SATHYA SAI SPEAKS [Volume I (Ch.12, 13, 14, 15)]

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Dear Sai brothers and sisters of the worldwide '' family,

In view of the ensuing glorious event of the 80th Birthday of the Divine Lord

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we propose to start posting of all the Divine

Messages titled as 'Sathya Sai Speaks' for the benefit of our members and all

the Sai devotees the world over. We request you to pass on/forward/spread these

Divine messages to your Sai circle so that they also derive spiritual benefits

and bliss from them. These Divine Messages are not only for Sai devotees, they

are for the entire HUMANITY. Lord Krishna taught humanity the ways and means of

salvation for mankind in 'Bhagavad Gita' in Dwapara Yuga. 'Sathya Sai speaks' is

the Bhagavad Gita of Kali Yuga. - With Sai love, Sai brothers -

''

***

Om Sri Sai Ram

SATHYA SAI SPEAKS [Volume I (Ch.12, 13, 14, 15)]

12. TOLERANCE

I HAD no idea of speaking to you this evening, but of course, I need no

'preparation.' My Sankalpa (resolve) and its fulfillment are instantaneous.

Shri Subbaraamaiah spoke just now of some important guiding principles of life,

like the cultivation of virtues, the development of character, the control of

hatred, etc. Advice such as this is being given from a hundred platforms every

day, and people listen and depart; they do not practice what they have heard;

and so things remain where they are. This is because those who give advice do

not follow what they preach; they must themselves be the examples of the value

of what they teach. Like the blind men who described the elephant, they

describe the advantages of acquiring virtues and the benefits of controlling

hatred, more out of hearsay than out of experience. There is deep-rooted unrest

today in every individual, because there is no harmony within. The Varnaashrama

rules that have come down from ages prescribe one type of conduct; the books

that one reads recommend another type; experience gives conflicting advice. But

peace depends on the mind and its awareness of the secret of poise. The body is

the caravanserai, the Jivi (individual) is the pilgrim and the mind is the

watchman. The mind seeks Shuka (happiness); it feels that happiness can be got

in this world from fame, riches, land and property, from other individuals or

relatives; further, it builds up pictures of heaven where there is more intense

happiness for a longer time; at last, it discovers that eternal undiminished

happiness can be got only by dwelling on the Reality of one's own Self, which

is Bliss Itself.

Yielding to despair worsens the problem

The jeevathathwa (the life principle) is like the grain covered up in the husk

of Maya (delusion), as the rice is enveloped in the paddy. The Maya has to be

removed; the jeevathathwa has to be boiled and made soft and assimilated so

that it might add to health and strength. The softened rice can be compared to

Paramatma (Supreme Soul). The mind has to be used for this process. It has to

be fixed in the Sathyam (Truth) and the Nithyam (Everlasting). To remove the

husk of delusion, Viveka (discrimination) is an instrument. Develop the power

of discrimination and find out which is permanent and which is not, which is

beneficial and which is not. Even in selecting a Guru, you should use your

Viveka. Not all clouds are rain bearing. A real teacher will be able to attract

seekers from afar merely by his personality. He need not be talked about in

glowing terms; his presence will be felt and aspirants will hurry towards him,

like bees towards a lotus in full bloom. Seek the light always; be full of

confidence and zest. Do not yield to despair, for it can never produce results.

It only worsens the problem, for it darkens the intellect and plunges you in

doubt. You must take up the path of Sadhana (spiritual practice), very

enthusiastically. Half-hearted halting steps will not yield fruit. It is like

cleaning a slushy area by a stream of water. If the current of the stream is

slow, the slush cannot be cleared. The stream must flow full and fast, driving

everything before it, so that the slush might be scoured clean.

Liberation can be achieved by subtle means

I shall talk to you of these first steps only, for they are the most important

for the Sadhaks (spiritual aspirants); and you are all Sadhaks or are bound to

be Sadhaks. "Moksha lies in the suukshma" they say---"Liberation can be

achieved by subtle means." Treat the others in the same way as you would like

them to treat you. Never brood over the past; when grief over-powers you, do

not recollect similar incidents in your past experience and add to the

sum of your grief; recollect, rather, incidents when grief did not knock at your

door, but you were happy instead. Draw consolation and strength from such

memories and raise yourself above the surging waters of sorrow. Women are

called "weak" because they yield to anger and sorrow much more easily than men;

so I would ask them to take extra pains to overcome these two. Namasmarana is

the best antidote for this and if only men and women take up to it, the Lord

will come to their rescue. That will instill the faith that everything is God's

Will and teach that you have no right to exult or despair. When you go to a

doctor, you must take the medicine that he prescribes and follow his advice and

instructions. There is no use blaming him if you default. How can he cure you if

you do not drink the mixture or stick to the restrictions he has imposed or

regulate your diet according to his advice? Do as I say, follow My advice and

then watch the result. It is a sign of foolishness to brood over mishaps and

mistakes once committed and punish oneself for them by refusing to take food.

It is a very childish way of correction. What is the good of ill-treating the

body for the sake of correcting the mind? Even if you cannot love others, do

not hate them or feel envy towards them. Do not misunderstand them motives and

scandalize them; if you only knew, their motives might be as noble as yours or

their action might be due to ignorance, rather than wickedness or mischief.

Pardon the other man's faults but deal harshly with your own The holy culture

of this ancient land has been spoilt by just one impurity; intolerance of

another's success, prosperity or progress. If you cannot help another, at least

avoid doing him harm or causing him pain. That itself is a great service. What

right have you to find fault with another or to talk evil of him? When you say

that nothing can ever happen on earth without His Will, why get annoyed or

angry? Your duty is to cleanse yourself and engage in your own inner

purification. That endeavor will bring you the cooperation of all good men and

you will find strength and joy welling up within you.

Venkatagiri, 2-8-1958

13. ANANDHA THROUGH DEDICATION

TODAY is indeed a day of joy, since we have met here to share Prema; the joy is

marred to some extent by the want of accommodation in this Hall and the

suffering all of you are put to. I too feel that it is not proper to keep you

long in this physical torment while I am having comparative comfort on this

less crowded platform. That explains partly why you are restless and agitated,

an attitude quite different from what you should have on such occasions. The

same group of people, you will have observed, differs in its reactions and

behavior when it is in a marriage pandhal, a cinema hall, an exhibition

enclosure, a temple or seeing a football match. They are moved by totally

different impulses in these various places. In a gathering devoted to the needs

of the spirit, what is expected is eager attention, quiet calm and reverential,

prayerful silence. Here, obviously, only the eye and the ear need function; the

tongue has no business to wag. I have come to share with you the gift of Prema

(love) that I have brought, but you seem to be satisfied with the confusion

that you already live in!

The unhealthy are to be nursed back to health

Now, that is very much better. It is the silence that is wanted in all

gatherings where deeper spiritual disciplines are talked about. Of course,

everywhere and every time, it is best you curb your tongue; that is the very

first exercise that I prescribe for spiritual progress. What I have to say now

is not for those who are endowed with Bhakti (devotion), for they know the path

and they are already marching on: nor for those who have no spring of Bhakti in

them, for, speaking to them is sheer waste of time. It is for the wavering, the

unsteady, the hesitant, who are conscious of the Higher Power and are feebly

desirous of contacting it, for they are either ignorant of the technique or

afraid of the consequences; it is for such half-apathetic Bhaktas (devotees)

that I talk. Medicine is useless for the dead as well as the sturdy. The

unhealthy, hovering between death and survival, these are to be nursed back to

strength. I would like you first to learn the art of so living in the midst of

people that you do not grieve nor make others grieve. Learn to make the best of

life, this chance offered to you to sublimate your instincts, impulses and

vaasanas (impressions left on the mind by past actions) and rise higher and

higher in the moral and spiritual plane. Make the best out of opportunities

like this and derive Ananda from every hour, garnering all the profit you can.

This town is holy and so, there are many Aadhyaathmik (metaphysical)

Institutions; many pious men visit it and give valuable advice. I am glad the

Malayalaswaami of Yerpedu is now here for the Chaathurmaasya (four months of

ascetic observance); it is a good chance for you to learn from him the

teachings of the sages of ancient times. I am sure he will spread good thoughts

and good impulses promoting your spiritual advance.

Become conscious of your kinship with God

This is not Bhakti, this holding a garland in the hand and indulging in paltry

conversation in holy places. I do not want nor do I appreciate any one bringing

flowers and fruits into My presence. Bring Me the fragrant flower of a pure

heart and the fruit of a Sadhana-mellowed mind; that is what I like most, not

these things available outside yourselves for so much of cash, without any

effort that elevates the mind. To get a taste for that kind of effort, you must

keep the company of great and good men and take delight in good thoughts. By

whatever means available, increase the stock of your

14.5pt">Ananda (bliss) and improve the quality of Viveka (discrimination) and

try to store as much of these two as possible, so that you can draw upon the

stock whenever the need arises. The chief source of Ananda is dedication to

God; nothing else can give that genuine and lasting joy. Become conscious of

your kinship with the Lord. That kinship is not a mere fancy or a faked theory.

It has come down since ages, from the beginning of Time itself. It will persist

till the very end of Time, or, in other words, till the end of Time so far as

you are concerned. The Godavari is carrying all the waters of all the tributary

streams relentlessly to the sea. The rain falls on the mountains; as streams it

flows in the plains and the full Godavari rushes through the delta. So too, the

Jiva (individual) is born in Dharma maarga (path of righteousness), it journeys

through Karma maarga (path of action), and it rushes through Sadhu maarga (path

of sages) to reach Brahma maarga (path of Supreme Reality). The Karma maarga and

the Sadhu maarga are discovered by the jnaanendhriyas (organs of perception).

Keep them uncontaminated by Asuric (demonic) qualities and watch vigilantly

lest they slip back. The Karmendhriyas (sensory organs) drag you into the

tangle of Prakriti (Nature) itself. The cow eats grass and drinks gruel, but

out of these it creates sweet sustaining milk; so too, let the experiences

which are gathered by your senses help in the production of the sweetness of

kindness, the purity of devotion and the sustenance of Shanthi.

Do not worry about others and their faults

There is in every one a spark of truth; no one can live without that spark.

There is in every one a flame of love; life becomes a dark void without it.

That spark, that flame is God, for He is the source of all Truth and all Love.

Man seeks truth; he seeks to know the reality because his very nature is

derived from God who is Truth. He seeks Love, to give it and share it, for his

nature is of God and God is Love. Like the paddy-seed, which contains rice, the

husk is the Maya, which covers the seed within; the rice is the Jiva and the

essence of the rice, the sustaining element, the Anna (food) that is Paramatma.

So, develop the Inner Vision, do not worry about others and their faults. Do a

little Atma Vicharana (examination of the Self), study the Upanishads and the

Sasthras; they might help you a little. Remember, only a little help. They are

but maps and signposts. You must put them into practice; act and experience.

Meditate on the truth and you will find that you are but a sparkling bubble

upon the waters; born on water, living for a brief moment on water and dying

upon its breast, merging in it. You owe your birth to God: you subsist on God

and you merge in God. Every living thing has to reach that consummation; why,

every non-living thing too. So do it now; take the first step, purify the

heart, sharpen the intellect or at least begin the recital of the name of the

Lord. That will give you all the rest in due time. When a man plants a mango

seed, he is not sure whether he will live to eat the fruit; but that is beside

the point. To plant, to nourish, to guard, to grow, that is the duty; the rest

is His look out. That is the real karmaphala Thyaaga (renunciation of the

fruits of action).

Holy things can be cognized only by holy seekers

Above all, cultivate Prema (love), towards all. That will destroy envy, anger

and hatred. Rama (God) and Kama (desire) cannot co-exist in the same heart.

Trust begets trust, love begets love. When I am talking to you with so much

Prema, you cannot develop any dwesha (hatred) towards Me! Prema makes the whole

world kin. It is the greatest instrument of concord. The ryot plants the

seedling and watches over it with great care; he removes the weeds, he destroys

the pests, he lets in water as and when necessary, he spreads manure and awaits

the day when he can reap the harvest and fill his granary. So too, you must

nourish Prema and pluck out the weeds of hatred and envy. Wear the red glasses

and all things appear red. Wear the glasses of Prema and all will appear

loveable and good. Reference was made here to Dharidhra-naaraayana-seva

(Service of the poor); the eye of Prema will see all as Narayana; not only the

poor, but rich, also. The rich too have to be sympathized with. You must pity

the rich, for they have so few chances of developing the attitude of

renunciation! See all as Narayana Swarupa (embodiments of Lord Narayana) and

worship all with the flower of Prema. You can understand even My nature only

when you wear the glasses of holiness; holy things can be cognised only by the

holy seeker. You get what you search for; you see what your eyes crave for. The

doctor is found where patients gather; the surgeon stays in the operation ward.

So too, the Lord is ever with the suffering and the struggling. Whenever people

cry out in agony: "Oh God," there, God will be.

To supplement saadhana, lead a regulated life

The credentials of one doctor can be examined and judged only by another doctor;

the patient has to believe and carry out his instructions if he desires to

improve. He can give his judgment on the doctor only after the course of

treatment is finished. Unless he obeyed the orders of the doctor strictly and

to the very letter, he has no authority to pronounce judgment. So what can you

now speak about Me? Follow My prescription! Naturally, it will be a different

one for every one of you; it will depend upon the nature, the age, and the

virulence of the disease and upon the treatment you have already undergone to

alleviate it. Adhere also to the dietary and other regulations that the doctor

recommends. That is to say, it is not merely Sadhana

14.0pt">like Japam (repetition of holy Name or formula), Dhyana (meditation),

Namasmarana (Remembering the Name of God), etc., that will have to be done, but

in order to supplement the effect of these, you have to lead a regulated life, a

life conducive to good thoughts, with Saathwik (virtuous) food and Saathwik

(noble) pursuits. Until you try out My prescription fully and sincerely, it is

best you keep quiet. You do not know even a pebble; how can you evaluate a

peak? You may be 'unafraid,' you may not fear anything else, but you have to

fear Truth. There is nothing so awe-inspiring as Truth; your Truth, for

example, for your Truth is the Truth of the Universe. This day, you may feel

you have no need of the Lord, but when the pangs of hunger gnaw, you start

pining for food. Therefore, wash your hearts with tears of joy so that the Lord

might install Himself therein. A Zamindar may own all of the fields up to the

very horizon on all sides, but he will design to sit only on a patch that is

clean! In the same way, when the Lord chooses the heart of a Bhakta (devotee),

it does not mean that all other hearts are not His. They are not clean, that is

all He means. He is everywhere, everything is His, and His gaze is on all. If

God was not all this how could they shine, or exist even as much as they do

now? Therefore, have full faith in God and in yourselves, engage always in good

deeds, beneficial activities; speak the truth, do not inflict pain by word or

deed or even thought. That is the way to gain Shanthi; that is the highest

gain, which you can earn in this life.

Rajahmundry, 1-9-1958

14. THE WISE RYOT

Today, I am really full of joy for I have before Me people who are engaged in

hardy toil and who sacrifice their personal comforts in order to make others

happy. What the world needs is work done in that spirit. Every man has divinity

embedded in him, as well as Truth and sweetness. Only, he does not know how to

manifest that Divinity, how to realise that Truth, how to taste that sweetness.

So, he carries the twin burdens of joy and grief tied to the ends of a single

pole slung across his shoulders. Courage is the tonic for getting both physical

as well as mental health and strength. Give up doubt, hesitation and fear. Do

not give any chance for these to strike root in your mind. Man, by means of the

inner divine strength with which he is equipped, can achieve anything; he can

even become Madhava (God). To help you to give up fear and doubt, keep the Name

of the Lord always on your tongue and in your mind. Dwell on the endless forms

of the Lord, His limitless Glow, while you repeat the Name. Attach yourself to

Him; then your attachment for these temporary objects will fall off; or at

least, you will start seeing them in their proper proportion as having only

relative reality. When the tiny little ego assumes enormous importance, it

causes all this bother! That is the root of all the travail. Raama Naama endows

you with spiritual power

In your heart, there is the Atma Rama, the Rama that confers eternal joy. So

repeat the name Rama, the Sun, which can make the lotus in the heart bloom.

Rama is not the son of Emperor 'Dasaratha' but of the ruler of the dhasha

Indriyas (the ten senses). The recital of the Rama Nama must become as

automatic as breathing, as frequent and as essential. Rama has in it the

beeja-akshara (seed letters) of both the

14.5pt">Shiva mantra as well as the Narayana mantra, for it is composed of the

second letters of both; Naa-raa-yanaaya and Na-mah-Shivaaya. This name is

acceptable, therefore, to all sects; it also endows you with power and all the

spiritual capital you need. Real Ananda (Bliss) can be won only by means of the

transformation of the impulses, which agitate the mind. It is not to be found in

wealth. You think that the rich man is happy; ask Me, and I shall reveal to you

that they are full of grief, for they come to Me in large numbers for relief.

They have no Shanthi (peace) at all. A strong physique does not by itself give

Shanthi; nor does scholarship, or asceticism or rituals. Only constant dwelling

with the Name of the Lord gives that unshakeable Peace, unaffected by the ups

and downs of life. It makes man a dheera (a hero). Sai Baba was till today a

formless Name to you, but now it has come with Form and you can keep the Rupa

(form) in your mind. So too, the Name 'Rama' has a form and you should picture

the form also when you repeat the Name; then the name becomes concrete and

Japam is easier. Live always in the presence of that Form-filled Naamam. Then

life becomes one continuous worship of the Lord. Really speaking, you

agriculturists are holy souls, for you bend under the weight of the service you

do and with hands raised in prayer, you toil night and day converting dust and

dirt into the nourishing harvest of grain for all men to feed upon.

Do your tasks as dedicated to the Lord

This task is holy and the product of your efforts is also sacred. Why cannot

this task be made more fruitful by the cultivation of virtues also? That is the

real harvest, which pleases the Lord and sustains the world. Worry and grief

there will always be, of one type or other, in the past, present and future;

while walking, dreaming and sleeping. But place faith in the Lord and do your

tasks as dedicated to Him and they both will vanish. Narada one day boasted

before Vishnu that no devotee could excel him; but this boast was against the

very first qualification of a Bhakta---freedom from egoism. So, Vishnu spoke of

a ryot who was tilling his little plot of land as a greater devotee and

recommended that Narada should visit him and learn 'the art of devotion' from

him] Narada felt badly humiliated; but he proceeded to the village indicated,

in great chagrin. He found the ryot engrossed in his round of duties on the

field, in the cattle shed and at home; and in spite of the most vigilant watch,

he could not hear him speak the name of the Lord more than thrice a day; once

when he woke up from bed, another time when he took his midday meal and the

last, when he retired for the night. Narada was naturally incensed that he was

deemed inferior to this poor, pale specimen of a Bhakta. He was always singing

melodiously the Leelas (divine sport) of the Lord and spreading everywhere the

message of Nama sankeerthana (devotional singing of the Lord's name) and here

was a horny headed son of the soil who remembered the Lord only three times a

day, whom Vishnu judged superior to him.

Do your duties with God's Name on your lips

Narada hurried to heaven, his face flushed with anger and ignominy; but Vishnu

only laughed at his plight. He gave him a pot full to the brim with water and

asked him to carry it on his head and go round a certain course without

spilling even a drop. Narada did so, but when asked how often he had remembered

the Name of the Lord, he admitted that in his anxiety to walk without shaking

the pot and spilling the water, he had forgotten the Name completely! Then

Vishnu told him that the ryot who was carrying on his head more precious and

more spillable burdens than a pot of water and who had to be careful not to

take any false step, must perforce be admired for remembering the Lord at least

three times a day! Therefore, it will be a great gain if you remember the Lord

with thankfulness at least thrice or even twice a day; that will give you great

peace. Do not give up your worldly duties, but do them with the name of God on

your lips, inviting the Grace of God on your heads. Do not involve yourselves

in the affairs of your neighbors or others to the extent that you get so

entangled you cannot extricate yourselves. Spend your time in the contemplation

of the beauties of nature that are spread out before you in earth and sky; green

expanses of the crops you have raised, cool breezes that waft contentment and

joy, the panorama of colored clouds, the music of the birds. Sing the glories

of God as you walk along the bunds of the fields and the banks of the canals.

Do not talk hatefully in the midst of all this evidence of love; do not get

angry, in these placid surroundings; do not disturb the sky with your shouts

and curses. Do not pollute the air with vengeful boasts.

Purify your conduct, cleanse your behavior

The seedling wants water and manure, to grow and yield rich harvest. The tiny

sapling of spiritual yearning for liberation from bondage also needs these two.

That is the real krishi (cultivation) you must undertake. That is the mark of

the wise farmer.. More than all, set right your habits, purify your conduct,

cleanse your behavior. One bad habit that has taken deep root in this area is

the smoking of tobacco, an evil that is fast becoming universal. It destroys

aarogyam, Anandam, uthsaaham (health, happiness, energy) and even andham

(charm).

Smoke will not quench your thirst or fill the hungry stomach. It disfigures your

face and denigrates your lungs. It debilitates you and makes you diseased.

Control yourself and do not yield to the snares of friends or society or, what

is miscalled social convention, and become a prey to this and other bad habits.

The body is the temple of the Lord; keep it in good and strong condition. It is

damaged by food and drink of the Raajasik behavior and Thaamasik types and also

by Raajasik (like anger, hatred, greed, etc.), and Thaamasik behavior (like

sloth, sleep and inactivity). When you get violent and angry with any one,

quietly repeat the name of the Lord to overcome it or drink a glass of cold

water or spread your bed and lie down until the fit of fury passes. While

angry, you abuse another and he does the same; and tempers rise, heat is

generated and lasting injury is done. Five minutes of anger damages the

relationship for five generations, remember. This Asthipanjaram (skeletal cage

or body) is the Hastinapura, where we have the blind king, Dritharashtra, the

symbol of ignorance as well as Yudhishthira, the symbol of Wisdom. Let the

forces of Yudhishthira win, with the help of Shri Krishna; let the tongue,

accustomed to the bitterness of the margosa fruit of worldly triumphs and

disasters, taste the sweet honey of Namasmarana (remembering of Lord's Name).

Experiment this for a time and you will be surprised at the result. You can

feel the vast improvement in peace and stability, in you and around you. Learn

this easy lesson, get immersed in joy and let others also share that joy with

you. This is Message I leave with you.

Mirthipadu, 2-9-1958

Remember always that it is easy to do what is pleasant; but it is difficult to

be engaged in what is beneficial. Not all that is pleasant is profitable.

Success comes to those who give up the path strewn with roses, and brave the

hammer-blows and sword-thrusts of the path fraught with danger. - Shri Sathya

Sai

 

15. BE HEROES, NOT ZEROS

I am happy that I could converse now with so many of you at the same time.

Yesterday and the day before, I had the same happy experience and thousands

partook the joy from the words that were spoken. Now the whole world is very

agitated; it is full of discontent and anxiety, fear and petty faction and

hatred. In order to calm and quieten it and remove the discontent and anxiety,

you must have enthusiasm and courage. When defeat and disappointment stare you

in the face, you must not give way to weakness or despondency. Never condemn

yourselves as inferior or useless; analyse the defeat and find out the reasons

in order to avoid it the next time. You should have muscles of iron and nerves

of steel. Then your resolution will itself generate the necessary confidence;

and that will win over opposition. For the crop of life, courage and confidence

are the best manure; they are also the best insecticides. Be like lions in the

spiritual field, rule over the forest of the senses and roam fearlessly with

full faith in victory. Be heroes, not zeros; for Manava (man) is of the nature

of Madhava (God); he is the imperishable eternal Atma! Just as rain falling in

various parts of the world flows through a thousand channels and reaches the

ocean at last, so too, creeds, rituals, religions and theologies, all derived

from man's yearning for the vast inscrutable beyond, flow in a thousand

different forms, fertilising many fields, cooling many communities, refreshing

tired people in many ways and at last reach the Ocean of

Bliss.

Proper atmosphere is essential for Sadhana

The Lord is all Love; so he can be seen only through Love; the moon has to be

seen only through its own light, no other light can illumine the moon. In the

night of Vyaamoha (utter delusion), the Only the light can see Lord that He

himself is, namely, the light of pure prema (love). He is Sathyam and Nithyam

(Truth and Eternal) and so He is beyond the categories of mithya or Jagath

(falsity and change). Drop the delusion that you have become old or diseased,

or that you have become weak and debilitated. Some people begin to count the

years and grieve over advancing age and shudder like cowards afraid of Death.

But remember, elation is Heaven, despondency is Hell. Have always some work to

do and do it so well that you get joy. Vyaamoha is the dust that settles upon

the glass of the chimney of the lantern and dims the light. The attachment to

sensual objects and to the pleasure they give is the soot that sticks to the

inside of the chimney; that too dims the light. Clean the chimney by

Namasmarana

every day and the flame will shine for you and others. Also, have good

activities and good companionship. That will help very much in spiritual

Sadhana; proper atmosphere is very essential for the aspirant. That is why

Sadhaks (spiritual seekers) used to move out and dwell in the ashrams

hermitages) maintained by sages in the past. In the ashrams, the Sadhaks had

the unique chance of being immersed in good thoughts, good activities and good

company. It is like keeping a pot of water immersed in water; the water in the

pot will then not be lost through evaporation. But if the pot of water is kept

in the open so that the wind plays upon it and the sun shines on it, very soon

the pot becomes empty. Be careful, therefore, that the success you have won in

the promotion of virtue, in the conquest of baneful habits and in the

assumption of regular disciplines, are not frittered away by trite company,

loose talk, cynical criticism or lackadaisical effort.

Draw upon God's Grace for all your needs

The Goddess of Victory smiles only on the heroic, those who make lions of

themselves, hardy, brave and adventurous warriors. If you secure the Grace of

Madhava, you are reinforced with so much strength that you can carry out even

the most difficult tasks. So get the Lord on your side and draw upon His Grace

for all your needs. The treasure that is unmistakably precious is the quality

of Santham, equanimity, and unruffledness. Practice this and make it your

natural reaction. Why be put out when you see wrong? Why be attracted when you

see evil? Remember evil has in it the potentiality to become good; good has in

it the liability to turn evil. There is no fire without a wisp of smoke; there

is no smoke without a spark of fire. No one is fully wicked, or fully

infallible. Take the world, as it is, never expect it to conform to your needs

or standards. Maya (illusory quality) envelops the good with the blemish of the

bad; it makes the evil glitter with the shine of the good. Discriminate to the

best of your capacity, and develop your capacity to discriminate. Struggle to

win, that is the best that you can do; few can say, 'I have won'. Your

conscience knows the real source of joy; it will prod you towards the right

path; your business is to take it as 'guide' and not disobey it every time it

contradicts your whim or fancy.

India has a rich mine of spirituality

There were two parrots on a tree, twins to be more precise. A hunter trapped

them and sold them, one to a low, cruel butcher and the other to a sage who was

running an ashram to teach the Vedas (revealed eternal truths). After a few

years, he was surprised to find that one bird swore very foully, while the

other recited the Leelas (Divine plays) of the Lord in a sweet musical tone,

which captivated the listeners. Such is the effect of the environment; so, seek

and secure Satsang (good company). If truth is given up and man slides down the

path of falsehood, then, as Appa Rao said just now, kshaama (starvation and

disease) will descend on the earth instead of kshema (well-being), famine will

stalk the land instead of the plenty that characterised it formerly. Appa Rao

said that in Hindustan, there have been many manifestations of the Lord. That

is true; for teachers have to be present where schools are and where children

eager to learn are found. You cannot have the teachers in one place, the school

in another; the black board in one place and the bell in another. There are mica

mines near Gudur; you cannot ask why they are not found near Peddhapuram. It is

so, that is all. So too, in India, there is a rich mine of spirituality and so

engineers have to come here to operate it, extract it and prepare it for use.

That is the reason why more manifestations of the Lord appear here. The

atmosphere here is also conducive for the practical application of new modes

and methods of extraction and use for the benefit of all humanity. "I am you

and you are all I" Bhaa-ratha means the land of those who have rathi

(attachment) towards bha or Bhagawan, that is to say, the Lord. The Lord too

has to come in haman form and move about among men, so that He could be

listened to, contacted, loved, revered and obeyed. He has to speak the language

of men and behave like human beings, as a member of the species. Otherwise, He

would be either negated and

neglected or feared and avoided. The Avatar (Divine Advent) has to lift humanity

and put it into the crucible in order to remove the slag and inferior metals

that have destroyed its sterling worth. When little boys turn the tap without

knowing its mechanism, water badly drenches them by scattering on them circular

showers, so is man drenched in grief because he does not know how to turn and

get an even flow. If the naayaka (hero) is good, the naataka (drama) will be

grand; if the hero is a flop, the drama will be a disaster. The leaders of the

people must have faith in their own Atma and the confidence

born of that; then they can lead others; then they will not lead them astray,

for they will feel kinship with the basic Atma in all. Appa Rao spoke of Me. My

Mystery can be known only by traversing My path that I have here laid down.

Understand yourself and that will reveal Me to you, for I am you and you are

all I. There is no need to retire into a forest or a cave to know your inner

Truth and to conquer your lower nature. As a matter of fact, you have no chance

to exercise your anger there and so the victory achieved there may not be

lasting or genuine. Win the battle of life; be in the world but yet be away

from its tentacles. That is the victory for which you deserve congratulations.

Peddhaapuram, 3-9-1958

Spread joy at all times. Do not pour into others' ears your tales of woe and

worry; carry a smile on your face so that every one who sees you can catch that

exhilaration. When you tell others of your success, your purpose is to create

envy in them. You must not only love others, but you must be so good that

others too may love you. Try to console, encourage, strengthen, and enlighten

those who are miserable, downhearted, weak or ill informed. Get yourselves

equipped for this role. - Shri Sathya Sai

TO BE CONTINUED...With Sai love from Sai brothers ''Source

and Courtesy: http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume01/sss01

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