Pearls of Wisdom by Swami Kesavaiahji

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(Pearls of Wisdom - is the title chosen to the collection of writings,

speeches and messages of His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji dealing with his

Guru, Sri Sai Baba of Shridi, speanning a period of four decades of the

Swamijis Spiritual ministry of Sainath, we will try to publish a portion of

the book every day)

 

The assurance of Baba that there would never be any dearth of food and

clothes in His devotees' houses and that He would always look to and provide

for their welfare should infuse confidence and comfort. Realising how

precious the human life is, Baba repeatedly urged His devotees not to

waste their time in efforts to procure material benefits, but to

engage themselves in Mauna and Dhyana and in rendering service to, the poor

and the sick and thereby serve God. He declared: '" Without Rinanubandha

no creature comes to you. Shri Hari will be certainly pleased if you

give water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry and clothes to the naked.

Be kind and considerate to all creatures. " Baba identified Himself with

sickly dogs, cats, flies, etc. " Feeding a hungry bitch is feeding me,"

He used to declare. Faith is essential for God-realisation. Baba impressed

on the devotees the importance of cultivating " Nishta" (faith) and "

Saburi" (courageous patience). These two, if practised, carry one to the

cherished goal. Baba's love and regard for His Guru are remarkable. Guru is

God, and service to the Guru is our only Sadhana. Repetition of God's sacred

names saves us from all and frees us from the cycle of births and deaths.

Baba's mission was to alleviate the sufferings of humanity, to give many

good things to devotees at first and in the end to work out their

emancipation. He is a rare gem among saints and a saviour of the first

order. To Sri Sai Baba, Ram and Rahim were both the glorious

appellations of the Divine Father, the temple and the mosque were both

abodes of God, the Gita and the Koran were both holy scriptures.

Baba preached no special cult. In His lifetime, Sri Rama Navami

celebrations by Hindus and Sandal Processions by Muslims were celebrated

side by side at Shirdi and this is being continued to this day. Thus,

Baba taught that God is our common Father and that all religions lead to

the same goal. Sri Sai Baba's message is relevant in the context of efforts

made today for national integration.

Finally I may refer to what Baba stated that His devotees, who put sole

trust in Him and look to Him sincerely for help, would receive what they

desire and if a devotee were to call Him earnestly at any place, He would be

there in an instant. I exhort devotees of Baba to follow His teachings both

in letter and spirit always to speak the truth, to give alms to and help

others in distress, to be kind to all creatures, not to think or talk ill of

anyone, never to be jealous of other's prosperity but to be always

contented. Utter the sacred name " Sai Ram ", your lives will be fruitful

and you will be happy. This was the advice given by Baba to His ardent

devotees.

 

(Adopted from the Book Pearls of Wisdom by His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji)

 

----------

 

(Pearls of Wisdom - is the title chosen to the collection of writings,

speeches and messages of His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji dealing with his

Guru, Sri Sai Baba of Shridi, speanning a period of four decades of the

Swamijis Spiritual ministry of Sainath, we will try to publish a portion of

the book every day)

 

Baba's Promises

1. This is Dwarakamayi of ours on which you are sitting. This wards off all

danger and anxieties from her children. Highly merciful is this Masidi Ayi.

She is the mother of those who place their entire faith in Her. If they are

in danger, She will save them. Once a person climbs on Her lap, all his

troubles are over.

2. What can the snake do to Dwarakamayi's children ? They look on amused

when the snake appears. When Dwarakamayi protects, can the snake strike ?

3. We have no need to fear. Strike, let me see how you can strike and kill.

4. This is not a mosque. It is Dwaraka. Those who seek refuge in her will

never be harmed.

5. As soon as one climbs the steps of this Dwarakamayi, sufferings due to

Karma are at an end and joy begins. That Fakir (God) is very kind and

relieves your troubles.

6. When any one enters this Dwarakamayi, his goal (object) is achieved.

7. This place (Dwarakamayi) is for Tarana, i.e., saving people, and not

Marana i.e., killing them.

(Meaning of Dwarakamayi) Masudi Ayi., i.e., Dwarakamayi is Sai.

8. I do nothing. I receive nothing. Datta calls for his own. He has called

for Rs. 15 as his due and given it to Masudi Ayi. So the money has been

received (by me).

9. My eye (of vigilant supervision) is ever on those who love Me. Whatever

you do, wherever you may be, ever bear this in mind, that I am always aware

of everything you do.

10. If a person ever meditates on Me, repeats My name, sings of My deeds,

and is thus transformed into Me, one's karma is destroyed. I always stay by

his side.

 

(Adopted from the Book Pearls of Wisdom by His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji)

 

----------

 

Pearls of Wisdom - is the title chosen to the collection of writings,

speeches and messages of His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji dealing with his

Guru, Sri Sai Baba of Shridi, speanning a period of four decades of the

Swamijis Spiritual ministry of Sainath, we will try to publish a portion of

the book every day)

 

 

10. If a person ever meditates on Me, repeats My name, sings of My deeds,

and is thus transformed into Me, one's karma is destroyed. I always stay by

his side.

11. You should always have truth with you. Then I always shall be with

you, wherever you are, and at all times.

12. I will be with you, whenever and wherever you think of Me. Do not fear.

13. If a person perpetually thinks of Me, and makes Me his sole refuge, I am

his debtor and will give My head to save him.

14. If a person ever dwells on Me in his mind and will not even taste food

before offering it to Me, I am his slave. So also if he hungers and thirsts

after Me, and treats all else as unimportant.

15. I am-the bondslave of my devotees (Bhaktaparadheena.) I love devotion.

16. He who withdraws his heart from wife, child and parents and loves Me is

My real lover and he merges in Me like a river in the sea.

17. Sai Baba: The key of My treasury is now placed in your hands. Ask for

anything you want, Rs. 5 or 100 a month or what you will and I will give it

to you.Devotee declines to ask.

S. B. : Ask for something, I am anxious to give you.

D : Is it agreed that You will grant anything I ask for? S. B. : Yes.

D : Then, Baba, I want this. In this and in any future birth that may befall

to me, You should never part from me. You should always be with me.

S. B. : Yes. I shall be with you, inside you and outside you, whatever you

may be or do.

18. My devotee feels me in You, in himself and in all creatures and sees all

as his Guru. He will become Myself.

19. If you make Me the sole object of your thoughts and aims, you will gain

Paramartha (Supreme Goal).

Look to Me, I will look to you. Trust in the Guru fully. That is the only

Sadhana. The Guru is all the Gods.

20. If a person devotes his entire mind to Me and rests in Me, he need fear

nothing for body and soul. If he sees Me and Me alone and listens to talk

about Me and is devoted to Me alone, he will reach God (Chaitanya). He who

worships Me as Nitya, Suddha and Buddha comes to Me.

 

(Adopted from the Book Pearls of Wisdom by His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji)

 

----------

 

Pearls of Wisdom - is the title chosen to the collection of writings,

speeches and messages of His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji dealing with his

Guru, Sri Sai Baba of Shridi, speanning a period of four decades of the

Swamijis Spiritual ministry of Sainath, we will try to publish a portion of

the book every day)

 

What Devotion Can Achieve

A milkmaid used to supply milk to a Brahmin priest living on the other

side of a river. Owing to the irregularities of the boat service, she

could not supply him milk punctually every day. Once, being rebuked for

going late, the poor woman said, "What can I do? I start early from my

house, but have to wait for a long time at the river 'bank for the

boatman and the passengers." The priest said, Woman ! they cross the

ocean of life by uttering the - name ' of God, and cannot you cross this

little river ? "

The simplehearted woman became very glad at heart on 'earning this

easy means of crossing the river. From the next day the milk was being

supplied early in the morning. One day the priest said to the woman, How is

it that you are no longer late nowadays?" She said, I cross the river by

uttering the name of the Lord as you told me to do, and don’t .stand now in

need of a boatman. The priest could not belive this and said “Can you show

me how you cross the river? The woman took him with her and began to walk

over the water. Looking behind, the woman saw the priest in a plight and

said, How is it, Sir, that you are uttering the name of God with your mouth,

but at the same time with your hands you are trying to keep your cloth

untouched by water ? ' You do not 'fully rely on Him” Total self surrender

and absolute faith in God are at the root of all miraculous deeds.

He who has not given up sinful ways, whose senses have not been restrained,

who is unmeditative, and whose mind is devoid of peace, cannot attaint Him,

even by a highly cultivated intelligence.

 

(Adopted from the Book Pearls of Wisdom by His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji)

 

----------

 

Pearls of Wisdom - is the title chosen to the collection of writings,

speeches and messages of His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji dealing with his

Guru, Sri Sai Baba of Shridi, speanning a period of four decades of the

Swamijis Spiritual ministry of Sainath, we will try to publish a portion of

the book every day)

 

MESSAGE FOR MAHASAMADHI DAY

Sri Sai Baba's message is not addressed to any particular group or school of

thought, but to all and for all time. Nothing in it becomes out of date

because it has the quality of renewing itself to suit changing times, so

that it is ever fresh and always relevant to the problems that confront us

in the difficult times we are passing through. Apart from such practical

aspects, Srj Sai Baba expressed profound philosophical truths shorn of their

abstraction and in simple terms to bring them within the understanding of

the common man. He emphasized that the pleasure and pain one experiences are

the inevitable results of one's own action in this or in previous births,

although good acts and good thoughts mitigate to some extent the effects of

previous evil actions.

The concept of " Samsara " which pervades thinking at all levels in our

society, finds expression in Sai's teaching as an endless round of life

after life without beginning or end like the continual rotation of the

Chakra of Sri Maha Vishnu. The Sai cult is replete with all the major themes

of the religious and philosophic traditions of India. What we have to do on

our part is not only to imbibe the valuable lessons implicit and explicit in

Sai Baba's teachings, but also find for them practical application in

everyday life. In this way one can make one's life purposeful and meaningful

and also attain inner peace, mental happiness and contentment.

May Sri Sai Baba bless one and all !

Saint Saying

GOD is ever present everywhere. His presence is constant even in the deep

recesses of your heart. Whatever you do alone within the closed doors of

your room, He knows and sees. What is there to wonder at in this ? He

perceives even the most secret thoughts that flit through your mind and of

which even you are not always fully conscious. Nothing takes place anywhere

at any time which is outside God's awareness, outside His direct

observation.

H. H. SWAMi KESAVAIAHJl'S SELECTION

 

----------

 

Pearls of Wisdom - is the title chosen to the collection of writings,

speeches and messages of His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji dealing with his

Guru, Sri Sai Baba of Shridi, speanning a period of four decades of the

Swamijis Spiritual ministry of Sainath, we will try to publish a portion of

the book every day)

 

Harbinger Of Peace And Harmony

SAI BABA has shown how persons of various religious persuasions can come

together and live in peace and harmony. His message is now spreading with

tremendous force throughout the length and breadth of India.

It is not out of place here to say something as regards myself. Before July

1939, I was not of a religious frame of mind, I took the world as it was. I

was carried away by the fast enveloping modern fashion. In dress, manners

and frame of mind, I was western to the hilt. That date is important in my

life. It thoroughly changed my outlook in life and turned me religioun ward.

I remember that memorable date with joy.

That day one of my best friends spoke to me of Sri SAI BABA of Shirdi. The

words SRI SAI sent a thrill through me and the same night I saw SRI SAI in

His physical form. Thereafter His blessings and grace carried me to the

state in which I am now. His teachings and sayings and His doings leave no

doubt that He was an AVATAR of GOD.

It is through religion that a just and real social order can be set up for

the emancipation of man. History tells us that in the various epochs,

high-souled personages, have taken birth and have used religions to ensure

well-being of downtrodden and humbled humanity. Without religion, man's life

in this mundane world is miserable.

Hinduism is the religion of humanity; it deals with the knowledge of self

and takes one to the self-realisation which is oneness with the all

pervading GOD. It has no conflict with other religions.

The AVATAR of SRI SAI BABA is an illustration of the above fact. He was a

Mohamaden fakir to the followers of Islam; and Samartha Sadguru for the

Hindus ; and a harbinger of peace and harmony to the various other sects. He

showed how persons of various religious persuasions can come together and

live in peace and harmony.

We are living in this mundane world which is full of turmoils and troubles

and it is very easy to forget religions, which awaken us to the real state

of affairs which we are in and show us the gate' of perpetual bliss and keep

us away from being dragged down to the life of beasts, doing nothing but

eat, drink and make merry. Such being the case, there must be some

extraordinary thing which will now and then remind us who we are, and what

..we should do, so that we may not be completely oblivious to our duties

here. It is religion that fulfils this purpose, as Bhagwan Sri Krishna says

in the Bhagavad Gita.

" Whoever wants to see Me, in whatever light or form, I readily fulfil his

desire, O thou son of Partha ; all people travel through paths chalked out

by Me alone."

Saint Sayings

Truth is as impossible to be soiled by any outward touch as the sunbeam.

Truth is eternal ; the first of all gospels is this that a lie cannot

endure for ever.

Life's real success lies in taking refuge at the feet of -God for God alone

is the Lord, friend, dearest, lover of all beings. Those who get

entangled in sense enjoyments fail to attain the lotus feet of God, which

constitute supreme blessedness or beatitude.

He who seeth Me everywhere, and seeth everything in Me, of him will I never

lose hold, and he shall never 'lose hold of Me.

Know that talking ill of others is sin -You must wholly avoid it. Many

things may occur to the mind, but it gradually makes a mountain of a mole

hill if you try to express them. Everything is ended if you forgive and

forget.

H. H. SWAMI KESAVAIAHJl'S SELECTIONS

 

----------

 

Pearls of Wisdom - is the title chosen to the collection of writings,

speeches and messages of His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji dealing with his

Guru, Sri Sai Baba of Shridi, speanning a period of four decades of the

Swamijis Spiritual ministry of Sainath, we will try to publish a portion of

the book every day)

 

 

Satyagraha By A Lady

One day Radha Bai Deshmukin came to Sai Baba for upadesh, got none and

determined to ofler Satyagraha. She started fasting, which should only end

with either death or with upadesh from Baba. After ten days of fruitless

fast, the Honourable Dikshit interceded with Baba on her behalf and

requested Him to utter some divine names in her presence. Baba sent for her

and addressed her thus :

"Mother, why do you think of dying, and torture yourself? Take pity on Me,

your child. I am a beggar. Look here. My Guru was a great saint and highly

merciful. I fatigued Myself in trying to serve Him and yet He did not utter

any mantra in My ear. Instead, He first shaved me clean and then begged of

Me two paise. What He wanted was not metallic coin. He did not care even for

gold, but only Nishta and Saburi, i. e., faith and courageous patience. I

gave these to Him at once and He was pleased.

" Mother, Saburi is courage ; do not discard it. It ferries you across to

the distant goal. It gives manliness to man, eradicates sin and dejection

and overcomes all fear.

"For 12 years, I waited on my Guru, who is peerless and loving. How can I

describe His love for Me ? When He was Dhyanasta (in love-trance), I sat and

gazed at Him ; and We were both filled with Bliss. I cared not to turn My

eye upon anything else. Night and day I pored upon His face with an ardour

of love that banished hunger and thirst. The Guru's absence, even for a

second, made Me restless. I meditated upon nothing but the Guru and had no

goal or object other than the Guru. Unceasingly fixed upon Him, was My mind.

Wonderful indeed is the art of my Guru ! I wanted nothing but the Guru and

He wanted nothing but my love. Apparently actionless, He never neglected me,

but always protected me by His glance.

“That Guru – I tell thee truthfully, sitting as I do in this Masjid - never

chanted any mantra into my ear; nor do I chant any into yours. Go thou

and do likewise.

"If you make Me the sole object of your thoughts and aims, you will attain

Paramartha, the supreme goal. Look at Me with undivided attention; so will I

look at you. This is the only truth, my Guru taught me. The four sadhanas

and the six sastras are not necessary. With entire confidence, trust your

Guru. That is enough."

The lady bowed, accepted the advice and gave up Satyagraha.

 

Saint Sayings

 

Never talk about the faults of others, no matter how bad they may be.

Nothing is ever gained by that. You never help one by telling about his

faults, you do him an injury, and injure yourself as well.

Truth, purity and unselfishness — wherever these are 'present, there is no

power below or above the sun to crush the possessor thereof, Equipped with

these, one individual is able to face tie whole universe in opposition. In

the case of a seeker, the heart goes first, then comes the tongue. In the

case of a wordly wise man, the tongue goes first, and then the heart.

Success and failure, achievement and frustration, -health and ill-health,

attraction and repulsion, are all working out according to laws starting

from the basic karma (past actions) of the individual. These sequences have

to be gone through. Unnecessary worry, annoyance and bitterness do not

reduce the intensity of what one is passing through. A certain amount of

cheerfulness regarding all unpleasant happenings as so much "' account

settled " makes the burden of life lighter.

H.H.SWAMI KESAVAIAHJl'S SELECTIONS