Sai message for the day

[Guest guest]

Please do not mistake us. Please pardon us for a feeling that comes

to us quite often. As we listen to your discourses, we find many

repetitions. We feel that the things we have heard and already

understood are being simply repeated. What is to be done then?

 

You are thoroughly mistaken. It is a feeling of the ego, born of

ignorance. You should never feel this way, particularly when you are

on the path. Every religion has a spiritual text like the Bible, the

Koran and so on. The followers of Hinduism read the Bhagavadgita, the

Sundarakanda of the Ramayana, etc., as sadhana. Scriptures remind us

of our duties, responsibilities, obligations and aims besides

enabling us to spend our time in a sacred way. For spiritual seekers

and aspirants, scriptures are the lights of wisdom. Therefore,

theists revere and read holy books. You feel that you are hearing the

same old messages. But have you experienced them? Have you practised

all of them? In fact, these spiritual matters should be repeated time

and again until they are practised.

 

Scriptures like the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavadgita

mention repeatedly and emphatically important spiritual aspects like

bhakti, karma, vairagyam and jnana. They direct seekers to cultivate

healthy spiritual habits and qualities to attain moksha by

emphasising and repeating at several places things like bhakti,

karma, and jnana. Don't you know that your dehamata, the physical

mother, makes the child repeat Telugu words like amma, mother, mama,

uncle, atta, aunt, tata, grandfather, and so on, and teaches him how

to speak. So, this Sai lokamata, Sai, Mother of the Universe is

Vedamata as well. Sai mata, Mother Sai repeats these fundamentals

again and again for the sake of the child.

 

Often you wear the same clothes. You take food every day. You drink

coffee several times every day. In spite of these repetitions, you

still want to continue the old habits, and are not fed up or bored.

Similarly, you have to hear these spiritual matters repeatedly so

that you do not forget them. You should never feel disgusted at any

time with matters pertaining to spirituality. Still worse are some

people who have a headache or fall asleep when spiritual matters are

discussed. But, while the talk is on mundane matters, or people are

gossiping, they evince keen interest and follow each word with rapt

attention. Such people should note that whatever spiritual sadhana

they do is all a waste. A cakora bird may get tired waiting for the

moonlight. A koel, known for its melodies, may be exhausted while

singing. You may not even relish drinking amrita, celestial nectar.

But, in respect of God, no one should ever feel disgusted, bored or

tired. This is important for a devotee. A fool like you once asked a

purohita, priest, at the time of the marriage of his second

daughter, " What, Sir! You are repeating now the mantras you had

chanted at the time of my first daughter's wedding! " Mantras don't

change from one wedding to another. This is the height of foolishness.

 

One may read any number of books. One may hear about the contents

mentioned in Holy Scriptures. One may give lectures on spiritual

topics. Until one takes to practising what one believes in, all other

acts are useless. A small story for you to illustrate this. There was

once a pandit, an expert in the Bhagavadgita.

 

He was very poor, and found it hard to maintain his family. He

decided to go to the king, give discourses on the Gita and thus

please him. He expected the king to reward him profusely for his

scholarly presentation. In fact, the king himself was a great scholar

in the Gita and he had even experienced the truths mentioned there.

But no one knew that the king was well versed in the Gita.

 

The pandit requested the minister to convey to the king his intention

to give talks on the Gita in the presence of the king. On hearing

this, the king sent a message to the pandit saying that, the pandit

was yet to know the essence of the Gita. After fifteen days, the

pandit again approached the king through the minister. But the king

turned down his request saying that he, the pandit, was yet to go

into the depth of the Gita. The pandit was totally upset and very

much disappointed, and returned home. He refused to answer his wife

when she asked him for the reason nor his sadness. She, after some

time, served him tiffin and tea and softly elicited the reason for

his frustration. The pandit said to his wife: " Look! You

 

know that I am an expert on the Gita. None can equal me in speaking

on this sacred book. I got several titles and rewards as well as

recognition from the public for my expositions and interpretations of

the Gita. But for the first time, I feel humiliated as the king has

refused me permission to enter his court and speak. Had it been

anyone else, I would have taken him to task " .

 

Then, the wife said, " Sir! It appears to me that what the king said

is true " . The pandit was very angry on hearing her comment. He

said, " What nonsense are you speaking? Are you a fool? Don't I know

the Gita? Am I not a scholar? What do you mean by saying that the

king's remark is true? " Then, the wife politely and respectfully

said, " Sir! I am fortunate to have been listening to your valuable

discourses for the last several years. I very well remember your

saying that in the Gita, God assured His devotee, ananyas'cin tayanto

mam, if only the devotee concentrates fully on Him, yogaksemam

vahamyaham, God would look after him in every way. You also said that

God added, moksayisyamima sucah, God would grant even liberation. But

I am surprised to see you trying to approach the king instead of God!

Perhaps you believe that God may not keep His promise. Isn't it so? "

Similarly, we have today many scholars who can speak excellently on

the Gita,. They have no faith in what they say. They merely chant,

repeat verbatim, and preach to others. This is not important. One

must put into practice at least one or two principles out of all that

is studied, learnt and spoken.