Sai Inspires - 26th March 2006 from Prasanthi Nilayam

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SAIRAM.

 

MESSAGE FROM H2H, RADIO SAI E-JOURNAL TEAM, PRASANTHI NILAYAM BEING FORWARDED....

 

SWAMI BLESS US ALL

 

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Dear Reader,

 

Loving Sairam from the Heart2Heart Team.

 

Prashanti Bulletin is updated till 24th March 2006.

 

Scroll down to read our Sunday special - 'HOW MUCH SALARY DOES A MAN REALLY NEED?'

 

How to play the game of life? Swami explains to us today.

Did you read the feature "Man, Money, Myth and Morality"?Click here to read now.

 

Sai Inspires - 26th March 2006

 

Life is a game, play it! Treat life itself as a big game. To achieve a good name

and success in this game, you have to cultivate good habits. Good thoughts, good

speech and good actions are the discipline required in this game. When so much

practice and effort are required to achieve success in games like tennis, how

much more effort is needed to succeed in the game of life! In this game, if you

wish to achieve a good name, uphold your ideals and realize the Divine. You have

to observe in your daily life right thinking, right conduct and right attitudes.

- Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Vol. IV, P 162.

The end of education is character. - Baba

HOW MUCH SALARY DOES A MAN REALLY NEED?

Loving Sai Ram and greetings from Prashanti Nilayam. The title of this week’s

letter is inspired by a famous story of Tolstoy entitled, HOW MUCH LAND DOES A

MAN NEED? And the motivation for the theme? Read on to find out!

 

This is the time of the year when our newspapers and TV channels are full of

news about graduates of our Brand Business Schools, who get fabulous offers

from overseas, with annual salaries touching as high as $ 200,000. The Public

is just floored by this phenomenon – fresh graduates getting this kind of fat

salaries. Understandably, these young men and women instantly become heroes and

heroines and their pictures are flashed everywhere. The Directors of the

Business Schools beam from ear to ear, Professors who taught these graduates

are full of pride, and hundreds of young people look admiringly, hoping soon it

would be their turn to reach El Dorado.

 

Recently, we asked some of the students of the Business School here in Swami’s

University what they thought of it all. We had a long discussion, starting with

the curriculum and teaching, and then went on to discuss various related

factors. In this letter, we would like to share with you some of what we heard

and learnt from our students. This in essence is what they said:

 

· In academic terms, there is really no substantial difference between

the Business School in our Institute and these so-called Brand Institutes. The

syllabus is more or less the same, and we too study the same books.

· There are differences though. For one thing, in the Brand Business

Schools, the students get more exposure to many practical details of today’s

business world. We on the other hand get an entirely different orientation,

which has its own value.

· Learning about some of the intricacies of today’s business world does

give some tactical advantages to the graduates in terms of entry into

high-profile corporations. On the other hand, we learn, especially in a very

practical way, more about humans, the way they behave, their aspirations and so

on. In the long run, this experience is invaluable in its own way. After all, in

the ultimate analysis, business is always done with human beings and Society is

the real market place. Thus, when it comes to matters like really dealing with

customers, and having a good appreciation of what it is that the public wants,

we are much better equipped.

· For the students of the Brand Schools, the horizon often is the

Corporation they are in. For them, the shareholders are very important. For us,

Society is everything, and the stakeholders, meaning the public at large are

very important.

· In the Brand Institutes, the bulk of the training is in the classrooms.

For us, however, the bulk of the training is really outside the classroom.

· To start with, our Hostel is where we learn most of our lessons,

because it is truly a microcosm of Society.

· In the Hostel, we are about ten or twelve to a room. Compared to other

colleges, this might sound horrible. On the other hand, once one gets used to

this, the experience is like living in a commune and teaches many valuable

lessons.

· The Hostel authorities make sure that in every room, we have a good mix

of students from different regions, speaking different languages, studying

different subjects and from different strata in life. Living in the same room,

sleeping on the floor, and working with our brothers all the time on all

matters relating to the Hostel and the College teaches us how to be austere,

how to adjust, how to co-operate instead of aggressively competing, how to help

each other, and so on. It shapes our personality in a subtle but very

significant manner, for the better, we believe.

· Another important thing about our Hostel. Compared to other Hostels

elsewhere, our Hostel has very few service staff and as a result, the students

literally run most of the activities in the Hostel. For example, all minor

electrical repairs and plumbing repairs are done by the students themselves.

When a boy is sick, other boys prepare special food for the sick boy, as

prescribed by the doctor.

· In effect, all labour is shared. The boys serve in the dining hall,

they take care of the Hostel library and computer centre, they take care of the

intercom, the audio system, they stitch costumes needed for plays and the

Institute Dramas, they have a music group which takes care of the Bhajans and

special music needed so often for various occasions, they take care of

decorations when required, and so on.

· These multiple skills come to the fore during the Annual Sports and

Festival Meet, when very complex structures are designed and created by the

boys, entirely on their own. This calls for skills such as welding,

papier-mâché work, a bit of automation and so on.

· Indeed, our Annual Sports and Cultural Festival, offers the best

commentary on the training that we receive in the Hostel. It is absolutely

unique, the like of which cannot be seen in any University in India, because

where else do students get such training? It is only those who have actually

witnessed the event who would able to appreciate what an all-round training we

receive in terms of character development, self-reliance, working in harmony

with others and so on.

· Elsewhere in the world, Business Schools operate so as to throw up some

stars and a large number of “lesser” mortals. In our Institute we have a unique

system in operation in the Hostel. The principle is that everyone has some

talent in high measure and that person must therefore be encouraged to make use

of that talent for common good.

· Thus, one boy may be very good in sports and be the Institute Sports

Captain. Here he is the leader and others follow him. But this same Captain

might be in the Bhajan group, which has its own leader. This happens across the

board, so much so everyone learns simultaneously to lead from the front, as also

to follow. This is a very unique kind of leadership training that teaches

everyone to lead and also to follow by listening to others.

· Hostel is not everything, and we must not forget Swami, who is the One

that really shapes us, in so many different ways too. Take, for example, our

daily visits to the Mandir for Darshan. You know, it takes a lot of discipline

to sit quietly on the ground for hours, without fidgeting. That is a special

training in itself; it teaches patience.

· When we are in the Mandir, what we eagerly look forward to is at least

a glance from Swami, and those fleeting glances do come. Others might not

notice them but we never miss. Sometimes, it is a stern glance to a boy whose

monkey mind is up to no good. At other times, it is a glance of immense love

and compassion, assuring the receiver that He is there to help in tiding over

the looming crisis. On other occasions, the glance is wrapped up in that

matchless smile of Grace that everyone yearns for. Over the years, all these

things add up in a most effective and miraculous way and that cannot be lightly

dismissed.

· We must also not forget how Swami gives us so many chances, like

singing Bhajans, or distributing Prasaadam or presenting skits, opportunities

to speak in His Divine presence, sing songs on festival mornings and so on.

· When Prime Ministers and Presidents come here for ceremonial occasions,

who is it that is in charge of hospitality services? Students of Bhagavan, both

old [now serving as teachers] and new! And how meticulously Swami instructs

those in charge of service! Does this happen elsewhere?

· In every possible way, we here get trained for life in such a manner

that it enables us to fit in wherever we go. An important part of the training

is the Annual Grama Seva or Village Service. Where else do you see the entire

faculty and students working for ten to twelve days at a stretch, cooking food,

packing the food, and carrying the food, sweets and clothes to over a hundred

villages, visiting every house in every village and hamlet, and distributing

all this with love and compassion? This exposure gives us a deep feeling for

rural India, without which urban India would be nowhere. Indeed, it has changed

the outlook of many students who wanted to go abroad, inducing them to stay back

and serve the country.

· Above all, what we learn every single minute is the importance of

character and integrity in life.

· People ask: “Does Truth work in the dog-eat-dog business world?” It

does because, increasingly, Corporations prefer transparency, and integrity in

professional work. In this respect, we actually have an enormous advantage over

the graduates of the Brand Institutes.

· People ask: “Why does not your Institute have placement service?” The

answer is simple. Firstly, placement deflects the attention of students from

studies to money. Swami is very clear that students must study for leading a

proper life and not for making money. Secondly, stripped of the glamour

attached, placement is like an auction! We value knowledge and education, and

do not think knowledge should be degraded in this manner. This is quite

contrary to the noble traditions of this country.

· People ask: “Look, the graduates of the Brand Institutes are grabbed by

the big corporations paying huge sums. What about you fellows? Do you get jobs

with such fat salaries?” Our answer is simple. First of all, it must be noted

that barring half a dozen “top stars”, the bulk of students elsewhere get the

same kind of jobs and salaries as our boys do. In fact, over the years, big

companies in India have come to learn that Sai students 1) are not attracted by

salaries, but by the desire to learn through experience; 2) easily adjust to the

work assigned instead of bargaining for work they like; 3) are loyal to the

employer and do not jump jobs simply because someone offers a slightly higher

salary; 4) are very good team players instead of being temperamental prima

donnas. 5) Finally, Sai students actually improve the corporation they serve by

making it a better corporate citizen. Thus, Sai students have their own “market

value”.

· This is not all. Swami says, “You are what you are because of Society.

So, when you go out into the world, make sure you serve Society.” Thus, for

Swami’s students, serving Society is the main goal in life, and this they do in

many ways. Firstly, wherever they are, they work for their employer in the true

sprit of Karma Yoga. Next, they use every spare moment to go out into Society

and assist those in need of help. Some go the villages during weekend and do

all kinds of Seva. Some run medical camps, and so on.

· Mind you, all this goes on throughout the year, very quietly, without

any prompting from anyone. Do you know, for example, one of Swami’s students

who is in Nigeria, works in a Leper Camp during his free time, actually

dressing the diseased limbs of lepers? Can you find one such example from

students who have graduated from all the famous institutions in the world?

 

The above is only a small sampling of what our students told us. In quoting all

this, we do not want to give the impression that our students are vain and look

down upon others. Far from it; we asked a question concerning this matter, and

they simply said, “Other Business Schools train students to play a certain role

in life, whereas Swami trains us for something different.” And to drive home the

point that they do not pose as being holier than others they added:

 

· In God’s Universe, everything has a purpose, and every individual plays

his or her own assigned role in the never-ending Cosmic Drama. Thus, we do not

criticise or condemn the graduates who have studied elsewhere. If some of them

are offered big and attractive salaries, so be it for that also is what the

Good Lord has willed. For us, that same Good Lord has given other instructions,

and over here, we are trained to follow those instructions when we go out into

the world.

· We have no right to condemn others even as we have no right to praise

ourselves. God has given every one a role to play; others play their roles and

we play ours. In the ultimate analysis, who is to say which is better? But this

much we do know: If we live with integrity and offer everything to God, there

can be nothing better. This is possible for both the king and the pauper. The

good thing about our Institute is that we are constantly reminded of this

truth, and that is what makes us different. And we are mighty happy to be

different, for this is a difference money cannot buy. So, why should we

complain?!

 

Well, we were quite amazed to have this incisive analysis of the nature of

Swami’s University and the Business School of the University in particular.

What do you say? Do you agree or is there something our boys have missed? Do

write and tell us please; we would welcome your comments!

 

 

With Love and Regards,

"Heart2Heart"

RadioSai's e-Journal Team,

In Sai Service.

 

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Visit us at www.radiosai.org to know more about RadioSai and our e-Journal "Heart 2 Heart".

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