Divine Thoughts

August 6, 2007

Taken from Various Discourses of Swami : There are two things essential for a happy life: 1. Dhanya - grains for the sustenance of the body; 2. Dhyana - contemplation for entering the temple of the Lord and merging in His glory. Ref: Voice of the Avatar - Part I, page 145] Two ideas that should be cherished in our hearts: 1. Forget the harm that anyone has done to you; 2. Forget the good that you have done to others. [Ref: A Recaptiulation of Baba's Divine Teachings - page 270] Man has to pay attention to three basic duties in his quest for happiness: 1. He

should forget what he has to forget, namely the world around him and its tantalising pleasures; 2. He has to reach where he has to reach, namley the goal of the Divine, the Presence of the Almighty and, 3. He has to give up what he has to give up, namely material desires and pursuits. The Vedic prayer Asatho maa sadgamaya, Thamaso maa jyorthi gamaya, Mrthyor maa amrtham gamaya summarises these aspirations very nicely. [Ref: Voice of the Avatar - Part I, page 159] There are three things which are immensely pleasing to to the Lord: 1. A tongue that never indulges in falsehood. 2. A body that is not tainted by causing harm to others. 3. A mind that is free from attachment and hatred. These three constitute the Triple Purity(Thrikarna Suddhi). Refrain fron uttering

falsehood, inflicting pain on others and entertaining ill will towards others. Practice silence as a means of preventing the tongue from straying away from truth. [Ref:Sanathana Sarathi - April 1988] There are only three ways of saving oneself: 1. Pravritti (action) - external activity is a method of sublimating the instincts and impulses; 2. Nivritti (detachment, internal quiet) is a method of subduing the thirst of the senses and of the ego; 3. Prapatti (surrender) is a method of utilising the senses, the instincts and impulses, the intelligence, the emotions, for the glorification of the all-knowing, all-directing Divine. Do and dedicate; work and worship; plan and protect; but do not worry about the fruit. That is the secret of spiritual success. [Ref: Voice of the Avatar - Part II, page

32] There are three kinds of sadhanas in order to develop an unwavering mind: 1. Meena sadhana (like the fish) - Meena sadhana can be explained by remembering that fish can survive only in water. The moment it is taken out of water, it perishes. Similarly meena sadhana is one which can be only in solitude. If you sit in public, the sadhana will not be successful. Being unable to concentrate when he is mixed up with other people, to be able to get concentration in solitude is called meena sadhana. 2. Mriga sadhana (like the animal) - Mriga sadhana is that in which one can get concentration on the earth only. You cannot go elsewhere, say into water, and do it. As in this case, there are some people who can get concentration only when they are sitting in company with others. They cannot get concentration in solitude. If they are alone they begin to

think of their family problems. 3. Kurma sadhana (like the tortoise) - On the other hand, the tortoise can live equally well either in water or on earth. So, if we say that one's sadhana is like kurma sadhana or one is able to concentrate like a tortoise, we mean that the person is able to concentrate irrespective of whether he is alone or sitting in company with others. This is called kurma sadhana. Four directives for sanctifying our lives and purifying our minds, so that we can contact the God within us: 1. Give up the company of the wicked; 2. Welcome the chance to be among the Good; 3. Do good deeds both day and night; 4. Remember which is lasting and which is not. [Ref: Sanathana Sarathi - July 1985, page 175] There are four things in which every man must

interest himself: 1. Who am I? 2. Where from I have come? 3. Where am I going? 4. How long shall I be here? The four Vedas give answers to these four questions. All spiritual inquiry begins with these questions and attempts to find out the answers. Suppose there is a letter put into the post box without the address to which it should go or the address from which it has come. It will not reach anywhere. It is a waste to have written it. So too, it is waste to have come into this world, if it is not known where from you came and where to you go. The letter will go to the dead letter office! The jivi will be caught in the cycle of birth and death and can never find itself. For this, atmavichara and for the successful arrival at the correct anaswers, sadhana is essential. The answers must become part of you experience.

[Ref: Voice of the Avatar - Part II, page7- 8] Om Sai Ram

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