation." (Sanskrit Sloka)

Hence, you have to partake of Sattwic food keeping your goal of liberation in

the mind. You may at times have a doubt that you may not get such Sattwic food.

I do not at all agree with this view. Don't you get vegetables and edible green

leaves in plenty? In fact, the moment you are born out of your mother's womb,

you are surviving and thriving on your mother's milk or cow's milk. Is this not

Sattwic food? Can you not live upon a vegetarian diet consisting of vegetables,

green leaves and cow's milk? Why should you cater to the dictates of your

palate adding chillies, salt, tamarind and spices? It is only when you

gradually reduce these ingredients for taste you will be able to cultivate

Sattwa Guna. Parents have a great responsibility in teaching the children about

the efficacy of Sattwic food and getting them accustomed to it right from their

childhood. On the other hand, if the parents themselves prepare and serve

Rajasic and Thamasic food consisting of meat, fish, etc., in their homes, how

can they expect the children to develop Sattwa Guna? I am of the view that the

children at least should abstain from such Rajasic and Thamasic food and demand

from their parents only the Sattwic food. One has to consciously cultivate the

habit of partaking of only Sattwic food. Only then will one be able to develop

Sattwa Guna.

Embodiments of Love! All our senses are conditioned by the Trigunas and the

Gunas, in turn, are conditioned by the food we consume. Hence, if we start

eating Sattwic food, undertake Sattwic Karmas and move about in the company of

Sattwic friends, I am sure that we can transform ourselves into Sattwic

individuals. It is the bad company that is responsible for evil qualities. If

you want to cultivate good qualities, you have to eat Sattwic food. In fact, it

is the food that we consume is responsible for all the evil qualities. Dear

students! If you develop bad qualities like anger, passion, envy, jealousy,

etc., right form this early age, your entire life will be spoiled. You are

poisoning your young minds with these evil qualities. My advice to the

youngsters and students is eat Sattwic food; cultivate Sattwic behaviour and

keep the company of Sattwic people

right from this early age. I often observe that youngsters today join bad

company the moment they enter the school or college and continue to move about

in the company of bad people. With the result, they cultivate bad qualities,

resulting in bad behaviour. Frequently they are not even aware of the subtle

changes taking place in their behaviour towards elders, parents, teachers and

society. They think that they are on the right track, since they are pursuing

education in a good educational institution. The education they are pursuing

may be good, but the core of their heart is polluted due to bad company.

Several bad thoughts emanate in their mind even at a young age. People often

think that it is a natural phenomenon due to young age. I do not at all

to this view. It is not a natural phenomenon at all! It is most

unnatural. Since, you are partaking of bad food, you are having bad thoughts.

Hence, first and foremost, give up bad food. People who are devoted to

Swami, must join Satsanga. But, you are joining bad company and, as a result,

are developing bad thoughts. Once bad thoughts enter your mind, none can drive

them away. Hence, you have to cultivate good thoughts, even before bad thoughts

enter your mind.Dear children! There are several parents who are not concerned

about the future of their children. Either they are too busy pursuing their

vocations or they are helpless in supervising your behaviour. But, if you tread

the right path they will be most happy. On the other hand, if you are moving

about in bad company cultivating bad habits, resulting in bad behaviour, they

will be very sad and will be unable to share their distress or anguish with

anybody. Hence, it is your foremost duty to keep your parents happy. If you

want to keep your parents happy, you must tread the right path. So, tread the

right path and keep your parents happy. Only then will you be able to cultivate

good behaviour. There are three

aspects in human life, which are interlinked – the thoughts, behaviour and the

end result. As are the thoughts, so will be the behaviour and as is the

behaviour, so will be the result. Teachers expect good behaviour from their

pupils. How is it possible, when the students move about in bad company, eat

wrong kind of food and entertain bad thoughts? The end result is always bad in

such a situation. While taking bitter food, how can you experience sweetness?

In short, the Rajasic and Thamasic food that you consume is the root cause for

the bad thoughts that are entering your mind.Dear students! All of you must

tread the right path. Even if your parents for any reason offer you Rajasic and

Thamasic food prepared in the home, you must explain and convince them of the

ill-effects of such food, saying, "Mother! If you serve Rajasic and Thamasic

food to me thus, I will only get bad thoughts. This is not conducive to good

behaviour on My part." You

must also convince them of the need to prepare and serve Sattwic food to all

members of the family. Not only should you eat Sattwic food, you should also

read good books. Your entire life is dependent upon good food, good thoughts

and good company. Dear students! You should not read all sorts of trash like

cheap novels, stories, etc. Such trash will generate bad thoughts in you and

pollute you mind. When you go to a library, you should read the biographies of

great and noble people which will help to cultivate good qualities and good

thoughts in you. One reason for the pollution of young minds and proliferation

of bad thoughts in them is reading all sorts of cheap literature. In fact, it

is only the mind that is responsible for good or bad thoughts. That is why it

is said, Manaeva Manushyanam Karanam Bandhamokshayo (mind is responsible for

both bondage and liberation of man). Unfortunately, in these days it is only

cheap books that have become

popular and acquired great attraction. Good books have become a rare commodity.

A question may arise as to where one would get such good books. You go to good

libraries of institutions committed to the moral and spiritual uplift of

humanity. Frequently we come across people travelling in trains and buses

purchasing worthless books available in the railway platforms and bus stands

and reading them with absorbing interest. They may say that they are reading

them for whiling away the time. They do not realise how harmful those books are

in generating bad thoughts and polluting their minds. Hence, you must always

select books that contribute to your intellectual, moral and spiritual

development. Embodiments of Love! If you wish to cultivate good thoughts and

good behaviour, you must read good books. Several students today consider it a

fashion to read cheap literature that is available for a low price. With the

result, cheap thoughts and cheap behaviour are generated

in them. They look for cheap books and trash distributed free of cost. They

woefully lack a sense of discrimination to judge whether such writing is

conducive to their moral, spiritual and character development. They will,

however, realise the consequences of their action after their minds are totally

polluted. Then it will be too late for them to retrace their steps. It is only

through good books that good thoughts and good behaviour can be cultivated.Dear

students! There are several other important aspects to be taught to you in these

three days which will enable you to cultivate noble thoughts and tread the right

path. I will teach several aspects in due course that will enable you to

cultivate pure thoughts.

Source: http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/Child_Fest_Discourse.htm