SATHYA SAI SPEAKS - Volume II [Ch. 6, 7, 8, 9]

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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 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 II [Ch. 6, 7, 8, 9]

6. STEPS IN SADHANA

THE Governor of Uttar Pradesh said just now that he does not see signs of moral

revival, though much is being talked about achievements in the field of

economic revival. Let Me assure him that the moral revival is already there and

it is gaining volume every moment. Indeed the reconstruction of humanity on

moral foundations is today a world problem, not merely an Indian problem. In

all countries the emphasis is on the standard of life, not on the way of

living. Once you turn towards the path of worldly happiness, you will be led on

and on to greater and greater discontent, competition, pride and jealousy. Just

stop for a moment and examine your own experience; whether you are happier when

you grow richer and whether you get more peace as and when your wants are

satisfied. Then you will bear witness to the truth that an improved standard,

of living is no

guarantee of happiness. Nor is education or the mastery of information and the

acquisition of skills any guarantee of mental equanimity. As a matter of fact,

you find the educated man everywhere more discontented and more competitive

than the uneducated. So the reestablishment of Dharma, which is the task of the

Avatar, is as urgent in other parts of the world as, according to the Governor,

it is in this country.

The motive force for that revival has to come from this country itself; for

India has been proclaiming the Truth fearlessly and without intermission. It is

on account of that breath that this land is still alive, in spite of typhoons

and earthquakes in the cultural sphere. Indians have a greater responsibility

than people of other countries to live in such a way that others may get

inspiration for spiritual Sadhana from them.

Duties have to be done as worship

Yours is a splendid chance to become the guides-of mankind. You who belong to

the Sathya Sai Samaajam have this responsibility in an even greater measure,

since you must lead model lives of sincere striving. Having taken the Name, you

are bound to act according to My Aajna (command) and to shed the light of Bhakti

on all who come near you. I am really moved by Prema seeing such a vast

gathering and hearing the Governor praising your orderliness and discipline.

The root of all trouble is the uncontrolled ill-directed mind. Like the Godavari

in floods, it rolls along, causing slips and slides, and devastating vast areas

on both banks. Viveka and Vairagya (discriminatory wisdom) and non-attachment)

are the two bunds which tame the mad energy of the flood and lead the raging

waters into the sea, which' is, after all, the destination they seek. "Athaatho

Brahma Jijnaasa"---"After this the discussion on the nature of Brahmam"---says

the Brahmasuuthra (aphorisms on the Supreme Reality). After what? After the

cultivation of Viveka and Vairagya, naturally. How can they be implanted? By

the first three Purushaarthas (primary goals of life)---dharma, Artha and Kama

(righteousness, wealth and desire - fulfillment)---the practice of dharma

is the Art of Living. That is why in the Geetha, Krishna taught Arjuna

Karmasanyaasa (giving up the fruits of action), not Dehasanyaasa (giving up the

body). No attempt need be made to run away from the duties of one's station and

status. Remember, those duties have to be done as worship, as offerings of

one's intelligence and skill, qualities and thoughts and feelings to the Feet

of the Lord in a spirit of thankfulness for the chance given, without a trace

of egoism or a sense of attachment to the fruits of the actions. The

Nithyakrithya (obligatory actions) have to be carried out, wherever you are,

with care and sincerity. They award the needed Viveka and Vairagya.

Steady effort alone will bring success

Sankaracharya got that Viveka and Vairagya without passing through the

experience of the world. Others do not get it even after going through endless

travail. That is the difference. You see death snatching away persons from all

around you, but you do not train yourself to meet it calmly, bravely and gladly

when it comes to you. Sankaracharya said that an alligator had grasped his legs,

meaning that the world or Samsara had caught him in its coils; he told his

mother that the alligator would release its hold only if she agreed to his

becoming a monk! Strange alligator, that! It only meant: if he renounced all

bonds, he would be free to proceed to the Truth. To take the vow of sanyaasa

(asceticism), the consent of the mother has to be got; so by this symbolic

incident, Shankara persuaded her to say, "Take, take the vow of

sanyaasa, you have my permission, it is enough for me that you live unharmed."

Of course, the majority of persons get glimpses of discrimination and

detachment off and on; but they soon forget the call and ignore it and cover it

up by excess or excuses. One step forward and one step back---the journey does

not take them far. Even if some do take up Sadhana, steadiness is absent. Like

a ball of thread, which slips out of the hand on to the floor, it all comes off

because the grasp is not firm. Steady effort alone will bring success here, as

in every other case. How can you expect quick success in the control of the

mind? It is very difficult to overcome its vagaries, for it is many-faced and

very adamant.

The first step in the spiritual effort

You are unable to understand Prakriti (Nature), which is a reflection, a shadow

of God; how then can you understand God himself?. No. Steady perseverance alone

will tame your mind; and it is only through a tamed mind that you can experience

God. In this case, you must become your own tutor; train yourself by using the

spark of wisdom that has been implanted in you. Once you try with all your

might, the Lord's Grace will be there to help you forward. The first step in

the spiritual discipline is the cleansing of the speech. Talk sweet without

anger. Do not boast of your scholarship or attainments. Be humble, eager to

serve; conserve your speech. Practice silence. That will save you from

squabbles, idle thoughts and factions.

Again, practice the attitude of joy when others are joyful and of grief when

others around you are grieved. Let your heart move in sympathy. But the joy and

grief have to be translated into service; they should not be mere emotions. It

is not by your wearing the 'bush coat' which all others wear that you should

demonstrate the principle of equality; that is very easy. That is external

uniformity. How are all equal? Because they have all the same Divine Chaitanya

within them. When the sun rises, not all lotuses in the lake bloom; only the

grown buds open their petals. The others await their time. It is the same with

men. Differences do exist because of unripeness, though all fruits have to

ripen and fall some day. Every being has to reach the Goal, however slow they

walk or however circuitous their road.

Elders are not providing good examples

To reach the Goal quickly, without passing through the ordeals of the long

journey and stopping at one caravanserai after another, passing from birth to

birth, learn Sadhana---especially, the easiest and the quickest, Namasmarana.

This mike can work and bring My voice even to those people sitting far in the

distance only when the connection is correctly made. So, attach yourself to Me

and the current will flow through you and get things done for your good. The

light you get from the current that flows always along the copper wire depend

on the power of the bulb you fix; increase the candlepower and you get stronger

light. It rests with you how you make use of Me. The rain falls of its own

accord uniformly on the land; the lands bring forth the fruit according to the

quality of soil and seed.

Why blame the boys and girls that they do not respect the elders or obey their

parents or believe in God or adhere to high principles of character? The elders

are not providing them examples to show that those traits of character are

useful or valuable or essential. They themselves do not know the secret of

happiness; they offer to guide the children in the darkness, but their torches

have no cells! Teachers, Gurus, leaders of youth---all are in the same

predicament.

Very few have solid faith in the Scriptures or in God; very few have the

steadiness to stick to Dharma and brave the temptation to stray from the

straight path. Prema (love) too is a very difficult virtue to cultivate, though

it is a very valuable asset. Shaanthi (peace) is the one thing that makes life

worth while. Therefore, I bless the Sathya Sai Samaaj of Perambur, that it may

grow in these virtues more and more with every passing day. You will have your

building ready next year. I shall come every year to you and shower on you the

Aanandha which is my property, the Prema which is my gift.

Perambur, Madras, 23-4-1961

You need not escape into a forest to gain silence and the chance of

uninterrupted spiritual practice. You can make the place where you are, a

citadel of silence; shut off the senses, let them not run after objects. Your

home becomes a hermitage; your Sadhana will then move on, without any obstacle.

- Sathya Sai Baba

7. RAMAYANA IN YOUR HEART

THE vehicle of human life is drawn on two wheels by the senses which are driven

by Buddhi (intellect), with Viveka and Vairagya (discrimination and detachment)

as the reins, the two wheels being the Kaala Chakra and the Karma Chakra (the

wheels of Time and Action). The spokes of the wheel are the rules of dharma,

bound by the rim of Prema. The Self is the Rider and he will not come to harm

if the axle is Sathya and the goal is Shanthi.

Rama, whose birthday, Ramanavami, you are celebrating today was the exponent of

the means of saving the Self in this perilous journey from birth to

birthlessness. Rama is the embodiment of Dharma; that is why. He was able to

re-establish Dharma. Today is a sacred day because you get the chance to

recapitulate the Glory of God and His relationship with Man. As a matter of

fact, if you go deeper into the Ramayana, you will find that Rama is the

universal Atma, the Atma in every being. He did not come down to kill the

Raakshasa ruler, Ravana; he is not the son of Dasaratha or of Kausalya; nor is

He the husband of Sita, weeping for her loss and gladdened by re-union.

On the day when Rama was crowned Emperor at Ayodhya, every personage got some

present or other before leaving the city. Hanuman alone refused any material

girl. He asked Rama to explain to him the mystery of His Life, which he had

failed to understand in spite of the length and loyalty of his service. Rama

then asked Sita to slake the thirst of Hanuman and reveal to him the secret of

their careers. Sita announced that she was the Muula Prakriti (the Primal

Nature), the Maya Shakti (the Energy which agitates in all Matter), which

transforms and transmutes it into all this. variety that binds and blinds; the

Ramayana, .she said, was nothing but the play she designed.

Sweetness of Ramaayana cannot be described

Rama is the eternal, unchanging Purusha (Spirit). The Atma in every being is

Rama; hence the name Atma Rama. Rama is eternal and so the Raamamanthram is

said to have been taken by Shiva Himself. Rama means that which showers Ananda

(bliss) that is all. Now, what can give greater Ananda than the Atma? Rama is

Anandam and He is Aathmaaraama, the Anandam in your Inner Consciousness. You

can understand the Ramayana only if you keep this aspect in view. Orange has a

form and a name; when you squeeze it and take the juice, the form is gone and

the name, orange, too is gone. The taste alone remains. The sweetness, the

flavor, the essence, these alone are experienced. It cannot be exactly

described. It is beyond any vocabulary. Hanuman understood from Sita the

formless, nameless, sweetness of Rama.

Rama, the Purusha, accepts Prakriti, Sita, and enacts the play, Ramayana. Sita

is Brahma-Chaitanya, (Consciousness) for Prakriti or Maya activates the Pure

Existence of Brahman. Now see what happens! Brahmajnaana (knowledge of Supreme

Reality) is lost and Rama wanders about in the jungle, wailing for Her. Of

course, Lakshmana or manas (mind) is always with Him, for Manas is the

instrument with which Liberation has to be achieved. Vali is the spirit of

despair and he has to be overcome with the help of discriminatory wisdom or

Viveka, viz., Sugriva.

Ramayana is gone through in every one's life

You see, it is Viveka that sends emissaries to the various corners to discover

where Brahmajnaana is available. Hanuman is Courage. Courage won through

unflinching faith, that alone can penetrate the darkness and bring the good

news of the Dawn. Then Rama crosses the sea of illusion; He destroys the Demon

of Thamoguna (quality of inertia), namely, Kumbhakarna; the Demon of Rajoguna,

(emotional quality) namely Ravana; and He installs on the throne, the

Sathwaguna (quality of goodness), Vibhishana. After this, Rama meets and

receives Sita, who has become now Anubhavajnaana (knowledge derived from

experience), not merely Brahmajnaana. That is represented by the Pattabhisheka

(Coronation).

The Ramayana is therefore not a story that had an end. In each one's life there

is a Ramayana being gone through: in the Gunas, the Indriyas (the senses), the

Search and the Sadhana. Rama is the son of Dasaratha---he of the ten chariots.

What do you think are these ten chariots? They are the senses, the five

Karmendhriyaas (sense organs of action) and the five Jnaanendhriyaas (organs of

perception). Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi and Prema are the four sons; of which Rama

is Sathya; Bharatha is Dharma; Lakshmana is Prema and Satrughna is Shanthi.

Take as your ideals these great characters depicted in the Ramayana. You will

see how your life is filled with peace and joy if only you dwell with these

ideals. The Ramayana in the heart is to be experienced; not investigated as a

mental

phenomenon. As you go on reading and ruminating the inner meaning will flash on

you when the mind is cleansed by the elevating ideas therein. Do not exaggerate

the importance of things that have but material utility, they fade, even while

you grasp them by the hand. Search for the Sath---that which suffers no change.

 

Search for the Chith---the state of consciousness, which is unaffected by gusts

of passion, which is pure, which is free from egoism or the desire to possess.

Then alone can you experience the Light, and illumine the Path for others.

Search for Aanandha, the Aanandha that emanates from Prema, Love with no

blemish of attachment. Be like bees hovering on the flower of the Glory of the

Lord, sucking the sweet nectar of Grace, silently and joyfully.

Shanthi Kuteer, Madras, Rama Navami, 25-4-1961

You do not wait with folded hands for the cup of coffee to cool down to the

required warmth; you ask for an extra cup and you start pouring the coffee from

one cup to the other, is it not? The same anxiety, the same Sadhana has to be

shown in spiritual matters also, to take in the beverage of Divine Grace -

Sathya Sai Baba

8. START SATSANG

THIS gathering makes Me very happy, as people from Andhra, Mysore, Tamil Nadu

and Kerala have joined together to arrange this meeting. It is rather hard for

all of you to join in one place for one function. But-remember that you have in

all Panchapraanaas, (five vital breaths, and you here represent only four. The

fifth 'vital breath' is Uttar Pradesh and unless the Sangha (Association)

representing it also joins you, you are not complete, fully alive! All of you

are here to serve this land and its people and so you should not feel separate

from them. What has the Andhra Association, the Tamil Sangam, the Kerala

Association and the Mysore Association been doing all these years? Each group

has some Festival, which it celebrates once a year and probably honors any

distinguished person from the region to which it belongs, when he comes to

Lucknow. Perhaps, you thought I was an Andhra or a South Indian! The whole world

is My Mansion; it has many rooms, each State being just one room in that Mansion

of Mine. I came here to tell you this truth about Me.

The language that really matters

And also to tell you that you should not attach so much importance to the

language you speak. It is the meaning that is important, the feelings you

express, the behavior you adopt. The language of the heart is expressed through

sympathy, kindness, service, love, and brotherliness. That is the language that

really matters; that language can be understood by every one; the language of

anger, hatred, love, trust---it is patent and clear, though the speaker is dumb

and the listener deaf! That Aathmabhaasha (language of the heart) comes from

Aathmasambandha (relationship of the hearts) only.

The duty of Associations like yours is not to lay stress on the distinction

between one language and another and start quarrelling over or boasting about

the superior excellence of your language, but to overcome the handicap of many

languages 'by learning and using the common, easily spoken, easily understood

language of the heart. Religions are many but the mad is the same; flowers are

many but worship is the same; professions are many, but living is the same.

Therefore, you must all live in concord and brotherliness, helping each other

and loving each other. The basic needs of man are those mentioned in the prayer

of the ancients: Asatho maa sath gamaya, Thamaso maa jyothir gamaya, mrithyor

maa amritham gamaya (Lead me from unreal to real, from darkness to light, from

death to immortality). Man wants the Truth, he gets disgusted with falsehood;

he wants Light, darkness defeats him; he wants no Death, he gets tom by birth

and death. This prayer rises from every man, whether he is an Andhra or a

Malayaali or a Mysorean. This yearning has no connection with the land of your

birth or the language spoken or the form of Divinity revered. It is the cry of

humanity everywhere, at all times.

Make the best use of the time you have

These three can be got only by spiritual Sadhana, by following the path of Love

and Truth. Discovering that path and describing it has been the

distinct-contribution of Bhaarathavarsha (Indian Nation), and it is a disgrace

if you, who are all children of Bhaarathavarsha, whatever the name of the state

from which you come may be, do not adhere to that path and show by your way of

life that the Indian way is the way to real joy.

Hence, I want to ask you this---why can you not meet every day or on some days a

week for meditation on the Lord, for listening to the description of His Glory,

for studying the techniques of Japam and Dhyana from the Sasthras (scriptures)?

Consider that the allotted span of life is being spent away every moment. In

fact, life is an oblation poured in the Fire of Time. The Sun when it rises and

sets is stealing fractions of your life day by day, relentlessly, steadily,

uninterruptedly:--So make the best use of the time you have. The Lord is

Kaalaswaruupa (embodiment of Time), remember. If even the minutest fraction of

time is wasted or misused, it is treason to God. Make every moment holy, do

pious deeds, think good thoughts, and keep the Lord's Name and Form ever in

your mind.

All of you join in a Satsang---a sangha of all people who are sincere, simple

and pious. Meet every day at about 5 p.m. and carry on shravanam or keerthanam

or dhyaanam or Japam (listening to or singing Lord's names or meditation or

repetition of Lord's names), until about eight. That will give you so much of

Shanthi (peace) and promote mutual love and brotherliness. Let the various

streams of Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil and Hindi merge in the ocean of

Ananda (bliss). That is the real Ananda. Today, you taste the first glimpse of

that joy; make this a frequent feature.

Cultivate the broadest love towards all

Every country is a limb in the Body of God; He is conscious of the slightest

pain or sensation in the most distant part of creation, for that too is His

Body. He is Lokesha (Lord of the Universe). He is the secret spring within all

activity. Have faith in this and cultivate samarasa (broadest Love), towards

all. See that you do not give up Love, or deviate from dharma (virtue). Earn

Artha (prosperity) adhering to dharma and have always only one wish: to get

liberated; that is the way to realise the four Purushaarthas (goals of life).

Let dharma dominate Artha and Moksha (liberation) dominate Kama (carnal

desire); then, your life will be a success. I have told this so often but just

as one has to take food every day, this too has to be spoken again and again.

You wash your face again

and again, is it not? So too, this advice has to be given again and again. The

Vedas too repeat the essential teachings often so that they may sink into the

minds of men. By. means of bhukthi (eating), the Body is maintained in a good

condition; this helps the cultivation of Yukti (skill), for sharpening the

Buddhi (intellect) into an instrument for Viveka and vichakshana (wisdom and

discrimination); then bhukthi develops in wholesome things and attitudes; this

type of attachment to edifying things and feelings induces gradually the

virakthi (spirit of renunciation). The next step is Bhakti (devotion), the

overpowering desire to see the Lord and serve Him; Bhakti brings about the

Jnaana (spiritual wisdom) that there is nothing besides the Lord and that one

is oneself, Brahman, and so, one is liberated. i.e., gets Mukti. Every step in

this chain is important and so I will not ask you to give up

even bhukthi. I always speak of Brahmamaarga and Dharmamaargam (path of Divine

Reality and path of Righteousness); they are the two wheels of the bicycle that

you have to ride. Living was not so hard in the past ages; but now, since it is

riding a two-wheeled vehicle, skill and vigilance are needed to keep the

balance and avoid falling.

Knowing how to get inner peace is good fortune

The Governor, in his introductory speech, spoke of India's dharidhrya (poverty)

and deplored this plight. But why deplore the plight of a land where the Lord

Himself is moving as an Avatar? In what way are you deficient? This land is

fully equipped with all the resources needed for a happy life. People can get

all the light they want by just switching 'on'! But they do not know how to do

it or where the switch is, that is all. Nature is bountiful; the Lord is

showering His Grace. What more is necessary? I feel hurt when any one calls

this land deficient or poor. It may be that some do not know the methods of

getting rich or may not care to adopt them. But they all know the means of

getting Inner Peace. This is great good fortune, indeed.

India has the treasure that will make her the Guru of all Humanity. People born

here are indeed luckier than the rest but their responsibility is also greater.

They should not be downcast and depressed at their poverty or 'low' standard of

living. They should demonstrate by their lives that spiritual discipline makes

man happier and more courageous to fight the battle of life. The world is

surfing today from too much knowledge; virtue has not increased in proportion

to the advance of knowledge. That is the root cause of the misery in human

society. Of the two tyres of the vehicle that man is riding, the tyre of the

Brahman wheel is flat; it has to be filled by pumping the Lord's Name into it.

You cannot go far on a flat tyre. Therefore, start a sathsangha (holy

association), cultivate sathpravarthana (good activities); and derive joy

therefrom. That is My suggestion to you today.

Triloknath Hall, Lucknow, 30-4-1961

When you go for a bath in any holy river, the priest asks you to take three

dips; do not think that it is simply conventional. They are for cleansing the

Sthuula, Suukhsma and Kaarana Sariras---goss, subtle and causal body. They are

for cleansing the Baahya the Bhaava and the Chiththa--- the outer, the inner

and the innermost. They are for consecrating Karma, Upasana and

Jnaana---action, contemplation and sacred knowledge. - Sathya Sai Baba

9. THE NAME OF NARAYANA

YOU are all lucky indeed to be the residents, at least for some months every

year, in this Holy Place, which is known from very ancient times as

Badharikaashram. Many great sages have performed thapas here and realised the

Goal of Human Life. These snowy peaks teach man to be as pure and unblemished

as their whiteness. The silence of these valleys is very inspiring; when the

heart is free from agitation, the tongue is dumb and the ear has rest. That is

why in olden times, and even today, Sadhaks (spiritual' aspirants) came to

these solitary places and did thapas (penance). But it is, no use searching for

silence with a noisy storm raging inside you. You are where your mind is, not

where your body rests.

This morning, I took out from its resting place the Netralingam (egg shaped

stone, representation of Shiva, with the eye of wisdom in it) which

Sankaracharya had installed as the chief source of spiritual sustenance in this

Shrine, and after Abhisheka (consecrating by sprinkling holy water and Pooja

(ritual worship), it was sent back to the original place from where it will

continue to scatter even more Grace on the pilgrims who come here.

Sankaracharya, when he first came here---he must have known this place and

journeyed up by means of yogic powers---had with him five Lingams, which he

brought from Kailash; the other four he installed, in strict conformity with

the Sasthras (scriptures), at Shringeri, Dwarka, Puri and Chidambaram. Just as

the mountains Nara Parvatha and Narayana Parvatha which form the

back-ground of this temple have the Neelakanteshwara Parvatha shining on the

horizon between them both, this Narayana Shrine has a Linga from Kailash as the

core of its spiritual halo. The Ganga is born from the Foot of Vishnu and it is

sanctified by contact with the head of Shiva. Such stories are formed to teach

that there is no difference between one aspect of God and another.

The four limbs of the Cosmic Purusha

There is no room for higher and lower among the aspects of Godhead; there is no

room for inferior or superior in status among the various sections of mankind.

The Purushasuuktha speaks of the Brahmin being the face, the Kshatriya the

hands, the Vaishya the thighs, and the Sudra, the feet of the Cosmic Purusha.

Apart from the figurative meaning that the passage obviously carries, when God

is one uniform sweetness and wisdom and grace, any part is as sweet, as

effulgent, as graceful as every other. A sugar doll is sweet all through; the

limbs are as much sugar as the head. The trouble comes and the quarrel starts

only as a result of the want of Prema towards sugar.

Once you are established in Prema, you will not notice these differences any

more; they will appear silly, stupid and meaningless. When there is no Prema,

egoism has the upper hand; quarrels about your being superior and others being

inferior raise up their heads. You are in the holy presence of Premaswaruupa

(Divine Love personified) Himself, Badri Narayana; so you too must be full of

Prema (love). Do not entertain any hatred or anger in your hearts. Most of you

have come here on pilgrimage, fulfilling the dream of a lifetime. I know how

much sacrifice you have made to put together the money needed for this arduous

Yatra (pilgrimage).

I know the long time you spent in planning for this; I know the joy with which

you started on this pilgrimage and the courage, which has brought you here. You

have braved illness, accident, poverty and hunger during the long trek from your

villages, wherever they may be, in Assam or Kerala or Rajasthan or Kashmir.

Proceed towards the goal gladly over rock & boulder

Carry back with you the silence of these hills, the cool comfort of the

Alakanandha, the warm affection of the hot springs that gurgle from the earth

here, the spirit of sacrifice, which brought sages and saints to this spot.

Become better spiritual aspirants on your return; carry on that other

pilgrimage towards the goal more resolutely hereafter. Like the Ganga rushing

towards the sea from where its waters are derived, the Jivi (individual soul)

must hurry towards Brahman (Supreme Spirit) from which it has separated. The

Ganga does not allow any obstacle to stop its course. You too should proceed,

as this Alakanandha proceeds, laughing, roiling, and tripping gladly over rock

and boulder towards the goal.

I would ask the residents of this place who are mostly merchants, shopkeepers

and priests to take from the stream of pilgrims that comes here every day, a

pari of their Faith in Badri Narayana. Just try for a moment to understand what

it is that brings these people, poor, old, decrepit, from far off places through

this tortuous mountain road, to this Temple? There is a faith that heartens them

to the last step across the threshold of 'this Temple. Plant that faith in your

heart too; you 'will then find that your whole life changes for the better.

Take the Name of Narayana on your tongue and become aware of its sweetness; you

will find a new meaning in every act of yours. This temple will then become for

you the House of God and not a source of livelihood. Livelihood---any one can

eke out anywhere, by any one of a thousand means. But to be in this place,

a place considered holy by millions, for thousands of years, a place at the very

mention of whose name millions stand up and bow their heads in reverence, is

indeed a great privilege, a great opportunity. Use that opportunity. Use that

opportunity well.

Do not exploit the ignorance of pilgrims

I must tell you one thing more. I would ask you to appreciate the ordeals,

trials and tribulations of the pilgrims who come here. Treat them kindly; do

not speak harsh words and add to their troubles. When after weeks of blistering

walk and hungry vigil they reach this Heaven, treat them gently. Do not exploit

their ignorance and try to get maximum advantage out of it for yourself. There

is a dharma (Code of morality) for even business; do not overstep that limit.

Then Badri Narayana will bless you; not that He will give you up, if you act

otherwise. Only it will take a longer time! For, every living being has some

day or other to tread the right path and get merged in the Grace of God.

Badrinath Temple 17-6-1961

TO BE CONTINUED…

With Sai love from Sai brothers – ‘’

Source and Courtesy: http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume02/sss02

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