Sathya Sai speaks

[Guest guest]

All worldly pleasures are transient and temporary. Very often they

result in sorrow and disappointment. God alone is the source of enduring

bliss. The purpose of human birth is to realise the inherent divinity in

man. This message was brought home to students of the Sathya Sai

Institute, whom Bhagavan had taken with Him to Ooty in April last, by an

interesting story. Swami said: Once a great Maharaja (ruler) held a big

exhibition of paintings and art products. The finest works of art were

on display. The exhibition was open to one and all. The Maharaja

announced that anyone could walk in and take away whatever one liked.

Large numbers of men and women went to the exhibition and took back with

them whatever they fancied. Among them was a lady. She saw everything in

the exhibition. She came out through the main door without taking

anything with her. The Maharaja noticed that of all the persons

visiting the exhibition she was the only one to come out empty handed.

He was curious to know what the reason for this was. He asked the lady:

" Madam, how is it you have found nothing to interest you in the

exhibition? There are so many attractive things on display. Was there

nothing that pleased you? " She replied: " There are innumerable desirable

things in the exhibition. " The Maharaja asked: " But, was there nothing

which you wanted? " " No, she said. The Maharaja said: “If that is

so, tell me what you desire and I shall give it to you. " She said:

" Maharaja, will you promise that you will give me what I want? Is your

offer genuine? Will you keep your word? " " Certainly, replied the

Maharaja. " If that is so, I want only you, said the lady. True to his

word, the Maharaja surrendered himself to her. When the Maharaja himself

became hers, all that was in the exhibition automatically became hers.

This cosmos is a vast exhibition. It is the creation of the Lord. All

are entering this exhibition and are taking whatever they choose. Some

seek jobs, others wealth, and so on. They are content to take the

objects of their choice. But no one asks the question: " Swami! If I take

away one thing or another, what is it that I gain? If you become mine,

all these will become mine. " When you have entered the cosmic

exhibition, you must seek the Divine. Then, the whole universe becomes

yours. You must seek that which is lasting and unchanging. There is no

meaning in going after one thing after another. There is no end to that

process. There is no satisfaction in that. What you acquire today, loses

its charm the next day and you desire something new. But once the Divine

is attained, all things are obtained. In this cosmic exhibition, you

are seeing, hearing and experiencing innumerable things. You experience

depression, confusion and disappointment. You have no contentment.

" Asantrupto nijo nashtah " . " Lack of contentment is the true loss. " The

man who is not contented is continually experiencing loss. There is no

Limit to desires. One feels hungry, another is thirsty. If the thirsty

man is offered water, he is not satisfied, he wants a cool drink. When

he is given a cool drink, he is not satisfied, he wants ice cream. And

so on. He is not satisfied with anything. There is no end to desire for

material things in the world. To get rid of these desires, Man must turn

his mind towards God. That is the way to achieve contentment and lasting

bliss.