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| 'Shirdi Ke Saibaba' feature on Zee TV |
| 09.30.04 (3:44 pm) [edit] |
'Shirdi Ke Saibaba' feature on Zee TV
Indiantelevision.com Team
(30 September 2004 2:00 pm)
MUMBAI: Zee TV will air a new show Shirdi Ke Saibaba every Sunday at 9 pm starting from 3 October. The saint popularly known as Shirdi Ke Sai Baba, is portrayed in a serial, based on Saibaba's life and miracles.
Shirdis' movies trust and research center is based in Vrindavan is continuously updating its research center on the miracles and incidents involving Saibaba and his devotees.
Speaking on the show, Zee TV president Abhijeet Saxena said, "Zee TV has always focussed in showcasing complete entertainment to its viewers. Saibaba is one such God, who has devotees from all religions. This series of Saibaba will showcase truth and power of Saibaba compared to the thought followed by people in this generation."
The show has been jointly produced by Raidant Showbiz and Shirdi Saibaba movies trust and research center. This series has been directed by Shiv Dutt Sharma and Amol Surve and written by Vikas Kapoor and Amar Pal Singh.
The lead artists in the show are Sudhir Dalvi playing the character of Sai Baba, Asim Khetrapaul, Suresh Oberoi, Gajendra Chauhan, Ram Mohan, Subbiraaj, Divya Dutta, Tejal Shah amongst others.
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| Sai Baba and Jesus of Nazareth |
| 09.30.04 (11:24 am) [edit] |
SAI BABA AND JESUS OF NAZARETH
Sai Baba's closest parallel is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of God. Jesus, the Christ, is believed to be the only incarnation of the Holy Spirit, in human form who came to bring about the spiritual regeneration of mankind through the gospel of love, faith, charity and hope. He was subjected to endless suffering, pain and torture at the hands of the Philistines, and finally was put on the cross and embraced death so that mankind may live and attain the kingdom of heaven. Jesus Christ performed countless number of miracles, even the raising of the dead so that God may be glorified. The raising of Lazarus is indeed a classic example of his God-like power. Being the son of God, he could perform any miracle, such as multiplying the quantity of food and curing the sick and the diseased. In the pages of the Holy Bible, we read the numerous instances of the miraculous deeds of Christ, most of these being performed to glorify God and instill faith in the minds of the people. When he resurrected Lazarus four days after his corpse was decomposing in the tomb, he did so mainly because he wanted to show to the sisters of Lazarus and his friends the supreme glory of the Divine. Another reason for this interference with the laws of nature lay in his deep love and great compassion for Martha and Mary, the devoted sisters of Lazarus. Then there is the question of faith and total surrender to Almighty God. The resurrection of Lazarus demonstrates very clearly the fact that faith is a vital factor. Both Martha and Mary had expressed the view that had Jesus been there, their brother would not have died. So Jesus, when he came to know about the death of Lazarus, went to the place where the body had been buried in the tomb and he called out: 'Lazarus, come out.' And the miracle took place instantly. Lazarus came out of the grave. The fact remains that faith and God's power may interfere with the cosmic laws and even halt or prevent death from coming and invoke God's mercy to grant a fresh lease of life to a person. Faith, however, does not envisage that there will be no more deaths or that death will have no dominion. Though Lazarus was called back from the tomb, some years later he died. Similar is the case with the aged American, Walter Cowan, whom Sai Baba brought back to life. He also died a few years later. The temporary respite from death enables the person to apprehend the plans of the divine and gain some measure of spiritual illumination. However, according to Hindu religious thought, cessation of consciousness is a karmic event and falls in the pattern of the cycle of birth, death, rebirth. Sai Baba has said both in his previous and present incarnations that to cure a certain person, to save from death or to remove some inborn physical blemish would be to interfere unduly with a person's karma. And in such cases, it is better to leave the person concerned to bear the consequences of his karma. Howard Murphet has rightly said :
As mankind is today we cannot expect Sai Baba or any other God-powered man to dissolve the whole cloud of Man's kartnic sins, curing all diseases, making all the cripples walk, cleansing all the lepers, opening the eyes of millions of blind that exist in India alone. The most he can do is to lift a little of the karma here and there and point the way.
And speaking about the reality and significance of the miraculous, he further says:
A God-man, a living worker of miracles, will be able through global communications to travel the world and to make his message known to all the people during his lifetime ... Of old this could not happen and tiding of such amazing events reached the mass of mankind either through verbal reports or by accounts written long after the events took place. Now the sceptic, the doubting Thomas who cannot believe in the lesser or greater miracles can prove their reality to himself.
If keen enough, he can visit Prasanthi Nilayam to witness them; otherwise he can wait until Sai Baba comes to his part of the world. The miracles of Krishna and Christ must be taken on trust or faith; those of Sai Baba you can see for yourself.
Returning to the momentous and magnificent miracle, resurrection of the dead, one finds some concrete and easily verifiable incidents when Sai Baba, like Jesus Christ, has blessed his close devotees with special grace and has granted them a fresh lease of life. It seems, this miracle of resurrection has to do with the transfiguring power of love and works like the coming together of the negative and positive currents of electricity. Baba has emphasised this aspect time and again. In his interview with R.K. Karanjia, he says:
Q. You are believed to have performed miraculous cures to the extent of resurrecting the dead. There are cases where you reportedly have saved people from drowning and other accidents in distant places. Medical experts have attested to remote controlled surgical operations performed by you. How do you manage this?
Baba: By my own sankalpa that is divine will and power. As an Avatar, this power is intrinsic, inherent, total and natural to my will and decision. I need no mantras (mystical formula), no sadhana (spiritual practice) and no yantra (mechanism) to perform the so-called miracles, which are natural to my state. My powers are simply the _expression or assertion of the reality of Godliness, which merges me with everything everywhere, at all times and places. The miracles belong to the boundless power of God. Now coming to the main points of your question, this healing phenomenon has a dual aspect. I can cure, save even resurrect people provided they are in a spiritually receptive condition. It is like the positive and negative currents of electricity. My capacity to heal can be compared to the positive current. Your devotion to me is the negative current. Once the two come together, the devotion provides what is called the miracle of healing.
In the days of Christ, no one asked him the rationale of his amazing and unique miracles of healing. However, if asked, he too would have given a similar explanation because, in the ultimate analysis, it is faith and love that lie at the root of all miracles. Truly, miracles are wrought by faith and love. In the case of the official's daughter, when Jesus saw her sleeping, he said that she was sleeping; her sleep was not unto death. And he called her to wake up. And again, in the case of Lazarus, he said the same thing and asked Lazarus to come out of the tomb. He further said that he revived or resurrected him so that God, the Father, might be glorified by this act. On the other hand, Sai Baba of Shirdi always maintained that Allah was the universal master, the doer of all deeds and thinker of all thoughts, and that he was the servant of that Eternal Absolute. All he could do to remove the suffering of his devotees, who had surrendered to him and left everything to him, was to use his influence with Almighty Supreme God. And many a miraculous cure took place. Jesus Christ also used to directly address God, the Father: 'I know you listen to me and fulfill all my wishes and requests.' And it was on the basis of such direct intervention that Lazarus came out of the tomb. The point to note here is that the doer and the granter of the boons is none other than the Supreme transcendental power. But an Avatar has the power to operate on behalf of the one God whose attributes have been transferred to him as a substation from the vast power grid.
The event of the resurrection of two ardent and sincere devotees, Radhakrishna and Walter Cowan, is too well known to be described in detail. In Howard Murphet's Sai Baba: Man of Miracles and Samuel Sandweiss's Sai Baba: The Holy Man and the Psychiatrist, we find a full and adequate account of the resurrection story. Here it may be enough to describe the ultimate emotional reaction of Elsie Cowan the wife of Walter Cowan and that of Radhakrishna himself.
Mr. V. Radhakrishna of Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, paid o visit to Puttaparthi along with his wife., daughter Vijaya and K.S Hemchand, his son-in-law. They were staying in a room at the ashram. One evening, he was suddenly taken ill and soon went into a coma. His wife immediately rushed to Swami and informed him about the condition of her husband. Swami came to the room where the patient was lying on the bed. Swami did nothing and he returned saying: 'Don't worry, everything will be all right.' But the condition of the patient worsened through the next and subsequent two days. He lay unconscious with no signs of life, cold and lifeless. In sheer desperation and unable to withstand the pressure of the Ashramites for taking out the body that was beginning to stink, for the last rites, Mrs. Radhakrishna once again went to Swami's apartment and told him all. Swami laughed and assured her that she should have no fear and he promised to visit her room to see the patient. Mrs. Radhakrishna, Vijaya and Hemchand waited, desolate, tense and apprehensive, hoping for some unexpected miracle. Swami eventually came to the room and entered the patient's room and the others stayed out. Swami was alone in the room with the dead patient. He called others to the room after some time and as the close kins entered the room, they were amazed and wonder-struck to see Radhakrishna sitting on the bed, as though he had woken up after a deep slumber. Swami turned to the wife and said, 'I have given your husband back to you.' When questioned by Mr. Howard Murphet, Mr. Radhakrishna narrated his experience in the following words, 'When I became conscious again, I thought at first that it was the same day. Later they told me it had been three days I was unconscious, that I was dead and actually started to stink. But Swami can do anything he wishes. He is God.'
Mr. Radhakrishna is the fortunate one who has assumed the role of a modern Lazarus in order to remind a sceptical and faithless age of the power and potency of God Almighty. His story has been checked and verified and found to be correct and authentic. Mr. Howard Murphet has himself taken pains to get the irrefutable evidence from Vijaya, the daughter of Radhakrishna.
The resurrection story of Walter Cowan is far more exciting and unique for it illustrates what Divine love can do. It is an instance of the transfiguring and transcendent power of love and the deathless ardour of a devotee. This time the Lazarus in question is an American devotee, Walter Cowan of California who had lived a noble life of service and dedication to the highest human values, work and worship. The facts of the case are as follows:
Walter and his wife Elsie Cowan arrived in Madras on December 23, 1971. On the morning of the 25th of December word went round that an elderly American had passed away on account of a fatal heart attack. On hearing the news, John Hislop, an American devotee from Mexico, rushed to the hotel and met Elsie Cowan who confirmed the news. She narrated how Walter had suffered the attack and breathed his last in the arms of Elsie Cowan who had prayed to Swami during those moments of crisis and had got herself reconciled to the reality of death and felt that God's will will be done. However, with the help of Mrs. Roshan Lal, a devotee of Baba, she arranged to take Walter to the hospital where the attending physician pronounced him to be dead. In the meantime Elsie Cowan rushed to the place where Baba was attending a function. After some time when she went again to the hospital, she found to her dismay and pleasant wonder that Walter Cowan was very much alive. The matter was brought to the notice of the attending physician who had pronounced Walter to be dead and had sent the dead body to a room with his ears stuffed and a sheet over the body as he was absolutely certain that the patient was dead. Fortunately, the whole matter was investigated by Justice Damodar Rao and all evidence proved that Walter Cowan who was dead had come back to life. During the period between his death and reported resurrection, it came to everybody's knowledge that Sai Baba had himself visited the hospital in response to the prayer of Elsie Cowan. It is also on record that at the hospital during the course of subsequent days, Walter's condition fluctuated and he had several heart attacks. Elsie Cowan kept on praying to Swami, and finally Walter was declared to be perfectly all right, hale and hearty with no trace of his previous ailments. Discharged from the hospital, the Cowan couple proceeded to Bangalore and stayed in a hotel. Walter Cowan's Bangalore physician conducted his own laboratory tests and found that all tests were negative. Swami was at that time at Brindavanam, Whitefield and John Hislop, too, was there. Swami sent a message to the Cowans through John Hislop that Walter Cowan should visit Whitefield ashram in day time and return to the hotel to take proper rest. John Hislop comments:
The extraordinary thing seems to be that, when the total organism that was Walter Cowan died; the only entity that returned to life was Walter himself. Walter's various diseases died with him, but the diseases were not reborn; only Walter was reborn. A most marvellous and inscrutable event, is it not? All of the foregoing does not, of course, imply that Walter's physical body had become immortal. Of course he has had some bad days. At times, he has become overtired, and at times has suffered perhaps because of an injudious meal. After all, it is not a teen-aged body; it is an aged body, but nevertheless a great miracle really happened.
Walter is alive again, free of disease and filled with enthusiasm to tell people about the Divine presence of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Further to celebrate the occasion of Walter Cowan's resurrection, the couple were blessed by Baba and united in wedding ceremony which is clear evidence of Baba's great love for the couple. To give further credence to this miraculous event Walter Cowan has himself related his unique experience. He says :
While in the Connemara hotel in Madras, two days after I arrived, I was taken very sick with pneumonia and was in bed. As I gasped for breath, suddenly the body's struggle was over and 1, died. I found myself very calm, in a state of wonderful bliss, and the Lord, Sai Baba, was by my side. Even though my body lay on the bed, dead, my mind kept working throughout until Baba brought me back. There was no anxiety or fear, but a tremendous sense of well being, for I had lost all fear of death. Baba took me to a large hall where there were hundreds of people milling round. it was a hall where all of the records of all my lives were kept. Baba and I stood before the court justice. The one in charge knew Baba very well and he asked for the records of all my lives. He was very nice and kind, and I had the feeling that whatever was decided would be the best for my soul. The records were brought into the hall armloads of scrolls and all of them seemed to be in different languages. As they were read, Baba interpreted them. In the beginning they told me of countries that have not existed for thousands of years, and I could not recall them. When they reached King David, the readings of my lives became more exciting. I could hardly believe how great I apparently was in each life that followed. As thev continued reading my lives, it seemed that what really counted was my motives and character, as I stood for outstanding peace and spirituality. I do not remember all the names, but I am included in almost all of the history books from the beginning of time. As I incarnated in different countries, I carried out my mission which was peace and spirituality.After about two hours, they finished reading the scrolls and the Lord, Sai Baba, said that I had not completed the work that I was born to do, and he asked the Judge that I be turned over to him to complete the mission of spreading Truth and he requested that my soul be returned to the body under Baba's Grace. The Judge said, 'So be it!' The case was dismissed and I left with Baba to return to my body. I hesitated to leave this wonderful bliss, but I knew it was best to complete my mission so that I could merge with the Lord, Sai Baba. I related the story to Elsie at once, and she recorded it. I also talked it over to Baba, and he said it was not my imagination it was a true experience. My life goes on now under the Grace of Sai Baba, whom I adore and to whom I owe my life.
Samuel Sandweiss, writes:
After Hislop had heard Walter give this account he asked Sai Baba whether Walter's experience was real or some sort of hallucination. Baba replied: 'The experience was a real experience, not an illusion. It was an experience occurring within Mr. Cowan's mind and I myself was there directing and clarifying the thoughts.' When asked if every person has similar experience with death, Baba said it is not necessarily so, some may have similar experiences, some not.
Baba is the dispenser of all boons, the Absolute sole Lord of life and death. It was chiefly on account of his love for the Cowan couple, their nobility and purity of heart and soul that he brought Walter Cowan back to life from the world of the dead. And actually, the resurrected Walter Cowan lived for some more time engaged in his mission to spread peace and spirituality, doing the work for Baba. And we have it on record that when Walter passed away a few years later that Baba sent word to Elsie Cowan: 'Walter has reached safely' which implied that Walter's yearning to merge with Sai Baba had been fulfilled.
Not only in the power of divinity to resurrect people from not only the brink of death, but also from actual death, the death of the body, there is a great deal of similarity between Sai Baba and Jesus of Nazareth. As for the outstanding and breath-taking miracles, instances are too many and can be cited both from the Bible and from the authentic biography of Baba and from the countless number of accounts given by close devotees of Sai Baba. The present author has witnessed and even experienced the working of such miracles and has been the recipient of the Grace of Sai Baba which has effected a sea-change in his life and has brought a new and sustaining vision of the divine essence incarnated in Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Sai Baba, like Jesus Christ, is a Ray from the Supreme. Incarnations, like Krishna, Christ and Sai Baba, come after epochs. The event of their coming marks the end of the sad, waste time, the degeneration of moral and spiritual values and the beginning of a new age. Krishna, the full incarnation, lived five thousand years ago and directed humanity to the pathways of peace and love. Jesus Christ came two thousand years ago. He brought the kingdom of the heaven on earth both by his teachings and by his own example. Sai Baba has a more difficult and challenging task as he has come in an age of rank scepticism and eclipse of all moral and spiritual values. But he has declared, time and again, that the task for which he has come, will succeed and the golden age would dawn upon the earth. He says: 'My life is my message.'
Another striking similarity between Sai Baba and Jesus Christ has to do with the preaching of sermons. The commandments of Jesus Christ and his teachings, specially delivered in the Sermon on the Mount contain the series of illuminations, which are as sacred as Holy Writ. The teachings have reached vast millions of Christians all over the world and have made Christianity the most universal and effective of all religions. The central kernel of Christ's teaching is the emphasis on love, faith and charity. Not that there is something entirely new, original and revolutionary in his sermons; they consist of, and are the concentrated essence of the eternal verities contained in all world religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism. One can find a close resemblance between teachings of the Vedas, Upanishads, Shastras and Purans and the gospel of Christ. It has been substantiated that Christ had visited India and was conversant fully with Indian thought and philosophy. Sai Baba has thrown an altogether new light on the life of Christ. And he has even gone on saying that there was a deep relationship between him and Jesus. The remaining portion of this chapter will deal with this aspect of the close affinity between the two, as between father and son. Sai Baba emphasizes the central unity of all religions. He says: There is only one caste, the caste of humanity. There is only one religion, the religion of love. There is only one God and he is omnipresent.
This essential unity of all religions is revealed by the logo seen at the Ashram. The symbols of the five major world religions appear in the logo. They are 'Aum of Hinduism', the 'Wheel of Buddhism', the 'Fire of Zoroastrianism', the 'Cross of Christianity' and the 'Crescent and Star of Islam'. The symbolic meanings of these symbols reveal and demonstrate the eternal verities of life and man's burden of the spiritual quest.
Listen to the primeval Hum resounding in your heart as well as in the heart of the universe; Remember the Wheel of Cause and Consequence, of deed and destiny and the Wheel of Dharma that fights them all; Offer all bitterness to the sacred Fire and emerge grand, great and Godly; Cut the 'I' feeling clean across and let your ego die on the Cross to endow on you eternity; Be like the Star which never wavers from the Crescent and is ever fixed in steady faith. The main thrust and purpose of all religions is to make present in man his intrinsic and innate humaneness and to take him to the heights of divinity. Religion, in the ultimate analysis, is to enable man to get over alienation from man, nature and God and to help him get over his loneliness.
It seems Sai Baba considers Jesus Christ to be very dear to him. The very fact that Christmas is celebrated at Prasanthi Nilayam is a clear pointer of his partiality towards the Christians. Although the devotees of Baba belong generally to all the major religions of the world, the single largest groups are the followers of Hinduism and Christianity. However, the followers of Islam are seen in microscopic minority although some of the sincere and resilient ones belong to that religion.
Returning to the theme of the title of this chapter, 'Sai Baba and Jesus of Nazareth'. In their beautiful and exciting book, Sai Baba: The Embodiment of Love, referring to Sai Baba's Christmas discourse of 1972, Ron Lang asked Sai Baba the following question in an interview given by Sai Baba in January 1980: 'Does this omission in the Bible mean it was you who sent Jesus of Nazareth into incarnation?' 'Yes', he replied. Ron Lang continues, 'My wife and I gasped, although I have no recollection of this. Followed my question: which lay at the very core of my soul: in that case, are you what Western Christians call the Cosmic Christ?' 'Yes', he replied.
In the words of Ron Lang,
As the reader can imagine, my wife and I came out of that interview in a daze. So Sathya Sai Baba was the one whom Jesus called the Father, the Christ indeed, the Cosmic Christ. The second coming had come, had lived for forty-four years on earth and perhaps only a handful of Christians were aware of it. At first, it was too stupendous to grasp. Yet I only know that I came to believe it, and I am reporting precisely what happened. In his Christmas day discourse in 1972 he had given some more valuable and revealing information about Jesus Christ. He said:
There is one point that I cannot but bring to your special notice today. At the moment when Jesus was emerging in the Supreme principle of Divinity, he communicated some news to his followers, which has been interpreted in a variety of ways by commentators, and those who relish the piling of writings on writings and meanings on meanings, until it all swells up into a huge mess.
The statement itself has been manipulated and tangled into a conundrum. The statement of Christ is simple: 'He who sent me among you will come again.' And he pointed to a lamb. The lamb is merely a symbol, a sign. It stands for the voice 'Baba' the announcement was of the advent of Baba. 'His name will be Truth,' Christ declared. Sathya means Truth. 'He will wear a robe of red, a blood red robe. (Here Baba pointed to the robe he was wearing.) He will be short, with a crown of hair.' The lamb is the sign and symbol of love. Christ did not declare that he will come again. He said, 'He who made me will come again. That Baba is this Baba and Sai, the short curly hair crowned red robed Baba, is come. He is not only in this form, but in everyone of you, as the dweller of the heart. He is there, short, with a robe of the colour of blood that fills it.'
Like Jesus of Nazareth, Sai Baba, too, is a Ray from the Supreme, a symbol perfected in love. In another discourse in1972, Baba said:
People talk of the sacrifice of Christ as evidenced by his crucifixion. But he was surrounded and bound, and crowned by the crowd who captured him with a crown of thorns and later nailed to the cross by his captors. A person bound and beaten by the police cannot say that he has sacrificed anything, for he is not a free man. Let us pay attention to the sacrifices that Jesus made while free out of his own volition. He sacrificed his happiness, his prosperity, comfort, safety and position. He braved the enmity of the powerful. He renounced the ego, which is the toughest thing to get rid of. Honour him for these. He willingly sacrificed the desires with which the body torments man, this is sacrifice greater than the sacrifice of the body under duress.
There cannot be any better and more revealing commentary on the supreme sacrifice made by Jesus, that is the renunciation of everything and the final embrace of death and martyrdom so that mankind could live and attain the kingdom of heaven. In this sense, the crucifixion of Christ may be regarded as a supreme act of love and self-surrender. Only the divine which is truly the embodiment of love could lay down his life for the good of mankind. Love is chief motivating force behind the actions of an Avatar. Sai Baba has not hitched his wagon to the stars; he has started his mission to bring all humanity together under evangel news of universal brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God. According to him God is love and Love is God. Thus, all the three major incarnations of God, Krishna, Christ and Sathya Sai Baba are truly symbols perfected in love.
Jesus Christ also centres his sermons and teachings on the sublimating and unifying principle of love. 'Love thy neighbour as thyself.' There is equal emphasis on charity, compassion, faith and forgiveness which are the central gems which Christianity is all about. Christ says: 'The kingdom of heaven is within you.' Baba also stresses the idea that there is the inner divinity in all of us and the whole purpose of the spiritual quest or sadhana is to merge oneself with parmatma, Being, Awareness and Bliss. A close look at Christ's Sermon on the Mount and Sai Baba's
People talk of the sacrifice of Christ as evidenced by his crucifixion. But he was surrounded and bound, and crowned by the crowd who captured him with a crown of thorns and later nailed to the cross by his captors. A person bound and beaten by the police cannot say that he has sacrificed anything, for he is not a free man. Let us pay attention to the sacrifices that Jesus made while free out of his own volition. He sacrificed his happiness, his prosperity, comfort, safety and position. He braved the enmity of the powerful. He renounced the ego, which is the toughest thing to get rid of. Honour him for these. He willingly sacrificed the desires with which the body torments man, this is sacrifice greater than the sacrifice of the body under duress.
There cannot be any better and more revealing commentary on the supreme sacrifice made by Jesus, that is the renunciation of everything and the final embrace of death and martyrdom so that mankind could live and attain the kingdom of heaven. In this sense, the crucifixion of Christ may be regarded as a supreme act of love and self-surrender. Only the divine which is truly the embodiment of love could lay down his life for the good of mankind. Love is chief motivating force behind the actions of an Avatar. Sai Baba has not hitched his wagon to the stars; he has started his mission to bring all humanity together under evangel news of universal brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God. According to him God is love and Love is God. Thus, all the three major incarnations of God, Krishna, Christ and Sathya Sai Baba are truly symbols perfected in love.
Jesus Christ also centres his sermons and teachings on the sublimating and unifying principle of love. 'Love thy neighbour as thyself! There is equal emphasis on charity, compassion, faith and forgiveness, which are the central gems, which Christianity is all about. Christ says: 'The kingdom of heaven is within you.' Baba also stresses the idea that there is the inner divinity in all of us and the whole purpose of the spiritual quest or sadhana is to merge oneself with parmatma, Being, Awareness and Bliss. A close look at Christ's Sermon on the Mount and Sai Baba's insistence on four quartets of moral values or the gems of golden ray serene as discussed in the next chapter, bear as close a resemblance, almost one to one correspondence between Baba and Jesus of Nazareth. However, it must be clearly borne in mind that neither Jesus in his time nor Sathya Sai Baba today has said anything very original or revolutionary. These are the eternal verities dear to all religions but in the life of Jesus of Nazareth and in that of Sri Sathya Sai Baba they acquire a particular power and intensity because they are sincerely believed in and arise out of the realized experiences of the Avatars. Sai Sathya Sai Baba has declared unequivocally that he had come to establish sanatana dharma the eternal religion and to repair the ancient highway to God. Both Jesus and Sai Baba have set their own examples. Jesus said, for example: 'I am the way, the truth and the life.' And further he said: 'I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. I am the way, the truth and the life.' Sai Baba asks people to emulate Christ and follow the ideals dear to him. In his discourse on the Christmas of 1978, Baba said:
Jesus was a master born with a purpose. The mission of restoring Love, Charity and Compassion in the heart of man. He had no attachment to the self; he never paid heed to sorrow or pain; joy or gain; he had a heart that responded to the call of anguish, the cry for peace and Brotherhood. He went about the land preaching the lesson of love and poured out his life as a libation in the sacrifice to humanity... From the attitude of being a messenger of God he declared that he was the son of God, after returning from the East. For the old attitude meant duality, a master servant relationship. One had to carry out the duties laid down by the Master, and in the Scriptures of faith. This he found too irksome and felt he was the image, while God was the original. The bond of relationship increased: The 'I' was no longer in some distant light or entity, the light became a part of the '1'. Jesus could declare: 'I and my Father are one! Just as one states: I was in the Light, then, the Light was in me, and now, I am aware that I am the Light.
Thus, it becomes increasingly clear that Sri Sathya Sai Baba has clear conception of the life and message of Jesus Christ, as indeed he has of all other Avatars. This is so because he represents the same divine principle and is the same Divine and Ultimate essence, which is known as God Almighty. One is, therefore, not surprised that he has disclosed material and information about Jesus Christ not available in the Holy Bible. And he has also given a positive answer to the query of Ron Lang that it was He who had sent Jesus and that he was what the Western Christians called Cosmic Christ.
In reality, Sri Sathya Sai Baba believes in the unity of all religions, all faiths and beliefs and in the immanence of one God who is omnipresent. There are different facets of an Avatar. He comes with requisite powers to be able to accomplish the chosen task. This power is transcendental, all-pervasive and universal. This author firmly believes that the Avatar, may he be Krishna, Jesus Christ or Sathya Sai Baba, is a Ray Supreme from the eternal Absolute and he comes at the intersection point between Time and Eternity. He is at the spring and source of all knowledge and can pick up knowledge from the vast storehouse of knowledge by virtue of his universal omniscience. He knows the past, present and future of everyone and is perfectly capable of dispensing rewards and punishment, depending on the karma of the subject.
This author had the privilege of reading Ramkatha Rasvahini and has found material about the life of Rama not found in either Valmiki Ramayana or Ramcharit Manas written by Tulsidas. This author also recalls his presence at an informal meeting of teachers of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. It was a very enlightened and knowledgeable audience. One of the eminent devotees, a former Vice Chancellor of Benares Hindu University, requested Swami to give a discourse on the life of the great saint Tulsidas who wrote Ramcharit Manas, which has swayed millions of people through centuries and is also a devotional work par cxcellence. Swami gave a vivid and graphic description of the life and career of that immortal writer and a devotee of the highest-class calibre. That account was perfect and flawless as Swami knew all about his one-time great devotee. So, there is no wonder that the hidden facts about Christ's life and career, his actions and motivations were readily available to Swami. Time and space is of no consequence to him and he can know all in a flash. In this context, the author would relate yet another example. A visitor from the Ministry of Education, Government of India, who happened to be a specialist in the modern concept of preparing question banks for the overall benefit of the students in colleges and universities, came to discuss the idea of preparing question bank at the deemed university. He addressed the teachers and took them in confidence. This is what he said as a preamble to his address: "You will doubtless be surprised to know that I have had a personal interview with Swami this morning. He seemed to know the purpose of my visit and discussed the subject in detail. I said to myself 'He may be a great saint or a mystic, fully conversant with religious texts; what would he know about the modern reforms in education and the idea and necessity of having question banks! So, sceptically I listened to him, and was wonderstruck to find that not only he knew what was in my mind and thought, but all that had been written and spoken on the subject by the great specialists on the subject. Really and truly He is the speaker of all words, thinker of all thoughts, doer of all deeds."
I would like to close this chapter by relating yet another exciting aspect of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, namely, his materialization of an image of Jesus Christ on the Cross with the minutest details of his face and feeling, which might well be rated as the finest piece of sculpture. Swami has told John Hislop that there was some delay in the materialization as after a lapse of thousands of years it was a problem finding the wood on which Jesus Christ was nailed. This is how Dr. Samuel Sandweiss narrates the whole episode:
... There is the very unusual story told by Dr. John Hislopa close devotee of Baba. Breaking two twigs off a tree and placing them together in the form of a cross, he asked John what they looked like and John replied that they looked like a cross. Baba then placed the twigs in his hand, blew on them three times and opened his hand to reveal a wooden Cross-with a silver statue of Jesus on it. He said that the statue was not simply an artist's representation of Jesus but an exact likeness of how he actually looked on the Cross. The small crucifix, on which the silver statue was mounted, he said, was taken from Christ's actual Cross.
This is Dr. Hislop's account.
Baba, a large group of students from the Sathya Sai Arts and Science College at Brindavan and a few other people, including myself were walking down the bank of a road to a stretch of level sand of the dry Kekkanahalla riverbed. I was walking alongside Swami, and as we passed a bush, he reached over and pulled off a couple of twigs, and held them up like a Cross. Hislop, he said, what is this?
'Well, Swami, it is a Cross,' I answered. He put the twigs in his hand, closed it, and produced rather three slow breaths on it. Then he opened his hand and gave me a cross with figure of Christ on it. This is an image of Christ on the cross, he said not as artists have imagined him and as historians have told about him, but as he actually and truly was, with stomach pulled away in and ribs all showing because he had no food for eight days.
So, I said, 'Well the cross, Swami, tell me about that!
'The Cross-is a piece of wood from the original on which Christ was crucified. Then he said something very interesting: 'to find a piece of that wood after two thousand years presented a little difficulty! I suppose, that is why he breathed rather slowly three times. Usually, he gives one puff, and a ring or whatever does appear.
I noticed something odd and asked, 'Swami, what is that hole at the top of cross?'
He replied, 'That is the hole where they hung the cross on the standard! This is something we had not even heard of before. Pictures of Christ being crucified show the cross being planted on the ground; but according to Swami, it was hung on something, and you can actually see the hole in the wood. My wife and I were absolutely astounded. I am sure it is the greatest sculpture of Christ that has ever been made. You can see the blood flowing from his forehead. You can see the black and dust-caked saliva at the corner of his mouth. The _expression of agony, pain and suffering in his eyes and face will tear your heart, and show the beauty of the tiny figure of Christ. In my estimation, it is the most extraordinary object that Baba has ever produced. When Walter Woolf brought some enlargements of the photograph down to our house, we were standing around the table looking at the pictures and thinking of Christ and of Baba, when suddenly, from a perfectly clear sky there was a terrible crash of thunder. Then a very strong wind blew through the house, rattling the shutters, banging the doors and blowing the curtains. Next day, an article in San Diego Tribune reported that mysterious thunder and wind had come up unexpectedly from a perfectly clear sky, My wife reminded me that Christ died on the cross at five O'clock and that the Bible tells us of thunder and earthquake which arose suddenly. I can only conclude that there is a tremendous amount of power in that little cross.
So, the relationship between Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Jesus of Nazareth is deeper and more intrinsic and vital than we generally imagine. The fact that he materializes talismans like the picture and statue of Christ by the simple wave of the hand and offers them to his Christian devotees is common knowledge. Not only this, he generally exhorts the audiences to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and live by them. And on that fateful Christmas day in 1972, he was pleased to say the last word on the subject, which has the sanction and weight of a revelation, as it were. As already testified by Ron Lang and Peggy Mason in their book, Sal' Baba: The Embodiment of Love: Christ said, 'He who has sent me will come again' and that Baba - the symbol of the voice of lamb is this Baba, short, hair-crowned, red robe Baba come again.
So, the implication of the Second Coming has been finally cleared and resolved by none else than Baba himself, and one feels that the vision of terror transmitted by William Butler Yeats in his well known poem, The Second Coming, suggesting the coming of a huge monster, struggling to be born at Bethleham, was just a delusion. Actually, at a time when the ceremony of innocence is drowned and the good lack all conviction and the worst are full of passionate intensity, the coming of the Avatar is the natural consequence. In that famous Christmas day discourse, Baba told the audience:
And the story says there was a star in the sky, which fell with a new light, and this led a few and others to the place where the saviour was born. This story is read and taken on trust by man, though stars do not fall or even slide down so suddenly. What the story signifies is this: There was a huge aura of splendour illumining the sky over the village where Christ was born. This meant that He who was to overcome the darkness of evil and ignorance had taken birth, that He would spread, the light of love in the heart of man and the councils of humanity. Appearances of splendour or of other signs are natural of the era that has dawned when incarnations happen on earth.
When questioned by an interviewer, Dr. Samuel Sandweiss, the renowned psychiatrist who acquired a new vision of reality and an insight into what truly matters in the spiritual quest and destiny of man, said:
Q.What is Baba's relationship with Christ?
A. This is a very interesting question. I have mentioned before he has said that he is all names and all forms, that he and Christ or any form or embodiment of God, are the same. But he has drawn the connection between Christ and himself in a number of very interesting ways.
And furthermore,
On April 20, 1972 while seated among a small group of devotees - American devotees Sai Baba reportedly performed a miracle which more than words could points out the connection between Christ, Shiva and himself. The devotees said that by a wave of his hand he materialized this small medallion picturing Jesus on its surface. The tiny medallion was passed from person to person through the group of devotees for everyone to examine. Taking it back into his hand, Baba blew on it twice transforming the image on the surface, according to those present, to that of Lord Shiva.
Thus it is clear that Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Christ and Lord Shiva represent the same divinity and that there is absolutely no difference between them. In fact, many devotees have had the experience of seeing their own favourite and chosen God when they have cast their glance on the frail, red-robed figure of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. This is not just a maya or Illusion. But when one is in the presence of an Avatar, he is face to face with God and our notion of reality undergoes a sea-change. However, the perceptions of the individual depend largely on his own personal and individual stage of development in the realm of the spirit. Many Christians have been drawn to the orbit of Baba's influence only after they have gone through authentic and convincing proofs. So we come to the end of this chapter with the positive and firm conclusion that there is only one God and that he is omnipresent. The followers of different religions see him in different names and forms though he is essentially the same Divine force and energy, the same blazing Light, the Ray Supreme. The sameness of different names and forms has to be discerned only by the advanced and discerning aspirant. Sri Sathya Sai Baba has rightly declared that he is Sarva-devata-swarup, the quintessence of all names and forms of God. He has further said:
I am not Sathya Sai Baba. It is only a name by which you know me today. All names are mine. I am the one God who answers the prayers that rise in human hearts in all languages from all countries addressed to all forms of deity.
Source: http://www.indiangyan.com/books/otherbooks/sai_ baba/sai_baba_and_jesus_o f_nazareth.shtml" title="http://www.indiangyan.com/books/otherbooks/sai_ baba/sai_baba_and_jesus_o f_nazareth.shtml" target="_blank"http://www.indiangyan.com/boo...
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| Thought for the Day |
| 09.30.04 (9:38 am) [edit] |
Thought for the Day
As written at Prasanthi Nilayam
September 2004
September 1, 2004
God is beyond all notions of good and bad, right and wrong. These are only earthly measures by which the temporary objects are weighed and judged. He has no Form, no dualities, no preferences, no prejudices and no predilections. To say that He is Sathyaswaroopa, Jnanaswaroopa or Anandaswaroopa (embodiment of Truth, Wisdom and Bliss) is also not correct. For He has no 'Swaroopa' (Form) or 'Swabhava' (characteristics). He is Sathya (Truth), Jnana (Wisdom) and Ananda (Bliss). That is the experience of those who have tasted Ananda.
September 2, 2004 - Guru Poornima
Man can be happy with much less than he seems to think essential. When some article is with you for some little time, you feel it is indispensable and you do not know how to live without it. Like the silkworm, you weave a cocoon for yourself, out of your fancy. Do not allow costly habits to grow, costly from the monetary as well as the spiritual point of view. Watch your likes and dislikes with a vigilant ye and discard anything that threatens to encumber your path.
September 3, 2004
Place the evil qualities lurking within you on the altar of your mind and sacrifice them as an offering to the deity installed therein. Though born as a human, man is burdened by animal instincts and impulses that have attached themselves to him during his previous lives as an animal. He has passed through many an animal existence and each has left its mark on his mental make-up, like a scar on the skin when a wound has healed.
September 4, 2004
Life is a pilgrimage to God. The road lies before you; but unless you take the first step forward and move further on, how can you reach your destination? Start with courage, faith, joy and steadiness. You are bound to succeed. The mind and the intellect are the two bullocks tied to the cart of the inner man. The bullocks are not used to the road of Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteousness), Shanti (Peace) and Prema (Love) and so they drag the cart along the road familiar to them, namely, falsehood, injustice, worry and hatred. You have to train them to take the better road so that they may not bring disaster upon themselves, the cart or the passengers travelling in it.
September 5, 2004
The Divine is omnipresent. The entire cosmos is permeated and sustained by this divine energy. Everyone should endeavour to experience the Divine. Man must make the effort and he is bound to realise the experience. The necessary sacrifice must be made. All the bad qualities have to be renounced the moment they invade the mind. True devotion means elimination of all the animal tendencies in man. Man should seek to realise the eternal Divine within him. That is the primary purpose of human life.
September 6, 2004
The message of the life of Lord Sri Krishna is the supremacy of the Love Principle. This message is all that the world needs. Krishna is the embodiment of love. This love can be understood only through love. It is strong, brilliant and unbreakable like a diamond. It is extremely precious. If you want to secure such divine love, your love for God must be equally strong. For, you can cut diamond only with diamond. Love begets love. Hatred can only beget hatred. Therefore, if you want to foster love, you have to get rid of hatred, jealousy and anger.
September 7, 2004
Divine Life is based on Sathwa Guna (quality of calm serenity), which must be cultivated. This guna can be built only upon Saathwik food (natural food that is moderate in flavour), which promotes health, strength, lightness of body and spirit, and earnestness of endeavour. There is no use distributing Adhyaatma rasa (nectar of spirituality) to underfed and weak people; give Anna rasa (food) first; make them strong enough to entertain right beliefs and high ideals; physical hunger must first be appeased by simple Saathwik food.
September 8, 2004
One does not have to search for God by travelling around the world. God is not outside oneself. If one thinks that God is separate from him, it may be so for him. But if one transcends all thoughts, one then becomes God oneself. All thoughts are illusions, so by giving them up, one becomes God. Therefore, give up thoughts. Come forward and enjoy the divinity that you really are.
September 9, 2004
Buddhi (intellect) revels in discussion and disputation; once you yield to the temptation of dialectics, it takes a long time for you to escape from its shackles and efface it and enjoy the bliss which comes from its nullification. You must all the while be aware of the limitation of reason. Logic and deduction must yield their place to devotion. Buddhi can help you along only some distance along the Godward path; the rest is illuminated by intuition.
September 10, 2004
We cannot describe God in words. We have to experience the bliss of realising Him as the core of our being. If we want Ananda (bliss), we must walk along the path of Atma (soul). When we work in the direction of Atma, the diversity is removed and equanimity is established. The world will vanish when we keep in mind the creator of the world.
September 11, 2004
The Vedas have held forth the message of people living in amity, striving together for common ends and sharing the fruits of their co-operative efforts. They have also proclaimed the omnipresence of the Divine. The cosmic form of the divine encompasses every being in the universe. Forgetting the truth - "Sarvam Vishnumayam Jagath", that the Divine is immanent in the Cosmos, people search for the Divine. Every human being is a spark of the Divine. Hence, there should be no ill-will towards anyone.
September 12, 2004
"Sathyam Brooyath, Priyam Brooyath, Na Brooyath Sathyam Apriyam". Speak the truth, speak what is pleasant and never speak what is true but not pleasing. Truth is of the highest importance whether we consider morality, worldly life or spiritual progress. From the ethical point of view, you have to speak the truth. In the context of worldly life, you have to speak what is pleasing. From the spiritual point of view, you have to avoid what is not pleasing even if it is true. One should not utter words that cause excitement, but speak the truth which is both pleasing and beneficial.
September 13, 2004
Love exists for love's sake and nothing else. It is spontaneous and spreads delight. Everything is permeated by love. Love can conquer anything. Selfless, pure, unalloyed love leads man to God. Selfish and constricted love binds man to the world. Unable to comprehend the pure and sacred nature of love, man today is a prey to endless worries because of his attachment to worldly objects. Man's primary duty is to understand the truth about the Love principle. Once he understands the nature of love, he will not go astray.
September 14, 2004
You must realise that the Divine current that flows and functions in every living being is the one Universal Entity. When you desire to enter the mansion of God, you are confronted by two closed doors - the desire to praise yourself and the desire to defame others. The doors are bolted by envy; and there is also the huge lock of egoism preventing entry; so if you are earnest, you have to resort to the key of Prema (Love) and open the locks of egoism, remove the bolt of envy and only then will the doors be thrown open to you.
September 15, 2004
The Bhagavad Gita advises 'Karmasanyaasa', that is to say, performance of action without attachment to the fruits thereof. There are karmas (actions) which have to be performed as one's duties, according to one's status in the society. And if these are done in the proper spirit, they will not bind one at all. Undertake all deeds as actors would in a play, keeping your identity separate and not attaching yourself too much to your role. Remember that the whole thing is just a play and the Lord has assigned to you a part; act out your part well; there your duty ends.
September 16, 2004
Your child gives you great joy by its play and prattle, but when it interferes with your work or teases you when you are otherwise engaged, you get very angry with it. It is a source of joy as well as grief. There is nothing which can give unmixed joy; even if there is, when it is lost, it brings about sorrow. This is in the very nature of things; so try to correct the very source of joy and sorrow - the mind; control it and train it to see the real nature of the objective world, which attracts and repels you by turns. That is the real fruit of education.
September 17, 2004
There were two parrots on a tree. A hunter trapped them and sold them. One to a low, cruel butcher and the other to a sage who was running an ashram (hermitage) to teach the Vedas. After a few years, he was surprised to find that one bird swore very foully, while the other recited the glory of the Lord in a sweet musical tone which captivated the listeners. Such is the effect of the environment; so always seek and secure Sathsang (company of good and holy people).
September 18, 2004
Man is bound by three tendencies. The first is Kama (the longing to possess). When that longing fails, Krodha (anger) raises its hood. When the desire is fulfilled, the third tendency Lobha (greed) overtakes him. Ganesha's vehicle is the mouse. The mouse is a creature that is led, even to the point of destruction, by Vaasana (the sense of smell). Men too, are victims of Vaasana (preferences and predilections stamped on our minds during the past lives). Ganesha smothers and suppresses these Vaasanas which misdirect man and lead him to misfortune. However, if one's desire is beneficial, the Divine will shower his Grace. His Grace is available for all who seek good and godly goals.
September 19, 2004
As long as you worship the Lord with form, you use certain flowers such as roses, marigolds and jasmine, although the body that performs the worship and the flowers which you use are all impermanent. But if you want to worship the formless God in your heart, then the flowers you use are different; they are the flowers of non-violence, of love and compassion, of charity and sacrifice. To elevate yourself to the formless principle, you will have to cultivate these flowers of the heart and use them in your worship. Then you will experience the ineffable and permanent joy of the spirit.
September 20, 2004
Man is consciousness incarnate. Man is the highest object in creation. Hence, he should not become a creature of instinct like animals. Man should progress from the human to the Divine. It is not the world that binds man. It has neither eyes to see nor hands to grasp. Man is a prisoner of his own thoughts and desires. In his attachment to the ephemeral and the perishable, man forgets his inherent Divinity and does not realize that everything in the universe has come from the Divine and cannot exist without the power of the Divine.
September 21, 2004
Human life is a journey from 'I' to 'We'. This journey is subtle and the goal is very near, but man takes many births to reach the destination. Just as you change your dress, so too you have to change your body one day or the other. That is why it is said, "Death is the dress of life". That which is responsible for birth is responsible for death too. This body is like a passing cloud. So long as there is life in the body, use it in the service of others. Engage yourself in service till the last breath. Service to man is service to God. Have control over your senses; without this discipline all your service will be futile.
September 22, 2004
Man extols God as omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent, but ignores His presence in himself. Many venture to describe the attributes of God and proclaim Him to be such and such, but these are mere guesses and a reflection of their own predilections and preferences. Who can affirm anything about God? Each one can acquire from the vast expanse of the ocean only as much as can be contained in the vessel he carries to its shore. From that quantity, they can grasp but little of that immensity.
September 23, 2004
People suffer because they have all kinds of unreasonable desires and they pine to fulfil them and they fail. They attach too much value to the objective world. It is only when attachment increases that you suffer pain and grief. If you look upon everything with the wisdom derived from the inner vision, then attachment will slide away and you will see everything with greater clarity and with a glory suffused with Divine splendour.
September 24, 2004
Men in their ignorance ask the question, "If God is omnipresent and all-pervasive, why is He not visible to us?" When the sun shines, clouds that are formed by the sun's heat hide the rays of the sun. When the sun is not visible because of the clouds, can you say that there is no sun? When a strong wind blows, the clouds are dispelled and the sun is visible again. Similarly, when the winds of love and faith blow, the clouds of doubt and egoism are scattered and God reveals Himself. Though God is omnipresent, man's lack of faith and his self-conceit prevent him from seeing God. To get rid of this disbelief and egoism, certain spiritual disciplines have to be observed.
September 25, 2004
In human society today, egoism is rampant. Ostentation is ubiquitous. Whatever one's scholarship or wealth, as long as there is egoism, God's grace will not flow. God's grace will be showered on those who have humility and discipline. Humility is essential for securing God's grace. Revere your elders. Be content with what you have. Develop goodwill towards all. Bear no ill will towards anyone. When you desire that all should love you, you should equally love all.
September 26, 2004
A true spiritual aspirant will have a reverential attitude towards the duty he is entrusted with. He will carry out every task assigned to him as an act of worship by which the Lord will be pleased. Duty is God, work is worship. Worship is not a uniform that is to be donned and doffed at stated hours of the day. Render every thought into a flower, worthy to be held in His fingers; render every deed into a fruit, full of the sweet juice of love, fit to be placed in His hand; render every tear holy and pure, fit to wash His Lotus Feet.
September 27, 2004
People aspire for Mukthi (liberation). They have no idea what constitutes liberation. Man seeks liberation from the maladies of the body, the senses, the mind, the intellect and the Antahkarana (internal motivator). All these are no doubt necessary, but liberation in the ultimate sense consists in liberation from the cycle of birth and death. This means that one should redeem one's present life so that one is free from rebirth.
September 28, 2004
The way in which one should benefit from the Avatar is to watch His every step, observe His actions and activities, follow the guiding principle of which His life is a demonstration. Imbibe His love, His compassion and His wisdom. Man has become artificial, crooked and twisted. He has left behind his natural ways and made his mind a lumber-room for worries, anxieties and fears. He can live on much less, with much greater joy for himself and others. If only he remembers that he is a spark of the divine, he will be more loving and helpful.
September 29, 2004
You are all one irrespective of the countries you belong to. Bulbs may vary, but the current is the same. Likewise, nationalities and personalities may vary, but the principle of the Atma is one and the same in all. Therefore, give up all differences based on caste, religion and nationality and spread the message of unity. Nations are many, but the earth is one. Jewels are many, but gold is one. Stars are many, but sky is one. Bodies are many, but breath is one. You can experience bliss only when you render service keeping in mind the unity of all beings.
September 30, 2004
As is your vision, so is the world. It is foolish to try to change the world. Shape yourself as the embodiment of peace. Correct your vision to see divinity everywhere, then that awareness will transmute every word, thought and deed of yours into a benediction. Cleanse the heart by listening to spiritual discourses, by seeking the company and comradeship of the righteous and by cultivating goodness of character and sweetness of disposition. Fill your hearts with the sweet, fragrant waters of Prema (love). Then every act and word of yours will be sweet and fragrant.
http://www.saibabalinks.org/tftd/2004/september.htm" title="http://www.saibabalinks.org/tftd/2004/september.htm" target="_blank"http://www.saibabalinks.org/t...
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| Streaming audio service of Radio Sai Global Harmony |
| 09.29.04 (5:25 pm) [edit] |
Streaming audio service of Radio Sai Global Harmony
Sairam Listeners.
Here is some good news.
We have introduced a streaming mp3 service for those of our listeners who are not covered by the WorldSpace satellite system.
Please note: You will need a player with streaming mp3 support.
Recommended players are:
WinAmp - free download available for Windows here
XMMS for Linux/Unix is available here
Also known to work are Sonique and Windows Media Player for Windows and iTunes for Mac and Win2K/XP.
RealOne Player also works, and is available for Windows, Mac and Unix/Linux.
MusicMatch Jukebox is another player for Windows.
With Windows Media Player on Windows, you have to copy and paste the following URL exactly as you see it into the File->Open URL menu item of the Media Player. Windows Media Player for the Mac doesn't play this stream, but iTunes for Mac does.
http://stream.radiosai.net" title="http://stream.radiosai.net" target="_blank"http://stream.radiosai.net:8000
If you have WinAmp or equivalent, click here to listen now.
The schedule for the Web service of Radio Sai Global Harmony closely parallels the AsiaStar service schedule. Click here to see today's playlist.
Tell all your family and friends!
Keep in touch!
http://www.radiosai.org/Pages/Bulletin.htm" title="http://www.radiosai.org/Pages/Bulletin.htm" target="_blank"http://www.radiosai.org/Pages...
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| Spiritual Materia Medica |
| 09.29.04 (4:32 pm) [edit] |
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Spiritual Materia Medica
By Sri Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh
Anger.—Generates poison in the blood and heat in the; blood, brain, liver and whole body; produces 'fever, depression etc.
Hatred.-- Causes nervous weakness, uneasiness, restlessness, cough; fever, loss of blood, indigestion etc. '
Fear,—Causes low blood pressure, weakness, destroys red blood,cells, makes the face pale, affects the heart liver and stomach produces indigestion, diarrhoea or constipation and impotency -
Renunciation.—Removes a host of ailments, such as dyspepsia, rheumatism, diabetes, disease of liver, intestines, blood-pressure, strengthens the heart, brain and nerves.
Pure 'Love—Produces joy, peace of mind, harmonious functions of the bodily organs, increases the blood qualitatively, and quantitatively and turns the mind towards God. It is the best antidote for hatred.
Truth.—Strengthens the heart and mind, brings peace of, mind, happiness, inner calmness and spiritual -strength and fearlessness. It is the best antidote for fear. It removes all diseases caused by fear.’
Meditation— Wonderful tonic, tones all the systems and organs, renovates the cells, enriches the cells of the blood, removes all diseases, checks the development of diseases, generates miraculous health-giving, energy-producing, soul-elevating, kundalini-awakening two principles-'Divinin ' and ' Puritin ' of marvellous potency, transforms man into divinity. ' Puritin' helps the meditator to enter into Savikalpa Samadhi. ' Divinin' aids him to attain Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
(Adopted from Sri Sai Sudha, November 1943)
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| Sathya Sai Education in Human Values National Day U.K. Makes an Impact |
| 09.29.04 (4:21 pm) [edit] |
Sathya Sai Education in Human Values National Day U.K. Makes an Impact
Around 100 people from all over the UK attended the annual SSEHV National Day in Stanmore, North West London, on September 11th. Heart warming speeches from SSEHV practitioners, educationalists and professional teachers from around the country, combined with uplifting live music, film and images, helped to inspire us all to work even harder in the months ahead to reach out to as many people as possible through SSEHV.
Speakers
- The day began with a powerful address from the guest of honour, the Worshipful the Mayor of Harrow, Councillor Lurline Champanie, who also lit the lamp to mark the opening of the proceedings. Councillor Champanie, herself a grandmother, spoke about the importance of human values in her own family, and her experience of the power of music to uplift and transform people. She spoke with feeling about how necessary programmes such as SSEHV are in today's society, and consequently how pleased she was to be able to lend her support to the programme.
- Carole Alderman, Principal of the British Institute of Sathya Sai Education, presented an update on recent activities and plans for the year ahead.
- Barbara Edmonson, Area Co-ordinator for the Manchester region, gave a moving account of the impact of the Values Alive Events she has been organising in Burnley and Oldham on the children that attend and on the communities over all.
- Secondary school teacher Bina Valsan spoke about teaching human values in the classroom across the curriculum.
- SSEHV teacher and trainer Cyrano Ugarow talked from his personal experience of the importance of teaching from the heart, teaching by example, and how the way we think and our state of mind effects everything we do.
- Selina Shah, an IT professional who was so inspired by SSEHV that she changed careers to become a primary school teacher, talked about values in ICT and PSHE lessons.
- James Lee, an educational advisor to BISSE who is currently completing doctoral research at Cambridge University in the area of School Ethos and Citizenship Education, spoke about the many components of school culture and how even an apparently small input can have a positive effect that can improve lives. James' talk was so interesting that he was invited to speak for a further 45 minutes after lunch, which he graciously agreed to do, much to the delight of the delegates.
Many people helped to make the day a success, including a large number who cooked and served a delicious lunch for all the delegates, and who worked behind the scenes to manage the technology and logistics of the event. We would like to thank everyone who helped, attended and contributed, particularly those who travelled long distances. The result of everyone's efforts was a truly uplifting and memorable National Day. As one delegate put it, "When one goes away from an event like this in good heart space and still absorbing some of the thoughts shared - this can only be a good thing."
If you would like to contact any of the speakers at the event, please write to feedback@ssehv.org.uk and we will forward your message.
http://www.sathyasaiehv.org.uk/Newsletters/Sept04/ema il.htm" title="http://www.sathyasaiehv.org.uk/Newsletters/Sept04/ema il.htm" target="_blank"http://www.sathyasaiehv.org.u...
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| Theosophist as Devotee - Howard Murphet |
| 09.29.04 (7:30 am) [edit] |
Theosophist as Devotee - Howard Murphet
In Search of his 'Star of Destiny'
Howard Murphet is well known to Sai Devotees world-wide. In the mission of the Sai Avatar, Howard was called forward, along with others (most notably, Jack Hislop) to chronicle his experiences seeking the spiritual path, discovering Sai Baba, deepening his store of wisdom (and finally, to his great joy, his store of prema) and sharing those experiences in print. Howard has a most frank manner of writing. His is the rare knack of involving his reader in his narrative and his questions, and the answers to the many questions he raised about Sathya Sai Baba. The result was a magnificent trilogy of Sai books, Sai Baba-Man of Miracles, Sai Baba-Avatar and Sai Baba-Invitation to Glory.
In a darkening era when the lights of humanity have been dimmed by planet-wide wars, the population explosion, and the gee-whiz electronics in home, hearth and workplace that divide the haves from the have-nots, Howard Murphet emerges as a beacon shining in the darkness, guiding those in travail to the safe shores of Sathya Sai Baba.
Howard has been to war. He evaluated the cause of war spiritually, before joining up. He knew there was a great spiritual goal in his life, amid the twists and turns he has observed in his ninety plus years. He is a modern Parsifal, a knight of the Round Table in search of the Holy Grail, which he called his “Star of Destiny” or his “Star of the East.” Howard Murphet’s quest was to discover that star and satisfy the restless yearning in his soul.
In this life time, Howard Murphet was born in Tasmania, the ‘apple isle’ of Australia, in 1906. His family came from a strong Christian background, and he was blessed with a mother of great faith, whom he names as his first guru. In his youth, he had a miracle after falling into a deep pond, and later on, had a vision of another world, perhaps Heaven:
“As I gazed upwards into the blue, absorbed in the beauty of this dome-like roof of the world, suddenly a window appeared in the roof. Beyond the window was a glorious scene that made me feel I was looking into Heaven. There was a radiant light shining on white or light-coloured buildings in the background. In the foreground were figures moving about as if in a street scene. Their robes were of rich colours with red and gold predominating. I could see some of their faces, which to me looked wise, benign and somehow noble. I remember too that there was a soft drift of heavenly music coming through the window and reaching my ears as I lay on my back among the silent oats. A wave of bliss flooded through me as time stood still. Then as suddenly as it had come, the window disappeared, leaving nothing but the clear blue of the sky. But I knew that the radiant, heavenly scene in the sky had been real while it lasted.... Was it really Heaven I had been looking into, I wondered... but I had not seen the golden throne of God, and the figures moving about did not have wings, as angels should, according to my mother.”
Many years’ pursuit of various forms of formal education and visits to war-torn Germany inspired Howard to be a spiritual seeker. In moments of heightened intuition he was always in tune with his real self.
Several years after participating in Yoga classes, Howard met Iris, his wife to be and companion in travels and spiritual seeking. Together they studied and travelled to Europe. Howard was to visit Germany again, and England. After visiting and attending a spiritual practice called Subud for a time, they sailed east to attend the School of Wisdom at the Theosophical Society’s Adyar Institute, on the river Adyar, Madras, in 1964.
The search had not ended. Howard had certainly found his Star of Destiny, his Star of the East that he had sought all his life. The Crown Prince of Venkatagiri shared his belief with Howard that Sathya Sai Baba was a full incarnation of God, an “avatar.” Howard departed from Puttaparthi, armed with books gifted by Sathya Sai Baba, and was determined to answer the question, “was He also an avatar, a descent of God to earth?”
Howard has written that he was probably the first from the western world to come to Sathya Sai Baba as a western sceptic and stay with Him or near Him for some six years in India. He did this in order to solve the problem of His Identity and why He was here in the world. “After returning to the west I have been back many times, pulled by the strong magnet of the Divine Love and fascination of One I decided was an Avatar of God. He taught me what an Avatar is, His relationship to ordinary human beings in the world and how His Purpose was to lead those who are ready, to their own inner Guru or the God within. I did not immediately accept Him as an Avatar, but after He taught me in a humble manner what an Avatar is and how we are all Avatars, descendants from God without being aware of it. As I stayed on, I became more and more certain that He was indeed an Avatar. This is not based on the fact that He materialises things.”
Howard has used the ancient vedantic method of learning in his evaluation of Sathya Sai. This is crucial today. Sai Baba himself says, “Well, making the questioner himself give out the answers is the Sanathana method of teaching. If those who question themselves give the answers, they would clearly understand the subject. The lecturing style is different. In olden days, all the Rishis enabled their disciples to understand Vedanta only by this method.”
Those who read Howard’s books must follow in his footsteps and ask their own questions. Someone else’s questions and answers do not lead to liberation. In this wise, Howard has been an exemplar who has adequately illuminated the path for others to walk. The task of the devotee is excavation of Truth.
Howard describes the greatest of Sai miracles to be the Divine Love by which He brings about a deep change in the nature of people, His followers. We are born of course with the embryo of the Divine Child within us. Swami gives us the initiation to begin to know the meaning of true Love and the feeling of oneness with our brother man.
In 1982, Howard was diagnosed as having an incurable disease He prayed very earnestly for healing. He was in a beautiful room in the Adelaide Hills “while Sai Baba in the body was of course at that time in India at His ashram. My prayer was so intense that after a sleep on a couch while the sun was shining through the windows I woke up to see Swami’s Hand and Arm as it circled over me and I knew that He had come, that this was a healing gesture. I saw it in that brief time between being asleep and fully awake when as you might have heard, everybody has a short period of clairvoyance. When that short period had passed His Hand and Body disappeared from my vision but He was still there in the room and I knew this by the unbelievably soul-moving sense of the luminous in the room. In fact, the room was filled by it and it penetrated the wall to where my wife was sitting in the breakfast room and then when Swami left, the luminous went too. This is what the ancient Romans called “sense of the Presence of the Divine” (the luminous or lumina). Well, I knew that I was cured of the disease and all tests afterwards proved that this was so.”
Howard writes, although blind: ‘Before I came into Sai Baba’s private interview, near the end of 1989, I had accepted unhappily the prospect of a silent rest from the labours of writing, which had been my life and joy for many years. As Swami knew, through retinal haemorrhages into both eyes, I was quite unable to read or write. All I had was minimal peripheral vision in one eye. But in a firm, commanding voice he said, “You must write the book that’s in there.” He patted my chest. “Go home and write it and bring it back to me in two years.” My wife and two friends who were present in the room looked startled at this royal command. “May he have a co-author to help him?” asked my wife. “No,” replied Swami. “He must write his own book. I will give him all the help he needs.” I knew that I must somehow carry out this task set me by my divine Master. But how? For many years, my writing had been born of a happy partnership between me and an old typewriter. The art of prose writing demanded that I work with words and phrases on the written page, polishing towards perfection or as near to it as attainable. To reach a satisfactory standard in prose expression through auditory means would be quite impossible for me. Yet, I must make the attempt.
‘Lord Sai’s help is often given through the hands of others. I saw the first signs of this when a Dictaphone and other equipment necessary almost fell into my lap. So began a new, unfamiliar road to creative writing.’ So, Where the Road Ends was written by its blind author. Howard’s days are not over, he resides quietly in the Blue Mountains area of New South Wales, Australia, some two hours drive from Sydney.
Howard, through his light shows direction to others to make self evaluations in order to excavate the Truth. He does all an invaluable service in the gloom of Kali Yuga, and the wakening dawn of the Golden Age.
[He spread the glory of Bhagawan to the western world. Even today, many know Bhagawan through Sai Baba: Man of Miracles translated world-wide in various languages. For many years, Howard had been Baba’s constant travel companion. Both Iris and Howard had been with Baba to Madras, Ooty, Venkatagiri, Bangalore and other places throughout India. Howard, records these visits with love and reverence in his three books on Baba. Baba would play on the pronunciation of his name and ask, “Murphet, are you perfect?” A common joke but one impregnated with much deeper meaning. –Editor
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| Howard Murphet |
| 09.29.04 (7:27 am) [edit] |
Howard Murphet
Howard Murphet is well known to Sai Devotees world wide. In the mission of the Sai Avatara, Howard was called forward, along with others (most notably, Jack Hislop) and chronicled his experiences seeking the spiritual path, discovering Sai Baba, deepening his store of wisdom (and finally, to his great joy, his store of prema) and sharing those experiences in print. Howard has a most frank manner of writing. His is the rare knack of involving his reader in his narrative and his questions, and the answers to the many questions he raised about Sathya Sai Baba. The result was a magnificent trilogy of Sai books, Sai Baba-Man of Miracles, Sai Baba-Avatar, and Sai Baba-Invitation to Glory.
In a darkening era when the lights of humanity have been dimmed by planet-wide wars, governments economies of welfare, the population explosion, and the gee-whiz electronics in home, hearth and workplace that divide the haves from the have-nots, Howard Murphet emerges as a beacon shining in the darkness, guiding those in travail to the safe shores of Sathya Sai Baba.
Howard has been to war. He evaluated the cause of war spiritually, before joining up. He knew there was a great spiritual goal of his life, amid the twists and turns he has observed in his ninety plus years. He is a modern Parsifal, a knight of the Round Table in search of the Holy Grail which he called his "Star of Destiny" or his Star of the East". Howard Murphet's quest was to discover that star and satisfy the restless yearning in his soul.
This modern Knight-Errant of the pen, since his days as a school teacher in Tasmania, had always sought a deeper meaning in the affairs of humanity, and sought to improve humanity at large via the humble offering of his skill with eye, pen, learning, writings, and his finely honed discrimination. This is the true vidyartha, the true cumulative wealth of an education pursued beyond the classroom and which gives a great wealth to humanity. His labours with the pen and his spiritual seeking are an embodiment of that ancient prayer:
Asatoma sadgamaya
Tamasoma, jyotirgamaya
Mrithyorma, amritam gamaya
Amritam, gamaya
(From the Unreal, lead us to the real,
From Darkness, lead us to light
From Death lead us to immortality)
This time Howard Murphet was born in Tasmania, the 'apple isle' of Australia, in 1906. His family came from a strong Christian background, and he was blessed with a mother of great faith, whom he names as his first guru. In his youth, he had a miracle after falling into a deep pond, and later on, had a vision of another world, perhaps Heaven:
As I gazed upwards into the blue, absorbed in the beauty of this dome-like roof of the world, suddenly a window appeared in the roof. Beyond the window was a glorious scene that made me feel I was looking into Heaven. There was a radiant light shining on white or light-coloured buildings in the background. In the foreground were figures moving about as if in a street scene. Their robes were of rich colours with red and gold predominating. I could see some of their faces which to me looked wise, benign and somehow noble. I remember too that there was a soft drift of heavenly music coming through the window and reaching my ears as I lay on my back among the silent oats. A wave of bliss flooded through me as time stood still. Then as suddenly as it had come, the window disappeared, leaving nothing but the clear blue of the sky. But I knew that the radiant, heavenly scene in the sky had been real while it lasted....Was it really Heaven I had been looking into, I wondered... but I had not seen the golden throne of God, and the figures moving about did not have wings, as angels should, according to my mother.
Howard Murphet spent his childhood attending the local one-teacher school until the teacher married and left. Due to the required number of children in attendance falling below the necessary levels, the school did not reopen. Young Howard commenced working on his father's farm. When a new teacher arrived his talent was quickly spotted and a regime of attending school one hour earlier every day, to make up for lost ground was instituted for him. This was prepare for the state examination. Howard, like all bush children of his day, he had to get up even earlier again and milk the cows before going to school! He passed the examination and commenced attending classes at boarding school in Launceston. He was inclined, at one stage to enter the church and become a minister. He changed his mind, and entered teacher training college and the University of Tasmania, Hobart. He had great ideals about education in forming childrens minds in such a way to build character and integrity. He was to later become disillusioned:
"It was a terrible disillusionment to find myself caught up in the mechanics of a factory where knowledge was fed in at one end, called the classroom, and came out at the other, called the examination room. By the end of my first year as a teacher, I had realised the futility of my altruistic dream, my dream of laying the foundation stones for a new world in the classrooms of Tasmania. The idea was laughable and, thank God, I still had my sense of humour. I would have resigned then but I was bonded to teach for four years to pay for my training at the Teachers' College and University."
Howard left Tasmania for Melbourne where he had a brief sojourn in suburban newspapers. He had come to realise that there was an important knack to writing, finding the unusual, the unexpected facet of something amusing, something that revealed a quirk of human nature. The great depression had begun, and when the newspaper decided he and his stories were superfluous, so Howard joined thousands of other jobless men roaming the country. They were called 'bagmen'. Part of the financial mobility of men on the swag was begging, but in the vernacular slang, it was called the "bite". Howard explained:
"Generally the 'bagmen' seemed to think that the community owed them their food and were not averse to begging. But they never used the word 'beg'. It was always 'bite'. Perhaps they thought that this word made the act seem less demeaning. Though some great spiritual masters, such as Gautama the Buddha and Shirdi Sai Baba, carried their begging bowls as a religious ritual to give their fellow men the spiritual merit of giving, I myself had not reached this status with its accompanying humility to beg for food, even if it was called 'bite'. I always carried a small amount of money to buy the food I needed, though I was ashamed to let my fellow 'bagmen' know this. Once this led me into a trap. I had gone with a fellow traveller known as Bill the Bagman into the shopping area of a small town to 'bite' some food for breakfast and the rest of the day. He had un- concernedly gone into several shops and in each case came out laden with supplies. Announcing that we had all that we needed except butter. Bill said to me pointedly, "It's your turn now to 'bite' the butter." We were standing in front of a very modern-looking shop that would today be called a mini-supermarket. I went in and bought half a pound of butter. When I came out. Bill looked at me with approval and some admiration. 'That was a very good bite," he said, "in a shop like this." I was ashamed to tell him that I had actually bought it. After that I always did my shopping alone, instead of in the company of an experienced 'beggar' or 'biter'."
After gaining employment in Sydney and studying the art of copywriting, Howard decided he would better serve his cause overseas and sailed to the United Kingdom. He arrived in London on the eve of World War II. He had a deep conviction that the war was a just war and was determined to be involved. He joined the British Red Cross, under whose auspices he travelled to France. Soon after he was to enlist in the Horse Guards and trained as an officer. Attempting to catch his regiment and take up the theatre of war, he arrived in Jerusalem and spent three months waiting assignment. He took time to visit the Holy Land and various sacred places such as Nazareth, Bethany, the Garden of Gethsemane and the Mount of Olives. Thereafter he was assigned to the Eighth Army as an Escort Officer for War Correspondents. He served with the Eighth Army from El Alamein to Tunis, took part in the invasion of Sicily and Italy and later, with the British Second Army, the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Under instructions from the War Office ws to visit a Concentration Camp and make independent verifications of the horrors being reported. He also interviewed some inmates of the one concentration camp. His final task before being stood down from active service was the charge of the British Press Section at the Nuremburg War Crimes Trials.
After spending further time in post-war Germany (he felt a curious affinity to the German peoples), Howard returned to Australia. There, he began to attend Yoga classes and study Yoga. He had a bliss experience, and went out of his body whilst attending bhajans.
"I think it was during the chant 'Oh God Beautiful', which appealed to me greatly, that I was flooded with bliss. So much so, my consciousness disappeared. Nothing existed anywhere but the unutterable bliss of being. I came out of it, back to consciousness, as my body fell sideways, almost hitting the floor. This out-of-time experience of the Ananda that is part of our inner nature, taught me a number of things. A practical one was the reason for having a firm seat, preferably cross-legged on the floor, for meditation practice. The aim of meditation is to reach that state of samadhi of which I had tasted a little. With its coming, awareness of the world vanishes and, unless firmly seated in a stable position, the meditator is liable to fall to the floor, as I almost did. More importantly, however, the experience was a reaffirmation of the Reality I sought. Brief tastes of it, such as this, whet the appetite for the bottomless chalice of ambrosia, and to find it the pilgrim moves onward, ever onward."
Several years after participating in Yoga classes, Howard met Iris, his wife to be and companion in travels and spiritual seeking. Together they studied and travelled to Europe. Howard was to visit his beloved Germany again, and England. After visiting and attending a spiritual practice called Subud for a time, they sailed East to attend the School of Wisdom at theTheosophical Society's Adyar Institute, on the river Adyar, Madras, in 1964.
Howard and Iris settled in at Adyar and took up the School of Wisdom. Thereafter, they travelled North to visit some of the many ashrams in the Himalayas, first stopping at Dharmasala and calling on the Dalai Llama. Moving on to other ahsrams, they visited the Sivanandanagar Ashram, the newly-constructed ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the ashrama of Charan Singh, and the Radha Soami colonies founded by Sahibi Maharaj. Shortly after returning to Adyar and Madras, Howard and Iris met Sathya Sai Baba for the first time. Later, Howard was to travel to Puttaparthi alone and attend the Shivarathri celebrations. Howard describes his arrival at Prasanthi Nilayam:
Listening to the sweet sacred music that floated trom the prayer hall, I could see that what Kasturi called the prayer hall was in the largest building, in the centre of the ashram. It was a white, two-storey building with a veranda and balcony in front. Near me was a line of single-storey terraces, out of which Kasturi had come. On the side over which the sun was now dipping, were more low buildings, and on the opposite side from where I sat were two large open sheds. Something inward must have happened to me as I sat there in the glorious peace coloured by the sunset and filled with sacred music. All I know is that there, sitting on my valise, I decided that Sai Baba was too great for just one chapter in the book I was proposing to write. The whole book must be about him. The haunting strains of Arati were sounding, though I did not know its name then, when Kasturi reappeared. My first words were, "I have decided to write a book on Sai Baba." I saw doubt written all over his face but he said politely, "Well, that will be nice if it happens." Perhaps his lack of faith in my statement came from the fact that others had made similar statements and promptly forgot about them. Kasturi's next words were "Swami has told me to put you in the Guest House".
The search had not ended. Howard had certainly found his Star of Destiny, his Star of the East that he had sought all his life. It was the Crown Prince of Venkatagiri who shared his belief with Howard that Sathya Sai Baba was a full incarnation of God, an "avatar". Howard departed Puttaparthi, armed with books gifted by Sathya Sai Baba, and was determined to answer the question, "was he also an avatar, a descent of God to earth?"
Howard, has written that he was "probably the first from the Western world to come to Sathya Sai Baba as a Western skeptic and stay with Him or near Him for some six years in India in order to solve the problem of His true Identity and why He was here in the world. After returning to the west I have been back many times, pulled by the strong magnet of the Divine Love and fascination of One I decided was an Avatar of God. He taught me what an Avatar is. His relationship to orqdinary human beings in the world and how His Purpose was to lead those who are ready, to their own inner Guru or the God within. I did not immediately accept Him as an Avatar, but after He taught me in a humble manner what an Avatar is and how we are all Avatars, descendants from God without being aware of it. As I stayed on I became more and more certain that He was indeed an Avatar. This is not based on the fact that He materialises things."
Howard has used the ancient vedantic method of learning in his evaluation of Sathya Sai. This is critical today. This is Howard's gift to devotees. Sai Baba himself says: Well. Making the questioner himself give out the answers Is the Sanathana method of teaching. If those who question, themselves give the answers, they would clearly understand the subject. The lecturing style Is different. In olden days, all the Rishis enabled their disciples to understand Vedanta only by this method.
Those who read Howard's books must follow in his footsteps and ask their own questions, or they will create their own version Sathya Sai and be filled with doubt instead of their own explored questions and answers. Someone else's questions and answers do not lead to liberation. In this wise, Howard has been an exemplar who has adequately illuminated the path for others to walk. The task of the devotee is excavation of Truth.
Howard describes greatest of the Sai miracles is the Divine Love by which He brings about a deep change in the nature of people, his followers. "I experienced this also in 1966 on the first occasion when I was alone with Sai Baba. I have described this inner change which might be called the birth of the Christ-child within one. We are born of course with the embryo of the Divine Child within us but this initiation that Swami gives things about the actual birth of the Christ within, then, it is that we begin to know the meaning of true Love and the feeling of oneness with our brother man. This comes about gradually through the years after what I have called the birth of the Christ-child or the initiation into the Divine Life. Many,many people throughout the years have been changed in this way, this deep rooted inner change that is really your first footstep on the path of the homeward journey. Then there is the great compassion of Sai Baba which requires miraculous action for its fulfilment."
In 1982 Howard was diagnosed as having an incurable disease He prayed very earnestly for healing. He was in a beautiful room in the Adelaide Hills "while Sai Baba in the body was of course at that time in India at His ashram. My prayer was so intense that after a sleep on a couch while the sun was shining through the windows I woke up to see Swami's Hand and Arm as it circled over me and I knew hat He had come, that this was a healing gesture. I saw it in that brief time between being asleep and fully awake when as you might have heard, everybody has a short period of clairvoyance. When that short period has passed His Hand and Body disappeared from my vision but He was still there in the room and I knew this by the unbelievably soul-moving sense of the luminous in the room, In fact the room was filled by it and it penetrated the wall to where my wife was sitting in the breakfast room and then when Swami left, the luminous went too. This is what the ancient Romans called "sense of the Presence of the Divine" (the luminous or lumina). Well, I knew that I was cured of the disease and all tests afterwards proved that this was so."
Howard writes, although blind: "Before I came into Sai Baba's private interview, near the end of 1989, I had accepted unhappily the prospect of a silent rest from the labours of writing, which had been my life and joy for many years. As Swami knew, through retinal haemorrhages into both eyes, I was quite unable to read or write. All I had was minimal peripheral vision in one eye. But in a firm, commanding voice he said, "You must write the book that's in there." He patted my chest. "Go home and write it and bring it back to me in two years." My wife and two friends who were present in the room looked startled at this royal command. "May he have a co-author to help him?" asked my wife. "No," replied Swami. "He must write his own book. I will give him all the help he needs." I knew that I must somehow carry out this task set me by my divine Master. But how? For many years my writing had been born of a happy partnership between me and an old typewriter. The art of prose writing demanded that I work with words and phrases on the written page, polishing towards perfection or as near to it as attain- able. To reach a satisfactory standard in prose expression through auditory means would be quite impossible for me. Yet I must make the attempt.
The Lord Sai's help is often given through the hands of others. I saw the first signs of this when a dictaphone and other equipment necessary almost fell into my lap. This was mainly through the help of some occupational therapists at Concord Hospital, Sydney. So began a new, unfamiliar road to creative writing. So Where the Road Ends was written by its blind author. Howard's days are not over, he resides quietly in the Blue Mountains area of New South Wales, Australia, some two hours drive from Sydney.
Insofar as Howard has
-discovered his light
-said why it is his light
-pointed others toward that light
-given those others a method by which too make their own evaluation and excavate the truth for themselves
-He does all an invaluable service in thhe gloom of Kali Yuga, and the wakening dawn of the Golden Age.
Howard once told me his favourite poem was "Brahma"
BRAHMA
If the red slayer think he slays,
Or if the slain think he is slain,
They know not well the subtle ways
I keep, and pass, and turn again.
Far or forgot to me is near;
Shadow and sunlight are the same;
The vanished gods to me appear;
And one to me are shame and fame.
They reckon ill who leave me out;
When me they fly, I am the wings;
I am the doubter and the doubt,
And I the hymn the Brahmin sings.
-
The strong gods pine for my abode,
And pine in vain the sacred Seven;
But thou, meek lover of the good!
Find me, and turn thy back on heaven.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1867
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| A Little Miracle |
| 09.28.04 (11:23 am) [edit] |
A LITTLE MIRACLE
A devotee was feeling very troubled by all the horrible rumours that have been circulating in recent months about Sai Baba. He felt that it was so sad that Divine energies were being denigrated by all the unproved stories being spread by the media. He was wondering how to reply to them when a friend phoned him and relayed to him the following story. The friend said that only last week the former vice chancellor of Sai Baba’s college was giving a talk to their Sai Baba group in Connecticut and he had related this story.
The vice chancellor said that recently he was sitting on Sai Baba’s veranda in the ashram in Puttaparthi next to a very important Indian politician. Sai Baba came by and called the politician by name and asked him to come into his private interview room. The man went inside and came out ten minutes later sobbing. Then the sobbing turned into deep uncontrolled crying. Sai Baba came by and said to the man “What’s wrong?”. Then Sai Baba waved his hand and made some vibhuti (sacred ash) and gave it to the man who took it and ate it. A short time afterwards when the man had regained his composure he turned to the vice chancellor and said “Because you have witnessed all of this, I will explain it to you.”
The politician explained that his wife had been very sick and she had told him that she wanted to go to see Sai Baba for one last look, for the very last time. However the politician had been very busy and while he was away his wife died. All this had happened ten days previously and the man was now coming to see Sai Baba after cremating his wife. When Sai Baba came into the interview room, the man said, Sai Baba had scolded him and had reminded him what a wonderful wife he had had, of how she took care of his every need, cooked his food, looked after the house, even to laying out his clothes etc. But when she had made her one last request to be taken to see Sai Baba, he had been too busy. Sai Baba then said “I went to her and I comforted her, and now she is with me. Here I will let you see her now.” At that moment the man’s wife emerged from inside Sai Baba and stood as a live being in front of him, no longer appearing thin and sickly. She smiled and took his hand and said “Do not be sad, do not grieve for me, I am happy, happy.” Then the man’s wife merged again inside Sai Baba.
I tell you this beautiful story, because it seemed to come as an answer, just when I was thinking how best to answer the question concerning all the bad rumours about Sai Baba that were circulating. It seemed to me that this was what I would call a synchronous wink from the Lord to help me have an answer to all these questions. I think the story speaks volumes.
http://www.ramalacentre.com/newsletter09_00_03.htm" title="http://www.ramalacentre.com/newsletter09_00_03.htm" target="_blank"http://www.ramalacentre.com/n...
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| Baba's Miracle |
| 09.28.04 (10:38 am) [edit] |
Baba's Miracle
AN INCREDIBLE MIRACLE OF BABA IMPELLING THE GOVT. OF INDIA TO MODIFY THEIR DECISION FOR THE SAKE OF HIS DEVOTEE
This pertains to my totally unexpected selection as an Ammunition Supervisior in the newly-formed Directorate o Naval Armament Inspection of the Royal Indian Navy in 1949 in the face of normally insurmountable obstacles. To begin with, I was already 43, an age, as a rule, a disqualification for fresh entrants to a brand - new Government department. Further, I had not touched ammunition even with a bargepole till then. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find my name topping the list of successful candidates. No doubt, it was in accordance with Baba's "aagna".
Presently, I came to know that we would be required to go to U.K. for training. My immediate reaction was against it for reasons of health. It was quite baffling to me why, in His Inscrutable wisdom, Baba had led me on to this job not withstanding my inability to go abroad of which, as 'Sarvantaryaami', He must be fully aware.
I was, however, sustained by a blind faith. IS NOT "FAITH TO BELIEVE WHAT YOU DO NOT SEE AND THE REWARD OF THAT FAITH IS TO SEE WHAT YOU BELIEVE", IN THE GOLDEN WORDS OF ST.AUGUSTINE. About two years passed thus. It chanced that the British Technical Assistant, one Mr. Mordy, was invalided and flown to the U.K. Usually, they call for a replacement from the Admiralty. To my surprise, I found myself as the defacto. Tech. Asst. and being tacitly accepted as such by my immediate boss, a dyed-in-the-wool Britisher named Smith.
Yet, I was not out of the Woods At long last, Maj. Priestly; of the Royal Marines, the Director, had managed to obtain the sanction of the Govt. of India to send the first batch of four candidates to the U.K. and one fine day, erelong my passport arrived. As Mr. Smith took and reached it across the table with congratulations, I involuntarily recoiled from it. I somehow managed to blurt out, "I am not touching it, Mr. Smith!" He was stunned. I added, "You see, the fact is I never wanted to go to the U.K. and am not going. I have been guilty of an act of dishonesty in not having confessed it at the beginning. It is high time you wrote and told the Director everything, come what may!" He looked bewildered. He seemed to think I was talking through may hat. So, in a gentle manner he told me, "Listen, don't say anything to me now. Take the car and go home. We shall talk over it tomorrow." "Look here Mr. Smith", I replied "This is not a sudden decision.
Only, I am two years late in announcing it." I felt greatly relieved, as if a heavy burden weighing me down had been taken off; but I felt more insecure about my position. Only the undercurrent of my faith in Baba sustained me. The next day when Mr.Smith saw me reiterating my refusal, he set about much against his will to write and explain the predicament to Maj. Priestly, rather going out of the way to safeguard my position. He wrote that I already knew the ropes and my not going to the U.K. should not be allowed to come in the way of may future prospects. I, no doubt, knew in my heart of hearts that Baba was behind all this, though nothing could yet be said how things would finally turn-out.
Maj. Priestly was wild with rage. He wrote a stinker addressed to me saying that "In spite of the uniformly glowing tribute to the brilliant record of your work in the department, I shall most regretfully, be obliged to downgrade you in view of your unwillingness to go to the U.K. for training. If you are not prepared for this, you may seek your future elsewhere." I felt overwhelmed.
After reaching home, as I went in still in a daze and my eyes fell upon Baba, I broke down and began sobbing out my heart to Him. My wife; Kamala, whose single-minded devotion to Him is like a steady flame in the face of all the winds that blow" came near and said, "what has happened that you are crying like this? My woman's instinct tells me that nothing untoward will be fall us. Why fear when Baba is with us?" I read out and explained the letter of Maj. Priestly to her. To my astonishment she stood her ground without being perturbed in the least by the letter nor by my gloomy forebodings of impending doom. Rather, she turned round and poohpoohed the very idea.
"Afterall, who is Priestly to make or mar us?" she demanded to know. "It is the prerogative of Baba only and Baba alone. Priestly has only held out a threat. How long will it take for Baba to make him change his mind? We know how the District Magistrate of Ahmednagar, an Englishman, not knowing he was acting under the inspiration of Baba whom he had never seen, scrapped his earlier judgement even without looking at the appeal memo and orally pronounced a fresh order acquitting the appellants falsely implicated at first. What Baba Himself has given, no power on earth can take away." These, indeed, were inspired words now being uttered by one by nature given to just a few mild words of assent and quite foreign to dialectics or harangue. They stirred my blood and revived my dying hope. Here I may add that I have had ample proof, since, as on so many previous occasions (as, for example, when he granted 'Saakshaatkaaraa' and revived my dead son, coming again the next day, being Thursday, conferring unique good fortune on my wife Kamala of serving a full to Him; similarly, upholding her firm faith when He made my dumb son speak in a split second) that He has always been specially gracious to her and, incidentally, to me, a doubting Thomas.
The next morning, I went to the office with a new-found courageous and poise. The moment I stepped in, the attendant told me that there was a telegram received a little while ago on the table. I casually opened it, and was taken aback to find it was from Maj. Priestly. It read, "Withdraw my letter to Mr. Ramaswami-personally coming by the first flight". I was both thrilled and stunned at the way things were happening. How correctly my wife had forecast it; When Mr. Smith arrived, I just handed him the telegram without a word. On reading it he was absolutely floored. However, in an impassioned manner, he told me" I know he is coming in person to persuade you. Do be a good lad and agree to go. Else, I shall be badly let down."
Soon Maj. Priestly came. Even as he was stepping in, he was asking with obvious impatience, "where is Mr. Ramaswami?" He was a tall, hefty, blue-eyed Scot with a noble mien, a truly imposing personality. I could see he was greatly upset. "I am here, sir," I managed to say, though highly tensed Maj. P. "Do you know why I have come Mr. Ramaswamy?" I "I don't actually know why you have come. Sir, but, I have my own guess why you must have come, You see, Sir..." Maj P. No, Mr. Ramaswami! he flared up. "YOU CAN'T. HOW CAN you guess when I
myself did not know that I was to come. Something MYSTERIOUS has happened! that is why I ave come".
The word "mysterious" made my bloodd tingle confirming beyond all doubt that BABA HAD TAKEN OVER COMMAND! "You know", he continued, it has taken me two long years to get the 'all clear' to send you chaps to the U.K. for training. But, you upset all my plans. HOWEVER, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER POSTING MY LETTER, SOME HIGHER-UPS IN THE FINANCE MINISTRY PHONED ME TO SAY THAT THE BUDGET FOR SENDING TRAINEES TO THE U.K. IS CUT DOWN BY 25% SO THAT I CAN SEND ONLY THREE NOW ALTHOUGH THE SANCTION FOR THE FOUR POSTS IS LEFT AS IT IS. THAT MEANS YOU ARE NOT TOUCHED. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND THIS AT ALL.
I could no longer contain myself. I cut in to say, "Sir, I beg you to let me speak. You say something MYSTERIOUS has happened. You know, Sir, it is exactly for some such thing to happen that my heart has been crying out to my God. And if it had not happened, it would be mysterious to me. Sir, may I say without any breach of decorum that you are not the arbiter of my destiny. There is SOMEONE to arbiter yours as well as mine." The words spontaneously gushed out. I now know that it was Baba prompting me. Striding up to my side of the big table around which we were all standing, Maj.
Priestly grabed my shoulder and, looking me straight in the face, exclaimed with some asperity, "You have the audacity and the courage to say that to my face, Mr. Ramaswami!" "It is neither, Sir", I replied calmly, returning his look. "For, devotion to Baba enables one to acquire the freedom from fear to stare the world in the face even if it should have blood-shot eyes/ It is a conviction born of faith transmitted to me in the blood from generation to generation and
crying for expression."
Still holding my shoulder he said, " You seem to challenge my faith in God, too!" "As a Britisher, you can't understand my faith, sir,” I said "You trust God and keep your powder dry!" mine enables me to be unarmed without any rear. It is not a half, way house but complete surrender with complete protection in return."
He suddenly softened. Relaxing his hold and pattinq me gently on my back he remarked, "AH right, all right. I can see you are sincere. Though for the time being your position appears to be safe, let me warm you it may not be so for long. I am going back by the return flight to see the Defence Minister and tell him that I must have four U.K. trained men to being with and the cut must be restored. If I succeed as I hope to, you will have to go down."
"I have no qualms about it now, sir," I said. "If you succeeded. I shall bear no ill-will against you. God bless you". "For a man in your predicament, it is, indeed, a grand thing to say. Good-bye", the great man concluded, kindling in me warm admiration and regards for his openness and magnanimity.
How wonderfully Baba solved the bristling problem without embarrassment to any one concerned will now be seen. As soon as Maj. Priestly reached Delhi, some mysterious, though not serious, illness overtook him, and he was air-lifted to the U.K. We were happy to know later that it did not take long for him to become all right, though he chose to terminate his contract to
settle down in England.
A committee Naval Armament Officers, satisfied with the standard of my performance, recommended to the Naval Headquarters about my competence to continue in the department without any need for further training. Thus, what threatened as a Himalayan avalanche, vanished in to time through Baba's grace like the morning mist before the rising Sun.
Glory be to Shri Shirdi Sai - Grace be to all
Courtesy: http://groups.msn.com/sabkamalikek" title="http://groups.msn.com/sabkamalikek" target="_blank"http://groups.msn.com/sabkama...
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| Peggy Mason |
| 09.27.04 (5:38 am) [edit] |
Peggy Mason
Editor of quarterly magazine dedicated to Sai Baba
The late PEGGY MASON needs no introduction to readers of 'TWO WORLDS' magazine and 'PSYCHIC NEWS'. Born in 1909, she has written plays. filmscripts, a novel called "Cadenza". and two books on spiritual subjects 'TALES OF TWO WORLDS" (now reprinted for the 13th time) and 'NEW AGE COMPANION". Also "SAI BABA, THE EMBODIMENT OF LOVE'.one half written by her, one half by her husband Ron Laing.
She was also well-versed in various branches of metaphysics and has contributed hundreds of articles to appropriate publications in this country and abroad. Her life and writing had been devoted to the service of Sri Sathya Sai Baba since she first knew of him in 1977.Since 1983 she edited a quarterly magazine dedicated to Sai Baba, with subscribers in 40 countries. She and her late husband (whose pen name was Ron Laing) ran the Kent & Sussex Sai Baba Study Center at their home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent..
Peggy's husband, Ron Laing wrote extensively on Sri Sathya Sai Baba since 1978, and in 1981 was the first european to be appointed a member of the World Council of Sri Sathya Sai Organisations, serving on that body for three years, setting up a Central Council and a Trust in the U.K. He passed from this life on January 1st. 1994.
"I have come for the transformation of humanity, and I shall be most grateful to each child of mine who helps in my task. I am with you always, for your heart is my home" - BABA.
A CALL TO PROJECT LIGHT. 'Time' seems to be speeding up and the vibrations quickening at an alarming rate as we have reached the new millenium. Everyone is noticing this increase in tempo. There are some who feel the world is hastening towards an abyss, like the Gadarene swine, but Baba --who will be with us in his present Form for another 20 years --assures us that although certain changes or events may occur, we are not to fear. He DOES ask us, however, to project, in our meditations, powerful shafts of golden light penetrating and dispersing the dark clouds around the planet, and over certain countries in particular, and THIS IS IMPORTANT. One could call it the LIGHTNING of LOVE --but without the thunder. (taken from Sai Baba Quarterly)
BABA'S DIVINE 'PLAY'Many of you will know that vibhuti and other phenomena regularly appear at the home of Mr. G. Patel, in Wealdstone, Harrow, London. Indeed, there was a column about it in the Daily Telegraph of March 6th, 1992, when the reporter sat and actually witnessed the vibhuti forming on Baba's large picture and other objects, like 'Swami's chair'. (The vibhuti is regularly distributed for healing purposes).
In honour of the 70th Birthday, Mr. Patel carved a life-size wooden statue of Swami and placed it next to Baba's velvet chair. Immediately vibhuti began to form on the staue's hands, gown & feet. Mr Patel took a photograph of this - but when the film was developed, to his astonishment, it was not the statue but Swami Himself in the photograph! (taken from Sai Baba Quarterly)
BABA SAYS: When the Golden Age dawns there will be harmony throughout the world and Love will flow everywhere. All thoughts of hatred will disappear. Today you cannot visualise such a state because there is chaos everywhere, fighting, scheming, hatred, evil; all the negative emotions are in the ascendant. But eventually change will come.
The arrival of the Golden Age will be heralded by a new coming, as well as some upheavals, sufficient to uproot the evil that is so prevalent today. Although the Golden Age lies in the future, man can prepare himself by turning to God and living his life in complete harmony with the infinite. That is possible now, if you surrender your will to God and dedicate your life to Him. You will become His instrument and, in that capacity, you will find fulfilment through service to humanity
Life is change, and change is taking place all the time. Only God never changes as God is the foundation of the universe and he holds everything in His hand. When you become perfectly attuned to God, you become part of that divine foundation, then nothing can affect you. At that point the past, present and future merge into one, and that one-ness is the omnipresent God
"YOU ARE ME"
..Always remember that you are Me and I am you. There is no difference. When you remember that I am you, you must also remember the the powers of the Divine are also yours---powers normally attributed to God, of omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence. You have to remember, 'I am God, I am not different from God. I am the eternal undifferentiated Absolute. Grief and anxiety cannot affect me. I am always content. Fear cannot enter me. I am Sath-Chith-Ananda -- Existence, Knowledge, Bliss'. Your problems will be taken care of by Me. Concentrate on Me. BABA
The following quotes are taken from "Sathya Sai Baba-The Embodiment of Love"by Peggy Mason and Ron Laing.
Swami also said to questions posed by Janet Bock and reported in her book"The Jesus Mystery" that Jesus attained Christ Conciousness at the age of twenty-five in India, when he was able to proclaim "I and my Father are one". After experiencing this identity with the Father, says Baba, "He returned to his own country. He returned to Palestine through Tibet, Afghanistan, Persia and areas which are now embraced as part of the Soviet Union,and by the time he arrived in his native land, he was in his twenty ninth year..." (pg68)
"The name Jesus itself is not the original name. He was named ISA. In theTibetan manuscript at the monastery where ISA spent some years the name is written as ISSA. The name ISA means the Lord of all living beings". I-SAor S-AI both means Ishvara, the Eternal Absolute..."(pg66)
*In a very sacred private interview with Baba, Peggy asked "Swami, there is something I've wanted to know for a long time. Did thephysical body of Jesus recover in the tomb? I mean it wasn't a materialised body of spirit...?"
Swami replied,"No-the physical body. No spirit- materialised body. The physical".
"Ah!" I said. "Then, did he journey to the East, continuing his mission to Kashmir?"
"Yes- and he also travelled to Calcutta, and Malaysia."
"Then is it the body of Jesus which was buried in the Rozabal Shrine at Srinagar in Kashmir?"
Swami nodded, and said,"Yes", so simply,with an upturned inflexion in hisvoice,as if waiting for the next question, his eyes never moving from mine, with such gentleness".* (n.b. Peggy Mason had written a whole chapter on the research that went into the above question).
http://www.geocities.com/meccamanuk/peggy.html" title="http://www.geocities.com/meccamanuk/peggy.html" target="_blank"http://www.geocities.com/mecc...
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| Experiences by Devotees of Sri Sathya Sai Baba |
| 09.27.04 (5:18 am) [edit] |
Experiences by Devotees of Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Dr. Keith Critchlow
Bhagawan’s mission is unstoppable. Whether you like it or not it moves as it has to. It is only our privilege to become members of that mission. Swami pulls different people from different walks of life into His mission and get His work done. One can not believe his own words how Swami performs great deeds. There are many such incidents to see in Parthi. Water Project or Hospital construction or the devotees coming here or the regular activities all clearly reveal that He is none other than God if one exists.
In my previous episode I have narrated how Swami pulled a person called Sri Karunyananda to His divine fold. Here is another person who was brought to Bhagawan’s fold for a cause. He is Dr. Keith Critchlow, director of Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture, London. He is instrumental in designing the super specialtiesHospital in Puttaparthi.
He narrated his own experience in one of the books I am referring. I present the story in his own words. In 1984 a Swami devotee from India, came to my place, on her way to Indra Devi Ashram. She gave me some Vibhudhi and asked me to take. I took a small portion and forgot about that completely.
When I was the principal of Royal College of Arts, Sir Issac Tigret came to my room. He introduced himself as Issac Tigret. I did not know who he was. My friend beckoned me that he was a great personality and asked me to treat him with respect. Knowing my predacament he further said I am the owner of Hard Rock café. I was further confused with this new name and said so what? Then he understood the ignorance and came to the pointdirectly. There is a great and saintly person in India. He wants an architect for His super specialty hospital. Would like to design the entire hospital. I was glad to accept that as I was interested to see the places in India and meet the saints of India. I conveyed my willingness to him and said I am willing to come to any place as far as my wife can travel. So Tigret organized tickets for both of us to India. Thus firsttime we went to India.
First we went to Bangalore and from there we went to prasanthinilayam. We went inside a place called Poornachandra Auditorium which, was like an aeroplane hanger. It was a big hall housing around 25,000 people. I never saw such big gathering there. I was embarrassed to know that I was the only person who is wearing color cloths as all the others wearing white cloths. The other person wearing color dress was only Baba Himself. He came straight to me and asked “so, you are the architect”. As I am observant and educated, I understood the mannerisms I sat like allother people on the ground.
The very next day Swami called us for interview. Swami can I call my wife also I queried Baba. On hearing on affirmative I called my wife. In the interview room all the gents sit on the right side and women sit on the left side. As we did not know all this we sat next to each other. Swami looked at us and in a low voice told you are now in India. Then we realized our mistake, I moved towards gents and my wife towards ladies. Now Swami looked at me and said come here. I went and sat near Him. Swami then asked what do you want. Thinking that it was similar to the conversation I had in London, I asked Swami do you want me to be your architect for the Hospital, I want to know.
Swami brushed aside that and stared at me. Then He repeated the same question. I was melted for that affection and said I want to serve you as an architect. Till today I did not know why I said that. Though I am a scholar my ego subdued in His presence and I politely told that I want to be servant at His for.
Then, Swami waived His hand in thin air and created a ring. As I had not expected that I was surprised. Swami brought that close to me and said what is there on the ring. I could not read that without spectacles. I said the same to Him. HE laughed at my embarrassment and said what is the use of an architect when you are unable to read. My ego further died down. In fact AUM was encrypted on that ring. Swami circulated that to everyone and took it. He now took it and blew on top that. This time this was disappeared and another ring appeared. This time there was a silver ring with Cross on top of that. I was happy to recognize that and said the same to Swami. Swami took that and again blew air on top of that. This time there was another ring in that place and that had star and crescent moon on top of that. Then I realized that God can do anything if He desires. Then He took myself and my wife inside the personal interview room and told about our personal life.
Before I left that room Swami slithered that ring to my ring finger. The symbol on that changed toAUM again. I realized the meaning of that symbol changing. The place of my work The Royal collage of arts is an Islamic college. I read Islam and brought up as a Christian.
Source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saisruthi/messa ge/105" title="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saisruthi/messa ge/105" target="_blank"http://groups.yahoo.com/group...http://www.saibaba.ws/experiences/keithcritc hlow.htm" title="http://www.saibaba.ws/experiences/keithcritc hlow.htm" target="_blank"http://www.saibaba.ws/experie...
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| Brig S.K.Bose and his story.... |
| 09.27.04 (3:19 am) [edit] |
Brig S.K.Bose and his story....
How Swami saved him while discourse was on.
Sai Ram, Humble pranaams at the divine lotus feet of Bhagavan.
Let me share with you one fascinating story of Brigadier S.K.Bose, who after retirement from service as commandant of the college of military engineering Pune, came to Swami.
He has dedicated himself wholly to serve the Sri Sathya sai Baba and to humanity in general. Even at the age of 80 years, he remains busy in constructions works of educational interest under Sai Baba in Sri Sathya sai institute of higher learning- deemed university.
Few Years ago, I, had good fortune of meeting him in veranda and he invited me to visit his room .He gave me one of his book published recently and I wish to share with you, his story when he died in presence of Swamis’ discourse and how Swami saved him.
One day Sai Baba returned from Brindavan ten days before the commencement of Navaratri festival. Dr Bose describe that on the morning of that day, he got fever continuously but on morning of that day, the fever disappeared, and he could feel the strength to go to Poorna-Chandra hall to witness the ceremony…. As he was seated on a chair on the dais, on which Purna Ahuti was offered by Sai Baba, casting sacred things and jewels to the fire of the homa.
Then Swami started his divine discourse on the Vijay Dashami day . Dr Bose his eyes & ears were listening to His discourse. Suddenly Dr Bose felt un-easy and felt complete lifelessness.... Swami saw this as what happened to him. He stopped his discourse and made several gestures by both hands in the air, as if He were driving away something hovering in the air above him. In his dead body, he said, I could see my body lying there and some thing Hovering in the air.
Then I saw huge bird floating over me, some six feet high from my level. The majestic bird was golden brown with a white streak at the neck. It was looking at me kindly, and I too looked at this huge bird in the midst of Dussera celebration and why he had come?
Suddenly the bird disappeared and I could see what was happening to my lifeless life, body removed from the chair where I had been seated by two seva dal volunteers who placed the body on the aisle between the front row of chairs and first row of devotees sitting on the floor.
Among them was Mr. Richard an American devotee permanently settled at Prashanti Nilayam. He said he could see Dr. Chari the head of Sai hospital and Dr Patel an old devotee, rushing to the body and examining it meticulously. Meanwhile Swami had switched off the mike on the podium, where he had just begun His divine discourse on Vijaya Dashami. I Saw Dr. Patel signal to Swami and there was not a trace of life in the body.
Swami moved in trice from the stage to the body in the aisle. His right fist was closed. I was not aware of Swamis actions. I report from what Mr. Richards later told me. The Subtle body which had come out, was what probably , Swami held in His right fist and His free left hand He raised the shoulder of the lifeless body some 2 feet high and gave a thrust at the back of the skull.
Then with His right hand, inserted the subtle body into it. I at once opened my eyes and beamed, My first reaction… On this auspicious Vijay Dashami Day, Swami standing close to me, I try to lift my right hand to take padnamaskar. Swami said Bose get up. I obeyed and sat with folded hands full of joy.
The Swami made another thrust with His right hand on my shoulder charging me with energy (Shakti). He said stand up which immediately I did. As He left the aisle for podium on the stage to continue his Dussera discourse. He said, Go up the steps of the stage and sit near the window.
Without any aid I crossed the 25 feet of the aisle and climbed 5 large wooden steps to reach the stage. My wife and daughter were on the ladies side and were unaware of this high drama. Dr Bose conclude I had felt no agony or pain in dying so peacefully on Dussera day 1988. Swami had brought me back to life.
After the completion of His discourse. Dr Bose could return home at south Prashanti safe and healthy. However high a bird may soar, it has sooner or later to perch on a tree top, to enjoy quiet. So too a day will come when even the most haughty, the most willful, the most unbelieving , even those who assert that there is no joy or peace in the contemplation of the Highest self, will have to pray to God grant me peace, grant me consolation , strength and joy.
JAI SAI RAM.
http://aumsairam108.tripod.com/article/amazing-cure.htm" title="http://aumsairam108.tripod.com/article/amazing-cure.htm" target="_blank"http://aumsairam108.tripod.co...
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| Baba's Miracle |
| 09.27.04 (2:45 am) [edit] |
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Baba's Miracle
HOW THE WHEELS OF BABA GRIND SLOWLY BUT SURELY?
It has been narrated in the earlier article, how though past 40 and without a regular job, I was granted exemption and appointed as A Grade office Assistant in the Royal Indian Navy in Dec 1948. It was, no doubt; the first as well as the last such exemption granted by the Government of India as a striking example of Baba's grace.
Hardly had I settled down in my job when, out of sheer jealousy, some of the office-staff petitioned the NHQ against my appointment and the exemption granted. I knew about it only when a letter came retracting the earlier order and allowing me the option to work in a lower category as a clerk. Mr. Brooker, who had originally recommended me, showed me the letter and wished to know my reaction. I was stunned. Apart from the discomfiture of being downgraded, my emoluments would go down too, making it impossible for me to make both ends meet. Above all, I was hit below the belt. I said I was not prepared to be demoted. I requested him to forward my appeal against the patently unjust order. He readily agreed.
All the while what was puzzling me was why Baba was tantalizing me like this. Of course, learn I did, though it took me long years to do so, that MUTE AND HUMBLE SUBMISSION TO HIS WILL IS THE ONLY RULE FOR A PEACEFUL LIFE. But then, still being raw, I became desperate. As muuch so on reaching home, to the astonishment of my wife kamala, and to my own shame later on, I hit Him with my fist, the glass of the frame fracturing and cutting my fist into the bargain. I gave Him an ultimatum, so to say, to see through my appeal, or else! I sat down before Him and wrote it out in the strongest language possible telling the people at the NHQ about their ineptitude, cussedness, inability to take a decision in the first instance, and causing untold misery to an appointee to cover up their administrative inefficiency.'
Mr. Brooker's face went red on reading the appeal. He glowered at me and demandd to know whether I called it an appeal and, whether I expected him to forward it to the NHQ. I told him that Britishers were still at the helm and, since they were not playing the game but hitting me below the belt, I expected him, as an Englishman, to come to my rescue. He immediately cooled down and volunteered to send it adding, "The worst that can happen to me is that, they can terminate my contract, according to which I have still a year to go. Well, I can always go back to my job home. So, here goes! "It was a stinker all right. I bided my time keeping my fingers crossed. Before a week had passed came a reply cancelling the adverse letter and regretting the inconvenience caused to me.
No long after, a new technical department called the Directorate of Naval Armament Inspection was formed. As there was no age bar for this, Mr. Brooker, sensing a possible recurrence of trouble for me on this score, put me up as a candidate, and I was selected again as an act of Baba's grace.
The emoluments were higher. Baba had steered my course clear of the sharks and shoals of jealous intrigues and administrative objections. Baba, in His Infinite Mercy, wished to spare me further suffering. Hence it was He had created so many obstacles and diverted my course in a totally unexpected manner to perfect safety. IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT MAN IS HIS OWN ENEMY AND OFTEN COMES IN THE WAY OF GOD TO DO GOOD TO HIM. It took me a long time, indeed decades, to sense this fully and cease to be like a wayward and naughty child of an indulgent father, and learn 'to be content to remain where and what you are according to His will. The truth is one can be happy only when one,
"To God doth late and ear/y pray
More of his grace than gifts to lend,
And entertains the harmless day
With a religious book or friend.
Such man is freed from servile bands
Of hope to rise or fear to fall,
Lord of himself though not of lands,
And having nothing, yet hath all".
("A Happy Warrier" by Sir Henry Wotton)
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| Ten Fold Path to Divinity |
| 09.27.04 (12:45 am) [edit] |
Ten Fold Path to Divinity
Prescribed by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Sathya Sai Baba has proclaimed Ten Principles as guidance for spiritual and personal development. These are as follows:
1. Love and serve the homeland; do not hate or hurt the homeland of others.
Have a sense of pride in your motherland. Just as your mother has given birth to you, so too the land has given birth to you. Whatever country you belong to, you should have a sense of patriotism. You should not indulge in criticizing other countries or people belonging to other nations. Having trust and faith in your own country, you won't try to put down any other country. Never bring grief or sorrow to your country. To have pride in your own motherland is important.
2. Honor every religion; each is a pathway to the one God.
Never have hatred toward any religion. Honor and respect all religions equally. Even as you are a citizen of your motherland but respect all countries, also respect all religions equally.
3. Love all without distinction; know that mankind is a single community.
Develop a sense of the brotherhood of man. Look upon each person as your own brother or sister. There is only one caste, the caste of humanity. All of us belong to the human race, so everyone is equal. Therefore, love each one equally.
4. Keep your home and its environs clean; it will ensure health and happiness for you and for society.
Keep your own house and its surroundings pure and clean. This hygiene will keep you healthy and benefit your worldly life.
5. Do not throw coins when beggars stretch their hands for alms; help them to become self-reliant. Provide food and shelter, love and care, for the sick and aged.
Be discriminating when dispensing charity. In the name of charity or philanthropy, we tend to do injustice to one's country. Charity does not mean that the land should be full of beggars. We can provide some support and means for the beggars, but provide food, clothing and other conveniences in such a way that you are not encouraging laziness and begging.
6. Do not tempt others by offering bribes or demean yourself by accepting bribes.
Never give or take a bribe. Giving bribes, or accepting bribes, is contrary to the very name of the Sri Sathya Sai Organizations. Bear this in mind continuously.
7. Do not develop jealousy, hatred or envy on any count.
We must seek ways to solve difficulties such as hatred, envy and jealousy. To curb this sense of envy and jealousy, we must develop a broader outlook. Do not differentiate on the basis of race, caste, creed, or country. Follow your cultural and religious customs in your own home, but do not attempt to impose them on society. Rather than this, love each person as your own brother or sister, not seeing him or her as belonging to another creed, religion, or country.
8. Do not depend on others to serve your personal needs; become your own servant before proceeding to serve others.
Develop self-reliance. Members of the Sri Sathya Sai Organizations should do things by themselves; they should not depend on others. You may be very wealthy and have servants and assistants to help in a few tasks, but your own work you must do yourself. If you wish to be of service to society, serve yourself first. One who will not serve society has no right to belong to a Sri Sathya Sai Organization.
9. Observe the laws of the state and be an exemplary citizen.
You should never go against the law of the land. We must follow the letter of the law. The members of the Sri Sathya Sai Organizations should follow the law in spirit also and be models for the government.
10. Adore God, abhor sin.
You must love God and avoid sin. Love God incessantly.
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| Baba's Tonsillectomy |
| 09.26.04 (12:19 pm) [edit] |
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Baba's Tonsillectomy
I was present at an operation Swami performed in Hanumantha Rao's house in Madras on my friend Krishna, who had septic tonsils. Swami produced the knife from the air. I was shocked. (I am a doctor's son; my father was a surgeon.) Swamiji just looked at me and smiled. I understood perfectly what he meant: "You still don't believe in me". Then he put the knife into Krishna's throat. There was also with me another doctor friend of mine, Dr. Dakshina Murthy, who was shocked. But none of us could say anything. Swami just kept going.
Krishna suffered for one day. Next day we took him to my doctor - Dr Das, the same doctor who was treating me. "Who are the fools meddling with your throat!" he said. "He is a great fool. What is wrong with him? This chap is going to get into a soup" he said. We were all a bit worried and kept going to the doctor for the next two days. Then on the second day the doctor asked: "What has happened?" for the pain had stopped, the septic tonsils had disappeared; everything had gone. That is what Swami did. He didn't actually surgically remove the tonsils; all he
did was make some scratches with the knife. But after two days the tonsils disappeared. To my knowledge he (Krishna) did not have any problem with it afterwards.
Account of Sai devotee, Mr Varadu, quoted in E. Haraldsson, Miracles are My Visiting Cards, p. 167.
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| Amazing cure - Prof Kasturi and his story of Gowri a bright student |
| 09.26.04 (4:20 am) [edit] |
Amazing cure - Prof Kasturi and his story of Gowri a bright student
Prof Kasturi describes this letter: A shrill note piercing through the bathroom shattered the absolute calm.
Vasantha her mother was terrified, and ran from the living room. She knocked loudly the closed door of the bathroom. Gowri had bolted the door from inside and she screamed from a sever back pain which had immobilized her.
Slowly she managed to open the bolt. Vedanta rushed in and helped her move to the bedroom. Gowrie was in agony. She lay in bed. The family physician was called. He came and after examining her pronounced it to be a muscular seizure.
Injections and medicines were given. Gowrie went off to a drowsy sleep, not aware of her pain. "That is what doctor do, so also God's grace, making you not aware of pain.
Swami says, you have to suffer Karmic pain because you have asked for it, but God's grace makes you not aware of it. That is blessings Swami may grant.
"This was on 21st December 1982. From her childhood Gowrie was an active girl. Apart from being a bright student, she participated in various cultural activities. She was an enthusiastic member of the debating society, the drama association, the dance troupe and literary circle.
She had enrolled as a student of bharatanatyam, a south Indian style of dance under a well-known guru of Tanjore tradition, at young age of seven years. For ten long years she practiced bharatanatyam and she was qualified for the first stage Performa dance before the public in 1979.Later she danced in prestigious halls like Shanmukhananda Hall.
As well as many famous Halls in Bombay. She was a member of a group of Bharatnatyam dancers who gave performance in ASAID auditorium. She was a celebrated dancer.
She was practicing hard to perform a dance ballad scheduled for 23rd December 1982 when the tragedy struck her. Leading physicians, surgeons and experts examined her. Close X-rays and repeated medical tests showed no clinical evidence of any injury or illness. By mid January 1983she suffered severe cramps at the lower back which left her in agony and exhaustion.
A leading orthopedist examined her and suspected a serious problem in her nervous system and started treatment It gave Gauri some relief, but she continued to suffer from pain in the lower back. She was absolutely unable to sit. She had a stoop and could not straighten herself. She had to be helped to lie on bed. She violently shivered.
Months passed in agony for gowri and all of us. As astrologers and tantrics were consulted. Some of them said, she might have become a victim of evil eye! Poojas were performed. The orthopedist continued his treatment. By May 1983 Gowrie improved. She could sit for a while and stand up promptly. She maintained steady progress after October 1983. But progress seemed to be elusive.
She started suffering bouts of several times a day, and late evenings were spent in restlessness. By November her conditions deteriorated. She complained of sever pain in her neck and shoulder. Days and weeks were spent in sheer agony.
It was already December 1983 and a year of agony was nearing completion. At this time, a schoolmate of Gowrie casually dropped to enquire about Gowrie health. She was shocked and distressed to see her condition. She decided to something about it. She went back home and told her mother about Gowrie's illness.
Gowrie's friend and her mother were staunch devotees of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. They spent lot of time in the service of the poor, and the old and the sick. They decided they would pray to Baba to help Gowrie into Gowrie's house. Gowrie and her mother were happy to receive them.
They were sad to see Gowrie's condition. They talked sweetly to her, consoled her and advised to pray to God and quietly took a packet of vibhuti and gave it to Gowri, and asked her to apply to that part where it pained her, and told her to mix it in the water and drink when the pain became unbearable. They said it was the vibhuthi from Sathya Sai Baba.
We felt there was no harm in using it. After all we had tried all methods of cure and now why not this? But, Gowrie's friend and her mother added, you should have full faith in Baba. How could it be? We had just heard about Him! They repeated their assurance that the vibhuthi was a powerful cure. They had a video cassette with them to be screened somewhere. We asked whether we could view it. They handed over the cassette and once again reminded us to pray to Baba and take the vibhuthi." `Shrotavya' is to hear about God. "Drushtavya" is to see God. Seeing video was Drushtavya,' seeing Swami's form.
We had all kinds of doubts. `How can we have faith in him? Who is Sathya Sai Baba? How does He look like? What about his vibhuthi. All kinds of doubts. The entire family crowded around and viewed the cassette. We were spell bound at what we saw. We were charmed at the red robed apparition.
Baba looks so beautiful! The crowd seems to adore Him! He looks so compassionate and kind! All of sudden He waved His right hand and created vibhuthi! He gave it to all devotees who were sitting. Baba making vibhuthi flow from an inverted vessel on to an idol of Shard Baba was unbelievable!
His message of Sathya, Dharma, shanty and preamp, and there is only one religion, the religion of love, there is only one God, He is omnipresent stimulated unification of humanity! We were thrilled to hear it. We were moved at the splendor of Baba!
We regretted ourselves we did not see Him earlier! But never mind, it is never too late. We saw Him again and again. The more we saw the more we loved Him. It was an experience, when the two devotees came next day, they had brought a couple of books on the life and teachings of Baba. That is "Mantravya" knowing about Him.
We used vibhuthi as directed. True, the pain seemed to reduce and disappear when vibhuthi was mixed in the water and taken. It made her a little bright and cheerful. What was happening? A dream or imagination? A sort of make believe?
We wanted to see further development. Subsequently vibhuthi was smeared at the spot where it pained most, and gave her generously water mixed with vibhuthi to drink, which stopped her pain, particularly in the left arm which had gone numb! We were delighted, but kept our peace for fear of some evil eye robbing her of this newfound remedy!
When the stock of vibhuthi declined we felt concerned. But many devotees who vested us filled up the container. In fact they themselves were surprised, and they could hardly conceive the happening and the wonder that vibhuthi had done.
They all decided to take Gowrie for Baba,s darshans. On the 13th February 1984 , they all had Swami's darshans. Kasturi report that there was a messenger from Baba calling them for interview.
Lady members awaiting the interview stood near the sidewall. Soon Baba came out, He waived us. It was simple direct gesture, we were right in His presence. All of sudden He turned to Gowrie who was sitting on chair as she could not bend to sit on the floor.
"What had the doctors to say? He asked. She replied the doctors found nothing wrong and father gave additional report that she was Bharatantyam dancer.
"I cure her right now, she should be quite normal" Baba said. We were astounded, speechless, Baba was telling "Right now!" It was turning moment Baba got up and went near her. Gowrie was already on her feet, and though she could not bend, she went down on her knee and did namskar.
What better proof we wanted other than what we were witnessing! It was happening after fourteen months. Medical experts had cautioned her not to attempt at such thing. But here she was right at his feet doing namaskar. She tried hard fighting back tears flooding out of her.
Other members could hardly conceal their joy and emotion. We followed Gowrie and we were right at Baba's feet, His grace, His love and compassion pouring on all of us in abundance. Perhaps He accepted our devotion when He permitted us to hold His feet for such a long time.
Baba broke the silence, and assured that Gowrie would be all right, and when she visited next time, she would be a great dancer! He distributed vibhuthi to all of us in generous measure. It sighted the end of the interview.
It was time for morning Bhajans and we joined devotees in singing. After we came out to find the whole world new. He has given you a new eye, a new vision. Gowrie discarded the chair and pillows kept for her. In the Bhajan hall she sat on the floor. Some members who had seen her agony broke into spectators joy at her transformation.
The news had spread all around, and loving volunteers too were filled with joy.
"The miracle is one poster to announce that the AVATHAR has come."
Sai Ram
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| God in Action - Prof. N. Kasturi |
| 09.26.04 (3:55 am) [edit] |
God in Action - Prof. N. Kasturi
Swami has often said. “Love my uncertainty” Swami is uncertain. Probably some of you are thinking, “Swami is leaving Prashanti-Nilayam” on 6th,7th,10,12th that is very uncertain.
If you ask me when he leaves, I also don’t know. I am not informed. I come to know of Swami leaving this place only when people run towards Mandir. I ask one of them” Why are you running ? “Swami is leaving” he says, and I start running towards Mandir.
When Swami is here, we are not definite when He will be leaving. After He leaves, we are not definite when He will be returning. He proceeds towards north, He may go up to Delhi or Mussoree or Simla or Himalayas ! No one knows.
In the olden days, while following Him by car He would ask us to go and wait at some milestone, and there we would be informed where He was going until we reached that milestone.
We would not be knowing where He would go! That is the uncertainty! Other gurus or teachers will not keep their followers under uncertainty, because they don’t want to disappoint them and loose them.
A sheep lost is a loss to the shepherd. He wants to keep all the sheep’s together, but Swami is beyond all that. In one of his introduction poems, Swami says, if you are pleased and proud that I have allowed you to come near me and be near me, immediately you also face the possibility of being pushed away!
If you find that you are getting proud because I have allowed you to come near me , and because of that others are honoring you, then I will push away. In our country, we touch the feet of elders for the very fact that they have lived so long!
Prof Kasturi says Some people touch my feet because I am old. Swami warns me “Yeh! You are getting proud, head swelling” and I say” No Swami.” Then Swami says you are accepting namskar, allow people to touch your feet! And I say “Swami, mistake of being born earlier!
Moreover, I was a teacher for 32 years and my students , very much remember me as their teacher and so, when they meet me, they touch my feet. What to do?” And Swami says “But you have been accepting without demur, as if it is your due!
When they come to touch your feet you don’t protest. You just offer your feet. That is where pride comes. Don’t allow pride to enter you. Keep protesting. Don’t go on gathering mamaskars. If an old student of mine comes and stands before me without touching my feet, I may get angry.
These are the attitudes to be avoided, and therefore Swami asks us to be careful. He says don’t be glad for having been allowed to come near me, you may be pushed out! Of course, I have been a target a number of times! It is difficult thing to decide how near or how far you should be from Him.
It is something like fire. If you go too near you get burnt! And if you keep too far you get cold! Taking advantage of closeness to Him, feeling it is my due, because I am a big scholar, because I am indispensable to his glory, such swelling of head will result in being sent out.
Once it happened to me says (Kasturi) this story will continue please wait to hear as it is very interesting.
Jai Sai Ram
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| Prof Kasturi and Governor’s Birthday |
| 09.26.04 (3:49 am) [edit] |
Prof Kasturi and Governor’s Birthday
Prof says once it happened to me. Swami was in Whitefield at that time and the private Secretary of the state Governor was running about to carry a message to Swami. Unfortunately for me, he saw me, and said “Mr. Kasturi, I am glad you are here. I am trying to contact Swami, but not able to do so. Tomorrow is Governor’s birthday and He wants to come to offer his homage to Swami tomorrow morning. So Please find out from Swami when he can come.
“My head began swelling! “Ah private secretary of Swami!” . I accepted the assignment and asked him to wait. I went inside the bungalow, and waited for Swami being alone. Because, if Swami reprimands me, there should be no witness of my discomfort!
I succeeded in having Him alone, and said “Swami private secretary to Governor” and so on. Swami was furious. He said “ Who gave you authority to wag your tail here.
If you wag your tail, I will cut it. Why did you accept the assignment?. That man asked you” to find from Swami! Is it a thing to be found out? It is his birthday, he wants to come, and I will have to be ready to receive him, is it? Tell that man that the gate will be open from 6 am to 8 p.m. . Nothing very remarkable about Governor’s visit. It is not such important thing that you bring that message to me.
You got my reply, now go back and tell him. What is all this nonsense? This is what I got. So don’t take advantage of closeness and don’t allow your head to swell! You should not look down upon others, who have not that chance. You should not try to find out the reason for your being graced so much to be near Him.
Even the slightest wave of egoism in your mind is unspiritual, because Swami is spiritual leader. So every act of His, ever gesture of His, every word of His, is to promote our spiritual progress, to illumine our consciousness, to elevate our consciousness.
Swami Says - “Life is a game of football. You are the ball, and you are bound to be thrown and kicked about, this side and that. How long have you to bear this treatment? Until the air is full in the ball. Deflate it; no one will kick it again. The air that inflates it is ego. When the ego is out, bliss comes in.
Jai Sai Ram
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| Dr. John S. Hislop |
| 09.26.04 (3:43 am) [edit] |
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Dr. John S. Hislop
USA
Dr. John S.Hislop was an ardent devotee of Bhagavan. He spent considerable time with Bhagavan, when he was alive, experiencing the Divinity of Bhagavan in varied ways. He authored several books on the Divinity of Bhagavan. The following experience is extracted from his book 'My Baba and I', carried in the bimonthly newsletter of Sri Sathya Sai International Centre, New Delhi for July - August 2004.
'The evening before the Mahasivaratri Day of 1973, we were told to be ready in the early morning for a trip. Our destination was the Bandipore Game Sanctuary, several hours away in Mysore State. We arrived at the forest rest house in the early afternoon. The next morning, we drove through the hills and chose a place for our congregation in the evening.
We returned there at dusk. The cars halted at the side of the road and we started to climb down the bank to the sandy river bottom. I was beside Baba. As we passed a bush, Swami broke off two twigs, placed them together and asked me, 'what is this Hislop?'
'Well, Swami, it is a cross,' I answered. Baba then closed His fingers over the twigs and directed three somewhat slow breaths into His fist, between thumb and forefinger. Then he opened His hand to reveal a Christ figure crucified on a cross, and He gave it to me.
He said, 'this shows Christ as he really was at the time he left his body, not as artists have imagined him or as historians have told about him. His stomach is pulled in and his ribs are all showing. He had no food for eight days.'
I looked at the crucifix, but found no words. Then Baba continued, 'the cross is wood from the actual cross on which Christ was crucified. To find some of the wood after 2000 years took a little time! The image is of Christ after he died. It is a dead face.'
I noticed something odd and asked, 'Swami, what is that hole at the top of the cross?' Baba replied that the cross had been originally hung from a standard.
Within a few weeks we were back at our home in Mexico. The cross is so small that the details on the figure of Christ escape the eye. A friend, Walter, came down to our home and took some colour photographs of the crucifix. Walter made some enlargements to bring out the details. When we saw the enlargements, my wife and I were astounded. I wrote to Walter and said that if the pictures were seen around the world, they would create an art sensation. I am sure it is the greatest sculpture of Christ ever made. In my estimation, it is the most extraordinary object Sri Sathya Sai has ever created for the joy of his devotees.'
-- Dr. John S. Hislop
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| Report on Ganesha Chaturthi Celebrations – 18th September, 2004 |
| 09.24.04 (9:31 am) [edit] |
Report on Ganesha Chaturthi Celebrations – 18th September, 2004
The festival of Ganesha Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chaturthi is one of the most popular festivals among Hindus. Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed God, is one of the most interesting and important Gods in the Hindu pantheon who is worshipped as the remover of obstacles and difficulties, and one who bestows Buddhi (intellect) and Siddhi (spiritual powers). Traditionally, any activity, be it worldly or spiritual, begins with an invocation to Him.
On the morning of 18th September, Bhagawan arrived at the Sai Kulwant Hall at 7 a.m. amidst Vedic chants; all the devotees and students feasted on the beautiful divine form and filled their hearts with joy. Soon, Bhagawan was seated on the dais and the proceedings of the day commenced. Bhagawan blessed four speakers to address the gathering that morning. The first speaker was Sri Deepak Anand, a research scholar in the Department of Business Management of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus. Sri Anand narrated a few of his personal experiences that confirmed his faith in Bhagawan as the ‘Sarvadevata Swaroopa’ (embodiment of all names and forms of Divinity). On one occasion, when he was praying fervently to Lord Hanuman atop the hill in the Vidyagiri Stadium at Prasanthi Nilayam, the question arose in his mind as to who was receiving his prayers – Lord Hanuman or Bhagawan. Just then, Bhagawan unexpectedly arrived at the stadium and drove up to Sri Anand and blessed him, as if to acknowledge that it was He who was receiving his prayers.
The second speaker, Sri Shashank Shah, a student of the M.Phil programme in the Department of Business Management, narrated a beautiful experience of Swami Amritananda, a disciple of Ramana Maharishi. When he was seven years old, he had performed a particular ritualistic worship of Lord Ganesha, the result of which, the Shastras (Scriptures) declared, would be the vision of Lord Ganesha in his golden-hued form. Many decades later, when he came to Bhagawan, he was called in for an interview. There, Bhagawan reminded him about the worship that he had performed as a young boy and asked him whether he had obtained the promised result. Swami Amritananda said that he was only a child then and may not have been deserving of it. But Bhagawan said that what the Shastras declare must come true and then granted him the vision of the golden-hued Ganesha, and thus demonstrated that He is verily Lord Ganesha.
The next speaker was Sri Bharath Kumar, a final year student of the MBA programme of the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus of the Institute. He began with the Sanskrit quote – “Aakashad pathitham thoyam yatha gacchathi sagaram. Sarva deva namaskaraha Keshavam prati gacchathi”, meaning, just as the rain water that falls from the skies finally merges in the sea, the obeisance offered to all the deities ultimately reach Lord Keshava. He recounted an experience of his where the supplication to Lord Venkateshwara of Tirupati was answered by Swami, and thus confirmed his belief in the identity of Lord Venkateshwara and Lord Sayeeshwara. He concluded his speech with an exhortation to all the devotees to engage in the Sadhana (spiritual practice) of Namasmarana, the chanting of God’s name.
Sri S.V.Giri, the Vice-Chancellor of the Institute, was the next speaker. He mentioned that Bhagawan always holds Lord Ganesha and Lord Hanuman as role models for all the students and elaborated on the qualities that these divine personalities embodied that must be imbibed by everyone. Ganesha, he said, stood for the balance between knowledge and its application in practical life, as symbolized by the huge form of Lord Ganesha riding a tiny mouse. Lord Hanuman combined action and intelligence and was thus an able instrument in the divine hands of Lord Rama. The Vice-Chancellor concluded his talk with a prayerful request to Bhagawan to bless everyone with His Divine Discourse.
Bhagawan commenced his discourse with a Sanskrit saying which extols a virtuous son as one who brings repute not only to himself, but also to everyone in his lineage, just as the sun and moon illumine the entire world by their light. Lord Ganesha, He said, was such an ideal son. Though he had no Guru or a leader above himself, he loved and obeyed his parents. To illustrate this, Bhagawan narrated a story where Lord Shiva and Parvati held a competition between their two sons, Ganesha and Subramanya, to see who could circumambulate the entire world fastest. While Subramanya set out on his vehicle – the peacock, Ganesha circumambulated his parents saying that his parents were his world, and hence was declared the winner. Bhagawan exhorted everyone to love and respect their parents and obey their commands. Even if they appear to be angry, one must realize that they are verily the embodiments of love, and that they always act in the best interests of their children. The same is true of God and God-realized persons too, He said.
Bhagawan remarked that nowadays, unfortunately, people have neglected the worship of Lord Ganesha. He told that everyone must propitiate Lord Ganesha, follow his example and thereby attain success. He concluded his discourse with the Bhajan – “Prema muditha man se kaho…”
In the afternoon, the senior students of the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus of the Institute presented a programme on the ‘Navavidha Bhakthi’ – the nine-fold path of devotion. Bhagawan, in His discourses, has often mentioned that the ‘Navavidha Bhakthi’ consisting of Shravanam (listening), Keerthanam (singing), Vishnu Smaranam (contemplation of Vishnu), Paada Sevanam (service to the Lotus feet), Vandanam (salutation), Archanam (worship), Daasyam (servitude), Sneham (friendship) and Atma Nivedanam (self-surrender) is the royal road to salvation. The presentation was a medley of songs, sthothrams (hymns) and skits that lucidly illustrated the meaning, significance and practical aspects of each of these nine steps and related it to the worship of Ganesha.
This festival is usually celebrated over a period of a few days when idols of Lord Ganesha are worshipped in every home and workplace all over the country. At Prasanthi Nilayam too, the students and staff of Bhagawan’s institutions erected pandals (makeshift altars) where Lord Ganesha’s idols were installed and worshipped with great ardour for three days. On the third day, 20th September, the idols were taken out in a procession in grandly decorated chariots to the Sai Kulwant Hall where Bhagawan blessed them all. Thereafter, the idols were taken to a nearby pond and immersed amidst cries of “Jai” and prayers to visit next year too.
Jai Sai Ram!
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| Talk Given by Anil Kumar to Teachers in Bangalore |
| 09.24.04 (5:07 am) [edit] |
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Talk Given by Anil Kumar to Teachers in Bangalore
“EDUCARE”
January 4th, 2003
OM… OM… OM…
Sai Ram
Distinguished Members on the Dais,
Esteemed Participants,
Dear Fellow Devotees and Guests:
“THEY WANT YOU”
I am extremely grateful to Bhagavan for giving me this opportunity to participate in this conference. It is indeed very kind of the organisers, Mrs. Kamala Padmanabhan, Mrs. Sucharita and all their associates for thinking of me and giving me the privilege of being associated with the seminar.
Bhagavan said, “They want you. They want you to come and talk.”
That’s what He said - but it was unclear. Did Bhagavan want me to go, or not?
Bhagavan tells me, “They want you.”
How dare I ask, “Do You want me to go?”
“To be or not to be” is a question in a Shakespearean play, and that was the question for my life on that day. Well, I could not answer it.
So I said, “Swami, what are the dates?”
Bhagavan said, “The 28th and 29th.”
Then I prayerfully thought, “This is the best opportunity to get permission for my other personal work, because Swami-kaaryamu, swakaaryamu, (deeds for Swami, deeds for self) could be both done at the same time.”
I said, “Bhagavan, I have a marriage function at Guntur on the 27th, which I must attend because my absence would lead to misunderstanding and displeasure.”
Then Bhagavan immediately said, “All right, all right. It is up to you, Bangaru (Golden One – a term of endearment). Nee convenience choochuko. Nee anukoolamu chuchuko. Danidemundi. Idi the 28th - 29th.”
This happens to be the 28th and 29th. Was He indirectly suggesting that since the wedding function was on the 27th, what would I be doing on the 28th and 29th? Well, that’s how I took it.
Then I said, “Swami, as the wedding is at night on the 27th, I won’t be able to reach the conference on time on the 28th. So I will leave there (Guntur) on the 28th, and attend the function on the second day.”
“Manchidi, manchidi, nuvvu chuchuko.”
The next day, Bhagavan told the organisers about my commitment on the 27th, but that I would attend the conference.
This is how the Will of Bhagavan brought me here and blessed me with the opportunity to be in your midst. What greater joy can I expect? Could there ever be more in one’s own lifetime?
THE TOPIC IS: “VISION OF SRI SATHYA SAI EDUCARE”
I have been given the topic “Vision of Sri Sathya Sai Educare”, about which much has been written. I will limit myself to the topic proper. Having been a teacher for four decades, I cannot afford to digress, divert or stray away from the topic given to me.
I would, however, like to divide my talk into three parts. The first part is the organisational aspect. The second part shows the difference between education and Educare. And the third part is about the task ahead of us, and how to go about it. These are the three components in my talk this morning.
THE EDUCATION WING IS THE FRUITION OF THE SERVICE AND SPIRITUAL WINGS
First, let me talk to you about the organisational aspect. My friends, all of you know that there are three wings in Sathya Sai Seva Organisation. The first wing is the service wing. The service wing is where we render service with the body. “Bend the body.” Unless we serve humanity, we can never learn to be humble; we can never experience Divinity. So, the first wing of this organisation is the service wing, which is service-oriented, service-centred, and service-based. We call this karma yoga (the path of activity, which strengthens and purifies devotion to God).
The service wing takes us to the next wing of the organisation, which we call the spiritual wing. It comprises bhajan mandali (spiritual congregations), nagarsankirtan (group singing of spiritual songs along the streets early morning), and all other spiritual activities. They all come under the spiritual wing, which represents bhakthi yoga (the devotional path of Love for God).
Karma takes you to bhakthi. Bhakthi is meaningless without karma. Karma is aimless without bhakthi. Karma and bhakthi are the obverse and reverse of the same coin. They go together. If one does service without bhakthi, it is useless, mechanical, routine, monotonous, laborious, boring. If there is only spirituality without the service wing, it is like a platform lecture, only words, jargon; it is bogus, exhibitionism.
So the spiritual wing will have its foundation in the service wing. The service wing will have its fulfilment in the spiritual wing. These two will take us to the third wing of the Sai Organisation, which we call the education wing. This is jnana yoga, the path of wisdom to God.
Jnana yoga is the fruit and essence of the Sathya Sai Organisation. This education wing is the brilliance, the radiance, the light and the delight of the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation. This wing is the very life breath of the Sathya Sai Organisation, without which the other two are lifeless, futile exercises.
WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO BE TEACHERS
We are all lucky to have been involved in the education wing of the Sathya Sai Organisation. We, the teachers, are privileged to be teachers. First of all, we should feel proud of our profession. Why? It is because our greatness, our richness, and our property are not counted in terms of coins and money. Our property is counted in terms of the appreciation, the adoration, the dedication, the commitment, and the compliments that we receive from our students that are recorded in the passbook of our heart, in the bank of our life.
After all, every income has an income tax, but the income of a teacher cannot be taxed because it is infinite, Amrutasya Puthrah (child of Immortality). It is akshaya (inexhaustible).
Given the chance, I want to be born again as a teacher. I tell you this because I became a teacher by choice, not by force. By preference! I became a teacher because I have joy while teaching. What a thrill we have when we are teachers. We forget all our family problems.
That’s the reason why people of other professions might become old when they retire; but a teacher is an evergreen hero throughout his lifetime. (Applause) This is because he moves in the company of youngsters. A teacher moves in the garden of flowers that blossom with smiles, the smiles of bubbling faces of students committed to his care.
TEACHERS ARE THE NATION’S BUILDERS
We are very lucky. We should be very grateful to God. We are the nation’s builders.
I can give you an illustration -- that of King Charles IV of England. He made a royal visit to a high school in London, England. The name of the headmaster was Busbee. He was teaching a lesson based on a poem written by William Wordsworth, “The Cloud”. So beautiful! Wordsworth is speaking of nature. He takes you to a state of ecstasy!
While he was teaching the students, the king passed by on the veranda. The headmaster did not get up nor lift his cap as a mark of respect to the royal king. He didn’t do that because he was engrossed, immersed in a total state of forgetfulness, in total identification with the teaching.
After the bell rang, a few teachers came by and said, “You are going to lose your job.”
He said, “Why?”
“You did not salute the royal king, His Majesty! How is it you kept on teaching?”
And the headmaster said, “One king passed by the corridor. There are forty kings in my classroom. I cannot ignore them.” (Applause)
NO COUNTRY CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT A TEACHER
Never underestimate the profession we belong to. Never underestimate your role. No country can survive without a teacher. Impossible! A teacher sees the future. A teacher is a man of vision.
Michelangelo was a teacher. He looked at a boulder, a shapeless rock, and said, “I see an angel in that.”
Similarly, a teacher is a ‘Michelangelo’! A teacher is a sculptor who chisels a rock, his student, into a beautiful idol. A teacher is a cloud showering the rain of happiness, giving the cool breeze of bliss to his students.
THE ROLE OF A TEACHER
Our students speak of us at home. They tell their father and mother how the teacher dresses, and how the teacher addresses. I believe every teacher should know how to dress and how to address. We cannot be ill dressed. We should be well dressed. A well-dressed teacher will prepare well and his presentation will be given equally well. We should be presentable to students. The students should be happy to see us. We can’t afford to be unappealing. No. We’ve got to be the latest.
I remember as a student how I used to note down the colour of the suits of my teacher, including the colour of the socks he wore. How he inspired me!
I met him again yesterday. He is 88 and my suspicions were that I might not see him again. He is almost on his deathbed! I touched his feet and said, “Dr. Thomas, before I get on to the dais, I pray to God, then I think of you and then I start speaking. I must have addressed thousands and thousands of meetings, but you left an indelible mark on the sands of time in my memory. You inspired me.” That is the role of a teacher.
Well, if I speak more, members of other professions may feel slighted. I don’t want to annoy anyone or be a cause for anger. But it shouldn’t matter, as everyone is also the product of their teachers.
THE EDUCATION WING HAS TWO PARTS
The education wing is an important part of the Sai organisation, where we teachers have an important role.
There are two components in the education wing.
The Study Circle
Balvikas (Sai Spiritual Education for young children), Education in Human Values, and Educare.
Having been in the Sathya Sai Organisation for a quarter of a century in various capacities of the State Organisation, I am familiar with the organisational hierarchy. Therefore, I am trying to give you a picture or some idea of the organisation, as well.
THE FIRST PART OF THE EDUCATION WING IS THE STUDY CIRCLE
The education wing has these two components: the Study Circle, and Balvikas, Education in Human Values, and Educare.
First, what is a Study Circle?
Today there is no study. There is only a circle, that’s all, a circle. So we have to realise that we cannot afford to have men and women of this country with a circle or a zero in their minds. No! They should not be empty-headed or dull-headed.
The Study Circle: We sit in a circle and study together. We evolve and progress together. We investigate together. We explore together. That togetherness is a circle. Study is learning in-depth.
Study and learning are different. Learning is formal. It is institutional and rather bookish. Learning is time-bound. Learning is, all in all, a process of reception or receiving some material. But, study is observation. Study is reflection and reaction. Study is exploration and enquiry. We study to be steady. Therefore, my friends, the first part of the education wing is the Study Circle. We have to study well.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Every teacher must necessarily study. If a teacher is to be respected, the teacher must have adequate material about his subject matter. That’s the reason why the famous maxim says, “Knowledge is power.” Knowledge is power. It is more powerful than an atom bomb, more powerful than a nitrogen bomb. Knowledge is power. That is the knowledge one should have, adequate knowledge, knowledge-in-depth.
TEACHERS NEED SWADHYAYA AND PRAVACHANA
So, the Study Circle is the acquisition of knowledge. We call this in Sanskrit, swadhyaya. Swadhyay - study. After the study, you implement -- Balvikas, Education in Human Values and Educare, and that is the pravachana. Pravachana - teaching. Swadhyaya – study.
So, every teacher has two eyes: Swadhyaya, pravachana. Two ears: Swadhyaya, pravachana. Two hands: Swadhyaya, pravachana. If a teacher wants to have swadhyaya without pravachana, he is handicapped or one-sided. If he has swadhyaya and no pravachana, his classes will be empty. No students will come.
So teachers should be equally empowered by swadhyaya and pravachana - like the two rails of a railway track running parallel to each other.
I will not say anything more about swadhyaya, the Study Circle, because that is a little removed from the topic given to me.
GRANDPARENTS ARE BALVIKAS GURUS
Now, let me think of these three: Balvikas, Education in Human Values, and Educare.
Am I clear, please? You can ask me to repeat because I am notorious for speaking very fast.
It is Bhagavan who has cut down my speed to a great extent. He says, “Slow, slow,” and then He will increase His speed, double, multiple, making me a laughing stock for the audience. Sometimes He lets me fumble and commit a mistake, to stand corrected very often - much to the amusement of people, because Bhagavan’s discourses are enlightenment, and my mistakes are entertainment. That makes it comprehensive and total!
But anyway, I will say a few words about Balvikas. Balvikas consists of children who love to hear stories. Balvikas does not require Balvikas teachers. Every grandmother is a Balvikas guru! Every grandfather is a Balvikas guru! They are better gurus than all of us put together.
We don’t forget the stories told us by our grandparents. The picture of Bheema (an Army General of ancient times) was given to us by our grandmother. The idea of Krishna, Rama, Parasurama, Balarama, (Avatars and Krishna’s brother) -- all these roles were given to us by our grandparents.
FIVE POINTS ABOUT BALVIKAS
Point one is that Balvikas are full of stories.
Two, the stories help children to think of the body and the personality behind the story. They start picturing characters such as Bheema. They don’t visualise Bheema as a thin patient suffering from tuberculosis. No, Bheema is as big as ten of us joined together, at least. When you speak of Balarama, they expect personality. When you speak of Krishna, they expect a peacock feather and a flute, a smile and a little mischief. Yamadharmaraja (the god of death), who is He? A dark fellow with a moustache, sitting on the buffalo, ummmm, that’s it.
These are all the things identified with the picture in their mind. So Balvikas is based on stories, and in these stories the children try to visualise the different characters. The children picture the personality by listening to our stories.
Then three, it is conscious -- being conscious of the body. I am conscious of my dress and hairstyle. I am conscious of my qualification. I am conscious of my seniority. I am conscious of my height, weight and chest measurement.
And the fourth point, there is “the one you think you are” - the body, the personality.
The fifth point, the children listen to our story in rapt attention. Suppose you jump from the Ramayana to the Mahabharatha. The child will tell you to come back to Hanuman (a renowned monkey devotee of Rama).
If you stop the story at one stage on the previous day, the next day the child will be able to remember exactly what happened. “Start from here; don’t repeat it again, because I get bored,” he tells me. This is because children have the power or faculty of 100% concentration.
Therefore, my friends, I will give you these points once again, because teachers are guilty of repetition. But their guilt is their strength. Yes, it is not a weakness. In the Bhagavad Gita, the Teacher of teachers, Lord Krishna Himself, repeats every point in every chapter a hundred thousand times. So the ‘Head of the Department’, Lord Krishna, the Teacher of teachers Himself, for our own benefit, wants us to repeat so that we won’t forget or be negligent.
These are the five points concerning Balvikas: The first point is story telling. The second point is body and personality development. The third thing is the feeling of being conscious (of the body, status, etc.) The fourth point is being aware of ‘the one you think you are’, the personality, the body. The fifth point is that children listen to us in full concentration.
BALVIKAS TAKES YOU TO EDUCATION IN HUMAN VALUES
Balvikas takes us to a higher level. From the primary school, it takes us to the secondary school. We go a little higher. Here it is “Education in Human Values - EHV”. EHV is advancement, a gradual transition from the lower to the higher.
But one is complementary to the other, a sequential or corollary. Neither is contradictory. Please understand this. They are not contradictory; they are complementary. They don’t compete with each other. There is nothing complex here, no perplexity or doubt. The process is evolutionary; you evolve. That’s all. Simply, Balvikas takes you to a higher level, to ‘Education in Human Values.’
EDUCATION IN HUMAN VALUES IS THE STUDY OF VALUES
What is this all about? At this level, a boy is in high school. You don’t need to describe Rama in full. You don’t have to tell a boy from the 10th or 12th class that Hanuman has a tail because the child has this already identified by now.
So this is what happens at the EHV level: No more stories. We now teach values. Rama means Truth. Rama means Dharma (Right Conduct). Krishna means Prema (Love), Shanti (Peace), Harischandra, an emperor who could have avoided terrible disasters by lying but refused to, means Truth, Sathya. So they learn to value things not by the personality, not by the role, not by the body, but by the values each character represents.
So, Education in Human Values corresponds to the butter in curds and whey. If the curd is Balvikas, the butter is Education in Human Values. I think I am clear.
Then, they study the values a lot. And now, they begin to feel the values in themselves. Rama stands for Truth. OK. ‘Do I speak truth?’ That is the question. They begin to find the values within, and the extent to which they are present.
EDUCATION IN HUMAN VALUES IS AT THE LEVEL OF THE MIND
This stage is called ‘conscience.’ ‘To what extent is my conscience speaking? To what extent does my conscience follow the dictates of the stories narrated earlier? To what extent is my conscience satisfied with the value you have spoken about, with the values that are true until now?’
So, this is becoming aware of the conscience. It is at the level of the mind, not the level of the body, as thinking is immediate. If you say, “Rama”, that is enough. They think of the difficulties He had. They go on thinking of the values He possessed and the challenges He faced. That is mental or psychological, in the mind.
CONCENTRATION IS BALVIKAS,
CONTEMPLATION IS EDUCATION IN HUMAN VALUES
Then comes the second stage. Once we teach them, they think of the story, and they think of the value. ‘You taught me about Rama; so do you speak truthfully? I heard about Rama, is there Truth in me? Is there Truth in you? How untruthful you are! How bogus he is!’ They begin to evaluate. They begin to ruminate and to reflect. They begin to ponder over those values given to them. This is contemplation.
Concentration is Balvikas.
Contemplation is Education in Human Values.
The body is Balvikas; the mind is Human Values.
Consciousness is Balvikas; the conscience is Human Values.
Stories are the course content of Balvikas.
Values are the theme in Education in Human Values.
Concentration is Balvikas’ effective implement for learning.
Contemplation is the objective in Education in Human Values.
So, that’s how you go beyond meditating on the stories to the values. Try to contemplate or reflect upon the conscience. This then takes you to a higher level, to the next stage, Educare, which is ‘university education’.
Primary school education – Balvikas
High school education - Education in Human Values
Collegiate career - Educare
EDUCARE DEALS WITH THE SPIRIT
What is Educare all about? It has nothing to do with the body, as in Balvikas. It has nothing to do with the mind, as in the Education in Human Values. It deals with the spirit or Atma or soul.
The body is Balvikas.
The mind is Education in Human Values.
The spirit or Atma is Educare.
In Balvikas, we speak of Ramayana, Mahabharatha and Bhagavatha, all religious stories. In Education in Human Values we speak of the values or philosophy. So, religion is Balvikas, philosophy is Education in Human Values, and spirituality is Educare.
There is a difference between religion, philosophy and spirituality. They are three levels of comprehension, three levels of experience and practice. Religion (Balvikas) takes you to philosophy; philosophy (Education in Human Values) takes you to spirituality (Educare).
So, Educare deals with the spirit, soul or Atma. It has nothing to do with the Balvikas’ body ‘conscious’, or the ‘conscience’ of Education in Human Values. Educare deals with ‘consciousness’. Therefore, we go to the third level - spirituality.
CONSCIENCE IS LIMITED, CONSCIOUSNESS IS UNIVERSAL
What is the difference between conscience and consciousness? Conscience is limited; consciousness is universal. Air in a balloon is conscience; air around it is consciousness, both being the same. The air in the tyre and the air around it are different only because of the name and form given by the tyre; the air around the tyre is beyond name and form, though the same air. So, collectively speaking, universally speaking, from a cosmic point of view, it is ‘consciousness’. When speaking from an individual point of view, it is called ‘conscience’.
So, Balvikas is conscious; Education in Human Values is conscience; and Educare is consciousness. Am I clear, please?
EDUCARE REQUIRES MEDITATION
Educare also takes you to another level of approaching God. It is quite logical to fly by plane across the sky. I cannot imagine flying on my bicycle. No, I require a plane! But then I cannot expect to fly in an aeroplane on the ocean; I need a ship there.
So, Educare requires the third level, meditation. Meditation is not time-bound, where a person sits straight, bolting the door from inside, and not allowing anybody in between 5.00 AM and 6.00 AM, considering himself ‘religious’. Meditation is not limited to space and time. Meditation is not sitting straight. You had better do that for a straight spinal column. If you are not straightforward, at least your spinal column will be straight! Meditation is not a physical exercise.
MEDITATION IS ANNIHILATION OF THE MIND
So, my friends, what is the meaning of meditation? There is only one definition. I am never too tired, my friends, to repeat any number of times on different platforms, at different places, to varied groups of audiences, the beautiful definitions of Baba. No man could ever give these definitions, at any period of time.
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is the ‘latest’ Avatar (Incarnation of God), believe me or not. He gives you the technological, scientific, radical, human, logical, rational approach to present-day problems that go straight to your heart.
What does He say about meditation? Meditation is withdrawal of the mind, a thoughtless state. Withdrawal of the mind, annihilation of the mind, or absence of the mind is meditation.
So if I say, “I meditate every day”, nonsense! It is anything but meditation. “My meditation times are at 4AM and 5PM.” This means he has no knowledge of the definition of meditation, as meditation is beyond time and space. It is the withdrawal of the mind, the annihilation of the mind, manolaya or manonaashana, a thoughtless state, sankalpa shoonya.
Sathya Sankalpamulachetha Sadhuvu Agunu
Sakala Sankalpa Shoonyude Shanthinondu
Sathyamaina Maata Sai Maata
Dushta Sankalpamulachetha Dukhithudu Agunu
Sakala Sankalpa Shoonyude.
The thoughtless state is Divinity because it is the thought that makes “a heaven out of hell and hell out of heaven”, as Milton said.
Mana Eva Mokshanaam Kaaranam Bandha Mokshayoh.
THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE MIND IS THE ONLY WAY TO EXPERIENCE CONSCIOUSNESS
When you are above the mind, there is neither good nor bad. There is neither success nor failure. There is neither profit nor loss. You are neither a woman nor a man. You are beingness. That’s all.
Therefore, when we go to the level of meditation, when we transcend all these limitations, when we withdraw our mind, you will feel Atma, Parabrahman, spirit, soul, or consciousness.
Once you experience consciousness, you are not different from others; you are not separate from others. You are not a VIP, no. Who is a VIP in spirituality? Can there be a VIP in front of God? Impossible! Can there be a smaller wave and greater wave, a smaller bubble and larger bubble in the ocean? After all, they are all H2O, water, only. Therefore my friends, understanding that meditation is the withdrawal of the mind is the only way to experience consciousness.
EXAMPLES OF BHAGAVAN’S LOVE AND COMPASSION
We must establish a relationship with everybody. If I cannot effectively communicate with everybody, if I cannot learn how to be happy with everybody, if I cannot smile with everybody, if I cannot share joy with everybody, what is the purpose of human life? It is not worth the salt. We should be able to mingle with everybody, even more so in a spiritual organisation. After all, we all belong to one world.
Let us look at the way Bhagavan speaks of the two dogs, Jack and Jill, and of His classmates, Suresh and Ramesh, from long ago. Or, the way He says “Thank you!” to a buffalo in Madanapalle that fetched water every day. Thank you to a buffalo! Most fellows don’t do that.
See the way He loves flowers: When I was standing close to Him for a personal photograph, He said, “Just go a little behind. Let the flowers also appear in the photograph. They are more beautiful than you!”Look at the way He loves the plants and the trees. When an innocent child starts picking and pinching the leaves, He chides him. He warns the child’s father, “Don’t let your son do that!”
“Why, Bhagavan?”
He tells him, “Leaves have consciousness. Trees have consciousness.”
A few years ago, the Brindavan boys staged an item for the Sports Meet where they had a display of stunts on the backs of horses. These horses were running very fast. It all looked very nice. Suddenly Bhagavan said, “Stop it!” Why? He saw the horses were sweating heavily. “How can you do that sort of thing? Letting those horses sweat like that? Stop it!”
That is consciousness. Being with the leaf, being with the flower, being with a bee, being with a horse, being with a buffalo, finding kinship is consciousness. That is consciousness. Some people say, “I cannot mingle with just anybody; I go with my group.” They are just in a circus, in a cage. No, no. I should be able to be friendly with everybody.
EDUCARE IS BEING LOVE ON TWO FEET
Friendliness and loveliness are features of the Divine. After all, you may have one friend or two friends or three friends, but you can be friendly with everybody. Friendliness is Educare. You can love one or two. You can be a lover to one or two. But also Love is yourself, for you are verily Love. You are the embodiment of Love. You are the personification of Love. You are Love on two feet. That is Educare. Educare is not being a lover, but being Love itself.
Educare is the study of the spirit. This means the acquisition of awareness of consciousness, acquired through meditation. It is consciousness that is beyond the body, the mind, space and time. That’s who you really are.
BHAGAVAN’S DIVINE PLAN
Balvikas is ‘the one you think you are’. Education in Human Values is ‘the one others think you are’, while Educare is ‘the one you really are’.
Conscious – Balvikas.
Contemplation – Education in Human Values.
Meditation – Educare.
Body – Balvikas.
Mind – Education in Human Values.
The spirit or soul – Educare.
Conscious, contemplation, meditation is Educare. Stories, values, your true Self, the Atma, and identification with that, is Educare. Educare - what a wonderful plan! Bhagavan’s Divine Plan!
THE EDUCATION WING HAS NO TIME OR SPACE LIMITATIONS
He wants you to grow from one level to another: From conscious to conscience to consciousness; from the body to the mind to the spirit; from concentration to contemplation to meditation. What a wonderful Divine guidance it is! (Applause) This shows an evolutionary process, a continuous journey to eternity. It is not a time-bound plan.
So, the education wing has no retirement. The education wing has no limitation. It has no limitation of strength, space, classes, bell or anything whatsoever. Classroom teaching requires a bell. Balvikas can be anywhere, be it on a platform or at the airport, on the road or under the tree, down the valley, up a hill or in the deep sea.
The education wing has swadhyaya, the Study Circle, which requires self-study. Then it takes you to pravachana, the teaching. Balvikas. Education in Human Values, and Educare - all come under the education wing of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation.
THE THREE STAGES OF EDUCATION WING
Balvikas introduces religion through stories, and thinking of the body of which we are conscious. What is the first state? ‘The one you think you are’. Balvikas takes you to religion. There are different physical bodies in religion. Rama was very tall. Yama Dharmaraja (the god of death) was very fat, and most disturbing, even in a dream. Krishna stands for beauty, mischief, and for being a great statesman, oftentimes the politician. So the body, Krishna’s smiling face, and so forth, is nothing but being ‘conscious’.
Ajaanubahum Aravindadalaayathaksham.
That is the body. That is nothing but the conscious state, ‘the one you think you are’. That takes you to different stories and that requires concentration.
The second stage is Education in Human Values. Education in Human Values does not speak of religion. It speaks of the philosophy of religion. It makes you think of the mind and not of the body. It is not at the physical level. Nor is it at the material or mundane level. It is the psychological domain, the psychic domain. So it is the mind.
That takes you to understanding the conscience and the individual soul through values. What values do you have? Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love -- Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema. You ruminate, ponder and think over these values. This is what we call contemplation.
Educare is not about religion; religion is Balvikas. Educare is not philosophy; that is Education in Human Values. Educare is spirituality. Educare is the underlying current. What is it all about?
It is all about Atma, not about the body, as in Balvikas; not about the mind, as in Education in Human Values. It is Atma, your real core, which is nothing but consciousness, which you experience through the process of meditation.
Atma, at the individual level, is the conscience. Atma, at the universal level, is consciousness. The air in the balloon is conscience; the air around it is consciousness. The Kolar gold mine is consciousness; the gold earring is conscience. Am I clear? That’s it.
Therefore, the Educare that speaks of the Atma at the individual level is conscience; at the universal, cosmic level, it is consciousness. This can be experienced and felt through the process of meditation.
Having concentrated fully at the Balvikas level, we try to contemplate on the values at the Education in Human Values level. Then, by the process of meditation, we know what Educare is. This finally represents the ‘one you really are.’
The one you think you are – Balvikas.
The one others think you are – Education in Human Values.
The one you really are – Educare.
That’s it. That is the first part of the talk. With your permission, I move on to the second part.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EDUCARE AND EDUCATION
The second part is the difference between Educare and education. This is very necessary to know because of the way Educare has been understood up to now. The way Educare has been transmitted is not to my satisfaction in any way.
God simplifies, while man complicates! When God puts it in such simple terms, we are capable of manipulating it and making it so complicated that it makes the other person disgusted, vexed, and indifferent. So that’s not my job now. Our job is to know how simple it is.
EDUCATION HAS PERPETRATED CRIME
Recently, Bhagavan gave a talk to teachers from Zambia and Thailand. The theme of His talk happened to be Educare. A few points that I am going to share with you are based on the Divine talk given to the teachers.
Before taking leave of Him, I showed Him these slides enthusiastically, and said, “Chaala bagundayya.”
“Swami, naaku siggesthondi. Meeru aa maata annoddu. Yenduku bavundadu? Ivanni mee matalu. Naa maatalu antha bavundavani naaku thelusu. Ivanni meevi mathrame, Swami.”
“Yemantha thelikaga cheppasthunnave.”
“Meerantha thelikaga chepparu kanuka.”
So this is what it is.
Chaduvulanniyu chaduva tharka vaadambe kaani poorna gyaanamu yepudu ponda ledu.
Education will help you to argue and to put across your viewpoint with the needed skill to convince the other man. It is an excellent art of manipulation, to make the other man forget his own question.
What is it that education has done today? To quote Bhagavan, “Where there are a number of educational institutes, there are numbers of courts, a number of advocates, a number of prisons, a number of thefts, a number of bank robberies, kidnappings, and what not! So, that is the outcome of education.”
TECHNOLOGY MEANS “TAKE KNOWLEDGE”
Some time back, Bhagavan granted an interview to a group of people and asked them, “What is that you are doing?”
“Swami, we are students of M.Tech.”
“What does that mean?”
They said, “Master of Technology”. Oho!
“Who is a Master?” They had no answer. He asked the professor himself, “Who is a Master?”
He said, “Whoever mastered the subject.”
Bhagavan said, “Certainly not!”
Then Bhagavan said, “A Master is not the Master of the subject. A Master is not the one who has gone deep into the content of the course. A Master is the one who is the Master of his senses.”
Everybody was taken by surprise, with their mouths wide open, because no one had thought of it that way.
Then He came to the second part of it. “What is technology?”
One student said, “Swami, applied science is technology.”
Then Swami said, “If it is applied science, why should there be a word like ‘technology’?” Finished!
He asked another professor, “What is technology?”
He said, “Science in application is technology.”
“You are totally wrong.”
Then, what is technology? Each one started giving his interpretation and definition.
Bhagavan said, “No, no, no, no. Having been educated, having learned all knowledge, having taken possession of the skills and talents, you should go to society and tell everybody, ‘Take knowledge, take knowledge’. That is ‘tech-nology’!”
“Or else, it is ‘trick knowledge’, to learn more tricks. Life is full of tricks. So, it is not ‘trick knowledge’. It is ‘take knowledge’. ‘Take my knowledge.’”
“Your knowledge should be beneficial to your fellow men. Having been born in society, having grown and been brought up in society, having acquired your knowledge in society, you have to express your gratitude by appearing in front of society and telling them, ‘Take knowledge.’ That is the true technology,” He said.
EDUCATION IS FROM THE TEACHER - EDUCARE IS FROM GOD
So my friends, if we question ourselves about today’s education, we will be convinced why Bhagavan wants Educare today. Now we have Educare to care for ourselves, and Educare to care for society. We have Educare to know our real identity, true nature and knowledge of the Self. Educare is care of the Self; the Supreme Self is Educare.
So, knowledge is what is given to you by your teacher. A teacher is a transmitter. Who is a teacher? A teacher is a transmitter of information from one generation to another generation. He is only a carrier, a transmitter. That’s all.
Education is obtained with the help of a teacher, but Educare is not like that, Educare requires a Master. Who is the Master? God is the only Master. Why? He has mastered all the senses.
We are only ‘misters’. We are Mr. So-and-So, Mr. So-and-So. The Master is God. Sage Dakshinamurthy. Yes. Adi Sankara. They are Divine Masters.
That is the reason why my good friend, Mr. Narasimha Murthy, is very careful to address Bhagavan as ‘Divine Master’. In every talk he says “Divine Master” because the Divine is the only Master. The Master is the Divine.
So, while education is received from a teacher, Educare is from the Master.
EDUCATION GIVES KNOWLEDGE, EDUCARE GIVES WISDOM
Secondly, education gives you knowledge. Knowledge of what? It gives you facts and figures, but knowledge of what? It gives you knowledge of everything that is happening and has happened. It gives knowledge of facts and figures, whereas Educare gives you wisdom.
Educare gives you wisdom. Knowledge and wisdom are different. A knowledgeable man differs from a wise man. A knowledgeable man has a lot of information – a fund of information, information gathered from books, from all the book shelves available.
TEACHER IS MADE BUT MASTER IS BORN
But what has Baba said? “A person who is surrounded by books is comparable to a man surrounded by bottles of tablets and capsules.” If a man is surrounded by bottles of capsules, syrup, liquids and tablets, he is a patient. Similarly, the man surrounded by books is a confused man. If you ask him one question, he will give ten answers, none of which will satisfy you.
So, teachers are qualified to confuse you, but a Master is not ‘qualified’ at all. A Master is born with mastery. A Master is born a Master. A teacher is made. Talents are born. A singer is born. A painter is born. A sculptor is born. A poet is born. A Master is born. But a teacher is made. He becomes a teacher once he has attained a B.Ed. With a M.Ed., he becomes a teacher in the college of education. With a Ph.D., he can teach in a university. A teacher is made.
EDUCATION GIVES INFORMATION, EDUCARE BRINGS TRANSFORMATION
During education, we receive information - information about all fields of knowledge: physical sciences, science and technology, the humanities, medicine, and engineering. That is education - a fund of information.
Educare is not merely information. Educare is information leading to transformation. Educare brings about transformation, while education only gives you information.
In education, you get all the information through the senses - all that I see, all that I hear, all that I touch. These senses are the windows of knowledge, the gateways of knowledge, in that they receive information -- all that is seen, all that is heard, all that is touched. The senses are the gateways of knowledge. This is education.
But Educare is not this sort of knowledge. It is the wisdom you are born with. You are born with Prajnanam Brahma. You are born with the awareness, Prajnanam Brahma. Tat Twam Asi - That thou art. You are not ‘going to become’. If you are ‘going to become’, you may lose it later; if you are ‘going to become’, then you ‘are not’ now.
So, this Educare is not concerned with past or future. Educare is right here and now. Educare is here and now. It is not of the past. Knowledge is of the past. Knowledge is about debt because it is of the past. Knowledge is borrowed, whereas wisdom is not borrowed. It is one’s own intuition.
You receive education via the senses. You receive wisdom via intuition. Intuition is wisdom, while the senses merely transfer knowledge.
What is intuition? We all have intuition. We are all intuitive. Some people call intuition the ‘inner voice’. Some people call it ‘conscience’.
DISCOVERIES MADE THROUGH INTUITION
Tuition is education. Intuition is Educare. And what is this intuition? Here is a simple example. A person walking by saw an apple falling onto the ground. Because his intuition awakened, he just postulated a discovery. He formulated the theory of gravitational force. The law of gravitational force was not a discovery made in the laboratory. It was not anything to do with equipment such as a burette, a pipette, scales, a thermometer or a barometer, a telescope or a stethoscope. No scope whatsoever was involved. Intuition alone was responsible for the law of gravitational force. The law came from within.
A boy went to offer his prayers in a synagogue. He knelt and started praying. Suddenly he heard a sound trrr…trrrrr. He opened his eyes and saw a lamp swinging from side to side. He started counting how many times it moved to this end, and how many times it moved to that end. That led to the discovery of watches, clocks. That boy was Galileo. His intuition led to the creation of time pieces. So watches and clocks were not discovered in any laboratory, factory, national defence lab, or international lab. Intuition alone was responsible.
A person was taking a bath in a tub. Suddenly he noticed that some water spilled out of the tub. He came up with the law of density. This was Archimedes.
On his way to church, a pastor noticed a number of plants of the same variety with flowers of different colours. The plants were the same, but the colours were different. Some were white; some were bright. Some were blue; some were pink. Different colours, but they were all the same type of plant. They were all garden peas, but they were of different colours. The pastor was none other than John Mendon, who formulated the theory of inheritance. This is another instance of a discovery not taking place in the laboratory. It was the result of the awakening of intuition.
Suppose you are trying to make a decision as to whether to go or not to go to Puttaparthi. The inner voice tells you, “Go now!” That is intuition.
INTUITION GOES AFTER CONVICTION, MIND GOES AFTER CONVENIENCE
Some people ask me the question: “Sir, how to know the difference between the directives or the dictates of the mind, as opposed to the dictates of intuition or conscience. How to distinguish and differentiate between the two? Is it the mind that dictates to me or is it the intuition that wants me to do that. How to differentiate?”
My answer is this. It is very simple. Mind tells you that which you find to be convenient. ‘Let me go to Holiday Inn this evening, or why not go to some theatre, or why not watch some interesting TV serial, this being Sunday?’ That is the prompting of the mind. That is psychological.
‘Nothing doing. You go to do service.’ That is intuition. Intuition goes after conviction, mind goes after convenience.
Mind speaks of those things that constitute unfulfilled desires. The mind goes on dreaming about some desires which are not fulfilled. The mind goes on reminding you about them. ‘What was lost to you earlier, have now. You missed that picture then, now it is released. Why don’t you go?’
WHILE MIND IS HUMAN, INTUITION IS DIVINE
So, mind is something like a computer. It is something like a tape recorder. You can rewind or go fast forward. But intuition has got nothing to do with rewinding or going fast forward. It is directive, commanding, demanding, challenging and uncompromising.
Commanding, demanding, uncompromising are the terms of the inner voice. While mind is human, the intuition is Divine. While mind is physical, worldly, mundane, intuition is spiritual. Intuition is totally spiritual and Divine.
Therefore, education speaks of the mind. It is the mind that registers all the classroom lectures. It is the mind that registers all the quotations from famous books. Mind makes me a scholar. Mind makes me a goonda.
Mind has got both positive and negative aspects. At its best, it will make you a scholar. But intuition makes you a wise man or a man of wisdom.
Who is a wise man? A wise man is one who knows the eternal, not just this moment.
Chaduvulanniyu chaduva ksheenudu avagunambu maana ledu.
A mean man would not be able to give up his mean habits in spite of the acquisition of knowledge.
Chaduvulanniyu chaduvi chavanga netiki? Chavu leni chaduvu chaduvavalayu
Earn the knowledge to be immortal or deathless. That is Educare.
EDUCATION IS EXPLANATION, EDUCARE IS EXCLAMATION
Education is a matter of questioning. Why this? Why not that? Why? How? What? These are the questions one asks while undertaking education. Education is a question. Question leads to investigation. Investigation leads to observation. Observation leads to formulation. Formulation ends up in a theory. That is education.
But, Educare is not a question. It is a quest. Educare is a quest, while education is a question. Quest is different from question. Quest is a search. Quest is an enquiry. Quest involves turning inward. Quest requires one to go beyond the senses. Quest aims to take you to your reality; to make you know your true identity.
One poses a question only to find an answer, suitable or unsuitable. I think I am clear. And education is a question that is solved. Every question has got a solution. So, question solved is education.
But Educare is a quest which is not solved; rather it is a quest wherein you are dissolved. Why and how? You can no more say what you are. You are dissolved. You have become a drop in the ocean. A river that has merged into the ocean has no claim or identity whatsoever. An ornament melted into gold loses its name and form. That is the meaning of quest. The individual gets dissolved.
Education is full of explanation. The more and more you explain, the more and more educated you are. Education is explanation, but Educare is exclamation. When you see the Taj Mahal, you are filled with awe and wonder. You are filled with wonder, awe, inspiration, admiration and adoration. That is the exclamation one experiences through Educare.
Framing your ideas is explanation. So, education is explanation, while Educare is exclamation. In education, there is argument and counter-argument; thesis and anti-thesis; Darwinism and Neo-Darwinism; Lamarckism and Neo-Lamarckism; Bernoulli’s hypothesis; and Avogadro’s hypothesis. Dalton’s atomic theory provided further contradiction; thesis and antithesis; argument and counter-argument.
SYNTHESIS IS THE QUINTESSENCE OF EDUCARE
So, thesis, anti-thesis is just a game in education. But, synthesis is the quintessence of Educare. Synthesis, togetherness, grouping, unity, harmony is Educare. Disharmony, specialisation, diversification is education. Centralisation is Educare. To centre is Educare, while to remain on the periphery is education. I think I am clear.
Centre is one; periphery is everywhere. We are studying about that centre in Educare. Education has taken us to specialisation and super-specialisation.
I’ll give you a small anecdote. One gentleman in Bombay had some tooth problem. His age was about 40.
Yes. This gentleman had some tooth problem on the right side of the upper jaw. He went to a dentist and said, “Doctor saab, this is my problem.”
The doctor said, “Sorry sir, I am a specialist in the lower jaw. Better you go to another doctor.”
So he went to another doctor and said, “Sir, I understand you are a specialist in the upper jaw. My problem is on the right side.”
The doctor said, “I am an expert of the left side. Better you go to some other man.”
So he went to another doctor, “Sir, are you a specialist for the left side? Please let me know.”
This doctor said, “There are different types of teeth - canines, molars and incisors. Which type of tooth is the problem? I don’t know because I am a specialist. Go next door.”
In the end, the fellow lost his teeth due to lack of care.
Educare makes you complacent, gratified, satisfied, contented, happy, and blissful. No more bonds or desires because you are at the very centre of your life. You are at the very centre of life. You are not dancing around the periphery. You are not galloping near the periphery. You are at the very centre. That is Educare.
BECOMING IS EDUCATION, BEING IS EDUCARE
So, education, with its super-specialisation, leads to confusion, whereas Educare leads to gratification. Education leads to more and more desire. Desirelessness is the result of Educare. Education makes us selfish. Selflessness is the result of Educare.
My friends, if I want to become a doctor, an engineer or a pilot I must undergo the required education. Education is for becoming (something). Becoming is education. You need education in order to become something.
But Educare is not about becoming. It leads to being. Being is Educare. Becoming is education. Syntheses is Educare. Its anti-thesis is education. Transformation is Educare. Information is education. Mind is education. Heart is Educare. Knowledge is education. Wisdom is Educare. Education is given by a teacher. Educare is transmitted by a Master.
You receive education by observation of the outer world. Yes, you have to observe. You observe any scientist. He observes his own recordings. He performs an experiment and makes his own recordings. Education is external, taking place in the laboratory or in the classroom; whereas Educare is within you. Education is pravritti, while Educare is nivritti. Pravritti is external knowledge, outward knowledge. Nivritti is inward wisdom.
So, nivritti is beyond the senses while pravritti is below the senses. And then, pravritti speaks of ‘this’. This is an auditorium. This is a screen. This is a mike. This is an atom. This is a molecule. This is an electron. So, education speaks of ‘this’, while Educare speaks of ‘that’. Twam – education - this. Tat – Educare -that
So there’s a wide gulf of difference between Educare and education. Balvikas is one shore of the river and Educare is the other shore. The bridge between the two shores is EHV.
BALVIKAS, EHV AND EDUCARE ARE ALL IMPORTANT
From Iha to Para, from padartha to parartha, from grantha to gandha, saugandha -- This is essence. Educare is about essence. Balavikas is about existence. One is about existence, while the other is about essence. The bridge of EHV takes you from one shore to the other.
“Sir, I want to be on this shore.”
“Alright.”
“I want to stay there on the bridge.”
“Useless. You should go across to the other shore.”
All three are important. One is a corollary to the other.
Balvikas is the sugarcane; EHV is the juice; and Educare is the sugar. You can’t expect to have the sugar without the juice. There’s no juice without the sugarcane. All the three are required.
What a beautiful example Bhagavan gave to those boys, the teachers from Zambia!
He said, “A-B-C are necessary. Twenty-six letters are in the English alphabet. There are fifty-two letters in the Telugu language. The letters are few, but thousands and thousands of pages of volumes have been written with these few letters.”
So, letters are the balvikas, words are EHV, and sentences are Educare. A-B-C-D are letters. Love and God are words. ‘God is Love,’ ‘Love is God,’ and ‘Live in Love,’ are sentences. Would you say, “I don’t want words” or “I want to stay with words only?” Can you say, “I want only sentences?” All the three are necessary.
THE WHOLE UNIVERSE IS ESSENTIALLY DIVINE
Educare begins right from birth. You are born with Educare. Education speaks of the outer world, pravritti, outer marga, while Educare speaks of nivritti, inward marga. Education is a question solved, while Educare is a quest, an enquiry through which you are dissolved. Education is explanation, while Educare is exclamation. Education speaks of this twam, while Educare speaks of that -- tat.
Education is about life manifest. Electricity manifests as heat, as light, as sound. The mike, the generator, a bulb, a heater and a fridge are all gadgets or instruments through which the inner electricity manifests. Am I clear?
So, life manifests. Why do I say that life manifests? Because Sarvam Vishnu Mayam Jagat. The whole universe is essentially Divine. Divinity manifested in many forms. As sister Kamala Padmanabhan was explaining a couple of minutes ago, this is Vishwa Virat Swarupa.
So the point is that all this external phenomena is cosmic form. Someone asked Swami, “I want your Vishwa Virat Swarupa.”
Arey, auditorium, Vishwa virat swarupam. Meerantha ade!
Isa vasyamidam sarvam
Yat kincha jagatyam jagat
Tena tyaktena bhunjitha
Ma grdhah kasya sviddhanam.
Vasudeva sarvamithi. Life is creation as manifest form. Educare is the underlying electricity which is neither heat, nor cold, nor anything else. It is nirguna -attributeless, formless - nirakara, blemishless - anindya.
So, nirakara, nirguna, anindya, amartya, immortal. That principle of life unmanifest or the creator is Educare. Life manifesting is education. Thesis and anti-thesis are education. Synthesis, unity, and harmony are Educare.
EDUCATION IS KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED THROUGH THE SENSES
As I said earlier, the senses are the gateways. The senses represent the conscious mind. Through the senses, you get information. That information is stored in the form of knowledge, all bookish knowledge, all superficial knowledge, that you acquired by making some effort -- six years of schooling, three years of graduate studies, and two years of post-graduate studies. Strenuous, laborious effort is required to acquire knowledge through books and teachers. Effort is required to become a doctor or engineer.
After that, what happens to you? Pride, ego, pomp arise. You feel you can no longer mix with everybody.
A SPIRITUAL PERSON IS THE BEST COMMUNICATOR
My friends, a spiritual man is the best communicator. He is able to mix with everybody, no matter whether the other person is educated or not. Here is Bhagavan who talks to a gardener, a lorry driver, or a primary school boy in the same manner as to Dr. Gokak and Kaamavadhani. That is the quality of a spiritual man.
The best communicator is a religious man. The best communicator is a spiritual Master. The best communicator is the Divine Master Himself. Education only makes us full of pride, ego and pomp.
“Do you know I am a Ph.D.?”
“Why should I know that you are a Ph.D.?”
“Do you know I am so-and-so?”
This identity is full of pride and ego. The senses receive information, which boils down to knowledge. Through effort we become something, and end up in pride and pomp. That’s the process.
EDUCARE IS TRANSCENDENTAL, EXPERIENTIAL WISDOM
In Educare, it is different. It is transcendental. It is beyond the senses because it deals with the inner world. The inner world is infinite. The inner world is reality. The inner world is your very being. The inner world is your true Self. Educare deals with the consciousness, the awareness, the awakeness, the experiential, experimental, existential wisdom that is your very being. It is experiential, existential awareness. Educare is transcendental, being beyond the senses.
Through Educare, you don’t get any information. You get yourself transformed. You come to know that the other fellow is not the ‘other’. ‘Other’ is non-existent in Educare. There is no ‘other’. You are everything, everyone.
Ekoham Bahushyam.
You manifested into me. There is no other. This is transformation. To feel that you and I are here is information. To feel that you and I are one, that there is no other, is transformation.
Ekamevaat Dwitiyam Brahma.
Only one -- not two. That is transformation. With this insight, what do you get? Wisdom. With wisdom, what do you get? Transformation. Practical knowledge is unlike bookish knowledge. It is unlike superficial knowledge. At best you can call this discriminating, practical knowledge as wisdom.
EDUCARE IS REALISATION WHICH IS ALREADY THERE
Information requires effort. You have to study day and night. You have to go to teachers, and do experiments in the laboratory until late in the night. Acquisition of information requires effort.
Educare involves the realisation of that which is already there. To know that there is a pen here, I don’t need to make an effort. I don’t need to go to Chikpet or Majestic Circle. I don’t need any communication. Not necessary. It is already there.
Tat Twam Asi – “You are That. You are That.”
So, some fellow will come and say, “Arey, there is pen there.”
“Oh, I see…”
The fellow who comes and tells you that there is a pen there is the Master. The one who knows that the pen is already there is one of Educare.
Educare is realisation of that which is already in existence. That’s what I mean by realisation. Education is becoming, while Educare is being.
While pride, ego and pomp are off-shoots of education, humility and awareness develop with Educare. While education is given by a teacher, Educare is given by a Master.
EDUCATION IS VIA COMMUNICATION, EDUCARE IS SILENT
Oral, verbal communication is necessary in education. But Educare is silent. Educare is inspiration from within. Educare is inspiration, illumination, radiation, expressionless expression, effortless effort, soundless sound.
Mouna vyakhya prakatitha Brahma,
Mouna vyakhya prakatitha Brahma.
Soundless sound.
Somebody asked Ramana Maharishi, “Swami, what shall I do to attain nirvana?”
He said, “Don’t do. Don’t do anything.”
It is not that easy not to do anything. The mind goes on thinking about everybody and everything. I think I am locked up in my room engrossed in meditation. I think I am alone. No, no, no, no. You are not alone. You are in a crowd because you think of your college; you think of the mandir; you think of Majestic Circle, the bus stand and Rajajinagar. Though you are alone, in fact, you are in a crowd. I think I am clear.
You are alone physically, but you are in a crowd mentally. It is useless. On the other hand, you may be in a crowd, but yet all alone, by yourself. You can be in a crowd, but yet, all alone. You can be left to yourself. You can be alone; but aloneness is different from loneliness.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EDUCARE AND EDUCATION
Yama Dharmaraja told Nachiketha, “I will give you all education.”
The boy said, “Nothing doing, my lord. Teach me Educare.”
“No, no. I will give you all the property of this world.”
“Nothing doing, my lord. Please teach me Educare.”
Yama Dharmaraja was prepared to give education, but Nachiketha wanted Educare, which came in the form of Nachikethopakhyana of Upanishadic literature.
Adi Sankara had one disciple, Padmapaada. While Adi Sankara was teaching everything to his disciples, Padmapaada did not receive any formal, verbal information from his teacher.
When he was drying all the clothes, all of a sudden clouds appeared, followed by a terrific rain. The clothes were driven out by the raging waves, the frowning clouds, and the thunder. Immediately Padmapaada started leaping around in order to collect all the clothes. Wherever he jumped, there appeared a lotus flower so that he would not drown in the torrent. Guru Sankara taught Padmapaada everything in this way via silent communion.
While the rest of the disciples had communication, Padmapaada received information through communion, by He who is the co-composer of Bhaja Govindam with Adi Sankara.
That is, in brief my friends, the differences between Educare and education. I must have taken more time than necessary. I am always guilty of that, but my audience has been very good to bear with me. I want to make a final comment on, “The future plan of action”.
GIVE UP COMPARISON AND COMPETITION
Firstly, I spoke about an organisation topography; secondly, about the difference between education and Educare. Now, thirdly, here is a plan of action. With no malice, with no hatred, I just make certain statements out of my three decades of association with the Sai Organisation and its institutions, for the collective benefit.
First point I want to make is -- give up comparison and competition in order to be better off in life. Comparison and competition are like cancer and kidney failure. That is enough to transport us to the other planet! Let us not compare ourselves with others. Let us not compete with each other. The tendency to compare and compete is just the opposite of spirituality. This is the first point that I wish to make.
ORGANISATION TOPOLOGY
The second point is -- let us all work together.
Mata Pita Guru Daivamu Mari Anthayu Nene.
He is our Father. He tells devotees from other states that they are brothers and sisters. We are one family.
How to go about Educare? Point 1: I want one person to be in-charge at the district level to monitor Educare, in order to oversee how it is going on.
Then there should be one person at the state level, to collect the data pertaining to all the details of what is going on everywhere. He should be able to tell every person what is happening in the neighbouring district. He should be able to be the contact person between the state president, state mahila convenor, and the rest of the people. Without designation, he discharges his duty.
TO BE ORDINARY IS EXTRAORDINARINESS
People without designation do a lot. My friends, bear in mind, the most precious things in this world are ordinary. The most precious things in the world are ordinary, yet we want to be extraordinary. That is the tragedy. There is nothing extraordinary in being extraordinary. To be ordinary is extraordinary. To be ordinary constitutes extraordinariness.
Clouds are ordinary. Rain is ordinary. Sunlight is ordinary. Moonlight is ordinary. Mountain tops are ordinary. Greenery, the slopes, the forests, the harvests are ordinary. Yet a simple human being, whose lif
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| Shekhawat offers prayers at Shirdi |
| 09.24.04 (12:12 am) [edit] |
Shekhawat offers prayers at Shirdi
September 24, 2004
Maharashtra, India
Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, Sep 19 : Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today offered prayers at the famous Shirdi temple here.
Mr Shekhawat, who arrived at the shrine at 1100 hrs, spent nearly half-an-hour there. He was welcomed by the President of the Shirdi Saibaba Trust Jayant Shashane.
Mr Shekhawat said he had always been a devotee of the Saibaba and added that this was his second visit to the temple after becoming the Vice President.
He said he used to visit the shrine when he was the Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
Stating that it was a place of worship for people belonging to different faiths, he said the temple symbolised unity.
The Vice-President, who left Shirdi at 1400 hrs, was presented with an idol of the Saibaba and a shawl by trustee Ashok Khambekar.
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| Mystic manifestation |
| 09.23.04 (2:21 pm) [edit] |
Mystic manifestation
Religion has its basis in unquestioned faith while science is rooted in proven facts, yet both originated from humankind’s desire to understand our origin and environment. Voices Coordinators tell us about miracles and superstitions from around the world
Religion and science are usually perceived as binary forces, for religion has its basis in unquestioned faith while science is rooted in proven facts. However both originated from the human desire to understand their origin and environment. Archaic man searched for answers to numerous questions and this quest resulted in a body of knowledge called science.
But many vital queries remained unanswered and to deal with them man turned towards faith, the belief in a superhuman power referred to as God. Since then science has made many strides and various belief systems and religions have also evolved to enable man to overcome his frailties.
Since the nineteenth century most people, under the influence of post-Enlightenment Europe had deliberately tried to become rational and scientific. Yet beyond the realm of our knowledge which is wholly derived from five senses, has always lurked a grey zone of half perceived, preternatural incidents and experiences. Faith and not reason alone can explain these phenomena and significantly most religions have their share of these strange occurrences.
In Christianity they are called “Miracles” and in Hinduism they are called “Chamatkars”. Both have the same meaning — an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention.
Christian miracles for example have shown an uncanny resemblance. The archive of these bizarre incidents that are beyond any valid scientific explanations is staggering. In the year 988 A.D. the inhabitants of Pucelles at New Orleans, France were awestruck by the mysterious weeping of Jesus. Soon a devastating fire ruined the city and people realised that the weeping Crucifix was a forewarning of a disaster.
In 1972 a statue of Virgin Mary at Porto San Stefano began to bleed. A few months later in Akita in Japan a wooden statue of the blessed Virgin Mary also began to bleed. The statue even perspired and began to emit a clear fluid from the eyes that looked like tears. The statue reportedly wept 101 times. In addition to tears the statue’s right hand oozed out a reddish-brown fluid. Both the fluids were sent for laboratory testing without disclosing the source. The teardrops were identical in composition to human tears. The other fluid was found to be of human origin of blood type AB.
In the year 1992 in San Thomas, Mexico, Ana Avila, a sixth grader found discovered tears flowing down a three-foot Madonna statue. The girl was praying for her mother who was suffering from cancer. When Ana returned home that day she found that her mother was cooking dinner. She had been so unwell for a long time that she was unable to get out of bed earlier.
Word quickly spread throughout the town and other healings were reported. People from all over the world arrived on crutches and stretchers and walked away on their own will. Scientists from USA and Mexico City confirmed that the tears are real but could not provide an explanation about the miracles.
Miracles in Hinduism and other religions are equally uncanny and do not have a logical explanation.
In the early 1970’s the devotees of Satya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi in South India witnessed a miracle. On certain days of the week the picture of Satya Baba emitted an ash-like substance which came to be known as “bibhuti”. The picture frames were thoroughly scrutinised but convincing explanation of this occurrence could not be found.
Burmese religious pilgrims flocked to Nyaunglaybin township, 160 kms north of Rangoon to witness multi-coloured light appearing from a Buddhist monastery. At the centre of this was a Buddhist monk named Sayadew. In recent years the monk has become well-known for his hour long sermons at which listeners are required to remain perfectly still with their eyes closed.
Sayadew’s followers claim to have seen Buddha’s relics on the monk’s robes. He told his followers that those who have been blessed with the fortune by looking at those relics would be distanced from hell by 92 worlds.
While some miracles like the Shivalinga shaped papaya or the “five hooded naga” which is really a pumpkin climber, can be dismissed as freaks of nature; others may have a more rational answer.
Ganesha, one of the most enduring images of Hinduism, kicked off a never seen before mass hysteria on 21 September, 1995. A man in Delhi dreamt that Ganesha was craving for milk. He went to a nearby temple and offered milk to Ganesha, the moment a spoonful of milk was placed before the idol’s image it vanished. By evening everyone who offered milk to Ganesha claimed He had consumed it. The frenzy ended the same night as rationalists were quick to attribute it to normal capillary action, yet another theory was absorption.
In our modern society so rife with tension, trauma and violence, faith and science help us cope with our turbulent existence. While science provides us with answers to vital problems, faith helps us tackle the unanswerable. Even if we do not accept miracles, there is no denying the fact that these experiences help people to emerge stronger and better than before.
These uncanny events unite rather than divide people, and most importantly, they keep our curiosity alive and remind us of a suprenatural power; somewhat like Fox Mulder from The X-Files would say, “the truth is somewhere out there.”
Shreya Sarkar, GD Birla Centre for Education
Ankur Modi, Birla High School (Boys)
Sujaan Mukherjee, South Point High School
Anindya Chowdhury, WWA Cossipore English School
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| From Rationality To Morality To Spirituality |
| 09.23.04 (9:50 am) [edit] |
From Rationality To Morality To Spirituality
William and Debra Miller
In previous articles, we’ve shared inspiring stories of people who have found their “true calling” in their work. Another way that some people have walked this path is to deepen their calling as their career progresses.
The story of Peter Pruzan , Professor Emeritus from the Copenhagen Business School – and one of our colleagues in researching and writing about spiritual-based work – exemplifies that kind of deepening.
His career was influenced each step of the way by his personal evolution “from rationality to morality to spirituality”, as he describes it. For his retirement celebration from the business school, Peter wrote an essay about his journey; we found it fascinating to see how his career correlated with his inner awakening...
“I grew up in a middle class, intellectual family in New York, where logic, facts, rationality were the only acceptable perspectives on reality – and where “success”, in the forms of economic wealth or intellectual achievement, was paramount. There was little place for intuition and metaphysical conjecture – or for joy. And there was certainly no room for faith based on a religion or in a benevolent Godhead.
“ During my graduate studies and my early professional work , I looked at the world through an optic of hyper-rationality. My expertise in applying mathematical optimisation techniques to complex decision problems in business was in great demand. I worked for IBM and the Technical University of Denmark before starting a highly successful international consulting firm that worked at the leading edge of theory and application.
“When I turned 40 in 1976, I sold my business and returned to academia. It was in connection with my renewed academic work that I slowly moved from my “rationality phase” to my “morality phase”.
“ Personal experience and intellectual reflection had led me to challenge my previous world-views and to evolve a concept of ethics that was a natural expansion of my work with economic rationality. From the mid-1980s, I worked at the forefront of emerging fields such as business ethics, social and ethical accounting, values-based leadership and corporate social responsibility.
“ I achieved international recognition in both of these phases of my career path. But underway, there was also suffering in my personal life that no amount of success could compensate for. Perhaps the pain I experienced led to a softening of my heart, so that I was able to open myself to my spiritual teacher, Sathya Sai Baba, whom I met in India in 1989.
“ I was fascinated by this teacher’s extremely inclusive, non-sectarian approach to the notion of spirituality and his emphasis on the notion of loving and serving others as the key devotional practice. I was also challenged by the focus on our ego as the major barrier to our personal development.
“ This radically altered my aspirations in life , my understanding of reality and my relationship with myself. And this of course had a significant feedback to my professional development. All my work as an economist and a businessman focused on the world around me.
“ Almost overnight, this focus was supplemented by a powerful urge to know myself, and to live in accord with my truth. This “spirituality phase” has led to my lecturing internationally on spirituality and business, and to my meeting and marrying my soul-mate, Kirsten.
“ Looking back at the path I have travelled so far , my “quality of life” has undergone a metamorphosis. In my youth, coping was in focus. Then came structuring and achieving via a powerful, often cynical focus on my (and others’) rational behaviour. Later on my rational reflection led to a broader, moral perspective. And since my spiritual awakening, I have gradually become more aware of who I truly am and of the joy and peace and love that is our birthright.
“ I know from experience that practices such as meditation, prayer, enjoying the company of like-minded people and actively seeking a meaning in existence, which transcends my senses and my intellect, will support me on my path... a path from myself to my-Self, a path from becoming to being, a path that ends where it begins, at the wellspring of rationality, morality and spirituality.”
So, ask yourself: What has been the relation between my personal, spiritual development and my career path?
IndiaTimes Spirituality
September 17, 2004
Copyright © 2004 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved.
http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/854135.cms" title="http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/854135.cms" target="_blank"http://spirituality.indiatime...
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| Baba's Miracles - 5 |
| 09.23.04 (5:46 am) [edit] |
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Baba's Miracles - 5
" When truth is stranger than fiction"
- The Upanishads
Yes, Baba came, dined and conversed with me (Twenty six years after His Maha Samadhi)
It was about noon and Thursday too By force of habit, I looked towards the gate for some Fakir or Sadhu who might turn up for biksha. Ever since the advent of Baba into my life two years previously in '42 through the sacred contact of His Holiness Swami Kesavaiah, I had come to observe Thursday as Baba's day. You see, it was through swamiji's initiation into devotion to Baba and doing His 'Nnamasmaranam' that I was reclaimed from imminent death. On further being advised to fast every Thursday night for nine months and gave my meal to the first Fakir that might turn up, (which I accordingly did) I was gradually restored to health. Since then, I had made it a rule to feed a Fakir before taking the noon meal on Thursdays.
But this Thursday was unique, a red-letter day in a long life of sojourns on earth (punarapi jananam punarapi maranam) a culmination of persistent 'tapasya' through recurrent janma of some one in the family, in all probability my wife, or one of the children or may be my own imperfect self for his'Saakshaatkaara. For, to my utter surprise and astonishment, Baba Himself with His beatific smile was entering front enclosure! He was in same Bikshapathi pose as He manifested Himself the previous day as 'Mrutyanjaya to revive my dead son, almost within a split second of my denying His divinity and declaring Him to be a false deity! I eagerly hastened up to Him. After welcoming Him with all my heart, I begged Him to condescend to stay for food. He asked me with a twinkle in His eyes whether there was anything special that day, I said that it being a Thursday, it was our custom to offer food to a Fakir before our noon-meal. With the faintest flicker of a smile at the corners of His lips He wondered whether I would do so on Thursdays only.
Being rather academic and literal in my ways, I replied, rather obtusely, that it was so. I am not ashamed to confess that it look years for me, chewing the cud of it off and on, to sense the gentle admonition enshrined in His benevolent query, as if half in jest and half in earnest, 'Why not daily', and begin doing so. Be that as it may, I offered him a seat and ran inside with the glad tidings of Baba's visit and His gracious condescension to have food at our humble adobe. I beseeched my wife to round off the cooking forthwith and start serving the food, since 'Athithi's, specially holy ones, should not be made to wait unduly (Athidhi Devo Bhava) and, all the more so, because it was BABA HIMSELF How can one describe the signal good fortune so divinely bestowed upon my wife, Kamala, of personally serving food cooked by her to the Master of all CREATION (as described my Meherbaba) except to say that it is the cumulative fulfilment of all the good deeds of all her previous 'janmas at ONE STROKE! The whole beauty of it lay in the fact that she did not as a matter of course, characteristic of a 'gruha dharmini' fulfilling her obligation and to at this day not at all conscious of that greatest good furtune that can ever accrue to her. That is, indeed, as it be for "there is no vanity so damaging to one's character as pride over one's good deeds".
'SUCH are the chosen of God, the humble and the good at heart who it is that "inherit the kingdom of Heaven".
As Baba was graciously taking the meal, I put Him the stupidest of questions! I had the foolish temerity to ask Him where exactly at Vizianagaram (he was staying) This episode took place at Vizianagaram in Visakhapatnam dist. In March, 1944) imagine asking Him who had repeatedly given proof of His EXISTENCE at different places to different persons at one and the same time both during His incarnate stay at Shirdi as well as after His Mahaa Samdhi, either in a clearly recognisable manner of incognito, to be recognised, later on, both subjectively as well as by cumulative evidence, as none other than Baba Himself. How puerile and vain can man be that, not withstanding the show and pomp, penance and ostensible devotion with which he invokes the Lord, when He does appear, he fails to recognise Him! Even tapasvins were occasionally not exempt from such an woeful lapse.
The all-knowing Baba, speaking at my level, gave me an apt and satisfying reply. He said that he was staying at the Sri Subrahmanya Temple near the railway station, which, as will be seen presently, was true in a literal sense as also applicable universally according to His own proven assertion to many a devotee in respect of His identity with any idol or image or worship. I, of course, took His words literally and said, "All right Baba, if so I will surely go and see you". "Do come!", He confirmed and went back letting me accompany Him up to the gate. Indeed it is a misnomer to say he went back, for, how and where can He, the 'Sarvantaryamee', ever go to come back again for that matter? However, such wisdom was yet a long way from me.
Here it should be noted that Baba and I were conversing in Telugu, my mother-tongue, which He spoke with ease and in our dialect. I wonder why and how I had started talking thus. It seemed the natural thing to do. I now realise the question does not arise at all. I am sure any one in my place would have naturally spoken in his own language and Baba would have answered in it or vice versa. Mahalsapati (the earliest devotee of Baba at Shirdi) has vouched that many a time in the night while all were asleep, Baba used to converse with some unseen agent(s) in some foreign tongue(s)
Soon, I must unblushingly admit, I lapsed into the humdrum routine of existence, and all thought of the incarnate Baba receded to the back of my mind, though my daily worship went on as usual. About a month later, as I was about to take my noon-meal, the thought of my defferred visit to Baba in the temple flashed across my mind. At once, grabbing the hand of my convalescing son, I rushed out like one possessed and trotted along to reach the temple, about a mile away. I had often passed by it and noted it to be a transit camp for the Sadhus to and fro on their pilgrimage. Reaching the portal sweating and panting, I accosted the first person I saw and enquired about Baba's stay there, describing His person and dress in exact detail. To my great disappointment, he curtly replied there was none answering to that description, implying a muslim ascetic. I begged him to recollect and tell me or refer me to others whose sojourn might be longer than a month, insisting that the SADHU I was after had come and received biksha at our house and had averred that this was His abode at Vizianagaram. This rather annoyed him but, seeing my crest-fallen countenance, he softened a bit and assured me that none like the ONE I described had ever stayed at the temple since over a month during which period he himself had been staying there.
That was it. It was enough to deflate me completely. I was on the verge of tears. In this repentant and chastened mood, I decided that we might as well go in and worship Lord Subrahmanya and seek His blessings, for, I had learnt to see Baba in all deities (and vice-versa). As we went round and turned the corner to reach the front again, I came across an improvised minor sanctum common in temple premises. I casually looked inside. I was overwhelmed to behold a life-size portrait of Baba in exactly the same pose as He designed to visit our abode on two consecutive days first as 'Mrutyunjaya' and the next day as Divine 'Athithi1! In a flash, I understood what the 'Dayaa Sindu' had meant, both literally and in a metaphorical sense, when He told me that I could find Him here, as, indeed, anywhere one wants and needs, if only with all one's heart and will. Now, the flood gate burst open and I poured out my heart to him. Tears of joy welled up in my eyes flowing as if in an unending stream, and my heart melted away into secret raptures. I then remembered having heard some year ago while at Waltair that one Sri C. Rangaiah Naidu, under the inspiration of Sri D. Durgaiah Naidu, a pioneer devotee of Baba and well known to the Shirdi Sansthan, had installed a portrait of Baba for worship at Vizianagaram, This was it. My heart leapt as I felt reassured that Baba was, as He continues to be with me and I was not bereft of His Grace, that He is enshrined in every image and portrait of His, ready to manifest Him self at a split second's notice, or none at all, even as "the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath". It can be as His re-incarnation, or incognito as a person or an animal, or in a vision, or as subjective (or call if sub-conscious, superconscious or subliminal) realisation of His being 'BHAKTHA PARAADINA" ever alert to fulfil Himself according to His charter to give His children whatever they want so that they will being to want what He wants to give them, blessed is he who thus qualifies.
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| The Life Story of Shri Shiridi Sai Baba - Chapter XV |
| 09.23.04 (5:27 am) [edit] |
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The Life Story of Shri Shiridi Sai Baba
Sai-Satcharitra
Chapter XV
Naradiya Kirtan - Paddhati - Mr. Cholkar's Sugarless Tea - Two Lizards.
The readers may remember that mention was made in the 6th Chap-ter regarding the Rama-Navami Festival in Shirdi; how the festival origi-nated and how in the early years there was a great difficulty in getting a good Hardidas for performing Kirtan on that occasion, and how Baba permanently entrusted this function (Kirtan) to Dasganu permanently. Now in this Chapter we shall describe the manner in which Dasganu was performing the Kirtan.
Naradiya Kirtan-PaddhatiGenerally our Haridasas 2 , while performing the Kirtan, wear a gala and full dress. They put on a head-dress, either a pheta or a turban, a long flowing coat with a shirt inside, an uparane (short dhotar) on the shoulders and the usual long dhotar from the waist below. Dressed in this fashion for some Kirtan in the Shirdi village, Dasganu once went to bow to Baba. Baba asked him - "Well, bridegroom! where are you going dressed so beautifully like this?" 'For performing a Kirtan' was the re-ply.
Then Baba said - "Why do you want all this paraphemalia-coat, uparani and pheta etc, doff all that before Me, why wear them on the body?" Dasganu immediately took them off and placed them at the Baba's Feet. From that time Dasganu never wore these things while performing the Kirtan. He was always bare from waist upwards, a pair of chiplis' was in his hand and a garland round his neck. This is not in consonance with the practice generally followed by all the Hardidasa, but this is the best and the purest method. The sage Narada, from whom the Kirtan-Paddhati originated, wore nothing on his trunk and head. He carried a 'veena' in his hand, and wandered from place to place everywhere sing-ing the glory of the Lord.
Mr. Cholkar's Sugarless Tea Initially, Baba was known in Poona and Ahmednagar Districts, but Nanasaheb Chandorkar, by his personal talks and by Dasganu, by his splendid Kirtans, spread the fame of Baba in the Konkan (Bombay Presidency). In fact, it was Dasganu - May God bless him-who, by his beautiful and inimitable Kirtans, made Baba available to so many peo-ple there. The audience, who come to hear the Kirtans have different tastes. Some like the erudition of the Haridas; some his gestures, some his singing, some his wit and humour, some his preliminary dissertation on Vedanta, and some others, his main stories and so on; but among them, there are very few, who by hearing the Kirtan get faith and devotion or love for God or saints. The effect of hearing Dasganu's kirtan on the minds of audience was however electric, as it were. We give an instance here:
Dasganu was once performing his Kirtan and singing the glory of Sai Baba, in the Koupineshwar temple in Thana. One Mr. Cholkar, a poor man serving as a candidate in the Civil Courts in Thana, was amongst the audience. He heard Dasganu's Kirtan most attentively and was much moved. He there and then mentally bowed and vowed to Baba saying - "Baba, I am a poor man, unable to support my family. If by your grace, I pass the departmental examination, and get a permanent post, I shall go to Shirdi, fall at Your Feet and distribute sugar-candy in Your name." As good luck would have it, Mr.Cholkar did pass te examination and did get the permanent post and now it remained for him to fulfil his vow, the sooner the better.
Mr. Cholkar was a poor man with a large family to support; and he could not afford to pay for the expenses of a Shirdi trip. As is well said, one can easily cross over Nahne ghat in Thana Dis-trict or even the Sahyadri Range 2 ; but it is very difficult for a poor man to cross Umbareghat, i.e., the threshold of his house. As Mr. Cholkar was anxious to fulfill his vow as early as possible, he resolved to economize, cut down his expenses, and save money. He determined not to use sugar in his diet; and began to take his tea without it. After he was able to save some money in this way, he came to Shirdi, took Baba's darshan, fell at His Feet, offered a coconut, distributed it with a clean conscience along with sugar-candy as per his vow and said to Baba that he was much pleased with His darshan and that his desires were fulfilled that day.
Mr. Cholkar was in the Masjid with his host Bapusaheb Jog. When the host and the guest both got up and were about to leave the Masjid, Baba spoke to Jog as follows:- "Give him (your guest) cups of tea, fully saturated with Sugar." Hearing these significant words, Mr. Cholkar was much moved, he was wonderstruck, his eyes were bedewed with tears, and he fell at Baba's Feet again. Mr. Jog was also curious about this direc-tion, regarding the tea-cups to be given to his guest. Baba wanted by His words to create faith and devotion in Cholkar’s mind. He hinted as it were, that He got the sugar-candy as per his vow and that He knew full well his secret determination not to use sugar in his diet. Baba meant to say, “If you spread your palms with devotion before Me, I am immediately with you, day and night. Though, I am here bodily, still I know what you do; beyond the seven seas. Go wherever you will, over the wide world. I am with you. My abode is in your heart and I am within you. Always worship Me, Who is seated in your heart, as well as, in the hearts of all beings.
Blessed and fortunate, indeed, is he who knows Me thus.”What a beautiful and important lesson was thus imparted by Baba to Mr. Chokar !Two LizardsNow we close this Chapter, with a story of two little lizards. Once Baba was sitting in the Masjid. A devotee sat in front of Him, when a lizard tick-ticked. Out of curiosity, the devotee asked Baba whether this tick-ticking of the lizard signified anything; was it a good sign or a bad omen? Baba said that the lizard was overjoyed as her sister from Aurangabad was coming to see her.
The devotee sat silent, not making out the meaning of Baba's words. Immediately, a gentle-man from Aurangabad came on horse-back to see Baba. He wanted to proceed further, but his horse would not go, as it was hungry and wanted grams. He took out a bag from his shoulders to bring grams and dashed it on the ground to remove dirt. A lizard came out therefrom and in the presence of all, climbed up the wall. Baba asked the ques-tioner devotee to mark her well. She at once went strutting to her sister. Both sisters met each other after a long time, kissed and em-braced each other, whirled round and danced with love! Where is Shirdi and where is Aurangabad? How should the man on horse-back come there from Aurangabad with the lizard? And how should Baba make the prophesy of the meeting of the two sisters? All this is really very wonderful and proves the omniscience -- the all-knowing nature of Baba.
Post ScriptHe who respectfully reads this Chapter or studies it daily, will get all his miseries removed by the grace of the Sadguru Sai Baba, Hence:
Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all
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| Divine Dicourse Ganesh Chaturthi, 18.09.2004 - Highlights |
| 09.23.04 (4:57 am) [edit] |
Divine Dicourse Ganesh Chaturthi, 18.09.2004 - Highlights
Bhagawan commenced His Discourse at 8.05 a.m. with a Telugu verse: It is the sun that gives light during the day, at night it is the moon that spreads light, and for a family (lineage) it is a good and virtuous son who serves as a beacon light. A virtuous son is more important than even knowledge, awareness or wisdom. Vinayaka is such a virtuous son. Every individual has a Guru. But Vinayaka has no Guru. He is the Master of all. Hence He has a very befitting name – Vinayaka.
We start any worship with prayers to Vinayaka, be it in the area of music or literature. When we have Vinayaka as our ideal, we will be successful in any task. Vinayaka has the head of an elephant, with a trunk. The elephant stands for intelligence, discrimination and loyalty. Vinayaka, just as the elephant, proceeds forward, exercising discrimination at every step.
One must never give up the worship of Vinayaka. It is the prime duty of all students to consider Vinayaka as their leader. Vinayaka is unparalleled in His qualities. Taking Him as an ideal, we can acquire all knowledge. Vinayaka has a big stomach which is the repository of all knowledge.
Who are the mother and father of Vinayaka? Are they Iswara and Parvati? No. Vinayaka has no parents. How can He have any parents when He Himself is the Master? We cannot understand the mystery of Vinayaka. Sun gives us the light. But who are the parents of this Sun? Nobody. So too, Vinayaka is the Master, Mother and Father of all. Tvameva Maata Cha Pita Tvameva...
Forgetting such an ideal leader, today we take low personalities as our role models. We will find fulfillment of all our efforts, in worshipping Vinayaka. This day is related to the birthday of Vinayaka. Only if He is born, can we fix a day or time for His birth. But He has no birth. The whole universe has originated from Him. Vinayaka is the propagator of all the Vedas, Upanishads and the Puranas. Vedas have originated by the Will of Vinayaka and is not the composition of any individual.
Vinayaka never gets angry. He is the embodiment of Love. You all have seen His face. Have you ever seen any idol with an angry face? On the way to Kodaikanal, there is a place where people believe that Vinayaka has installed Himself there. But He is everywhere. How can He install Himself in just one place? Therefore, it is only for our satisfaction and for the purpose of worship that we assume He has installed Himself in a particular place.
Wherever bad qualities are given up, God installs Himself there. That is the true birth place of God. He is Gunateeta. Nirgunam, Niranjanam, Niketanam……Sometimes He may appear to be angry. He only puts up a guise of anger to guide people along the right path. At times, devotees cannot be corrected without harsh words. Therefore, anger too is a drama and not reality. It is our mistake that we feel God is angry. He only pretends to be angry at times.
Many a times, we think, “Why is Swami not talking to us?” Swami has no anger at all. He is full of Love. In our daily life we do commit mistakes. To correct us, Swami feigns anger. It is just a change in the tone of voice. When I say, “Come here”, very softly, you will like it. But if I say, “Come Here”, very harshly, you will think I am angry. This is just a change in the tone of voice.
In fact, sage Durvasa too had no anger at all. Once Draupadi went to Durvasa and prayed to him to save her husbands who were likely to be killed before the next morning as per the vow of the enemies. Sage Durvasa consented. He got a huge pit dug and cleared, just below him. He asked the Pandavas to hide there.
All fear sage Durvasa for his anger that often leads to curses. The enemies went to Durvasa and prayed, “O all knowing one, where are the Pandavas?” Durvasa with a very angry tone replied, “They are right below me”. Hearing his angry tone and fearing a curse from him, the enemies ran away. Durvasa did not utter a lie; he just changed the tone of his voice. Sages and saints can transform people, merely by changing the tone of their voice.
Ignorant people accuse sage Durvasa of being a very short tempered person. How can such a great sage have anger? God has no trace of anger at all. One with anger can never be God. It is only for the purpose of protection that He changes His tone at times.
Parvati once called Vinayaka and Subramanya close to her and challenged them with a competition. The competition was that whoever would complete circumambulating the entire Universe first, would get a reward of a special fruit from Lord Siva. This episode took place in Palani. Subramanya immediately commenced the race. However, Vinayaka just sat there. Father Siva asked him, “Vinayaka, why have you not gone yet?” Vinayaka replied, “For me, everything is here at your feet”. Saying so, Vinayaka circumambulated his father and mother and sat down declaring that he was the winner. Meanwhile Subramanya returned exhausted. Lord Iswara lauded Vinayaka as the winner and gave him the fruit. He said, “Take
Thus it is enough if you go around your parents. How can there be a son without parents? Be obedient to your parents. Students visit temples to pray to Ganesha for passing their exams. Using their pocket money, they offer fruits, coconuts, etc. All these are external in nature. It is enough if you please your parents. Their blessings will ensure success. Iswara and Parvati enacted the above drama to teach this lesson to humanity.
If you wish to please the Lord, you must first please your parents. At times, even if you do not adhere to the command of the Lord, never violate the command of your parents. They have fostered and nurtured you. Sometimes parents may appear angry. But can any parent ever be angry with their children? It is only the time and situation that makes them look angry and this too is for the good of the children. Parents have limitless love in them.
For example, when the son makes a mistake, the mother slaps the son. How does she do this? She cups her hand and slaps him, creating more sound than physical impact (Swami demonstrated the cupping of the hand). Parents always shower love on their children. But children think wrongly. This is their mistake. You are not able to see their hidden love. Even when they say, “Chhi Po” (Get Lost), they say it with love. You have no need to be angry with your parents.
Ask yourself this question. “If parents are angry with me, could I have been here? No. But I am here. This means that they are not angry with me”. With anger, you can never be successful in any task. Obey the command of your parents. When you want to see a movie, you ask your mother for money. Your mother does not give you money. As your desire is not fulfilled, you feel she is angry with you. What a mean thought. At times of difficulties, a mother is ready to give even her life for you.
Today, there are sons who drive their mother and father to the court. There may be a bad son in this world but never a bad parent. Wrong actions may be noticed in sons but not in parents. Children must love parents and parents too must love their children.
Vinayaka symbolizes the totality of Love. Vinayaka was chosen to write the Mahabharata. Why is there absolutely no error in the Mahabharata? It is because Vinayaka was the scriber. There is no anger, jealousy, envy, ego or pomp in Vinayaka. All these negative qualities are in humans, not in God.
As is food, so is head. As is head, so is our perception of God. Therefore intake of appropriate food is very important. Do not partake food in an angry mood. Food is very important in spiritual discipline. Food must be Satvic. Rajasic food yields anger. If you eat Tamasic food, you will begin to sleep even as you are eating. Food with excess spice, salt, sourness is not good.
Whenever you eat food, you must offer it to God. “Brahmarpanam Brahmahavir….”. Immediately, God replies from within, “Aham Vaishva Naro Bhutva….”. We must take easily digestible food.
The comfort and lightness that we feel when we sit down to eat, the same comfort and lightness must be felt even when we get up after eating. That is the control on quantity one must exercise. All these are the main qualities of Vinyaka. Endeavour to practice all these qualities. Then, even if you do not have a trunk, you all will become true Vinayakas.
Bhagawan brought His Discourse to a close, at 9.00 a.m., with the Bhajan
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| The Journey of our Life |
| 09.23.04 (12:03 am) [edit] |
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The Journey of our Life
Author Unknown
A long time ago, there was an Emperor who told his horseman that if he could ride on his horse and cover as much land area as he likes, then the Emperor would give him the area of land he has covered. Sure enough, the horseman quickly jumped onto his horse and rode as fast as possible to cover as much land area as he could.. He kept on riding and riding, whipping the horse to go as fast as possible. When he was hungry or tired, he did not stop because he wanted to cover as much area as possible. Came to a point when he had covered a substantial area and he was exhausted and was dying. Then he asked himself, "Why did I push myself so hard to cover so much land area? Now I am dying and I only need a very small area to bury myself."
The above story is similar with the journey of our Life. We push very hard everyday to make more money, to gain power and recognition. We neglect our health, time with our family and to appreciate the surrounding beauty and the hobbies we love.
One day when we look back, we will realize that we don't really need that much, but then we cannot turn back time for what we have missed. Life is not about making money,acquiring power or recognition. Life is definitely not about work! Work is only necessary to keep us living so as to enjoy the beauty and pleasures of life. Life is a balance of Work and Play, Family and Personal time. You have to decide how you want to balance your Life. Define your priorities, realize what you are able to compromise but always let some of your decisions be based on your instincts.
Life is fragile, Life is short. Do not take Life for granted. Live a balanced lifestyle and enjoy Life!
Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of Life, the whole aim of human existence.
SUMMARY.....
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba says:
When you watch the watch, remember the five letters of the word WATCH. Each is giving you a fine lesson of life:
- W tells you to" watch your words”;
- A warns you to" watch your actions”;
- T indicates to" watch your thoughts”;
- C advises," watch your character”;
- and H declares” watch your heart”.
When you are consulting your watch, imbibe this lesson that the watch is imparting.
- Sai Baba (S.S.S. Vol. V11-p.208)
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| Baba on His Miracles |
| 09.22.04 (12:15 pm) [edit] |
Baba on His Miracles
"You elaborate in your lectures the unique powers of Sai, the incidents that are described as 'miracles' in books written about Me by some persons. But I request you not to attach importance to these. Do not exaggerate their significance, the most significant and important power is, let Me tell you, my Prema (Love) and My Sahana, (fortitude). I may turn the sky into earth or earth into sky but that is not the sign of Divine Might. It is the Prema, effective, universal, ever-present, that is the unique sign. When you attempt to cultivate and propagate this Love and this Fortitude, trouble and travail will clog your steps. You must welcome them, for without them, the best in you cannot be drawn out."
"I use My Shakti (power) to attract people and to draw them towards the Godward path. These miracles are merely baits with which I lure them towards Me. Once their faith is firmly established, they begin to look beyond the miracles and slowly start stretching their hands out for what I have really come to give- Knowledge and Bliss."
"There can be no limit for Sai Power, no hindrance, no opposition or obstacle. You may believe it or you may not, but, Sai Power can transform earth into sky, the sky into earth. Only there is no call for that transformation. This Divine behaviour is far distinct from the mean exhibitionistic tricks of the inferior powers. This is spontaneous manifestation, not those that are calculated to collect customers and exploit the ignorant."
"Those who profess to have understood me, the scholars, the yogis, the pundits, the jnanis, all of them are aware only of the least important, the casual external manifestations of an infinitesimal part of that power, namely, the miracles! They have not desired to contact the source of all power and all wisdom that is available here. They are satisfied when they secure a chance to exhibit their book-learning and parade their scholarship in Vedic lore, not realising that the person from whom the Vedas emanated is in their midst, for their sake. They even ask, in their pride, for a few more chances. This has been the case in all ages. People may be very near (Physically) to the Avatar, but they live out their lives unaware of their fortune; they exaggerate the role of miracles, which are as trivial, when compared to my glory and majesty, as a mosquito is in size and strength to the elephant upon which it squats. Therefore, when you speak about these miracles, I laugh within myself out of pity that you allow yourself so easily to lose the precious awareness of my reality."
"I am determined to correct you only after informing you of my credentials. That is why I am now and then announcing my nature by means of miracles, that is, acts which are beyond human capacity and human understanding. Not that I am anxious to show off my powers. The object is to draw you closer to me, to cement your hearts to me".
"You may infer from what you call my miracles that I am causing them to attract and attach you to me and me alone. They are not intended to demonstrate or publicize; they are merely spontaneous and concomitant proofs of divine majestys."
"This Sathya Sai Incarnation is one where you see the full manifestation and exercise of all the sixteen attributes of a Poorna Avatar. This happened only once before, at the time of Krishna Avatar. I am the Embodiment of Shiva and Shakti, that is Universal Consciousness and Universal Energy. And I show evidences of both to the fullest and maximum extent".
"Do not crave from me trivial material objects: but crave for Me, and you would be rewarded. Not that you should not receive whatever objects I give as signs of grace out of the fullness of love. I shall tell you why I give these rings, talismans, rosaries, etc. It is to mark the bond between me and those to whom they are given. When calamity befalls them, the article comes to me in a flash and returns in a flash, taking from me the remedial grace of protection. That grace is available to all who call on me in any Name or Form, not merely to those who wear these gifts. Love is the bond that wins grace".
"My miracles are part of the unlimited power of God and are in no sense the product of yogic powers which are acquired. They are natural, uncontrived. There are no invisible beings helping me. My divine will bring the object in a moment. I am everywhere."
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| His greatest miracle |
| 09.22.04 (8:49 am) [edit] |
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His greatest miracle
Aum Sai Ram !
the following is quite an inspiring bit from Anil Kumar's discourse 2001.
"....... a miracle happens in our life so that we gain entry into the mansion of Divinity. We come to know of God. We come to know of Bhagvan through a miracle.
When you are desperate, when we are hopeless, when no one is ready to help us -no rescue , no refuse - at that time a miracle happens !
The greatest miracle is our attitude, not any windfall nor any money treasure chest coming to you. That is not a big miracle. There are many people who get money.It is not a miracle.The miracle is the attitude towards life, the attitude you have , the kind of relationships you establish, how equanimonious you are, how you respect others.That is the greatest miracle.You are not ruffled.You are not confused.You are not lost by certain things, which would have really made you frustrated had you not been a devotee.
.....any simple thing would agitate you. Any enexpected situation will naturally disturb our peace of mind.
But having come to Bhagvan we have known how to receive things. We have known how to accept things. We dont rebel. We dont retaliate.We do not react.We are not revengeful.We have developed day by day the spirit of or the attitude of acceptance. This is the biggest miracle !
Acceptance to a given situation joyfully and happily with all rediness , unconditionally. That is the greatest miracle of Bhagvan Sri Satya Sai Baba....... "
to those devotees going through a difficult situation at this time , i pray that Swami's blessings be with you and that you feel His guiding presence.
Jai Sai Ram !
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| The Life Story of Shri Shiridi Sai Baba - Chapter XIV |
| 09.22.04 (6:07 am) [edit] |
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The Life Story of Shri Shiridi Sai Baba
Sai-Satcharitra
Chapter XIV
Ruttonji Wadia of Nanded - Saint Moulisaheb - Dakshina Mimansa.
In the last Chapter, we described how Baba's word and grace cured many incurable diseases. Now, we shall describe, how Baba blessed Mr. Ruttonji Wadia with an issue.
The life of this Saint is naturally sweet in and out. His various doings, eating, walking and His natural sayings are also sweet. His life is Bliss incarnate. Sai gave it out as a means of His devotee's remem-brance to Him. He gave them various stories of duty and action, which ultimately led them to true religion. His object may be that people should live happily in this world, but they should be ever cautious and gain the object of their life, viz. self-realization. We get human body as a result of merits in past births and it is worth-while that with its aid, we should attain devotion and liberation in this life. So we should never be lazy, but always be on the alert to gain our end and aim of life.
If you daily hear the Leelas (stories) of Sai, you will always see Him. Day and night you will remember Him in your mind, When you assimilate Sai in this way, your mind will lose its fickleness and if you go on in this manner, it will finally be merged in pure Consciousness.
Ruttonji of Nanded :
Now let us come to the main story of this Chapter. In Nanded, in the Nizam state, there lived a Parsi mill-contractor and trader, by name Ruttonji Shapurji Wadia. He had amassed a large amount of money and had acquired fields and lands. He had got cattle, horses and con-veyances and was very prosperous. To all outward appearances he looked very happy and contented, but inwardly, and really he was not so. Providential dispensation is such, that no one in this world is com-pletely happy and rich; Ruttonji was no exception to this. He was lib-eral and charitable, gave food and clothing to the poor and helped all in various ways. The people took him to be a good and happy man, but Ruttonji thought himself miserable as he had no issue, male or female, for a long time. As Kirtan (singing glories of the Lord) without love or devotion, music of singing without rhythmical accompaniments, Brah-min without the sacred thread, proficiency in all arts without commonsense, pilgrimage without repentance and ornamentation without a necklace, are ugly and useless, so is the house of a man or house-holder without a male issue. Ruttonji always brooded on this matter and said in his mind, "Would God be ever pleased to grant me a son?" He thus looked morose, had no relish for his food. Day and night, he was enveloped with anxiety whether he would ever be blessed with a son. He had a great regard for Dasganu Mahajat. He saw him and opened his heart before him. Dasganu advised him to go to Shirdi, take Baba's darshan, fall at His Feet and seek His blessing and pray for issue. Ruttonji liked the idea, and decided to go to Shirdi. After some days he went to Shirdi, took Baba's darshana and fell at His Feet. Then opening a basket, he took out a beautiful garland of flowers and placed it around Baba's neck and offered Him a basket of fruits. With great respect he then sat near Baba, and prayed to Him saying- "Many persons who find them-selves in difficult situations come to You, and You relieve them immedi-ately. Hearing this, I have sought anxiously Your feet; please, therefore, do not disappoint me. “Sai Baba then asked him for Dakshina of Rs.five which Ruttonji intended to give, but added, that He had already received Rs. 3-14-0 from him, and that he should pay the balance only. Hearing this, Ruttonji was rather puzzled. He could not make out as to what Baba meant. That was the first time, he thought, that he went to Shirdi and how was it that Baba said that He had earlier already got Rs. 3-14-0 from him? He could not solve the riddle. But he sat at Baba’s Feet and gave the balance of Dakshina asked for, explained to Baba fully, as to why he came and sought His help, and prayed taht Baba should bless him with a son. Baba was moved and told him not to be worried, and that thence forward his bad days had ended. He then gave him Udi, placed His hand on his head and blessed him saying that Allah (God) would satisfy his heart’s desire.
Then after taking Baba's leave, Ruttonji returned to Nanded and told Dasganu everything that took place at Shirdi, He said that every-thing went on well there, that he got Baba's darshan and blessing with Prasad, but there was one thing which he could not understand. Baba said to him that he had got Rs.3-14-0 before. Please explain as to what Baba meant by this remark. He said to Dasganu, "I never went to Shirdi before, and how cold I give Him the sum to which Baba referred?" To Dasganu also, it was a puzzle, and he pondered much over it for a long time. Some time afterwards it struck him that Ruttonji had received some days ago a Mahomedan Saint, by name Moulisaheb, in his house and had spent some money for his reception. This Moulisaheb was coolie-saint wellknown to the people of Nanded. When Ruttonji decided to go the Shirdi, this Molisaheb accidentally came to Ruttonji's house. Ruttonji knew him and loved him. So he gave a small party in his honour. Dasganu got from Ruttonji the yadi or memo of expenses of this reception, and everybody was wonderstruck to see, that the expenses amounted to exactly Rs.3-14-0, nothing more, nothing less. They all came to know, that Baba was omniscient, that thought He lived in Shirdi, He knew what happened outside far away from Shirdi. In fact He knew the past, present and future, and could identify Himself heart and soul with anybody. In this particular instance how could He know the reception given to Moulisaheb, and the amount spent there-fore, unless He could identify Himself with him, and be One with him?
Ruttonji was satisfied with this explanation and his faith in Baba was confirmed and increased. In due time afterwards, he was blessed with a son and his joy knew no bounds. It is said that he had in all a dozen (12) issues out of which only four survived.
In a foot-note towards the end of this Chapter,it is stated that Baba told Rao Bahadur Hari Vinayak Sathe, after the death of his first wife, to remarry and that he would get a son. R.B. Sathe married second time. The first two issues by this wife were daughters and he, therefore, felt very despondent. But the third issue was a son. Baba's word did turn out true and he was satisfied.
Dakshina - Mimansa
Now we shall close this Chapter with a few remarks about Dakshina. It is a well-known fact that Baba always asked for Dakshina from people who went to see Him. Somebody may ask a question, "If Baba was a Fakir and perfectly non-attached, why should he ask for Dakshina and care for money?" We shall consider this question broadly now.
First for a long time, Baba did not accept anything. He stored burnt matches and filled His pocket with them. He never asked any-thing from anybody--whether he be a devotee or otherwise. If anybody placed before Him a pice or two, He purchased oil or tobacco. He was fond of tobacco, for He always smoked a bidi or Chilim (an earthen pipe). Then some persons thought that they could not see the Saints empty-handed, and they, therefore, placed some copper coins before Baba. If a pice was placed before Him. He used to pocket it; if it was a two pice coin, it was returned immediately. Then after Baba's fame had spread far and wide, people began to flock in numbers; and Baba began to ask Dakshina from them. It is said in the Shruti (veda) that Puja of the Gods is not complete, unless a golden coin was offered. If a coin was neces-sary in the Puja of the Gods, why should it be not so in the Puja of the Saints also? Ultimately, the Shastras laid it down that, when one goes to see God, King, Saint or Guru, he should not go empty-handed. He should offer something, preferably coin or money. In this connection we may notice the precepts recommended by the Upanishads. The Brihadaranyak Upanishad says that the Lord Prajapati advised the Gods, men and de-mons by one letter *"Da". The Gods understood by this letter that they should practice (1) "Dama" i.e. self-control; the men thought or under-stood that they should practice (2) "Dana" i.e. charity; the demons un-derstood that they should practice (3) "Daya" i.e. compassion. To men Charity or giving was recommended. The teacher in the Taittiriya Upanishad exhorts his pupils to practise charity and other virtues. Re-garding charity he says, "Give with faith, give with magnanimity, i.e. liberally, give with modesty, with awe and with sympathy. In order to teach the devotees the lesson of charity and to remove their attachment to money and thus to purify their minds, Baba extracted Dakshina from them; but there was this peculiarity, as Baba said, that He had to give back hundred times more of what He received. There are many instances, in which this has happened. To quote as instance, Mr.Ganpatrao Bodas, the famous actor, says in his Marathi autobiography, that on Baba’s press-ing him often and often for Dakshina, he emptied his money-bag before Him. The result of this was, as Mr. Bodas says, that in later life he never lacked money, as it came to him abundantly.
There were also secondary meanings of Dakshina, in many cases, in which Baba did not want any pecuniary amount. To quote two in-stances - (1) Baba asked Rs.15/- as Dakshina from Pro. G.G.Narke, who replied that he did not have even a pie. Then Baba said, "I know you have no money; but you are reading Yoga-Vashistha. Give Me Dakshina from that." Giving Dakshina in this case meant - Deriving lessons from the book and lodging them in the heart where Baba resides'. (2) In the second case Baba asked a certain lady (Mrs. R. A. Tarkhad) to give Rs.6/ - as Dakshina. The lady felt pained, as she had nothing to give. Then her husband explained to her that Baba wanted six inner enemies (lust, anger, avarice etc.) to be surrendered to Him. Baba agreed with this explanation.
It is to be noted, that though Baba collected a lot of money by Dakshina, He would distribute the whole amount the same day, and the next morning He would become a poor Fakir as usual. When Baba took His Mahasamadhi, after receiving thousands and thousands of Rupees as Dakshina for about ten years, He had only a few Rupees in His pos-session.
In short, Baba's main object in taking Dakshina, from His devo-tees was to teach them the lessons of Renunciation and Purification.
Post-script
Mr. B. V. Deo of Thana, retired Mamlatdar, and a great devotee of Baba, has written an article on this subject (Dakshina) in "Shri Sai Leela" magazine, Vol.VII, P.6-26, in which he says amongst other things, as follows:-
" Baba did not ask Dakshina from all. If some gave Dakshina with-out being asked, He sometimes accepted it; and at other times He re-fused it. He asked it from certain devotees only. He never demanded it, from those devotees, who thought in their minds that Baba should ask them for it, and then they should pay it. If anybody offered it against His wish, He never touched it, and if he kept it there, He asked him to take it away. He asked for small or big amounts from devotees, according to their wish, devotion and convenience. He asked it, even from women and children. He never asked all the rich for it, nor from all the poor."
"Baba never got angry with those from whom He asked Dakshina, and who did not give it. If any Dakshina was sent, through some friend, who forgot to hand over the same to Baba, He reminded him somehow of it and made him pay it. On some occasons, Baba used to return some sum from the amount tendered as Dakshina, and ask the donor to guard it or keep it in his shrine for worship. This procedure benefited the do-nor or devotee immensely. If anybody offered more than he originally intended to give, He returned the extra amount. Sometimes, He asked more Dakshina from some, than what they originally intended to give and, if they had no money, asked them to get or borrow from others. From some, He demanded Dakshina three or four times a day."
"Out of the amount collected as Dakshina, Baba spent very little for His own sake, viz., for buying Chilim (clay pipe) and fuel for His Dhuni (sacred fire), and all the rest, He distributed as charity in vary-ing proportions to various persons. All the paraphenalia of the Shirdi Sansthan was brought, by various rich devotees at the instance and suggestion of Radha-Krishna-Mai. Baba always used to get wild and scolded those, who brought costly and rich articles. He said to Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, that all His property consisted of one koupin (codpiece), one stray piece of cloth, one Kafni and a tumrel (tinpot), and that all the people troubled Him by bringing all these unnecessary, use-less and costly articles."
Woman and wealth are the two main obstacles in the way of our Pramartha (spiritual life); and Baba and provided in Shirdi two institu-tions, viz., Dakshina and Radha-Krishna-Mai. Whenever they came to Him, He demanded Dakshina from them, and asked them to go to the 'SCHOOL' (Radha-Krishna-Mai's house). If they stood these two tests well, i.e. if they showed that they were free from attachment for woman and wealth, their progress in spirituality was rapid and assured by Baba's grace and blessings.
Mr. Deo has also quoted passanges from the Gita and Upanishads; and shown that charity given in a holy place and to a holy personage, conduces to the donors' welfare to a great degree. What is more holy than Shirdi and its Presiding Deity -- Sai Baba?
Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all
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| The Life Story of Shri Shiridi Sai Baba - Chapter XIII |
| 09.22.04 (6:04 am) [edit] |
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The Life Story of Shri Shiridi Sai Baba
Sai-Satcharitra
Chapter XIII
More Sai Leelas - Diseases Cured - (1) bhimaji Patil - (2) Bala Shimpi - (3) Bapusaheb Booty - (4) Alandi Swami - (5) Kaka Mahajani - (6) Dastopant of Harda.
The Inscrutable Power of Maya
Baba's words were always short, pithy, deep, full of meaning, effi-cient and well-balanced. He was ever content and never cared for any-thing. He said, "Though I have become a Fakir, have no house or wife, and though leaving off all cares, I have stayed at one place, the inevita-ble Maya teases Me often. Though I forgot Myself I cannot forget Her. She always envelops Me.This Maya (illusive power) of the Lord (Shri Hari) teases God Brahma and others; then what to speak of a poor Fakir like Me? Those who take refuge in the Lord wil be freed from Her clutches with his grace".
In such terms Baba spoke about the power of Maya. Lord Shri Krishna has said to Uddhava in the Bhagwat that the Saints are His liv-ing forms; and see what Baba had said for the welfare of His devotees: "Those who are fortunate and whose demerits have vanished; take to My worship. If you always say 'Sai, Sai' I shall take you over the seven seas; believe in these words, and you will be certainly benefited. I do not need any paraphernalia of worship - either eight-fold or sixteen-fold. I rest there where there is full devotion". Now read what Sai, the friend of those, who surrendered themselves to Him, did for their welfare.
Bhimaji Patil
One Bhimaji Patil of Narayanagaon, Taluka Junnar, Dist. Poona,1 suffered in the year 1909 A.D. from a severe and chronic chest-disease which ultimately developed into Tuberculosis. He tried all sorts of pathos (remedies), but to no effect. Losing all hopes, he ultimately prayed to God - "Oh Lord Narayana, help me now". It is a well known fact that, when our circumstances are well off, we do not remember God, but when calamities and adversities over-take us, we are reminded of Him, So Bhimaji now turned to God. It occurred to him that he should consult Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, a great devotee of Baba, in this respect. So he wrote to him a letter,giving all details of his malady, and asking for his opinion. In reply, Mr. Nanasaheb wrote to him that there was only one remedy left, and that was to have recourse to Baba's Feet. Relying on Mr. Nanasaheb's advice, he made preparations for going to Shirdi. He was brought to Shirdi and taken to the Masjid, and placed before Baba. Mr. Nanasaheb and Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande) were then present. Baba pointed out that the disease was due to the previous evil karma, and was not at first disposed to interfere. But the patient cried out in despair that he was helpless, and sought refuge in Him, as He was his last hope, and prayed for mercy. Then Baba's heart melted an He said, "Stay, cast off your anxiety, your sufferings have come to an end. However, oppressed and troubled one may be as soon as he steps into the Masjid, he is on the pathway to happiness. The Fakir here is very kind and He will cure the disease, and protect all with love and kindness." The patient vomitted blood every five minutes, but there wa no vomiting in the presence of Baba. From the time, Baba uttered the words of hope and mercy, the malady took a favourable turn. Baba asked him to stay in Bhimabai's house, which was not a convenient and healthy place, but Baba's order had to be obeyed. While he was staying there, Baba cured him by two dreams. In the first dream, he saw himself as a boy suffering the severe pain of a flogging, which he received for not reciting his ‘Sawai-poetry’ lesson before his class- master. In the second dream, some one caused him intense pain, and torture, by rolling a stone up and down over his chest. With the pain thus suffered in dream, his cure was complete, and he went home. He then often came to Shirdi, gratefully remembering what Baba did for him, and prostrated before Him. Baba also did not expect anything from devotees, but grateful remembrance, unchanging faith and devotion. People in the Maharashtra, always celebrate Satya-Narayana Puja in their homes every fortnight or month. But it was this Bhimaji Patil, who started a new Sai Satya-vrata Puja, instead of Satya-Narayana- vrata Puja, in his house, when he returned to his village.
Bala Ganpat Shimpi
Another devotee of Baba by name Bala Ganapat Shimpi, suf-fered much from a malignant type of Malaria. he tried all sorts of medicines and decoctions, but in vain. The fever did not abate a jot and so he ran to Shirdi and fell on Baba's Feet. Baba gave him a strage recipe, in this case as follows:- "Give a black dog some morsels of rice mixed with curds in front of the Laxmi temple". Bala Shimpi did not know, how to execute this recipe; but no sonner he went home, then he found rice and curds. After mixing them together, he brought the mixture near the Laxmi temple, when he found the a black dog waving its tail. He placed the curds and rice before the dog. The dog ate it and, strange to say, Bala got rid of his Malaria.
Bapusaheb Booty
Shriman Bapusaheb Booty suffered, once from dysentery and vomitting. His cupboard was full of patent drugs and medicines, but none of them had any effect. Bapusaheb got very weak, on account of purgings and vomittings and, therefore, was not able to go to the Masjid for Baba's darshana. Baba then sent for him and made him sit before Him and said, "Now take care, you should not purge any more" and waving His index-finger "The vomiting must also stop". Now look at the force of Baba's words. Both the maladies took to their heels (disap-peared) and Booty felt well.
On another occasion he had an attack of Cholera, and suffered from severe thirst. Dr. Pillai tried all sorts of remedies but could give him no relief. Then he went to Baba and consulted Him as what to drink that would allay his thirst and cure the disease. Baba prescribed an infu-sion of almonds, walnuts, pistachio (a kind of dry fruit), boiled in sug-ared milk. This would be considered, as a fatal aggravation of the dis-ease by any other doctor or physician, but in implicit obedience to Baba's order, the infusion was administered and strange to say, the disease was cured.
Alandi Swami
A Swami from Alandi, wishing to take Baba's darshana, came to Shirdi. He suffered form a severe pain in his ear, which prevented him from getting the sleep. He was operated for this, but it served no pur-pose. The pain was severe and he did not know what to do. While he was returning, he came to take Baba's leave, when Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande) requested Baba to do something for the pain in the Swami's ear. Baba comforted him saying, "Alla Accha Karega (God will do good)." The Swami then returned to Poona, and after a week sent a letter to Shirdi, stating that the pain in his ear had subsided though the swelling was there, and in order to get the swelling removed, he went to Bombay for operation, but the surgeon on examining the ear said that no opera-tion was then necessary. Such was the wonderful effect of Baba's words.
Kaka Mahajani
Another devotee named Kaka Mahajani suffered once from diarrhea. In order that there should be no break in his services to Baba, Kaka kept a tambya (pot) with water in some corner of the Masjid and whenever there was a call, he would go out. As Sai Baba knew every-thing, Kaka did not inform Him of his disease, thinking that Baba would of His own cure it soon. The work of constructing the pavement in front of the Masjid was permitted by Baba, but when the actual work was begun, Baba got wild and shouted out loudly. Everybody ran away, and as Kaka was also doing the same, Baba caught hold of him and made him sit there. In the confusion that followed, somebody left the a small bag of groundnuts. Baba took a handful of groundnuts, rubbed them in His hands, blew away the skins, and gave the clean nuts to Kaka and made him eat them. Scolding and cleaning the nuts, and making Kaka eat them, went on similtaneously. Baba Himself ate some of them. Then, when the bag was finished, Baba asked him to fetch water as He felt thirsty. Kaka brought a pitcher full of water. Then Baba drank some water and made Kaka also drink it. Baba then said, "Now your diarrhea has stopped, and you may attend to the work of the pavement." In the meanwhile other persons, who had run away, returned and started the work; and Kaka, whose motions had stopped, also joined them. Are groundnuts medicine for diarrhea? According to current medical opin-ion, groundnuts would aggravate the disease, and not cure it. The true medicine, in this as in other cases, was Baba's word.
Dattopant of Harda
A gentleman from Harda by name Dattopant suffered form stom-ach- ache for fourteen yeas. None of the remedies gave him any relief. Then hearing of Baba's fame, that He cures diseases by sight he ran to Shirdi, and fell at Baba's Feet. Baba looked at him kindly and gave him blessings. When Baba placed His hand on his head, and when he got Baba's Udi with blessing, he felt relieved and there was no further trou-ble about the malady.
Towards the end ot his Chapter three cases are cited in footnotes:
1. Madhavrao Deshpande suffered from Piles. Baba gave him de coction of Sonamukhi (senna pods). This relieved him. Then after two years the trouble again recurred and Mahdavrao took the same decoction without consulting Baba. The result was that the disease aggravated but later on it was cured by Baba's grace.
2. Kaka Mahajani's elder brother, Gangadharpant, suffered for many years from stomach-pain. Hearing Baba's fame he came to Shirdi and requested Baba to cure him. Baba touched his belly and said, "God will cure". From that time there was no stomach-pain and he was completely cured.
3. Nanasaheb Chandorkar also once suffered from intense stom-ach- pain; he was restless the whole day and night. Doctors admin-istered syringes which produced no effect. Then he approached Baba, who told him to eat Burfi (a kind of sweetmeat) mixed with ghee. This recipe gave him complete relief.
All these stories go to show, that the real medicine that cured the various diseases permanently was Baba's word, and grace, and not any medicines or drugs.
Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all
and scolded these, who brought any costly and rich articles. He said to Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, that all His property consisted of one koupin (codpiece), one stray piece of cloth, one Kafni and a tumrel (tinpot), and that all the people troubled Him with bringing all these unnecessary, useless and costly articles." Woman and wealth are the two main obstacles in the way of our paramartha (spiritual life); and Baba had provided in Shirdi two institutions, viz. Dakshina and Radha-Krishna-Mai for whenever they came to Him, He demanded Dakshina from them, and asked them to go to the 'SCHOOL' (Radha-Krishna- Mai's house). If they stood these two tests well, i.e. if they showed that they were free from attachment for woman and wealth, their progress in spirituality was rapid and assured by Baba's grace and blessings. Mr.Deo has also quoted passaages from the Gita and Upanishads; and shown that charity given in a holy place and to a holy personage, conduces to the donor's welfare to a great degree. What is more holy than Shirdi and its Presiding Deity- Sai Baba?
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| The Life Story of Shri Shiridi Sai Baba - Chapter XII |
| 09.22.04 (5:50 am) [edit] |
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The Life Story of Shri Shiridi Sai Baba
Sai-Satcharitra
Chapter XII
Sai Leelas - Experience of (1) Kaka Mahajani - (2) Dhumal Pleader - (3) Mrs. Nimonkar - (4) Moolay Shastri - (5) A Doctor
Now let us see in this Chapter how devotees were received and treated by Baba.
Saints' Mission
We have seen before, that the purpose or object of Divine Incarna-tion is to protect the good and destory the wicked. But the mission of the Saints is quite different. To them the good and the wicked are the same. First they feel for the evil-doers and set them on the right path. They are like the Agasti to destroy the Bhava-sagar (the ocean of wordly exist-ence) or like the Sun to the darkness of ignorance. The Lord (God) dwells in the Saints. In fact they are not different from Him. Our Sai is One of these, Who incarnated for the welfare of the devotees, Supreme in knowl-edge and surrounded with divine lustre, He loved all beings equally. He was unattached. Foes and friends, kings and paupers, were the same to Him. Hear His powers. For the sake of devotees, He spent His stock of merits and was ever alert to help them. But the devotees could never approach HIm, unless He meant to receive them. If their turn did not come, Baba did not remember them, and His Leelas could not reach their ears. Then, how could they think of seeing Him? some men desired to see Sai Baba's but they did not get any opportunity of taking His darshan, till His Mahasamadhi. There are many such persons, whose desire for Baba's darshan was not thus satisfied. If these persons, believ-ing in Him, listen to His Leelas, their quest for milk (darshan) will be, to a great extent, satisfied by the butter-milk (Leelas). If some persons went there by sheer luck and took Baba's darshan, were they able to stay there longer? No. Nobody could go there of his own accord, and nobody culd stay there long even if he so wished. They could stay there, so long as Baba permitted them to stay, and had to leave the place when asked to do so by Baba; so everything depended of Baba's will.
Kala Mahajani
Once, Kaka Mahajani went to Shirdi from Bombay. He wanted to stay there for one week, and enjoy the Gokul-Ashtami festival. As soon as he took Baba's darshan, Baba asked him - "When are you returning home?" He was rather surprised at this question, but he had to given an answer. He said that he would go home when Baba ordered him to do so. Then Baba said - "Go to-morrow". Baba's word was law and had to be obeyed. Kaka Mahajani, therefore, left Shirdi, immedi-ately. When he went to his office in Bombay, he found that his employer was anxiously waiting for him. His munim, i.e., the manager, suddenly fell ill, hence Kaka's presence was absolutely necessary. He had sent a letter to Kaka at Shirdi, which was redirected to him at Bombay.
Bhausaheb Dhumal
Now listen to an opposite story. Once Bhausaheb Dhumal, a pleader, was going to Niphad for a case. On the way he came to Shirdi, took Baba's darshan and wanted to proceed to Niphad immediately. But, Baba did not premit him to do so. He made him stay at shirdi, for a week or more. In the meanwhile, the magistrate at Niphad suffered intensely from pain in his abdomen, and the case was adjourned. Mr. Dhumal was then allowed to go and attend to his case. It went on for some months and was tried by four magistrates. Ultimately Mr. Dhumal won the case, and his client was acquitted.
Mrs. Nimonkar
Mr. Nanasaheb Nimonkar, Watandar of Nomon and Honorary Magistrate, was staying at Shirdi with his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Nimonkar were spending most of their time in the Masjid with Baba and serving Him. It so happened, that their son fell ill at Belapur and the mother decided, with Baba's consent, to go to Belapur, and see her son and other relatives; and stay there for a few days, but Mr. Nanasaheb asked her to return the next day. The lady was in a fix and did not know what to do; but her God Sai came to her help. While leaving Shirdi she went to Baba, who was standing in front of Sathe's wada with Mr. Nanasaheb and others, and prostrated at His Feet and asked His permission to go. Baba said to her, "Go, go quickly, be calm and unperturbed. Stay com-fortably at Belapur for four days. See all your relatives and then return to Shirdi." How opportune were Baba's words! Mr. Nanasaheb's pro-posal was overruled by Baba's decree.
Moolay Shastri of Nasik
An orthodox Agnihotri Brahmin of Nasik, by name moolay Shastri, who had studied the six Shastras and was well-versed in astrol-ogy and palmistry, once came to Shirdi to see Mr. Bapusaheb Booty, the famous millionarire of Nagpur. After seeing him, he and others went to see Baba in the Masjid. Baba bought various fruits and other things from vendors with His own money, and distributed them to the persons present in the Masjid. Baba used to press the mango on all sides so skilfully that when any person received it from Baba and sucked it, he got all the pulp at once in his mouth and could throw away the stone and the skin forth-with. Plantains were peeled off by Baba and the kernel was distributed to the devotees, while the skins were retained by Baba for Himself. Moolay Shastri, as a palmist, wanted to examine Baba's hand or plam and requested Him to extend the same. Baba ignored his request and gave four plantains to him. Then, they all returned to the Wada and Moolay Shastri bathed, wore sacred clothes, and started his routine du-ties, viz. Agnihotra etc. Then Baba as usual started for Lendi and said -" Take some Geru (i.e. a red miry substance, to dye clothes in saffron-colour), we shall today don saffron-coloured cloth. None under-stood what Baba meant. Then after some time when Baba returned, and preparations for the noon-Arati 1 were being made. Bapusaheb Jog asked Moolay Shastri, whether he would accompany him for the Arti. He replied that he would see Baba in the afternoon. Very soon Baba sat on his seat, was worshipped by the devotees and Arti commenced. Then Baba said - "Get some Dakshina from the new (Nasik) Brahmin." Booty himself went to get the Dakshina; and when he gave Baba's message to Moolay Shastri, he was sorely perplexed. He thought in his mind thus: "I am a pure Agnihotri Brahmin, why should I pay Dakshina? Baba may be a great Saint. I am not His dependent." But as a great Saint like Sai Baba was asking for Dakshina through a millionaire like Booty, he could not refuse. So leaving his routine unfinished, he forthwith started with Booty to the Masjid. Thinking himself holy and sacred, and the Masjid otherwise, he remained at a distance, and after joining his palms threw flowers at Baba. Then lo! all of a sudden, he saw no Baba on the seat, but saw his late Guru Gholap Swami there. He was wonder-struck. Could this be a dream? No, it was not, as he was wide awake; but though awake, how could his late Guru Gholap be there? He was speechless for some time. He pinched himself and thought again, but could not reconcile the fact of his late Guru Gholap being in the Masjid. Ultimately, leaving off all doubt, he went up, fell at his Guru’s feet and then getting up stood there with folded hands. Other people sang Baba’s Arti, whild Moolay Shastri chanted loudly his Guru’s name. Then casting off all pride of caste and ideas about sacredness, he fell flat at his Guru’s feet and closed his eyes. When he got up and opened his eyes, he saw Baba asking for Dakshina. Seeing Baba’s blissful form and His in-conceivable power. Moolay Shastri forgot himself. He was extremely pleased, his eyes were full of tears of joy. He again saluted Baba and gave the Dakshina. He said that his doubt was removed and that he saw his own Guru. On seeing this wonderful Leela of Baba all the people, including Moolay Shastri, were much moved, and they real-ized the meaning of Baba’s words. “Bring Guru, we shall don saf-fron- coloured garment.” Such is the wonderful Leela of Baba.
A Doctor
Once a Mamlatdar 1 came to Shirdi with a doctor friend of his. The Doctor said that his Deity was Rama and that he would not bow before a Mahomedan, and so, he was unwilling to go to Shirdi. The Mamlatdar replied, that nobody would press him to make a bow, nor would ask him to do so. So he should come and give the pleasure of his company. Accordingly, they came to Shirdi, and went to the Masjid for Baba's darshan. All were wonder-struck to see the Doctor going ahead and saluting Baba. They asked him how he forgot his resolve and bowed before a Mussalman. Then the Doctor replied that he saw his beloved Deity, Rama, on the seat and he, therefore prostrated him-self before Him. Then as he was saying this, he saw Sai Baba there again. Being dismayed, he said, "Is this a dream? How could He be a Mahomedan? He is a great Yogasampanna (full of Yoga) Avatar." Next day, he made a vow and began to fast. He absented himself from the Masjid, resolving not to go there, until Baba blessed him. Three days passed and on the fourth day, a close friend of his from Khandesh, turned up, and with him, he went to the Masjid for Baba's darshan. After the salutation, Baba asked him, whether anybody had gone to call him, so that he had come. Hearing this vital question, the doctor was moved. The same night he was blessed by Baba, and he experienced the Bliss supreme, in his sleep. Then he left for his town, where the experienced the same state of a fortnight. Thus his devotion to Sai Baba increased manifold.
The moral of all the stories mentioned above, specially, that of Moolay Shastri, is this that we should have firm faith in our Guru and nowhere else.
More Leelas of Sai Baba will be described in the next Chapter.
Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all
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| The Life Story of Shri Shridi Sai Baba - Chapter XI |
| 09.22.04 (5:42 am) [edit] |
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Shri Sai Satcharitra
The Life Story of Shri Shridi Sai Baba
Chapter XI
Sai, as Sagun Brahman -- Dr. Pandit's Worship -- Haji Sidik Falke --Control over the Elements
Let us now, in this Chapter, describe the manifested (Sagun) Brahman Sai. How He was worshipped and how He controlled the elements.
Sai as Sagun Brahman
There are two aspects of God or Brahman : (1) the Unmanifested (Nirgun) and (2) the Manifested (Sagun). The Nirgun is formless, while the Sagun is with form, though both denote the same Brahman. Some prefer to worship the former, some the latter. As stated in the Gita (chapter XII) the worship of the latter is easy and preferable. As man has got a form (body, senses, etc.), it is natural and easy for him to worship the God with form. Our love and devotion do not develop unless we worship Sagun Brahman for a certain period of time, and as we advance; it leads us to the worship (meditation) of Nirgun Brahman. So let us start with Sagun worship. Image, altar, fire, light, sun, water, Brahman are the seven objects of worship, but Sadguru is better than all these. Let us, on this occasion, bring to our mind the form of Sai, Who was non-attachment Incarnate, and Who was a resting-place for His whole-hearted devotees. Our faith in His words is the seat of Asan; and our Sankalpa (determination to start and finish the Puja) is the abandonment of all our desires. Some say that Sai was a Bhagwad-bhakta (devotee of the Lord), others say He was a Maha-Bhagwat (a great devotee), but to us He is God Incarnate. He was extremely forgiving, never irritable, straight, soft, tolerant and content beyond comparison. Though He looked embodied (as having the form), He was really dis-embodied, emotionless, unattached and internally free. The Ganges on its way to the sea, cools and refreshes the creatures affected with heat, gives life to the crops and trees, and quenches the thirst of many. Similarly Saints (Souls) like Sai, while they live their own life, give solace and comfort to all. Lord Krishna has said that 'the Saint is My soul, My living image, I am He or He is My pure form (Being).' This in-describable Shakti or Power of God, known as Pure Existence, Knowledge and Bliss, incarnated in the form of Sai in Shirdi. The Shruti (Taitiriya Upanishad) describes Brahman as Bliss. This we read or hear daily in the books, but the devout people experienced this Brahman or Bliss in Shirdi. Baba, the support of all, required no prop or support (Asan) from anybody. He always used a piece of sack-cloth for His seat, which was covered with a small beautiful bed by His bhaktas and has a bolster placed by them, as a rest to His back. Baba respected the feelings of His devotees and allowed them to worship Him as they liked. Some waved Chamara or fans before Him, some played on musical instruments, some washed His hands and Feet, some others applied scent and chandan, some gave betel nut with leaves and other things, and some others offered naivedya. Though He looked like living in Shirdi, He was present everywhere. This all-pervasiveness of His way daily experienced by His devotees. Our humble prostration to this all-pervasive Sadguru.
Dr. Pandit's Worship
One Dr. Pandit, a friend of Tatyasaheb Noolkar, once came to Shirdi for Baba's darshana. After saluting Baba, he stayed in the Masjid for some time. Baba asked him to go to Dadabhat Kelkar. He went to Dadabhat, by whom he was well received. Then Dababhat left his house for Puja and Dr. Pandit accompanied him. Dadabhat worshipped Baba. Nobody until then dared to apply sandal paste to Baba's forehead. Only Mhalsapati used to apply it to His throat. But this simple-hearted devout, Dr. Pandit, took Dabadhat's dish containing Puja-materials and taking sandal-paste out of it, drew a Tripundra, i.e. there horizontal lines on Baba's forehead. To the surprise of all, Baba kept silent without uttering a single word. Then Dababhat that evening asked Baba, "How is it, that though You object to the sandal-paste being applied by others to Your forehead, but You allowed Dr. Pandit to do so now?" Baba replied that Dr. Pandit believed Him to be the same as his Guru, Raghunath Maharaja of Dhopeshwar, known as Kaka Puranik, and he applied the paste to His forehead, as he was doing to his Guru. Hence He could not object. On enquiry, Dr. Pandit told Dadabhat that he took Baba as his Guru Kaka Puranik, and hence he marked the Tripundra on Baba's forehead, as he did on his Guru's head.
Though Baba allowed the devotees to worship Him as they pleased, still sometimes, He acted in a strange way. Sometimes, He threw away the Puja-dish and was wrath Incarnate, then who could approach Him? Sometimes, He scolded the devotees, at times, He looked softer than wax, a statue of peace and forgiveness. Though He seemed to shake with anger and His red eyes rolled round and round, still, He was internally a stream of affection and motherly love. Immediately, He called out His devotees and said, that He ever angry with His devotees; that if mothers kicked their children and if the sea turned back the rivers, He would neglect the devotees' welfare: that He, the slave of His devotees, always stood by them, and responded to them, whenever they called upon Him, and that He always longed for their love.
Haji Sidik Falke
There was no knowing, when Baba would accept a devotee. That depended on His sweet will. Sidik Falke's story is to the point. One Mahomedan gentleman by name Sidik Falke of Kalyan, after making a pilgrimage to Mecca and Madina, came to Shirdi. He lived in a Chavadi, facing north, and sat in the open court-yard of the Masjid. For nine months, Baba ignored him, and did not allow him to step into the Masjid. Falke felt much disconsolate, and did not know what to do. Somebody advised him not to be disappointed; but to try to approach Baba through Shama (Madhavarao Deshpande), a close and intimate devotee of Baba. He told him that as they approach the God Shiva through his servant and devotee, Nandi, so Baba should be approached through Shama. Falke liked the idea and implored Shama to intercede for him. Shama agreed and on a convenient occasion spoke to Baba about him thus:- "Baba, why don't You allow the old Haji to step into the Masjid, while so many persons freely come and go, after taking Your darshan; why not bless him once?" Baba replied "Shama, you are too young to understand things. If the Fakir (Allah) does not allow, what can I do? Without His grace, who will climb into the masjid? Well, go to him and ask him whether he will come to the narrow footpath near the Barvi well." Shama went and returned with an affirmative answer. Again Baba said to Shama,"Ask him whether he is willing to pay me the sum of Rs. 40,000/- in four instalments." Shama went and returned with the answer that he was willing to pay even 40 lacs. Again Baba said to Shama- "We are going to butcher a goat in the Masjid, so ask him, whether he would like to have mutton, haunch or testicles of the goat." Shama returned with the answer that the Haji would be happy to receive a small crumb from Baba's kolamba (mudpot). Hearing this Baba got excited and with His hands threw away the earthen jars and kolamba and straightway advanced to the Haji and lifting His Kafni up with His hands said - "Why do you brag and fancy yourself great and pose yourself as an old Haji? Do you read Koran like this? You are proud of your pilgrimage to Macca, but you do not know Me." Being thus scolded, the Haji was confounded. Baba then went back to the Masjid, purchased a few baskets of mangoes and sent them to the Haji. Then again Baba went to the Haji and taking out Rs.55/- from His pocket, gave them to the Haji. From that time, Baba loved the Haji, invited him for meals and the Haji, thereafter, came into the Masjid whenever he liked. Baba gave him at times some rupees, and thus the Haji was enlisted in Baba's Darbar.
Baba's Control over the Elements
We shall close this Chapter after describing two incidents showing Baba's control over the elements. (1) Once at evening time, there was a terrible storm at Shirdi. The sky was overcast with thick black clouds. The winds began to blow forcibly; the clouds roared and the lighting began to flash, and the rains began to descend in torrents. In a short time, the whole place was flooded with water, All the creatures, birds, beasts and men got terribly frightened; and they all flocked to the Masjid for shelter. There are many local deities in Shirdi, but none of them came to their help. So they all prayed to Baba - their God, Who was fond of their devotion, to intercede and quell the storm. Baba was much moved. He came out and standing at the edge of the Masjid, addressed the storm in a loud and thunderous voice - "Stop, stop your fury and the calm." In a few minutes the rains subsided, the winds ceased to blow, and the storm came to a stop. Then the moon rose in the sky, and the people then went back home well-pleased, (2) On another occasion at noon the fire in the Dhuni began to burn brightly, its flames were seen to be reaching the rafters above. The people who were sitting in the Masjid did not know what to do. They dared not to ask Baba to pour water or do anything to quench the flames. But Baba soon came to realize, what was happening. He took up His Satka (short stick) and dashed it against a pillar in front, saying - "Get down, Be calm." At each stroke of the Satka, the flames began to lower and slow down; and in a few minutes the Dhuni became calm and normal.
This is our Sai, an Incarnation of God. He will bless any man who will prostrate and surrender himself to Him. He, who will read the stories of this Chapter daily with faith and devotion, will soon be free from all calamities; not only this, but always attached and devoted to Sai, he will get very soon God-vision: all his desires will be fulfilled and being ultimately desireless, he will attain the Supreme. Amen!
Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all
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| Baba's Miracles - 4 |
| 09.22.04 (3:06 am) [edit] |
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Baba's Miracles - 4
"When truth is stranger than fiction"
- The Upanishads
Yes, I saw Him, The re-incarnation of Baba (Twenty-six years after His Mahaa samadhi)-This occurred in March, 1944 at Vizianagaram, A.P, 26 years after Baba attained Mahaa Samadhi in October, 1918.
Mukam karothi uachalam Mrutha mujj'wa yatyapi
- The Upanishads
Behold, it came to pass that the dumb spoke and the dead came back to life.
The Bible
Yes, there He stood at the gate, with His serene indulgent face and benevolent eyes, clothed in 'Kupni' with the cloth over the head falling loosely over the shoulders, the 'Biksha Patra' held in the right hand with the left folded and resting over the right shoulder exactly as in the portrait facing P112 of the Satcharita (Eng.edn. by Sri N.V. Gunaji). I was stunned with amazement. It was INCREDIBLE. Only a moment before, in my frenzied despair at the passing away of my first-born son aged 10 years, I had denied Him His Divinty and His omnipresence testified again and again by His devotees' experiences both before and after His 'Mahasamaadhi' I had declared Him to be a false deity and beseeched my wife to throw His portrait on the dung hill. But, here He stood to prove the TRUTH OF HIS ETERNAL EXISTENCE.
You see, the medicine I poured into the mouth of my semiconcious son remained there. I shouted to him to swallow it, but the mouth remained open. I became frantic and tried to close it. No, the jaws had become rigid. I checked pulse. It too had stopped. It was then that called out my wife from the kitchen and spoke those blasphemons words. She just sat by the bed, head bent and tears trickling down, as much hurt by my profanity, no doubt, as by the bereavement.
I had come to the end of my tether spiritually, I was not myself for the nonce. Thus i had the brutal impudence to ask my grieving wife whether she had cooked, adding, 'He has anyway gone. I don't want to die, too. I shall go and eat."
Imagine the father, however forlorn, to be so devoid of all feelings as to put such an inhuman question to the mother just bereaved. There is no limit to which human nature can sink through, thank God, it can also soar to Elysian heights. Here I must say that my wife’s faith, unlike mine, has throughout been unflickering, standing 'four-square to all the winds that blow'. Whenever my mind harks back to that scene, I can not help wondering how I escaped her righteous indignation for my frenzied out-burst. Where else, except, except in this land hallowed by Sita and Savithri, Damayanthi and Mandodhari, Nalaayini and Renuka Devi, can one meet with such phenomenal forbearance and fortitude?
It is not far-fetched to say that it is for such paragons of virtue that the Sun shines, it rains, and Mother Earth continues to yield her bounty. It has been said that 'the greatness of a man does not consist in never falling but rising everytime he falls'. Indeed, it is by the magnetic charm of their devotion that 'homo sapiens' is not completely debased. In her own gentle manner, she said. ' i just finished cooking for the children. Pray, serve yourself for this once", and lapsed into, what I know now in retrospect to have been, prayer to Baba.
You see, there were four younger children, two of them twins hardly six months old. But my mind and heart had become dry, no thought or feeling for any one, not even Baba! So I betook myself to the kitchen to eat! I sat with a Thali' before me and mechanically served myself some rice. Before I could bring myself to eat, while sitting and staring at the rice vacantly, I became schizophrenic, as it were, one part of me questioning the other, "Look, what are you trying to do? there lies your first-born son dead and you are going to gorge yourself". This shocked me into realising how perfectly horrid of me it was.
I turned to look in the direction of the bed in the front room which was in line with the kitchen. It was then that my eyes beheld the wonderful form of Baba. Was it a mere vision, a figment of my imagination? I shouted to my wife with head still bent, "Kamu, look out and see who has come". Reacting to the frantic urgency in my voice, she looked up and glanced at the gate.
At once, as if touched by a live wire, she sprang up; and, as if that was the consummation, she was devoutly praying for she exclaimed "Amma Nayana/ Baba Vachcheru!" (Oh! at long last Baba has come!).
Actually, neither of us had seen the Satcharita portrait of Baba by then. Our puja portrait showed Him sitting crossed. However, in His inscrutable Wisdom, He had led us intoo buying at a 'me/a' a few months earlier, a wood-cut portraying Him in five different poses, including this one, we were able to recognise Him at once.
Now I felt sure it was He. I was back in my senses. My heart was full of gratitude to Him for coming in the nick of time, and saving the situation. Else, in my forsaken condition, with no thought of Him or for Him, I might have polluted the food before me. In this new found happiness, I reverentially took the thali up to Him and put the rice in the lifted 'biksha-paatra', He received it with His beatific face and went away. No word was spoken. Indeed, there was no need for any. My heart was too full for it, too. There was 'peace that passeth understanding'.
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| Bhagavan’s Wedding Gift for a Student’s Sister |
| 09.21.04 (12:23 pm) [edit] |
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Mahimas
Bhagavan 's Wedding Gift for a Student’s Sister
I am also happy to let you know that Bhagavan did two important miracles that day. Having come out of the interview room, suddenly, He called one boy. Then, He just looked at him and took the wedding card he had for his sister.
The boy said, “Swami, this is my sister’s wedding card.”
“OK,” He said and told the boy to go and sit.
The boy went and sat in the tenth or fifteenth row, which was his seat that day. At the end of arati, he finds there in another cover, the Mangalasutra, the sacred knot or the golden chain, which is given to the bride on the wedding day. The boy was thrilled and he told me.
I was very excited to hear this. I have been sharing this with as many groups as possible because you must have understood my temperament. I cannot be at peace unless I share whatever I know with everybody. Yes, it is the greatest delight!
Another Vibhuthi Wonder
I can also share with you another miracle. There is a district by the name Khammam about a fifteen hours drive from here. There is a very small village close to Khammam by the name Chilukuru. Our seva dals went there and started doing some service. They noticed a Hanuman temple there, which was dilapidated and neglected. There was no priest, no daily worship, nothing whatsoever. So, the seva dals cleaned the whole premises; they whitewashed the whole temple. While they were there, they kept Baba’s picture.
From Bhagavan’s picture, vibhuthi started flowing continuously. Those seva dals were immensely happy for the kindness of Bhagavan, approving and accepting their service to Hanuman. In doing this, Swami was establishing that He and Hanuman are one and the same.
The seva dals also did bhajans there in the temple premises. They saw Baba’s face in the photo, full red in colour. Normally, Hanuman’s face is smeared with the red colour (vermillion), as most of us must have seen. They noticed the same thing on Baba’s face. I also wanted to share this had happened.
From: Anil Kumar Satsang, "Sai Pearls of Wisdom"
Part Twenty Six, March 3rd, 2004
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| Sai Baba Quote |
| 09.21.04 (10:11 am) [edit] |
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Sai Baba Quote
Sacrifice is a supreme virtue in man. One who has no spirit of sacrifice will be sick in the body and mind. What sacrifice does to a man is to eradicate his selfishness. As long as self-interest is dominant, one cannot understand Reality. The self-centred man cannot attain the Supreme. Hence, we must cultivate a broad mind and seek to serve our fellow beings who need help. Even in the pursuit of Liberation, there is no place for concern with one’s self. To be concerned about ‘My Salvation’ will lead only to ‘no salvation’. Those who are concerned only about their individual liberation, will not achieve liberation.
- Sri Sathya Sai Baba
22.3.85
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| Indian blood donation project grows in South Africa |
| 09.21.04 (5:03 am) [edit] |
Indian blood donation project grows in South Africa
[World News] Johannesburg, Sep 21 : The World Blood Donation Day, initiated by Indian spiritual leader Satya Sai Baba, has grown by more than 20 percent annually since it was started in South Africa a decade ago.
"After being inaugurated by Sri Satya Sai Baba in India, the concept spread all over the world," Sini Subrayen, public relations officer of South African Blood Transfusion Service (SABT), told IANS.
"In South Africa, it started out in the (mainly Indian) suburb of Lenasia, but after teaming up with the SABT, we have seen the project grow in all major cities in South Africa.
"Besides the regular blood donors who support us on this all-day event held on the third Sunday of September each year, we encourage each of them to bring a friend along, resulting in increased donations."
Although the support over the years has been largely from South African Indians, in recent years blood donation camps have also been set up in areas formerly occupied by whites in the apartheid era, as many Indians have moved to these areas.
This year there were 10 camps set up across greater Johannesburg, with three of them in mainly Indian areas. The three areas, Lenasia, Lenasia South and Mayfair, each delivered more than double the units of the other areas, showing again, as in the past, that the great number of Sai devotees from there played a major role.
The three top camps helped beat the target for the day of 600 units by over 25 percent after a total of 755 units were collected.
--Indo-Asian News Service
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| Sai As Omnipresent / Sai As Loving Mother |
| 09.21.04 (4:36 am) [edit] |
Sai As Omnipresent / Sai As Loving Mother
The most touching incidents I read in the article on SAI As Omnipresent & SAI As Loving Mother and felt like sharing them with all of you. Swami always shower his blessings and love and grace on all of us.
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
SAI As Loving Mother
On another occasion Baba and a few others were travelling by car from Trichinopoly to Bangalore via Palamaner. On reaching the Forest Rest House at Palamaner at 10 in the night the party had to be satisfied with food from a hotel which had not yet closed luckily. But there was nothing to protect them from biting cold. Kasturiji says, "We were able to persuade Him to use a shawl which the engineer-devotee was parading his torso at Trichinopoly. Sleep stole into our eyes in the silence. When I woke at dawn from my bare reed-mat, I found the shawl keeping me warm from head to foot. Baba, the mother, had tiptoed during my sleep and gently spread it over me. Baba found me in tears. How else could I express my good fortune and my gratitude at the lesson He taught us?"
SAI As Omnipresent
A devotee used to worship Baba in his shrine reciting everyday the 108 Names and on Thursdays the 1008 Names. As he completed this ritual he would prostrate head long before Baba's picture imagining His Lotus Feet in his clasp. And he remained in ecstasy for a few minutes in this pose, his eyes filled with tears of joy. Sometime later when he visited Prashanthi Nilayam Baba granted him an interview and lovingly told him " Look at my feet and see the width of space I require to place both feet comfortably on the ground. When you clasp my feet after your daily prayers your palms do not open wide enough; I have to keep my feet cramped between them everytime you call me. Keep them a bit wider." His reply was a cascade of tears. What more proof is required for the Lord's omnipresence?
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| Baba's Method of Teaching |
| 09.21.04 (4:18 am) [edit] |
Baba's Method of Teaching
As for Baba's declaration about his Guru, Professor Narke heard Baba say, Maja Guru Brahman ahe, that is, My Guru is a Brahmin. Having said so much about his Guru, professor Narke carefully noted that Baba did not say that he had any sishya to continue his line. On the other hand, Sai Baba said, 'I would tremble to come into the presence of my Guru.' There was no one prepared to serve Sai Baba in that way at Shirdi. Once Sai Baba asked, it seems, 'Who dares to call himself my disciple? Who can serve me adequately and satisfactorily?' But apart from a disciple to continue the line, Baba helped in various ways and in various degrees. He encouraged them, protected them, and gave them instructions occasionally.
Narke was studying Baba's methods of teaching and improving devotees. Baba gave our moral tales and a few occasional directions. But these were exceptional. But the traditional method of Baba was not oral. His traditional method was first the negative portion; that is, the Guru did not give to his chosen disciple any Guru mantra. Usually a Guru whispers a mantra into the ear of the sishya, and he seems to be almost biting the ear when he is whispering. So, Baba said, 'Me Kanala Dasnara Guru Navhe.' That is, 'I am not the Guru that bites the ear. He did not regard japa and meditation as sufficient for the sishya. These produce in the sadhaka Abhimana or Ahamkara. Unless and until Ahamkara is completely wiped out the Guru is unable to pour all his influence into the sishya. In Baba's school, the Guru does not teach. He radiates or pours influence. That influence is poured in and absorbed in full by the soul which has completely surrendered itself and blotted out the self, but is obstructed by the exercise of intelligence by reliance on self-exertion and by every species of self-consciousness and self-assertion. Baba, therefore, would tell some devotees, 'Be by me and keep quiet and I will do the rest,' that is, 'secretly or invisibly.
One who was merely seeing him and staying by him for a while got faith. Baba gave experiences to each devotee, of his vast powers of looking into his heart, into the distance regions of space and time, past or future and this infused faith. One need not swallow a thing on trust. The solid benefit, temporal or spiritual reaped by the devotee and his feeling that he is under the eye and power of Baba always, wherever he may be and whatever he may do, gave him an ineradicable basis for his further temporal and spiritual guidance.
Baba's is the power that controls this world's goods and our fate here and now, as well as our experience and fate in the future, in this world and many unseen worlds. The professor concludes that the duty of a devotee under Baba is only to keep himself fit for the Guru's grace. That is, he should be chaste, pure, simple and virtuous and he should look trustfully and sincerely to the beloved master to operate on him secretly, and to raise him to various experiences, higher and higher in range, until he is taken at last to the distance goal. 'But one step is enough for me', is the proper attitude now, He need not take the trouble to decide complicated metaphysical and philosophical problems about the ultimate destiny. He is ill-prepared to solve them now. The guru will lift him and endow him with higher powers, vaster knowledge and increasing realization of truth. And the end is safe in the Guru's hands.
These above conclusions, as the professor says, are not from any single lecture or address by Baba, but are gathered from the various hints, his dealings with many people and his occasional words.
(Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji)
www.saibaba.org
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| Sai Humour and Golden Words of Wisdom from Swami [Part 2 of 2] |
| 09.20.04 (10:33 am) [edit] |
Sai Humour and Golden Words of Wisdom from Swami [Part 2 of 2]
If you feel you are a hundred percent dependent on God, He will look after you and save you from harm and injury.
Love with no expectation of return.
Activity must be dedicated to God, the Highest Good. Then, it will provide health to body and mind.
God is omnipotent. All powerful
God is Omnipresent. Present everywhere.
God is Omniscient. All knowing.
God, first; the world next; myself last!
Live on your own earnings, your own resources.
Man seeks to change the foods available in nature to suit his tastes, thereby putting an end to the very essence of life contained in them.
Each man carries his own destiny in his own hands.
Dreams relating to God are real.
The easiest way to control sensuous desires is to practice altruistic love.
Our good conduct is our true wealth.
If some people say there is no God, it only means that they are at too great a distance to be aware of Him.
Men are born with a helpless lamenting cry; they should die with a smile of happy joy.
Do not belittle any religion or give predominance to any religion.
Love knows no fear and so love needs no falsehood to support it.
Do not use poisonous words against anyone, for, words wound more fatally than even arrows.
You must be a lotus unfolding its petals when the sun rises in the sky, unaffected by the slush where it is born or even the water which sustains it!
Be loving, begin to perceive your inner voice and follow it.
The root is education and the fruit is virtue.
Of all the insanities that harass man, God-madness is the least harmful, and the most beneficial.
You may be able to pay back any debt; but the debt you owe your mother, you never can repay.
Love is the light that guides the feet of man in the wilderness.
Every experience that is drawn through any of the senses has an effect on one's health.
Mine, not thine, this sense of greed is the root of all evil. This distinction is applied even to God! -- my God, not yours! Your God, not mine!
Discipline is the mark of intelligent living.
No one can judge another, for, when another is judged you are yourself condemned.
Love seeks no reward; Love is its own reward.
One without power does not mean lack of physical or mental strength.
Speak soft and sweet; sympathize with suffering and loss and ignorance: try your best to apply the salve of soothing words and timely succor.
The Lord is but a witness; He is above all hate and anger, of attachment derived from "mine" and "thine".
Nothing is to be used as itself, for itself.
"Seeing is believing: I will believe in God only if I see Him;" but are all things seen or heard or touched or tasted, as real as they seem?
Either the Government must have the capacity to educate and reform the people or the people must have the capacity to educate the Government.
Peace - It can come only from the Fountain of Peace within.
It is best to live with honor for just a day than with dishonor for many decades; better a short lived celestial swan than a century-lived crow.
Every sense is an outlet for the energy of man in a direction that binds him to the objective world.
Spiritual progress is right living, good conduct, moral behavior.
Do all acts as offerings to God; do not classify some as `my work' and some as `His work'.
The reasoning faculty must be employed to distinguish between the limited and the unlimited, the Temporary and the Eternal.
Life is a mirage;
It comes from no visible rain;
It falls into no recognizable sea.
When the magnet does not attract the needle, the fault lies in the dirt that covers up the needle.
Food should not be too salty, too hot, too bitter, too sweet, too sour.
There should not be any trace of dislike or distrust on the score of nationality, language, caste, economic status, scholarship, age or sex.
The end of knowledge is love.
The end of education is character.
Each country is but a room in the mansion of God.
The very joy derived from service reacts on the body and makes you free from disease.
The age period 16 - 30 is a crucial stage, when man achieves best and struggles hardest to achieve.
Man is a spark of the Divine.
All things in creation are subject to the law of change and man too is subject to this law.
Service is spiritual discipline, not a pastime of the rich and well-placed.
Too much food results in dullness of mind.
God alone is the giver of life, the guardian of life, and the goal of life.
All spiritual practice must be directed to the removal of the husk and the revelation of the kernel.
The same current activates all.
Man is now able to soar into outer space and reach up to the moon; but he is not moral enough to live at peace with his neighbor!
The food that one eats has to be pure, free from the subtle evils radiated by the persons who collect the materials, who cook the dishes, and who serve them.
Whatever is to our advantage will appear right to us; We do not usually look upon a matter from the other fellow's standpoint.
However high a bird may soar, it has sooner or later to perch on a tree top, to enjoy quiet.
The purpose of living is to achieve the `living in God'
When you feel you cannot do good, at least desist from doing evil.
Condemn the wrong and extol the right as soon as you notice either in your children; that will settle them on the straight path.
Awake, Arise and Stop not until the goal is reached.
Limiting birth by artificial means is an absurdly wrong step. The consequences of this act are irresponsible fatherhood or frustrated motherhood.
The mind fixed in the awareness of the One is like a rock, unaffected by doubt, stable, secure.
Instead of making the senses which are at best very poor guides and informants his servants, man has made them his masters.
Jesus said:
First - He is a messenger of God.
Second - He is the son of God.
Third - He and His Father are one.
Women have equal chances and equal rights to attain Godhead
Let the wave of memory, the storm of desire, the fire of emotion pass through without affecting your equanimity.
Silence is the speech of the spiritual seeker
All men are cells in the same divine organism, in the divine body. That should be your faith, your fortune, your fort, your fullness.
Hate screeches
Fear squeals
Conceit trumpets
But love sings lullabies.
Food cooked in water should not be used the next day; it becomes harmful.
No society can find its fulfillment, no social ideal can fructify, without the blossoming of the spirit of man.
Patience is all the strength that man needs.
The earlier years of life are the most crucial, and so the mother and the father have to share the responsibility for the upbringing.
Through the media of films, books, music and the behavior of elders, young minds are excited and aroused into indulgences.
The God of death does not give notice of His arrival to take hold of you. He is not like the photographer who says, "I am clicking, are you ready?"
Whenever you get a little leisure, do not spend it in talking about sundries, but utilize it in meditating on God or in doing service to others.
Greed yields only sorrow; contentment is best.
Whatever acts a good or bad man may do, the fruits thereof follow him and will never stop pursuing him.
It is not the standard of living that is important, but the manner of living.
You must render service out of spontaneous urge from within, with a heart filled with love.
A chance conglomeration of humans does not become a society.
A society has to be welded into a unit by the consciousness of kinship in God.
Unity is divinity; Purity us enlightenment.
Reform the body, reconstruct the mind, regulate the way of living, then, the country will become automatically strong and prosperous.
Forget the harm that anyone has done to you, and forget the good that you have done to others.
There is only one royal road for the spiritual journey...Love.
If one student is bad, only that student is affected. But if one teacher is bad, hundreds of students get spoiled.
Your thoughts play a vital role in shaping your life.
Religion is three-fourths character.
The present is a product of the past, but it is also the seed for the future.
Open the gates of wisdom tear the veil of ignorance enter the abode of Divine Bliss. Rest in peace forever.
Form a Satsang, where you meet and exchange truths and virtuous talk; where you study holy books and discourses on the glory of God.
All work is God's. He inspires, He helps, He executes, He enjoys, He is pleased, He reaps, He sowed.
Have faith in yourself. When you have no faith in the wave, how can you get faith in the ocean?
Do not contemplate on death; it is just an incident in life; contemplate on God, who is the master of all life.
You must welcome tests because it gives you confidence and it ensures promotion.
So long as you say 'I am' there is bound to be fear, but once you say and feel 'I am God' you get unconquerable strength.
By eating flesh one develops violent tendencies and animal diseases.
Do not get swelled up when people praise you and do not feel dejected when people blame you.
Serve man until you see God in all men.
Knowledge without devotion to God produces hatred.
What is the unmistakable mark of a wise man? It is love, love for all humanity.
Service springs out of love and it scatters love in profusion.
Soft sweet speech is the _expression of genuine love.
Mankind can find happiness only in unity, not in diversity.
Philosophy that cannot be understood, scriptures that are not practiced - it is a waste of time to talk of them.
Anger is the harvest of the bewitching mind; it enslaves man and fogs his understanding.
People are born for different tasks, but in order to survive every one requires the same nourishment; inner peace.
Whatever the trouble, however great the sorrow, persist and win by recollecting the Lord.
Those who have gone through pain and suffering can understand and sympathize with those who are in pain
The basic Truth in all religions, irrespective of country or race is one and the same.
Whenever and wherever you put yourself in touch with God that is the state of meditation.
The mind is a bundle of desires - remove the threads of attachment one by one; at the end the 'cloth' disappears and the mind is clear and pure.
Practice silence - for the voice of God can be heard in the region of your heart only when the tongue is stilled and storm is stilled and the waves are calm.
Practice the vocabulary of love - unlearn the language of hate and contempt.
God is in you, around you, behind you, above you, beside you.
Of all the righteous acts, help rendered to those needing it, is the most righteous.
Surrendering the fruit of action to the Lord is real sacrifice.
My birthday is the date when divinity blossoms in your heart.
God is neither distant nor distinct from you.
What is offered to God is totally free from all defects and imperfections.
The joy that we cause in the heart of God is the only worthwhile achievement.
The acid test by which an activity can be confirmed as holy or sacred is to examine whether it promotes attachment or avoids bondage.
Body is like a flashlight.
Eye is like the bulb
Mind is the battery cell
Intelligence is the switch
Only when the four work together do you get the light.
Any happiness that you can give to others will result in happiness for yourself in the end. Man must realize that he cannot get anything without sharing it with humanity around him. So, you must believe that happiness of the people around you will lead to your own happiness in due course.
Illnesses are caused more by malnutrition of the mind than of the body. I will recommend the repetition of the Name of God. That is Vitamin G. That is the medicine; regulated life and habits are 2/3 of the treatment, while the medicine is just 1/3 only.
It is only when you have both divine grace and human endeavor that you can experience bliss, just as you can enjoy the breeze of a fan only when you have both a fan and the electrical energy to operate it.
Do not think that only those who worship a picture or image with pompous paraphernalia are devotees. Whoever walks straight along the moral path, whoever acts as he speaks and speaks as he has seen whoever melts at another's woe and exults at another's joy.... is a devotee, perhaps a greater devotee.
This is bad; this is good - can such judgements be ever made about anything in God's creation when all are manifestations of His will?.
Love is one without a second. When this love is directed towards the world, it is called attachment (anuraga), and when directed towards God, it is called Prema (devotional love).
The play is His
The role is His gift
The lines are written by Him
He directs, He decides the dress and decoration,
The gesture and the tone,
The entrance and the exit.
You have to act well to receive His approbation
When the curtain falls
Earn by your efficiency and enthusiasm
The right to play higher and higher roles
That is the meaning and purpose of life
Living with God is the true education
Living for God is the true devotion
Living in God is the true spirituality.
A bubble of water is born out of water. It is made up of water. It ultimately mixes with water and disappears. As in this analogy, man is like a bubble and Narayana is like the source, "water". Man is born out of Narayana, is made up of Him and ultimately merges with Him.
A pure thought from a pure heart is better than a Mantra.
A zero will get its value only if it is placed after an integer. So also a "Jiva" will get some value only if it is placed in conjunction with divinity.
Accommodate all forms of God in your heart. Do not exclude some and welcome others. Accept all achievements and failures as proofs of the grace of God.
Adoration, affection and attachment are the flowers. Devotion and dedication are the fruits. When they ripen they fill themselves with the sweet sustaining juice called wisdom.
Ambition to earn fame in the world, to gain some position of authority over men, to lead a luxurious life can never ensure mental peace.
An expansive mind is more laudable than an expert brain. One person shedding love is more desirable than a hundred hard hearted companions.
An iron box is essential to keep safe the precious stones. So too the body is essential to keep safe the precious gifts of virtue, love and discrimination.
Anger, ego, jealousy are the biggest diseases. Keep yourself aloof from these three diseases.
Anger cannot be destroyed by anger and cruelty by cruelty. Anger can be subdued only by forbearance and cruelty can be overcome only by nonviolence.
Anger is like an intoxicant; it reduces man and degrades him to the level of an animal.
As long as the sugar is on the tongue, you feel the sweetness in taste. Similarly, so long as the heart has love, peace and devotion, you feel bliss.
As the food, so the mind. As the mind, so the thought. As the thought, so the act.
At all times, engage yourself in serving others. There is no greater Sadhana than this.
Be a servant; a servant of God. Feel that you are an instrument in His hand. Let Him shape you and use you as He knows best.
Be clear and content
Be moderate and wise
Be vigilant and steady.
Be earnest and sweet.
Be good, Do good, See good - this is the way to God.
Be guarded against the 'evil of the tongue', 'evil of the mind' and 'evil of the hand'.
Be like a star which never wavers from the crescent, but is fixed in steady faith. Be like a lotus which is not affected by the water in which it is born.
Be what you profess to be. Speak what you intend to do. Utter what you have experienced. No more. No less.
Believe that God is one, though he is addressed and prayed to by different groups of people in different names.
Believe that there is no morality higher than truth, there is no prayer more fruitful than Seva.
Believe that there is nothing greater than truth; nothing sweeter, nothing more precious and nothing more lasting.
Bend before the lowly, the humbly, the Godly, the good. Do not bend before the proud; the promoters of hate and greed.
Bhajan cleanses and purifies the atmosphere by its vital vibrations. It inspires, instructs, it calls and comforts.
Bhakti (devotion) is as essential for experiencing Atmic Bliss as blood is essential for the body.
Be like the ant. When the ant gets a mixture of sand and sugar, it selects only sugar; it neglects sand. See only good in others. Pay no attention to the bad.
Body is a house given to you for rent. Live there so long as He wills, thanking him and paying Him the rent of faith and devotion.
By chanting the name of the Lord sanctifies your time. By singing His glory, sanctify your life. Always continuously develop a pure heart for the welfare of the world.
Calamity, danger, death cannot be avoided for all time. They are inevitable factors of life and you have to learn to live bravely with them.
Chanting the name of the Lord must be considered as the highest form of Sadhana. You can travel anywhere in the light of this name. In this age of Kali Yuga, the easiest way to reach the Lord is this chanting of the Lord's name. There is nothing more sacred than this name.
Character is the most precious gift of education. Without character, wealth, education and social status are of no avail.
Close your eyes to the faults of others, but keep them open to discover your own.
Consider the entire society as your home, only then you will realize genuine unity with all.
Constant dwelling with the name of the Lord gives that unshakeable peace unaffected by the ups and downs of life.
Command the mind, regulate your conduct, keep your heart straight and clear, then you will get the grace of God.
Concentration is a conscious activity and meditation is a super conscious experience.
Contentment is the most precious treasure. Contentment alone can lead man to the goal of life, the attainment of divinity.
Cows may be of different breeds or colors or sizes, but milk they yield is the same, the world over. So too, all religions, what ever their origin or extent of influence, are means to teach man this process.
Creation is divine; imitation is human.
Dedicate all your physical possession and mental skills and intellectual attainments to the service of the Lord.
Desire is storm, greed is whirl-pool, pride is precipice, attachment is avalanche and ego is volcano. Discard these and you will be liberated.
Dedicate your hands to the service of mankind, never deviate from that attitude.
Dedication ensures success; purifies inner vision, gives lasting joy.
Desires, disappointments and despair cause diseases. Filling the mind with the thought of God is the curative drug.
Develop the quality of love that asks for no return, develop divine knowledge and develop the inner vision.
Devotion is the sustenance of the heart, just as food is the sustenance for the body; devotion to duty is the highest form of worship to God.
Devotion is not a uniform to be worn on certain days when you gather for worship and then to be laid aside when the service is over.
Devotion to God does not mean merely offering worship in a shrine or taking part in Bhajan or Sankirtan. One must recognize the form of Divine in the images one worships or human being one serves.
Devotion truly means worshipping the Lord, not caring for the fruits of one's actions.
Discipline is the mark of intelligent living; it is more essential for success in spiritual effort.
Dive and declare the depth, eat and judge the taste.
Divine bliss cannot be gained by accumulation of impediments like cars and houses, land and gold, stocks and stores.
Divine is neither manufactured by any company nor available in any shop. It is not something that can be earned from outside, it has to sprout and grow from within and treasured within.
Divine is the inner core of all beings, near and far, big or small. Expand your consciousness to its utmost limits.
Do and dedicate,
Work and worship,
Plan and protect,
But do not worry about the fruit,
That is the secret of spiritual success.
Do good deeds, you get good in return. Do bad deeds, you reap bad results; do not blame God, thank yourself, blame yourself.
Doing one's duty, however small, in an unattached manner gives rise to the awakening of self awareness.
Do not be affected when the results you anticipate are not produced; do not anticipate at all, but leave it to God.
Do not depend on others to serve your needs, become your own servant before proceeding to serve others.
Do not get puffed up when you succeed. Do not get punctured when you fail.
Do not give room for differences based on language, religion, caste or nationality. Develop the feeling that all are children of God. You may worship God in any form of your choice, but always bear in mind that God is one. Cultivate love and promote unity and harmony among all.
Do not give up worldly duties, but do them with the Name of God on your lips inviting the Grace of God on your heads.
Do not lay claim to long life but to divine life; do not pine for more years on earth, but for more virtues in the heart.
Each has his particular duty, task, role as an individual; do that duty, carry on that task. Play that role as best as you can; that is how one can fulfill himself.
Earning money cannot be the purpose of education; acquiring good qualities can be the only purpose of education.
Education does not mean only giving meaning to the words. Whatever is learnt in schools and colleges has to be practiced and has to be used for the welfare of the society. That is true education.
Education is a wasteful process unless knowledge is transformed into wisdom and wisdom is expressed in character.
Education is to be valued not as a means of earning one's livelihood, but as the essential requisite for a happy, peaceful and progressive life.
Education must ultimately mean:
"E" for Enlightment
"D" for Duty and Devotion
"U" for Understanding
"C" for Character
"A" for Action
"T" for Thanking
"I" for Integrity
"O" for Oneness
"N" for Nobility
Education should be divorced from job hunting. Its primary purpose should be to enable the educated to lead an honorable and meaningful life in society.
Education without character, politics without principles and commerce without morality are not only useless, but positively dangerous.
Ego lives by getting and forgetting. Love lives by giving and forgiving.
Engage always in good deeds, beneficial activities, speak the truth, do not inflict pain by word or deed or even thought. That is the highest gain which you can earn in this life.
Every action of yours at the present time is bound to have a reaction, resound and reflection in the future.
Every human being is has a body which is like a chariot and has a charioteer, which is the Atma. This is universally true and this is the basis of the unity and diversity of in all mankind.
Every human being has four birthdays: the first is when he emerges from his mother's womb; the second is when he begins his spiritual study to lead him from darkness to light; third is when he has gained wisdom for achieving self realization; the fourth and last is when he realizes his true identity and merges with Brahman.
Every passing minute is a precious gift from God which you have to use for the best and most lasting benefit.
Every rise will be followed by a fall; every elation will be followed by depression.
Feel that you are a hundred percent dependent on God; He will look after you and save you from harm and injury.
Feel that your family, your house, your fields, your cars are all the Lord's property and that you are only the trustee.
Feel the presence of God when silence reigns; in the excitement and confusion, you cannot hear His 'Foot Fall'.
For the disease of 'Bhavaroga' (birth death cycle), Bhagawan is the medicine; for the disease of desire, Jnana is the prescription; for the disease of doubt, the most effective remedy is paropakara (service); for the major infection of asanthi (anxiety), the course of treatment is Bhajan.
Friendship should not be based on consideration of fear and favor, sacred friendship is that which enables one to help others at all times and in all circumstances.
Get the doctor who would assure 'hereafter you will not fall ill' and not the doctor who gives some relief to the present attacks.
'Gift' is a meritorious act, if it is rendered to the needy at the time of need, in a manner that fulfills the need, it must be made without pride and publicity.
Give up gaining; restraining in order to receive; becoming blind in order to see more clearly.
Giving is gaining. Gaining is grieving.
Giving up one's evil thoughts constitutes sacrifice and yoga - leaving one's wife, giving up one's material possessions and repairing to the forest will be of no avail.
Goal of human life is not just eating, drinking, sleeping, tasting a little joy and grief and finally dying like any bird or beast; the goal is the realization of the eternal absolute.
God acts as creator, protector and destroyer. You must show your gratitude to God by your actions, not your words.
God can be addressed by any name that tastes sweet to your tongue or pictured in any form that appeal to your sense of wonder and awe.
God cannot be won by tricks or through short cuts, He can be won only by the hard way of struggle, detachment and tough discipline.
God does not appreciate external pomp and exhibitionistic behavior. God does not take revenge if you do not recognize Him or revere Him.
God does not calculate the cost of all which you surrender at His feet; He examines the spirit in which it is surrendered.
God does not draw you near or keep you far; God does not deny anyone, it is only you who deny God.
God does not live in structures of stone or brick, He lives in soft hearts, warm with sympathy and fragrant with universal love.
God grants you what you need and desire; there is no reason to ask, no reason to grumble.
God has given you the heart to use in life, return it to Him as clean and as pure.
God has no desire to bless nor anger to induce Him to punish. You get blessed and punished as a result of your own feelings and acts.
God has no preference and prejudices. He is but reaction and resound.
God has not made any one wholly bad or wholly good; your likes and dislikes are inducing you to label them such.
God is all mercy, adore Him so long as you have breath, so long as you are conscious.
God is all names and all forms, He cannot be identified with one name and one form; the whole universe is inhabited by God.
God is always ready to give you all that you want but you do not seem to know what is good for you and what you really want, so it is better and easier to surrender yourself completely to God and simply ask for His Grace.
God is nameless, but He responds when His name, in any one of the many, is taken by the seeker.
God is not attracted by your appearance, He will look at the cleanliness of the inner self.
God is not involved in either rewards or punishment. He only reflects resounds and reacts; He is the eternal unaffected witness.
God is not somewhere away from you, someone distinct from you, He is in you, before you, behind you.
God is the sugar that can make the tasteless drink of life into a sweet potion.
God sees your devotion and not power; God cares for your quality and not your caste; God looks at your heart and not at your wealth.
God will respond only when you call Him from the depth of feeling. He will be deaf even if you call him a million times automatically and artificially with the tongue and not with the heart.
Grace of God is equal on all, but it leaks through the holes of anger, ego, lust, greed and desires. Fill the holes with trust, kindness, love, patience and gratefulness.
Hands are given to us so that we may perform good acts and offer the flower of service to the Lord.
Hands that help are holier than lips that pray.
However you are, you are mine. I will never give you up. Wherever you are, you are near me. You cannot go beyond my reach.
I do not need your garlands and fruits, they are not genuinely yours, give me something that is yours, something which is clean and fragrant with the perfume of virtue and innocence and washed in the tears of repentance.
I do not reveal or refuse, it is for you to discover and decide.
I do not take anything from anyone except their love and devotion.
I have come not to disturb or destroy any faith, but to confirm each in his own faith, so that the Christian becomes a better Christian, the Muslim a better Muslim and the Hindu a better Hindu.
If God is a flower, you should feel yourself a bee that sucks its honey, if he is tree, be a creeper that clings to it, if he is the sky, be a tiny star that twinkles in it. Above all, be conscious of the truth that you and He are bound by supreme love.
If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character.
If there is beauty in character, there will be harmony in the home.
If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.
If thought and activities of the mind are sound, healthy, non-violent, filled with love and morally harmonious, then peace is near at hand.
In all the deeds that you perform, in all the individuals that you meet and in all the thoughts that you entertain, you must see the divine and act accordingly.
In an office if you work full time, you get full pay; if you work part time, you get half pay. In the same manner, if you give only part of your mind and ask for full return of the grace of God, it is asking for full pay for half work.
In order to gain the benefit that education can confer, it must be directed towards the cleansing of the inner instruments of thought and feeling. It has to promote and protect the pleasure of spiritual learning.
In the garden of your heart, plant and foster the rose of divinity, the jasmine of purity and humility, the champak of generosity.
In the medicine chest of every member of our Sevadal, one must keep in readiness tablets of discrimination, drops of self control, the powers of faith, devotion and patience. Only then one can be freed of the illness of ignorance.
In the path of Bhakti there are no hurdles young, high or low, man or women, all are equally entitled to tread it.
In the Sathya there is no mithya, but in the mithya (Jagath) you have to search for Sathya and experience it. You can do it, if you rid your mind of all modifications and modulations. Let it be transformed from its present complex confusion into some thing like the sky, which does not bear any mark, though millions of birds fly through it and thousands of planes move across it. Be unaffected, untouched, unattached. That is the Sadhana which will reveal the reality.
Influence of divinity is such that while you are contemplating it all trace of envy and greed will disappear from the mind.
Install the Lord in your heart and offer Him the fruits of your actions and the flowers of your inner thoughts and feelings. That is the worship I like most, the devotion I appreciate most.
Instead of indulging in vain prattle, glorify God and walk in His path and pray to Him. Spend the allotted span of years in the contemplation and the adoration of the Almighty, not in servile praise of the feeble, the futile and the weak. Life is an opportunity afforded to each, not to eat and drink, but to achieve something nobler and grandeur, to master oneself and merge in the reality.
It is an act of merit to be of service to others, it is a sin to harm others.
Its is more sacred and sanctifying to fill our hearts with love than to fill our hearts with all kinds of books on spiritual matters.
It is of no use if you simply utter the name of the God and if you do not follow the good things, it is just like uttering the name of penicillin when you are running a high temperature.
It is only by means of purity of mind, can you come close to the Lord.
Just as sugar cane does not yield sugar juice unless it is crushed, as sandal wood does not give the fragrant paste unless it is rubbed on the stone, so the goodness of people does not come out unless they go through difficulties.
Karma Yoga is the earthen lamp, Bhakti Yoga is the oil in it, Raja Yoga is the wick, and Jnana Yoga is the light.
Karma cleanses the mind if it is done as a dedicatory act, the consequence being left to the will of the Lord. Repentance saves even sinners from perdition. No ceremony of expiation is as effective as sincere repentance.
Keep away from impure listening, impure acts, impure words, and impure thoughts.
Keep the name of the Lord always radiant on your tongue and mind that will keep the antics of the mind under control.
Knowing the way is not enough. The path must be traversed to reach the destination. That journey is service to society.
Knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful; knowledge without character is a powerful evil. Knowledge without action is useless; action without knowledge is foolishness.
Learn to adopt, adjust and accommodate. Learn to give, not to take, learn to serve, not to rule.
Less luggage, more comfort is a slogan for a journey of life; reduce desires, loosen attachment, you will win freedom.
Let the name of the Lord come from the core of your heart. It should not come merely from the lips. It should be chanted with love and faith.
Let your boat be on the waters, but do not allow the waters to enter the boat. Be in the world, but not of it. That is the secret of a truly happy life.
Life can be peaceful only when you can control excitement of your body and mind, life is undoubtedly incomplete without thought about God.
Life is a journey from "I" to "WE".
Life is enveloped in the bitter skin of lust, anger, greed, attachment and jealousy; remove the skin and throw it away so that the sweetness can be tasted.
Love in thought is truth.
Love in action is right conduct.
Love in understanding is peace.
Love in feeling is non-violence.
Love lives by giving and forgiving; self lives by getting and forgetting.
Love saturates all activities with joy and peace.
Love ennobles the least and the lowest.
Love yourself for the God that it embodies.
Love others for the God that is enshrined in them.
Love the Lord's creation as much as the Lord Himself. Then the tree of life will yield the sweet fruit of Madhura Bhakti.
Measure the height you have reached with the yard stick of virtue, serenity, fortitude and equanimity.
Mind, word and act, all three must be filled with the belief that all is His play that is the genuine path.
Name of the God is the rifle which guards you against the beasts of prey in the jungle of life. Name of God is the most effective tonic; it will keep off all illness.
Not by wealth or progeny, neither by reading or listening but only by sacrifice can you get the vision of the divine. Sacrifice of ego is the highest Sadhana.
Objective possessions and subjective passions are handicaps in the race of realization.
Offer God real flower grown in the garden of your heart; fragrant, beautiful and delighting.
Offering all the deeds of man at the feet of the Lord is the real Yagna. Every action performed by man must be considered as an offering to the Lord and as the Lord's work itself.
Only in fear of sin can you experience peace and nonviolence. Only in love of God can you foster truth and love. In social morality you can experience righteousness.
Only through renunciation can immortality (oneness with God) be attained.
Peace of mind cannot be gained by wealth or fame or skill. It can be achieved only through sacrifice.
Peace or distraction, calm or anxiety, it is the product of one's thoughts and deeds.
Prayer alone makes life happy, harmonious and worth living in this universe. Prayer brings man and God together and with every sigh nearer and nearer.
Prayer is the yearning one experiences to awaken the divinity latent in the heart. Prayer is not pronouncing of words.
Prayer reveals the real secret of life; prayer will succeed when thoughts are pure.
Properties are not proper ties.
Pursuit of material pleasures will be like nectar at first, but like poison at the end.
Religions are many, but the road is the same. Flowers are many, but worship is the same, professions are many but living is the same.
Remember that God is not someone else, but one's own inner self.
Remember that if there is anything sweeter than all sweet things, more auspicious than all auspicious things, holier than all holy objects, verily it is the name of the Lord.
Remember there is no morality higher than truth. There is no prayer more fruitful than Seva.
Remove from the garden of your heart, the thorny bushes of greed, anger, jealousy and selfishness.
Reverence for all life in thought, word and deed is nonviolence.
Sadhana leads to Truth
Sat karma leads to Dharma
Bhakti leads to Peace
Upasana leads to Love.
Science is below the mind, spirituality is beyond the mind.
Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.
Service is the ship by which one can cross the ocean of Samsara (life)
Service to man is the highest form of worship. Do not offend or harm anyone.
Seva (service) taken up as Sadhana (discipline) teaches Sahana (patience).
So long as man is not able to push away the clouds of selfishness, he cannot look at the sun of wisdom.
Success or failure is your own making. You decide your destiny. The Lord has no share in deciding it.
Suffering entitles you more to the Grace of the Lord. When suffering comes in waves, one behind the other, be glad that the shore is near, bear them bravely. Like cowards, do not throw the blame on some outside power or develop dislike for the Lord.
The bird with you - the wings with me.
The foot with you - the way with me.
The eye with you - the form with me.
The thing with you - the dream with me.
The world with you - so we are bound.
So we begin - and so we end.
You in me - and I in you.
The day when we understand that every thing belongs to God that will be the dawn of knowledge.
The essence of all the Puranas and Vedas is "Do good to others and keep away from doing harm to others".
The good hearted man who professes no religion is the truly religious man.
There is nothing in the universe higher than God; different from God; distinct from God.
Those who walk with God always reach their destination.
Through reading you gather information but through service you get transformation.
Truth is the sustaining factor behind all; it is the very core and essence of divine life.
Unless God's Grace and human effort come together the result cannot be achieved.
Use the body as a boat to cross the ocean of life with devotion and detachment.
Water flows from a higher level to the lower. God's Grace too flows down to those who are bent with humility.
We do no get what we desire, we get what we deserve.
Wealth that you hoard is not yours; wealth that you have given is really yours.
Yesterday has deceived you and gone, tomorrow is a doubtful visitor. Today is a fast friend, hold fast to it.
You cannot always oblige but you can be obliging.
You cannot claim to be educated or grown up unless you have mastered the science of self control and destroyed the root cause of delusion.
You must give up the luggage of your desires and wishes and thus make life less burdensome.
You must surrender your judgement to the Lord, then Lord will assume full responsibility.
You need offer only two things to God - pure love and selfless service.
Your life can be peaceful only when you can control your excitement of the body and mind.
Your virtue is your shield; your vice is the weapon that inflicts wounds on you.
Destroying pride man becomes endearing;
Destroying anger man gets rid of sorrow
Destroying desire man acquires peace;
Destroying greed man achieves happiness.
Bear in mind the three P's: Purity, Patience and Perseverance. With these three, you are bound to acquire good health and bliss
Action with Love is Right Conduct.
Speak with Love and it becomes Truth.
Thinking with Love results in Peace.
Understanding with Love leads to non-violence
What is devotion? It is not merely offering several types of worship or going on pilgrimage. Unalloyed and true love for love's sake alone constitutes devotion. True devotion is the love flowing from a pure heart unpolluted by selfish motives.
Humanness can be promoted only through spirituality and not by any other means. Just as a seed can sprout only when it is planted in the soil and watered, human values can grow only in a spiritual soil. If a man wants to cultivate human values, he has to apply the manure of spirituality to his heart, water it with love so that human values will grow
While taking food, you should not discuss dreadful incidents. No room should be given to subjects which excite the mind. Silence should prevail during eating. Even sound waves enter into us and affect our minds. Hence people should avoid seeing television while taking food.
Spirituality does not mean leading a lonely ascetic life. Spirituality means getting rid of attachment and hatred and looking upon the whole humanity as one.
I know your name, your degrees, your profession, your status and your history. I know your past, present and future. But you do not know me. That is why sometimes in order to reveal who I am, I myself show my visiting card, something which you call a miracle.
It is not enough to praise God. You have to love Him. You have to become Love itself so that you can love the entire universe. When you become embodiments of Love, you can love all.
To earn the Grace of the Divine, the easy way is surrendering at the Feet of the Lord. There is so much power in the feet of the Lord which you cannot understand. The feet form the basis for not only the physical frame of the body, but also for spiritual and ethical purposes.
There is no greater penance than contentment for securing happiness.
There is no worse disease than insatiable desire.
There is no greater virtue than compassion.
Peace is the highest spiritual discipline.
Hold all your property and wealth in trust for the Lord, who gave them to you. Even you and your family, you must take as a sacred trust, as persons given to you by the Lord to love, foster and guide. Thus you must elevate your attachment into worship and make it an instrument of spiritual progress.
Be like the ant: When the ant gets a mixture of sand and sugar it selects only the sugar. It neglects the sand. See only the good in others; pay no attention to the bad.
Devotion to God does not mean merely offering worship in a shrine or taking part in Bhajan or Sankirtan; one must recognize the form of the Divine in the images one worships or the human beings one serves
The only hold that man has in this dreadful darkness is the name of God. That is the raft which will take Him across this stormy sea darkened by hate and fear, churned by anxiety and terror.
The affection between a mother and a child or between a husband and wife is incidental to a certain temporary relationship and is not real love at all. True Love has neither a beginning nor an end. It exists in all three categories of time - past, present and future. That alone is true Love which can fill man with enduring Bliss.
Discipline grows out of devotion. Devotion stems out of duty. Observe the three D's - Discipline, Devotion and Duty. This is true spirituality. In the performance of every duty there should be devotion. There should be devotion and not diversion.
Fulfillment in life is not attained by physical health and strength alone. Even when the stomach is full, the mind must get the satisfaction. Hence, effort should be made to promote mental health also. Only when both the mind and the body are hale and well, can one experience happiness.
Alone bestows the supreme good
Alone is the destroyer of the cycle of existence Devotion
Alone is the means of recognizing divinity
Alone is the means of liberation.
1. Welcome good company.
2. Eschew all association with the evil minded.
3. Perform meritorious acts ceaselessly.
4. Always discriminate between the transient and the ever lasting
Truth is the mother
Wisdom is the father
Right conduct is the brother
Compassion is the friend
Peace is the spouse
Forgiveness is the son
These six alone are the real relations for every one.
CONCLUDED
Courtesy: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saidevotees_wor ldnet3/" title="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saidevotees_wor ldnet3/" target="_blank"http://groups.yahoo.com/group...
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| Obtain Divine Grace by obeying your Parents |
| 09.20.04 (10:13 am) [edit] |
Obtain Divine Grace by obeying your Parents
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba giving His Divine Discourse on
18th September 2004 (Ganesh Chaturthi) at Prashanti Nilayam
Text of the Divine Discourse delivered by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on 18th September 2004 (Ganesh Chaturthi) at Prashanti Nilayam, Sai Kulwanth Hall
The moon illumines the world at night and the sun during the day.
Righteousness illumines the three worlds, and a virtuous son illumines his entire lineage.
(Telugu Poem)
Embodiments of Love!
A virtuous son is greater than even those who have acquired Jnana (knowledge), Vijnana (wisdom), Sujnana and Prajnana (constant integrated awareness). Lord Vinayaka is such a virtuous son. Every individual has a Guru. But, Vinayaka has no Guru at all. He is the Guru of Gurus and the leader of leaders. He is called by the name "Vinayaka" since He has no leader above Him and He is the leader for all.
Embodiments of Love!
Whenever a new task is undertaken, it is customary to perform Puja to Lord Vinayaka to invoke His blessings for the successful completion of the task. Even while starting a musical concert, the singers pray to Lord Vinayaka with the kirtan, "Vinayaka Nannu Brovara" (Oh! Lord Vinayaka! Please come to my help). It is only when you thus pray to Lord Vinayaka and seek His blessings, will all your task meet with success.
Lord Vinayaka has an elephant's head and trunk. It denotes that Vinayaka can be compared to an elephant in intelligence, which always thinks twice before setting its foot forward. Similarly, it is only after intelligent discrimination that Vinayaka moves forward. The four letters in the word Ganapathi (ga, na, pa and ti) denote that Lord Vinayaka is full of Vijnana, Sujnana and Prajnana. People today forget the underlying meaning in the name 'Ganapati' and engage themselves in mere rituals. You may not perform any rituals, but, never give up worshipping Lord Vinayaka. Especially, it is the foremost duty of the students to come under the leadership of Vinayaka, who is a leader unto Himself. You would not find a parallel to Lord Vinayaka. When you take such a Lord as your ideal and pursue your studies, you will be able to master all branches of education. Vinayaka has a big tummy, which is full of Jnana (wisdom). That wisdom is His power. We should worship such a powerful Lord. No one can comprehend the true nature of Lord Vinayaka, fully.
Lord Vinayaka is the leader for one and all. He is the divine father and mother to everybody. In accordance with the prayer Twameva Matha cha Pitha Twameva, Twameva Bandhuscha Sakha Twameva, Twameva Vidya Dravinam Twameva (He alone is the father and mother, friend and relation, wisdom and wealth to every individual). No one else can be compared to Lord Vinayaka in terms of power and prowess in this world. The world is unable to recognise the true nature of such a divine leader. We are, today, prepared to accept the leadership of ordinary mortals. This is an unfortunate situation.
Today is the holy day commemorating the birth of Lord Vinayaka. In fact, He has no birth at all. He created the entire universe. All the Vedas are the result of the divine sankalpa of Lord Vinayaka. All forms of knowledge have originated from Vinayaka.
Embodiments of Love!
Lord Vinayaka does not know what anger is. He is the embodiment of love. Where there is love, bad qualities like anger, passion, conceit etc., cannot gain entry. You might have witnessed the facial features of Vinayaka. Did His face ever reflect anger? No. He will always be smiling. Vinayaka is omnipresent. People attribute a particular place as the birthplace of God and consider it as a Kshetra (a sacred place of pilgrimage). But, no single place can be ascribed as the birthplace of God. He is Swayambhu (Self-emergent). There is no specific place which can be ascribed as place of birth, place of upbringing, etc., for God. He is omnipresent. God will manifest in such a place where people get rid of their bad qualities and sincerely pray to Him with devotion. He is Gunatheetha (beyond attributes). He is Nirgunam, Niranjanam, Sanathanam, Niketanam, Nitya, Shuddha, Buddha, Mukta, Nirmala Swarupinam (God is attributeless, pure, final abode, eternal, unsullied, enlightened, free and embodiment of sacredness).
God appears to be angry at times. But, that is not real anger. In order to put the devotees on the right path, He pretends to be angry. If He does not pretend so, there is no chance for the devotees to change their behaviour. His pretending to be angry is just a drama. God has no trace of anger in Him. When we commit mistakes or tread the wrong path, we are afraid that God will be angry with us. But, God only pretends to be angry on such occasions so that you become aware of your own faults and deficiencies. For example, when Swami keeps Himself away from you, you feel very sad and think that Swami is not talking to you because He is angry with you. In fact, Swami does not know what anger is. He is the embodiment of love. He is full of love. However, on some rare occasions when He speaks harshly, it might be misconstrued that He is angry. This is quite natural even in our day-to-day life. When you call somebody, "Son! Please come here," it sounds that you are calling him with love. But, if the same words are uttered with a raised voice (in an angry mood), it looks as though you are angry. Therefore, all these are variations in expression and nothing else. The same was the case with Sage Durvasa, whose expressions revealed anger and thus became synonymous for anger. But in fact, Sage Durvasa had no anger at all!
During the Mahabharata war, Aswatthama, the son of Dronacharya, took a terrible vow to annihilate all the Pandavas. Having come to know of this, Droupadi prayed to Krishna to save the Pandavas. The leelas of the Lord are not only wonderful but also mysterious. God enacts dramas and even changes the scenes in His play for the welfare and safety of His devotees. In this instance, the Lord saved the Pandavas with a delicate touch that He alone is capable of.
He went to Sage Durvasa. He was immensely delighted to receive Krishna. The sage asked, "Lord, what brought You to my humble ashram?" Krishna smiled and said, "I have a small job for you." The sage was happy and said, "I am at Your service. You just have to command." Krishna then said, "Good! Tonight, you have to save the Pandavas." Durvasa was puzzled and asked, "Lord, it is You who protect everything in creation. Who am I to do that job?" Krishna replied, "That is a different matter. But for this job, you will be My instrument. I extend protection in many different ways. On this occasion, you have to do something specific as per My instructions." Durvasa wanted to know what it was and Krishna continued, "Dig a pit, ask the Pandavas to hide themselves in it, cover it with planks, grass and mud, and then take your seat on the shelter so prepared. The enemies of the Pandavas may come and ask you about the whereabouts of the Pandavas. They may say, "You know the past, present and future. Please tell us where the Pandavas are hiding." Durvasa intervened and said, "Lord, I cannot tell a lie." Krishna countered, "Did I ask you to utter falsehood? I am Myself the Embodiment of Truth, and I will always ask you to speak only the truth. However, you are at liberty to change your voice suitably to achieve the desired result. I am sure you understand." The sage nodded and smiled.
Some time later, after the Pandavas were hidden, Aswatthama came there, exactly as Krishna had foretold. Durvasa was sitting with his eyes closed. Bowing to the sage, Aswatthama enquired, in a most humble manner, about the whereabouts of the Pandavas. Durvasa slowly opened his eyes; which were like flame. Angrily he roared, "Yes, the Pandavas are here, right below me." Aswatthama was frightened because the sage was well known for his bad temper and his propensity to curse those whom he is angry with. Promptly, he fled from the scene, and the Pandavas were duly saved. All Avatars employ such techniques, and Swami too does the same when required.
The sages and saints, yogis and jnanis for ages have been providing rakshana (protection) and sikshana (correction) and make people tread the right path. Sage Durvasa did the same thing. Ignorant people accuse him of being one of anger in spite of being a great tapasvin. But, those people who are able to understand the real intention behind his apparent anger realise the truth. God has no anger. In fact, one who has anger is not fit to be called God at all!
Once Mother Parvati and Easwara called Vinayaka and His younger brother Subrahmanya, and advised them to go round the world. They also told them that whoever came first would be given a phala (fruit) as reward. This competition was intended to demonstrate the greatness of Vinayaka to the world. The younger brother Subrahmanya immediately plunged into action. He mounted His vehicle, the peacock, to fly round the world. But, Vinayaka did not move and sat in His own place. Easwara then enquired, "My dear son! Why did You not start on Your journey round the world?" Vinayaka laughed at this question and replied "Oh! Father! I need not go anywhere. The fruit of all My journey round the world is right in front of me." So saying, Vinayaka made a Pradakshina (circumambulation) round His father and mother (Lord Easwara and Mother Parvati) and sat down calmly. He claimed victory in the race. In the meanwhile, Subrahmanya came there, after completing His journey round the world. He was very much tired and reported to His father about His successful completion of the task. Lord Easwara then declared Vinayaka as the winner in the race and handed over the fruit to Him. The place where this episode took place is called Palani, in the State of Tamil Nadu.
The underlying meaning in this story is that the parents are the very embodiment of divinity and it is enough if one does pradakshina to them in reverence. That would be tantamount to the punya (merit) acquired by visiting all the holy shrines in the world. Without the parents, there can be no son at all! If children are to be virtuous, it is the parents who have to take care of them. The parents are responsible for the success of their children in all the endeavours.
It is common practice for students to visit temples during examination time and pray for success in the examinations. They offer coconuts in the temples with the pocket money given by their parents. These are all external practices, which have little to do with sincere devotion. If they really wish to achieve success in their endeavour, it is enough if they please their parents and obtain their blessings. If they are satisfied, you are sure to succeed. In order to drive home the point that children should strive to please and satisfy their parents first, Lord Easwara and Mother Parvati arranged this competition of going round the world for Lord Vinayaka and Lord Subrahmanya. If you want to obtain the grace of God, it is enough if you obey the command of your parents lovingly. There is no greater divinity than the parents who are present right in front of your eyes. They have struggled hard in several ways to bring you up to the present state. They made a lot of sacrifice, so that you may come up in life. No parent would ever like to displease his children. They appear to be angry sometimes and may even give some punishment, but that is only outward. In their heart of hearts, they have abundant love for you. Even if they pretend to be angry, it is for your own good. The stream of infinite love ever flows in their hearts. Here is a small example: When the child does some mischief, the mother gives a beating. But, how? The beating merely produces sound but does not cause any pain to the child. Her anger is borne out of love only. On certain occasions, they may show anger, but it is only temporary. It is never permanent. You may think that your parents are angry with you. But, that is your own misunderstanding; you may not be able to understand their love, which is lying dormant. Even if they show anger and say "chee" (an expression in Telugu to indicate one's disapproval), it is only out of love. Students shall, therefore, try to understand the real nature of their parents.
In fact, one's anger is his own enemy, and happiness, his heaven. One should always be happy. A person with anger and irritable temperament can never achieve anything. Vinayaka is one who always obeyed his parents' command. That is why it is said that there is no leader above Him. Students sometimes ask for money from their parents to go to a cinema. When parents refuse, they think that the parents are angry. These are trivial issues. The parents, especially the mother, will be even ready to sacrifice her life, in order to save her children in times of danger. Unfortunately, today there are sons who even go to a court of law against their mothers. It is, therefore, essential that they change their attitude towards their parents and realise that they are verily embodiments of love.
Any number of diversions or silly thoughts may arise in children, but the parents' love towards their children remains unwavering. There are several sons in the world who are angry with their parents, but relationship of the parents and their children is one of love only. Whatever differences that may arise between them are only temporary. The relationship between parents and their children is one of love, nothing else. Lord Vinayaka is the embodiment of love. He always showers love only. When He was acting as a scribe to write the Mahabharata to the dictation of Sage Vyasa, he displayed the same attitude of love. Since He was the embodiment of Love, Vyasa selected Him particularly to undertake the duty of a scribe. Throughout the period of writing the Mahabharata, Vinayaka displayed this quality of pure love. That is why you do not find even a single mistake in the Mahabharata. Since He was flawless, His word was also flawless. You do not find the bad qualities of anger, jealousy, envy or pride in Vinayaka. They are the qualities of a human being devoid of noble qualities.
Dear students! From today onwards, you give up whatever little anger you have towards your parents and cultivate pure love towards them. Love begets love. Receive love from your parents in abundance and prosper in life.
Today is the festival of Vinayaka Chaturthi. It is a very important festival. There is a custom in some families to invite the newly married son-in-law for the festival. Therefore, do not hesitate to go to your in-law's house to spend some time happily with them.
Oh newly married bridegroom, visit your in-laws' house,
Come, spend your time in fun and frolic with your brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law,
The entire household and the neighbourhood will honour you with love and affection.
(Telugu song)
When a son-in-law visits his spouses parents' house, the entire household gets into a festive mood. One is sure to feel happy and mentally relaxed. There are, however, some stone-hearted sons-in-law, who cultivate ill-feelings towards their in-laws and do not visit their house. Such ill-feelings are the result of food. As is the food, so is the head. The feelings of the heart reflect the thought in the head (mind). Therefore, we must take the right food. You should never take such food as would kindle the flames of anger and envy in you. Since ancient times, sages in India have observed strict diet regulations. They always made it a point to consume sattwic food, not rajasic food. By consuming rajasic food, anger is generated. On the other hand, if you consume thamasic food, you will feel sleepy even while you eat. Therefore, both rajasic and thamasic types of food must be avoided. Only sattwic food must be taken. Excess of chillies, salt and sour items must be avoided in food. Before you take food, never forget to offer your prayers:
Brahmarpanam Brahma Havir
Brahmagnou Brahmanahutam
Brahmaiva Thena Ganthavyam
Brahma Karma Samadhina.
(Brahman is the ladle as well as the oblation. He is the sacrificial fire as also the sacrificer. And finally, Brahman is the goal of one who is engaged in the act of sacrifice.)
When you pray in this manner before you partake of your food, God immediately responds thus:
Aham Vaishvanaro Bhutva
Praninam Dehamasritah
Pranapana Samayukta
Pachamyannam Chaturvidham.
(I am present in all beings in the form of digestive fire. United with the Prana (exhalation) and Apana (inhalation), it is I who consume the four kinds of food.)
While taking food, you must always ensure that you take only such items which you can easily digest. Never consume food which you cannot digest. Just as you sit down happily for taking food, so also when you get up after taking your food, you must feel happy and light. Some people sit for food with a light stomach and get up with a heavy stomach after eating bellyful. This is not the proper method of taking food.
Always take light food. These are the habits you must cultivate at least from this auspicious day of Vinayaka Chaturthi. If you cultivate these good habits and qualities you can become as great as Lord Vinayaka.
(Bhagawan concluded His discourse with the Bhajan, "Prema Muditha Manase Kaho…")
Source: http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilay am/Ganesh_Chaturthi_Disco urse.htm" title="http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilay am/Ganesh_Chaturthi_Disco urse.htm" target="_blank"http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/P...
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| The Governor's Plane Made a Safe Landing |
| 09.20.04 (4:27 am) [edit] |
The Governor's Plane Made a Safe Landing
Smt. Shyamala Devi Daughter of late Shri Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, former Governor Of U.P, and Kerala, India.
It happened during the day when my father , Late Shri Burgula Ramakrishna Rao was Governor of Utter Pardesh.
My father with his-de-camp by name Mr Sodi had gone to Puttaparthi to have Swami’s darshan. On that occasion Swami materized a golden ring and gave it to Mr.Sodi. Baba usually created articles like rings, watches etc, as talisman for the protections of His devotees.
Swami once explained the significance of his created articles. Whenever the recipients of such gifts from Swami are in danger, these articles instantly convert a message to Swami just like a message is convey through telephone.
One one occasions my father along with Mr Sodi had to travel on an official work in a plane meeting for Governor. While returning after completion of assignment, the plane’s front wheel got truck and did not open before landing. Pilots tried their best to unlock and bring down the wheels, but could not succeed.
They were forced make rounds over the airport, as they were unable to make a normal landing. Even the petrol was running out. When message was sent to the control room saying that they have decided to make an emergency landing on its belly, arrangements were hurriedly made.
Fire engines and first aid services were all geared up and kept ready. In a last and final attempt ADC . Mr Sodi entered the cockpit and tried to bring down the jammed wheels.
He had on his finger the ring created by Swami. Immediately the wheels freed and unfolded. The plane was carrying the Governor and made safe landing. My mother at first was frightened at the plane’s failure to make a normal landing.
On that particular day in the early hours Swami had appear in her dream and gave her flowers and bangles, symbolic of protection of her husband.
As a proof of this incident back of Puttaparthi, it seems Swami had remarked to close devotees “Alas! Ramakrishna Rao’s plane had mishap averted. “When my father spoke to Swami through phone. Swami remarked and explained the details of the entire incident to my father.
Jai Sai Ram
http://aumsairam108.tripod.com/article/amazing-cure.htm" title="http://aumsairam108.tripod.com/article/amazing-cure.htm" target="_blank"http://aumsairam108.tripod.co...
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| Parthi Update - September 16-18, 2004 |
| 09.20.04 (4:11 am) [edit] |
Parthi Update - September 16-18, 2004
16-09-2004
In the evening Bhagawan came out for Darshan and went inside the interview room with some VIP’s. Beside our Bhajan group, there was a group of youth sitting in whites with all their music instruments. They were the Sundaram Bhajan Group singers from Chennai. There was some meeting of all the Samithi convenors of Tamilnadu at Prasanthinilayam on the 16th and 17th of this month. Along with them, these Bhajan singers had also come. Swami completed the interview and as He came out of the interview room, He sent word for the Sundaram Bhajan group to start their songs. Even as Bhagawan came and sat down on the sofa, the first song began. What professional singing! Believe it or not, it was a wonderful treat to our ears and heart. Song after song flowed – so soothing and melodious. The voice was very sweet and mellifluous, tunes were soul stirring and the selection of songs itself was very good! We had Tamil, Kannada and Hindi songs. All songs were about the glory of Lord Krishna!
What is more important is the participation of Swami in this programme. As soon as Swami sat down, He asked one of them to come forward. The person went forward with the card. It was a brown colour card that looked very elegant and had the programme details within. Swami opened the card and went through the details and asked him a few questions. Then Swami asked them to sing a particular song. They began that song. We enjoyed it thoroughly. As they concluded the song or rather were in the last few lines, Bhagawan opened the card again and selected another song. As they completed the current song, He asked them to sing the next song of His choice. Thus it went on, song after song. Each time Bhagawan would see the card and ask them to sing a particular song. Literally “Khuda Ki Pharmaish”. All throughout, Swami kept the card with Him on His lap!! What a gesture of Love and flow of compassion!
Throughout the programme, Swami kept giving Taalam (beat) and there was a smile on His face, a loving smile acknowledging their devotion and love for Him. It was a treat to all of us. They sang from 3.45 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Then Bhagawan asked them to sing Bhajans. This too was a very thrilling experience! Bhagawan retired by 5.15 p.m.
17-09-2004
We all assembled in the Mandir for evening Darshan. The Sundaram Bhajan Group was again sitting in front. We hurriedly went and took our place. Swami came and sat on the sofa and signaled for the Sundaram boys to start their programme – part 2. Once again the same experience. Very good songs. Not the usual one’s but still very catchy, good beat, and very nice to hear. After they sang a few songs, Bhagawan asked for our Music boys. Very quickly, the music boys gathered in the front. Two of the music boys were holding a card to seek for permission regarding music programme the next day – for Ganesha Chaturthi. Bhagawan called them forward, looked at the card and asked “What about now?”
The boys were taken by surprise. They said, “Swami group songs”. Bhagawan said, “Sing Padyams (verses)”. Boys asked, “Swami, stotrams?” Swami said, “No, sing Padyams”. The boys went back and having no idea how to start, they began with the Ganesha Stotrams that were actually meant for the next day! That is Bhagawan!! Full of uncertainty and surprises! We just need to take things as they come and enjoy the flow of His Love! The music boys continued with stotram after stotram. Many Gurupoornima Stotrams were chanted.
Meanwhile Swami spotted two of our young Music College singers. They used to often render the Ramakatha songs in front of Bhagawan. Swami asked them to sing the Rama Katha. It was a long time since they had performed. I’m sure their hearts would have beat faster than ever! They readily burst forth with the series of Rama Katha songs. Swami was continuously looking and smiling at them. That kept them going on smoothly. At the end there was a loud applause!!
Bhagawan retired by 5.40 p.m.
18-09-2004
We wish you a very happy Ganesha Chaturthi! On this holy day, Bhagawan came to Sai Kulwant Hall at 7:30 am and took His seat in the portico. He called the V.C and asked him as to who would speak. In fact boys had prepared a nice programme consisting of group songs interspersed with commentary, dialogues, dance, etc. revealing the inner significance of all the aspects of Ganesha and the festival. But just like it happened during the Krishnashtami festival, Swami asked for individual speakers. There were no scheduled speakers and so the V.C with Swami’s permission called research scholar Sri Deepak Anand to address the gathering. Deepak Anand spoke about Swami being the One in whom all names and forms of God resided. He narrated the experience of one of our students who was blessed with the literal physical company of Lord Ganesha, when he was in the Institute.
Thereafter Swami blessed Sri Shashank Shah, a student of the M.Phil programme in Management, to share his thoughts with the audience. He spoke on the inner significance of the various facets relating to Lord Ganesha. He also narrated the incident where Bhagawan had blessed Swami Amritananda (a disciple of Sri Ramana Maharishi) with a vision of Lord Ganesha in the interview room many years ago. Swami Amritananda in his childhood days had performed a very special Yajnam for Lord Ganesha. As per the Sastras the benefit of this Yajnam was supposed to be the Darshan of Lord Ganesha Himself. Reminding Swami Amritananda about this, Swami asked him whether he had got the Darshan of Lord Ganesha. When Amritananda answered in the negative, Bhagawan gave him a vision of the golden hue Ganesha!!
The third speaker was Sri Bharat Kumar from the II MBA class whom Swami blessed to speak. He spoke on the efficacy of Namasmarana and his personal experience at Tirupati; how Swami had miraculously helped him to have a very good Darshan of the Lord within a very short time, with the help of a recommendation letter of a Minister unknown to him, that mysteriously landed in his hands on its own!
Finally the Vice Chancellor, Sri S.V.Giri addressed the gathering speaking on the significance of the Ganesha festival.
After his talk, the Vice-Chancellor prayed to Bhagawan to give His Divine Message. Swami nodded His approval. The table was arranged and Bhagawan arose to give His benedictory Message to all of us.
The highlights of the Discourse will come to you in my next mail.
As the Discourse ended, Swami signaled for Prasadam distribution. The entire Kulwant Hall was soon bustling with activity. Boys moving all around distributing juicy red apples! Meanwhile Swami called those boys who were ready with the programme and asked them what it was all about. One of them explained that they were going to talk about the inner significance of all the aspects of Lord Ganesha relating it to the Nava Vidha Bhakti. Hearing this Swami said that we must not limit Lord Ganesha to Nava Vidha Bhakti, for Ganesha is above all this. He is the Atmic Reality! The boys nodded and said that they would incorporate this too in their presentation. Swami said that we would have the presentation in the evening.
In the evening, Swami came around five past three and got down on the dais but then went walking towards the interview room. He was inside until 4.15 p.m. Then He came out, sat for some time and finally called the boy to whom he had spoken in the morning. Swami asked him as to what they were going to speak. The student said that they were going to speak about Ganesha as the transcendental reality. Bhagawan asked them to also mention that Lord Ganesha is beyond the Pancha Bhootas too. With His Blessings the programme began.
A song to start with. Then the first pair of anchorers began their talk saying that though Lord Shiva and Vishnu had specific pilgrimage centers for them, there is no village or town without the temple of Lord Ganesha. Then they went on to say that the real pilgrimage to Lord Ganesha was on the path of Nava Vidha Bhakti. They explained the first two steps- Sravanam and Keertanam. They said that both of these are relevant only if done with total Bhavam (feelings). This was followed by a dance by one of the students to the stotram ‘Ganesha Pancharatnamala’ in the recorded voice of Smt. M.S. Subbulakshmi (Mudakarata Modakam Sada Vimukti Sadhakam…). Swami and all of us enjoyed the dance.
Thereafter the next module had two boys discussing the inner significance of the various physical features of Lord Ganesha. One was a sculptor who complained that he was getting bored of doing the same work every year. Make these idols in large numbers and sell them. He did not gain any satisfaction from this work. To this, his friend explains that any work done mechanically without understanding its significance will lead to despair.
He then goes on to explain the inner significance of every part of the idol. To start with, the huge elephant head symbolizes intelligence; the large ears indicate that Ganesha is ever ready to hear to the pleas of His devotees. The goad in His hand is to goad humanity to walk along the path of spirituality; the noose in another hand is to catch people who are on the wrong path. The missing tusk reminds us of the great sacrifice made by Lord Ganesha in breaking off His tusk so as to allow the dictation of the great epic Mahabharata without any interruption! The tiny mouse symbolizes Tamas (ignorance). The mouse is a nocturnal animal found only in dark and dirty places. Lord Ganesha has a command over this Tamas and has mastered it. So Ganesha who has Mooshika as His Vahana is the Master of ignorance and He dispels ignorance in humanity.
Thus true Vishnu Smaranam is not only mechanical remembrance of God, but also keeping the form of the Lord in mind, with full knowledge of its inner significance. Further, when the elephant moves in the forest he creates a path for other animals. Thus the elephant is a path maker. Similarly Lord Ganesha is the path maker. He sets the path for all of us and is a role model for all the students and youth. Therefore, true Padasevanam is following the path laid by the Lord. Walking in His footsteps and living His message is true Padasevanam!
Thereafter, there was a stotram chant, followed by the next two anchorers. They touched upon the next step of Archanam, narrating the story of why the Durva grass is offered to Lord Ganesha. Once when Mother Parvati and Lord Shiva were playing a game, they appointed Nandi as the umpire. On completion of the game, Mother Parvati was the winner but Nandi declared Lord Siva as the winner. This outraged Mother Parvati and she cursed Nandi with an incurable disease. Nandi went pleading to Mother and told her that he had no choice other than declaring Lord Shiva as the winner because He was his Master and he was the slave.
Impressed by the feelings of Nandi, Mother Parvati agreed to take back her curse provided Nandi would offer what was cherished by him most, to her son Ganesha. Durva grass – the most precious item cherished by Nandi was offered to Ganesha. This is how the practice continues even today. The inner significance of this is that when we go to religious places we have a tendency to offer things we do not like, to God. But in reality, we should offer that which we like most, to our Lord, as a Tyaga (sacrifice) similar to Nandi. As Bhagawan says we go to Gaya and give up Bitter Gourd over there!!
In the Gita, Lord Krishna clearly elaborates on the practice of Archanam, saying that what a devotee should truly offer to God is the Patram (leaf) of the body, Pushpam (flower) of the mind, Phalam (fruit) of the rewards of the actions and Toyam (sacred water) of the tears of Bliss! Bhagawan goes one step further and says, “Give Me all your bad qualities and I shall give you good qualities in return”.
Thereafter there was a group song, “Sri Ganesha Shivuni Kumara Shrutajana….”. A Telugu module followed this song.
This module expounded on Vandanam. It was full of humour. Two ‘so called’ Pandits are going around trying to give Discourses on Lord Ganesha. When asked by a scholar to explain the meaning of the verse, ‘Suklam Baradaram Vishnum….”, they go on to explain that this verse is not meant to describe Ganesha but it is about Sai students. Suklam Baradaram (wearing white clothes), Vishnum (found everywhere, in India and even abroad), Sasivarnam (the cool mark of white Vibhuti on their forehead), Chaturbhujam (with two hands and two feet), Prasanna Vadanam (always cheerful), Sarva Vighna Upa Shantaye (pacify their taste by adding more salt to a saltless dish!)….(Laughter!!)
They go on to give one more explanation of this Sloka as narrated by a washerman (dhobhi). Suklam Baradaram (white in colour), Vishnum (found everywhere, wherever you see), Sasivarnam (having a cool disposition), Chaturbhujam (with four limbs), Prasanna Vadanam (always cheerful irrespective of being patted or beaten), Sarva Vighna Upa Shantaye (O Ganesha, prays the dhobhi, “please remove all obstacles in the way of my pet so that it can peacefully complete it’s task”.)….This is the donkey that is used by the washerman to carry the bundle of clothes!! (Laughter!!)
Listening to all this, the scholar chides them for spreading all this perverted meanings. He then goes on to explain the true meaning of the Stotram as the One wearing white (pure) clothes, Omnipresent, as cool as the moon, with four hands – ever ready to help His devotees, ever Blissful with a pleasant smile on His face, bestowing peace by removing all hurdles – He is none other than Lord Ganesha Himself! We must offer our Vandanam to this Lord.
Another student elaborated on Vandanam and Dasyam in English for the benefit of the non-Telugu audience. In Vandanam, we join our two hands representing the five Karmendriyas and the five Jnanendriyas, keep it close to our heart and then bowing down with humility, we offer all these to the Lord. This is true Vandanam. True Daysam is when one offers help and service to others with a feeling of compassion and amity and not with a feeling of pity. We become a Dasa (servant) of the Lord in every being!!
Then the boys sang another stotram and thereafter the aspect of Sneham – friendship was very humorously depicted wherein, a student is talking to his teacher about making Lord Ganesha as his new friend as the exams were soon approaching. To this the teacher corrects the student saying that this is the mistake we all make. Friendship is not meant for this ‘give and take’. True friendship must be related only to the Atmic bond. The student then asks the teacher as to how one could cultivate this bond. The teacher says that this can be done by loving God as one’s true friend. It is only then that we will experience His Love.
The module culminated in the depiction from the Kathopanishad, about the analogy of the human body and the chariot. The chariot stands for the body, the five senses are like the five horses, the reins stand for the mind, the charioteer is like the Buddhi and the owner of the chariot is the Atma! This was illustrated with the help of five boys acting as the horses with the rope of the mind binding them together and another student acting as the Buddhi controls the rope in his hand.
If the Buddhi has control over the rope of the mind, the senses are under check. If not, the chariot of the body will be under total chaos with each of the senses following their own way. Thus making the senses subservient to the mind, the mind subservient to the Buddhi and the Buddhi subservient to the Atma, is true Atma Nivedanam (self-surrender).
Thereafter the boys communicated that Lord Vinayaka was the supreme Atman itself and true Atma Nivedanam was surrendering the individual self to the Supreme Self. Lord Vinayaka was even beyond the Nava Vidha Bhakti and the Pancha Bhootas. He is the supreme consciousness pervading the entire cosmos and it is to Him that we have to offer ourselves in totality and attain the supreme mergence. He is Vi + Nayaka – the one without a Master. He is Gana + Pati – the Master of all the Ganas that represent the ten Karmendriyas and Jnendriyas and the mind and the Buddhi.
One of the students explained the inner significance of Vidya, which was not merely the secular knowledge, but Atmavidya – the supreme wisdom and Lord Ganesha is the bestower of that supreme wisdom.
Finally, praying to Bhagawan to cast at least one glance at us so that we may acquire this supreme wisdom, the programme ended with the Qawalli, “Ek Bar Yun Nazare Milakar Dekh Le Sai……….”
Bhagawan then asked the boys to sing some more group songs while Prasadam was being distributed. Swami very lovingly called the boy who danced and materialized a small idol of Lord Ganesha made of gold, for him.
Swami sat for another 20 minutes and took Arati at 5.45 p.m. All throughout the programme Bhagawan was smiling and expressing great joy! This was a very satisfying experience for all of us. Thus with the Blessings of the Divine Father we returned to the Hostel to worship the Divine son in our wing altars.
The immersion ceremony is going to be on Monday and therefore all boys are busy fabricating and decorating their palanquins and chariots. We are awaiting the colourful and joyous ceremony the day after!
Sairam
Posted by Azmeen Kasad on 20.09.2004
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| Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba |
| 09.19.04 (10:20 am) [edit] |
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Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
The Lord fulfilled His word given to the then Arjunas some 5230 years ago when He descended again as Sathyanarayana Raju to be known later as Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Probably He waited for all these years for the yearning of His devotees over the ages and prayers of the virtuous to reach a crescendo as the 'amsavatars' (partial incarnation) that came in between did only partial fulfilment of the vow of Dharmasthapana (establishment of Dharma or Righteousness) during their sojourn on limited roles. The task by any standard was so enormous that the advent of a Poornavathar (complete fulsome and perfect incarnation) with all the accompanying powers became imminent.
He came to walk on the earth this time not with a bow and arrows, nor a flute and a discus; not as a powerful prince of prowess and statesmanship nor a kingmaker, but much much more than that since the battles to be fought and won are on the intellectual plane. Physical prowess and conventional warfare have to take a back seat this time. Their place is taken by penetrating powerful words of wisdom and disarming Pure Love, the splendour and majesty remaining the same as a rule. The assurance given more than five thousand years ago at the beginning of the Kali Yuga thus became fulfilment on the 23rd of November 1926 when the present Avatar Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was born at Puttaparthi, an insignificant underdeveloped remote village in the Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh.
It will look strange, yet interesting to note that the early part of the Yugavathars, be it Sri Rama, Sri Krishna or Sri Sathya Sai, was bristled with the onslaught of opposing evil forces either as ogres, demons and brutes or as powerful asuric (demonic) forces in the guise of kings and kinsmen, or in their modern version of exorcists, critics and carpers. If the earlier ones were met, subdued and killed with arrows and the discus, the present ones are mellowed and subdued by Wisdom and Love. Love is the greatest weapon of the present Avatar before which any powerful enemy kneels in utter submission.
Like His previous avatars, this time also He chose His father and mother for His earthly career. The choice fell on Pedda Venkappa Raju of the Ratnakaram family and Mother Easwaramma, whose lives were sanctified and glorified for posterity to remember. Motherhood received a greater measure of respect and honour, which was probably its due. What He could not (or did not?) do for Mother Kausalya in the Thretha (the Age when Sri Rama Avatar incarnated), He fulfilled in the Dwapara (the Age when Sri Krishna Avatar incarnated), and what still remained, in Kali Yuga (present age). If Mother Kausalya had to suffer pain and agony at the separation of Rama while He was in exile, it was amply compensated when Mother Devaki and Vasudeva were emancipated from the clutches of his uncle, the devilish Kamsa. He also gave joy and Grace to Mother Yashoda by making her His foster mother. So the fortune of one was divided for the two as both - chosen by Him only - deserved that grace. Yet, He was not satisfied in rewarding them. Perhaps He chose two more this time - mother Easwaramma as His Devaki and mother Subbamma as His Yashoda. How fortunate these mothers are! Their names are in gold in human history.
http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Bhagawan/Bhagaw an.htm" title="http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Bhagawan/Bhagaw an.htm" target="_blank"http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/B...
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| Glimpse of His omnipotence |
| 09.19.04 (10:07 am) [edit] |
Glimpse of His omnipotence
"One day Swami on His way to the Hostel plucked a Tulsi leaf and
placed it in the palm of a student and said: 'Keep it safe. Don't
show it to anybody'. He just obeyed. But the warden insisted to see
it. When the boy opened the handkerchief in which it was tied he
found a gold coin. So he said 'Keep it safe, don't show it to
anybody'. But his friends pestered and he had to yield. When they
opened the handkerchief it was only a Tulsi leaf. The boy was
greatly disappointed. Seeing his disappointment Swami called him and
asked for the leaf. He blew at it and lo! The gold coin appeared and
Swami blessed him to keep the same with him as His gift. Nothing is
beyond His Power. His sankalpa is enough. It can change earth into
sky and sky into earth. This incident, though humorous, was but a
glimpse of His omnipotence. The students get such revelations often
which cement their faith in their protector and patron."
http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Bhagawan/Sai_Hu mour1.htm" title="http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Bhagawan/Sai_Hu mour1.htm" target="_blank"http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/B...
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| Sai Humor and Golden Words of Wisdom from Swami [Part 1 of 2] |
| 09.19.04 (9:34 am) [edit] |
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Sai Humor and Golden Words of Wisdom from Swami [Part 1 of 2]
Puttaparthi: When visiting the ashram to see Baba, He tells us that if we leave our egos behind and come with open hearts, He can fill them with love He has come to give. So when visiting Puttaparthi we should PUT APART THE ‘I’.
Properties: are not Proper Ties.
Parents: are given that name, because it is through them that we have the wonderful chance of life on earth. For the sacrifices that they have made for us, we must PAY RENTS to them.
Peace: People clamor "I want Peace", but they do not let go of I (ego) or Want (desire). I and Want deal with the outside world. Peace is inside, pieces are outside.
Patience: Doctors need more patience, not patients.
Interview: Don't clamor for an interview. Instead search for the INNER VIEW.
Diamond: Why do you seek a diamond to give you joy? Seek instead the state of DIE MIND, which will give you pure and lasting joy.
Skill: Knowledge must develop by balance into skill or else it degenerates into KILL.
Hello: Do not greet anybody when the heart is filled with anger distrust etc. Have, instead, a pure hollow from which a whole hearted Hello emanates.
Television: is TELE-VISHAM (POISON).
Study: to be STEADY.
QUOTES FROM SWAMI
Love as Thought is Truth.
Love as Action is Right Conduct.
Love as Understanding is Peace.
Love as Feeling is Non-violence.
Start the Day with Love;
Spend the Day with Love;
Fill the Day with Love;
End the Day with Love;
This is the way to God.
I have come to light the lamp of love in your hearts, to see that it shines day by day with added luster.
Your heart must be transparent, like glass, with spiritual light within illuminating the whole world.
I shall be with you, where ever you are, guarding you and guiding you. March on, have no fear.
Duty is God; Work is worship. Even the tiniest work is a flower placed at the Feet of God.
Cultivate nearness with Me in the heart and it will be rewarded. Then you too will acquire a fraction of that Supreme Love.
Duty without love is deplorable.
Duty with love is desirable.
Love without duty is Divine.
Peace can only be won the hard way, by eliminating violence and greed from the hearts of individual.
The secret of happiness is not doing what one likes to do but in liking what one has to do.
The end of wisdom is freedom.
The end of culture is perfection.
The end of knowledge is love.
The end of education is character.
First you must grapple with the fact that duty is God and start doing your duty.
I have come not to disturb or destroy any faith, but to confirm each in his own faith - so that Christian becomes a better Christian, the Muslim, a better Muslim, and the Hindu, a better Hindu.
Transmuting "man" into "God" and experiencing that Ananda or Bliss is the one and only achievement for which life is to be devoted.
The minimum qualifications for Grace are surrender of ego.
The treasure that is precious is the quality of even mindedness in all situations.
The joy of being the master of senses is far greater than being their slave.
Your progress is reflected back as Grace, your decline is reflected back as its absence. The mirror just reflects. It has no partiality or prejudice.
Sathya is what I teach;
Dharma is the way I live;
Shanthi is the mark of My personality;
Prema is my very Nature.
Peace is shoreless ocean - it is the light that illuminates the world.
Virtue is the sign of the educated person. This is what makes education worthwhile.
God can be felt and experienced only in the deepest depths of silence.
Education must remove hatred between the pilgrims on the various roads to God. There is only one God, one Goal, one Law, one Truth, one Religion and one Reason.
To help the helpless is the only way to please, follow and reach Him.
Mind, word and act; all three must be filled with the belief that all is His play; that is the genuine path.
You are in the Light, and then the Light is in you, You are the Light.
Desire is storm, greed is whirlpool, pride is precipice, attachment is avalanche, and ego is volcano. Discard desire and you are liberated.
Devotion has to be unintermittent, uninterrupted, like the flow of oil from one vessel to another.
Human society minus God is equal to a forest of brutes.
Bear all and do nothing;
Hear all and say nothing;
Give all and take nothing;
Serve all and be nothing.
Man minus immorality is Immortality.
God is for those, who are not for themselves.
So long as the sugar is on the tongue, you feel the sweetness in taste. Similarly, so long as the heart has love, peace and devotion, you feel the bliss.
If you will not rise above the things of the world, they will rise above you.
Praying is your task; what happens to the prayer is dependent on the Grace of God.
Seek out your faults and others' merits. Seeking others' faults is dire sin.
Your duty is to pray for the welfare of the world and to work for it as far as it lies in your power.
Earning money cannot be the purpose of education. Acquiring good qualities can be the only purpose of education.
True devotion must not get dispirited; nor elated or satisfied with lesser gains; it must fight against failure, loss, calumny, calamity, ridicule and against egoism and pride, impatience and cowardice.
Follow the Master;
Face the devil;
Fight to the end;
Finish the goal.
If animal feelings are washed out, Divine feelings begin to overflow instead.
A man who has no love in him is as barren as a cloud with no moisture, a tree with no fruits or a cow yielding no milk; he is ever far from God and can never earn His Grace.
Life is a bridge over the sea of changes. Do not build a house on it.
In the innermost recess of your heart there is a reservoir of peace where you must take refuge.
Employ yourself usefully. Be like a trustee, holding on trust, on behalf of God, for the purpose which He likes and approves.
Hear good things, see good, do good, think good, then you get the Grace of God, as all the evil tendencies will be uprooted.
All are expressions of the same God, as bulbs lit by the same current through manifold colors and wattage.
Have faith in His Grace and lead a virtuous life, a life devoted to the service of the weak; a life spent in the thought about the might and glory of God.
The refinement of an individual is measured by the yard stick of sense control.
Prayer must emanate from the heart, where God resides, and not from the head where doctrines and doubts clash.
You have come from God, you are a spark of His Glory; you are a wave of that Ocean of Bliss; you will get peace only when you again merge in Him.
See God in every one you meet; see God in every thing you handle. Live together, revere each other, let not the seeds of envy and hate grow and choke the clear stream of Love.
Make your life a rose that speaks silently in the language of fragrance.
Be in the world, but let not the world be in you.
Be like the lions in the spiritual field, rule over the forest of the senses and roam fearlessly with full faith in victory.
The heart with compassion is the temple of God.
Start early,
Drive slowly,
Reach safely.
Watch your Words, Action, Thoughts, Character and Heart.
Education softens the heart. If the heart is hard, one cannot claim to be educated.
Faith in ourselves and faith in God: this is the secret of Greatness, for God is Love.
Good ideas, good conduct and adherence to Truth should result from our education. Only those who acquire these qualities can be called truly educated.
Devotion to the Divine will give you Bliss, Prosperity and Peace. It cannot inflict pain, perturbation or personal anxiety. It fosters love and brings all together as one band of brothers.
Every action of yours at the present time is bound to have a reaction, resound and reflection in the future.
Reach the point where churches, temples, mosques do not matter, where all roads end, from where all roads run.
Doing one's duty, however small, in an unattached manner gives rise to the awakening of self awareness.
Bend the body, mend the senses and end the mind - this is the way to Immortality.
Why fear when I am here? Put all your faith in Me. I shall guide you and guard you.
Try within your means to satisfy the needs of the poor.
If you place complete faith in the Lord at all times, you will receive His Grace. Grace takes away the pain of Karma. The Lord can save man completely from Karma.
God has no preferences and prejudices; His is but reaction, reflection and resound.
Where there is Faith, there is Love;
Where there is Love, there is Peace;
Where there is Peace, there is Truth;
Where there is Truth, there is God;
Where there is God, there is Bliss.
Life is Love, enjoy it;
Life is Challenge, meet it;
Life is a Song, sing it;
Life is a Dream, realize it;
Life is a Game, play it;
Life is a Goal. Achieve it.
Ego lives by getting and forgetting;
Love lives by giving and forgiving;
Love is expansion; Self is contraction;
Self is lovelessness; Love is selflessness.
There is only one religion, the religion of Love;
There is only one language, the language of the Heart;
There is only one caste, the caste of Humanity;
There is only one law, the law of Karma;
There is only one God, He is Omnipresent.
Haste makes waste;
Waste makes worry;
So do not be in a hurry.
You are not one person, but three:
The one think you are;
The one others think you are;
The one you really are.
Money comes and goes; morality comes and grows.
Nations are many, but Earth is one;
Beings are many, but Breath is one;
Stars are many, but Sky is one;
Oceans are many, but Water is one;
Religions are many, but God is one;
Jewels are many, but Gold is one;
Appearances are many, but Reality is One.
Come just one step forward, I shall take a hundred towards you. Shed one tear, I shall wipe a hundred from your eyes.
The proof of rain is in the wetness of the ground; the proof of devotion is in the peace the aspirant has attained.
Every experience is a lesson, every loss is a gain.
You should completely forget the help rendered by you to others and the harm done to you by others.
If wealth is lost, nothing is lost.
If health is lost, something is lost.
If character is lost, all is lost.
The body has to be utilized for service to others. More bliss can be got from serving others than from merely serving oneself.
You should consider every individual as God. This is true worship.
You are not doing service for others. You are doing it always for yourselves, to the God in you, the God who is equally present in others.
If it is good and will harm no one, go ahead. If it is not good, put it aside. If not sure, do nothing until sure.
What is needed today is that we should lead a life of good quality. The fostering of sterling character and good conduct is the need of the world. Once we have greater numbers of such people of good quality, the country and the world will become prosperous and peaceful.
You must act ever in the consciousness of your divinity and recognize in each being, a brother, a child of God. The whole world is one family.
The only permanent change is slow, steady change.
God, if you think, God you are.
Dust if you think, dust you are.
As you think, so you become.
Think God, be God.
Those who seek to acquire steadiness of faith must first acquire the strength to bear grief and pain, insult and injury. The succession of joy and grief must help confirm the faith and make it immovable. That alone can evidence true devotion.
Failures are stepping stones to success.
Individual spiritual practice is the negative pole and service is the positive pole. The conjunction of both poles can alone bring success. The mind carries the divine principle (the light of love) and conveys it to all who contact it.
We can be successful leaders only if we are disciplined followers, who do not issue commands to others but rather set an example of service in our actions.
If you have the inclination to do good work, God will give you the time to do good things.
Man falsely imagines "I am doing this", "I am planning this". It is the supreme, all pervasive consciousness that motivates, unfolds the skills and operates the intellect.
Let God work through you and there will be no more duty. Let God shine forth. Let God show Himself. Live God, Eat God. Drink God. Breathe God. Realize the Truth and the other things will take care of themselves.
Treat all as your own self. Do not have a double standard.
What you would desire others to do for you, you should do for others. You should respect others as you want to be respected by them.
Love all men without distinction; Know that mankind is a single community.
Is the intention pure, selfless, born out of love? Is it based on truth? Does it result in peace? If so, it is a right action.
True humanness consists of a continuous series of tiny acts executed with absolute sincerity and largeness of heart.
The quality of one's feelings determines one's future.
Think before speaking, Think before acting. Then go ahead if you feel good about it.
See good
Hear good
Speak good
Do good
Be good
If you strive to find your Self by using your mind, you will strive and strive in vain, because the mind cannot give you the Truth. You are that Self. All else is illusion of the mind's creation.
Every being in the universe has the potentiality of transcending the senses. Even the little worm will one day transcend the senses and reach God. No life will be a failure. There is no such thing as failure in the universe.
More than listening to a hundred lectures or delivering them to others, offering one act as genuine service attracts the Grace of God.
We should not aspire for acclaim and praise from those around us, but do service only to secure the Grace of God and not for any other reward from any one.
Bury bad thoughts under good ones. Then the bad ones will just fade away and be forgotten.
Living is not enough; it has no value by itself. It is the motives, the feelings, the thoughts, the attitudes that prompt the day to day life that matters.
Secure spiritual bliss first and then try to convey it to those who thirst. When the tank is dry, how can the taps give water?
Always try to put yourself in the position of the other and judge your action against the background. Then you will not be wrong.
Honor all religions. Each is a pathway to God.
Make the mind, the voice and the actions agree in harmony. That is the right way of life.
Impurity is a mere superimposition under which the real nature of man has been hidden.
Where divinity is sought after, one ought always to behave in the spirit of Love, devoid of the slightest trace of hate, envy and anger. When one cultivates the inner look, one attains the conviction of the basic equality of all.
What is heard has to be pondered over. What is pondered over has to be put into practice. It is only when all three are accomplished that the realization of Bliss can be attained.
The secret of perfect health lies in keeping the mind always cheerful - never worried, never hurried, never borne down by any fear, thought or anxiety.
The pure heart is the best mirror for the reflection of Truth. So all these disciplines are for the purification of the heart. As soon as it is pure, all truths flash upon it in a minute.
O Lord, take my love and let it flow in fullness of devotion to Thee.
O Lord, take my hands and let them work incessantly for Thee.
O Lord, take my soul and let it be merged in oneness with Thee.
O Lord, take my mind and thoughts and let them be in tune with Thee.
O Lord, take my everything and let me be an instrument for thy work.
Religion is three-fourths character. Only those who preserve character can be pronounced truly religious.
Desire destroys devotion, anger destroys wisdom, greed destroys work - hence these bad qualities must be sacrificed. With good and sweet words, keeping desires under check and control (for ultimate removal), one should start on the path of sacrifice.
Man derives all the joy and peace that he needs from within himself and not from sources outside himself. So the best spiritual discipline is: strengthen the inward vision.
Anything that helps you maintain unruffled equanimity is right action.
True love expands the self; attachment contracts it.
Moderation in temper is virtue.
Moderation in principle is a vice.
The harder the circumstances, the more trying the environment, the stronger are those who come out of those circumstances.
That which happens physically on the outside in terms of actions is not of major importance. What is important is that which comes from inside.
This body is the residence of God. The food you take is the offering you make to him. Your act of bathing is the ceremonial bathing of Him who is in you. The ground you walk on is His domain. The joy you gain is His gift. The grief you experience is His lesson. Remember Him ever, in sun and rain, day and night, asleep and awake.
Offer service and receive love. This is the recipe for experiencing Divinity. Our love should not be confined to our kith and kin. It must extend beyond the family to society as a whole, then to the nation at large and finally embrace the whole world.
Whatever books you may read, you cannot realize the Divine merely by intellectual effort. One must put it into practice. That sense of oneness can only be promoted by the practice of love and not by any other means.
It is not what you have achieved that is important. It is the broadness of heart that has motivated you to do work that counts. Being broad minded with a selfless attitude, humility and obedience, you should try to share the difficulties of others around you. It is the purity of heart that is more important than the magnitude of the work itself.
Our relationships are heart to heart relationships. Ours is a business of love, not a business of money or materials.
For the progress of humanity, work alone is not adequate, but the work should be associated with love, compassion, right conduct, truthfulness and sympathy. Without the above qualities, selfless service cannot be performed.
God will not ask you when and where you did service. He will ask, with what motive did you do it? What was the intention that prompted you? You may weigh the service and boast of its quantity. But God seeks quality - the quality of heart, the purity of mind, the holiness of motive.
Living with God is education
Living for God is Service
Living in God is Realization
Unity is Divinity. Purity is Enlightenment.
Reform the body, reconstruct the mind, regulate the way of living, then, the country will become automatically strong and prosperous.
Before you speak, Think -Is it necessary?
Is it true?
Is it kind?
Will it hurt anyone?
Will it improve on the silence?
The first step in the Sadhana 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, frittering thoughts and faction.
Spend a few minutes every morning and evening in the Silence of your own shrine or home; spend them with the highest of all the Powers that you know of. Be in His elevating and Inspiring company; worship Him mentally; offer unto Him all the work you do; you will come out of the silence nobler and more heroic than when you went in.
Forget the harm that anyone has done to you, and forget the good that you have done to others.
There is only one royal road for the spiritual journey...Love
Be Silent yourself, that will induce Silence in others. Do not fall into the habit of shouting, talking long and loud. Reduce contacts to the minimum. Carry with you an atmosphere of quiet contemplation, wherever you happen to be.
Learn the value of Silence, of Namasmarana, of Bhajan, of Japa, of Dhyana, of single minded remembrance of the Lord, of the association with spiritually kin. These will stand you in good stead, when distress assails you.
The less you talk, the more will become your mental power. With the increase in your mental capacity, there will be increase in your power of discrimination too. Consequently, you will give up "individual discrimination". Because of this, you will begin to consider the good of the world at large rather than your own individual welfare. You must cultivate such broad feelings from this young age itself.
The voice of God can be heard in the region of your heart when the tongue is stilled and the storm is tilled and the waves are calm. There will be no temptations for others to shout when you talk to them in whispers. Set the level of the tone yourself; as low as possible, as high as necessary to reach the outermost boundary of the circle you are addressing. Conserve sound, since it is the treasure of the element Akasha, an emanation from God Himself. Reason can prevail only when arguments are advanced without the whipping up of sound. Silence is the speech of the spiritual seeker. Soft sweet speech is the _expression of genuine love. Hate screeches, fear squeals, conceit trumpets. But love sings lullabies. It soothes. It applies balm. Practice the vocabulary of love; unlearn the language of hate and contempt.
Silence is the only language of the realized. Practice moderation in speech. That will help you in many ways. It will develop Prema, for most misunderstandings and factions arise out of carelessly spoken words. When the foot slips, the wound can be healed; but when the tongue slips, the wound it causes in the heart of another will fester for life. The tongue is liable to four big errors: uttering falsehood, scandalizing, finding fault with others, and excessive speech. All these have to be avoided if there is to be Shanthi for the individual as well as for society.
Good works never languish for want of funds; the Lord will come to their rescue. Only it may take some time; do not lose heart... You should not collect money in devious ways. Help should come from pious hearts, from well earned money, from persons who know and appreciate the purpose for which they give. That is why I oppose all benefit shows, where you tempt people with a dance or a drama or a film and collect money for your pet plan.
In all effort, if you trust in a Higher Power which is ready to come to your help, work is made easy. This comes out of Bhakti, reliance on the Lord, the source of all Power. When you travel by train, you have only to purchase the ticket, enter the proper train and take a seat, leaving the rest to the engine. Why should you carry the bed and trunk on your head? So too put your trust in the Lord and carry on to the best of your ability.
You have been born because you did not pass in certain subjects; there is some balance of experience which you must acquire to complete the course. If you get convinced that your true nature is the Atma, then you have finished the course and 'passed'.
You should see that no dirt settles upon the mind; that is to say, you should move about in such company that dirt is avoided. Falsehood, injustice, indiscipline, cruelty, hate -- these form the dirt; Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi, Prema -- these form the clean elements. If you inhale the pure air of these latter, your mind will be free from evil bacilli and you will be mentally sturdy and physically strong.
The year becomes new; the day becomes holy, when you sanctify it by spiritual discipline, not otherwise.
All life is one, my dear son, be alike to every one.
Do not crave for recognition and respect from others; crave rather for winning grace from the Lord.
God is love, live in love.
The Lord will be watching with a thousand eyes the least activity of man to discover any slight trace of selfless love sweetening it.
A sound mind ensures a sound body; a sound body ensures a sound mind.
The body will shine if the character is fine; service of man and worship of God will preserve its charm.
The peace that pervades the heart can never be shaken for any reason; only peace of this kind is worthy of the name.
Love all beings; that is enough.
The grace of God is like insurance. It will help you in your time of need without any limit.
The service of man is the only means by which you can serve God.
God is in you, God is in every word of yours, every deed and thought. Speak, do and think as befits Him.
Do not seek to discover or discuss the evil in others, for the attempt will tarnish your own minds.
Life is: Loving, Listening, Lifting, Learning, and Living
Thinking, discriminating and practice - all three constitute the basic human characteristics.
Education should build character.
Its is Truth and Truth alone, that is one's real friend, relative.
Faith is like our life breath. It is impossible to live even for a minute in this world without faith.
Resolve to carry on the quest of your own Reality.
Hatred sprouts;
Envy raises its hood.
Love sprouts;
Peace descends like dew.
Life is the car, your heart is the key, and God is the chauffeur.
Expand yourselves; do not contract into your own tiny individuality.
Foster Love
Live in Love
Spread Love
Have the name and form of God as your companion, guide and guardian throughout the toils of the waking hours.
When you retire for the night offer grateful homage to God for being with you all day long.
The present is a product of the past, but it is also the seed for the future.
Experience that is drawn through any of the senses has an effect on one's health.
The mind sees separateness, Love sees unity.
Head in the forest; Hands in society
Today's man is pursuing unrestrained sense cravings. These pursuits drag man's mind into the gutter.
A man's well-being depends upon his degree of contentment.
Every living being in this world is knowingly or unknowingly on a spiritual pilgrimage.
Every one is the embodiment of God.
Character is the most precious gift of education.
Life is a challenge, meet it!
Life is a dream, realize it!
Life is a game, play it!
Life is Love, enjoy it!
You are all members of the same family, bound by the Religion of Love.
True education is not for a mere living, but for a fuller and meaningful life.
Devotion is not a uniform to be worn on certain days and then to be put aside.
If the mind of man is not reformed and purified then all the plans to reform the world will be futile.
What God gives is never exhausted.
What man gives never lasts.
Love must express itself as Service.
Man has to recognize the indebtedness to society and his duty towards it.
W /Words
A / Action
T your/ Thoughts
C / Character
H / Heart
You must make the mind the servant of God, not the slave of the senses.
Good company is important; it helps to cultivate good qualities.
As close as you are to God, so close is God to you.
The synthesis of pure, calming food is breathing pure air, listening to good sounds, looking at good sights, and touching pure objects.
We must control our desires.
Don't waste money
Don't waste time
Don't waste food
Don't waste energy
I - Want - Peace
"I" is ego.
"Want" is desire.
Remove ego and desire and you have peace.
The gift of food to the hungry is the noblest of all gifts.
When we sit for the meal, we feel light and effortless. When we are done, we should rise with the same feeling of lightness and effortlessness.
Love sees all as one Divine family.
Love...doesn't allow any room for pettiness or narrow outlook.
We should realize that man has not only a mind which conceives thoughts, but also a heart which can put them into practice.
The teachers of tomorrow are the students of today.
Renunciation is the power of battling against evil forces and holding the mind in check.
The heart of man, which is now allowed to lie fallow, has to be plowed by spiritual exercises like repetition of God's name.
Teachers must be examples of Love and Truth.
Being example is the best form of Service.
Desire makes man forget his real nature and reduces him to be status of a beast.
Let the different faiths exist, let them flourish and the glory of God be sung in all the languages and in a variety of tunes.
Dedicate all your thoughts, words, and deeds to Him.
Man will realize his mission on earth when he knows himself as Divine and reveres others as Divine.
God gave you the time, space, cause, material, idea, skill, chance, and fortune. Why should you feel as if your are the doer?
If you give up and surrender to the lord, He will guide you and guard you.
Ignorance is the most important cause of sorrow.
Once we surrender our mind to God completely, He will take care of us in every way.
Learn to speak what you feel, and act what you speak.
Small minds select narrow roads; expand your mental vision and take to the broad road of helpfulness, compassion and service.
Politics without principles,
Education without character,
Science without humanity, and
Commerce without morality
Are not only useless, but positively dangerous.
Try to conduct yourself in such a way as not to injure others.
A nation that has no bridle on its sensuality can never thrive or survive.
God is all Names and all Forms
Have constructive thoughts; consoling words; compassionate acts.
The first thing you have to do, to impress upon your mind the reality, is to recite the name of God and dwell on His Glory in the mind.
Character is to be sought more than intellect.
The attitude today is the root on which the future grows.
If there is righteousness in the heart,
There will be beauty in the character.
If there is beauty in the character,
There will be harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home,
There will be order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation,
There will be peace in the world.
Friendship is the _expression of unshakable Love. Love that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism.
Meditation is nothing else but rising above desires.
When you take one step towards God, God takes ten towards you.
Service should not be exhibitionistic, you must seek no reward, not even gratitude or thanks from the recipient.
You cannot see Me, but I am the Light you see by.
You cannot hear Me, but I am the Sound you hear by.
You cannot know Me, but I am the Truth by which you live.
The food we consume should be tasty, sustaining and pleasant; It should not be too hot or too salty; there must be a balance and an equilibrium maintained.
Real happiness lies within you.
Detachment is sacrifice.
Example, not precept, is the best teaching aid.
Base all educational efforts on building up of the character of the students, and then you can confidently think of rising on in the super-structure of curricula.
The mother is the pillar of the home, of society, of the nation, and so of humanity itself.
You are all separate beads strung together on that one thread, God.
Nourish your aged parents; revere them.
Your thoughts, words and deeds will shape others and theirs will shape you.
Love of the country is the basis on which you can build love for world community.
Always respect other's opinion and other's point of view.
Spirituality is an activity. It is an activity of the Divinity within.
If you honor your mother, the Mother of the universe will guard you against harm.
If you honor your father, the Father of all Beings will guard you.
Love expands; it does not limit itself to boundaries.
If you honor your parents, your children will honor you.
A language is as sweet as the tongues of the speakers.
The whole world is One Single Tree;
The different countries are it's branches;
It's root is God;
Human beings are the flowers;
Happiness is the fruit;
Self-realization is the sweet juice therein.
The beauty of life depends upon our good habits.
To reform: First weed out the evil thoughts and bad habits. Second cultivate good habits.
When the road ends, and the goal is gained, the pilgrim finds that he has travelled from himself to himself.
Do not preach; practice.
Man loves because he is Love.
He seeks Joy, for he is Joy.
He thirsts for God; for he is composed of
God and he cannot exist without Him.
By peace, western countries mean the interval between two wars. That is no peace! When man thinks, speaks, and does good - peace will ensue.
Where there is Love, there God is evident.
God is the Life-breath of every soul.
One single act of service offered to God whom you visualize in another is worth all the years of yearning for God.
Wealth has to be earned through Righteousness. Desire has to be for Liberation.
Your duty is to serve, not search for faults.
There is no living being without the spark of love; even a mad man loves something or somebody.
Make the home a seat of harmony.
The greatest fear man can have, is the fear of losing God's Love.
God is the mother and father of the world. Our parents are the mother and father of this body.
God is one; there are not many Gods, one for each tribe among men.
Love is one; it transcends caste, color and creed, if it has to be genuine.
Truth is one; there cannot be two. For, two can only be One, occurring twice.
The goal is one; for all roads must lead to the One God.
God is to be recognized in all that exists, all that is charming, suffering, blooming or drooping.
When heart speaks to heart, it is love that is transmitted.
A limit should be placed on the food that we take.
If you know the road and the goal, then you can discover whether you are progressing or not
Make the fullest of your talents and march as long as you can, and pitch the tent nearer the goal, when darkness falls.
Truth is the basis of Righteousness.
Be ever watchful to see that you strive to take in more and more of God into you.
Implant in your Heart:
1. Do not forget God.
2. Do not put faith in the world you see around you.
3. Do not be afraid.
The wise are those who know the self.
Truth has no fear; Untruth shivers at every shadow.
Sensory pleasures are trinkets, trivialities.
God is the doer; you are but the instrument.
Cultivate that attitude of Oneness between men of all creeds, all countries and all continents.
Not through wealth can Immortality be won; it can be won only through renunciation.
Give up; do not grasp in clenched fists.
Release; do not bind and get bound.
Eat, when you are hungry - not before or after.
Do not waste a single moment, in idling or loose living.
Love of the country is the basis on which you can build love for the world community.
If you safeguard Righteousness, it will, in its turn, safeguard us.
Do not get attached to worldly things and pursuits. Be in the world, but do not let the world be in you.
Have no desire to place before God. Whatever He does with you, however He treats you, is the gift that He likes best, to give you!
Work disinterestedly. Content to do one's duty as best as one can.
Aspire now
Adore now
Achieve now.
Blood has to circulate from head to foot;
Love has to circulate from high to low.
Campaign against the temptations of the senses;
Conquer inner foes;
Triumph over your ego.
Practice alone makes man perfect.
Have the Love of God filling and thrilling your heart; then, you cannot hate anyone.
God is not to be spoken of as coming down or going up, since He is everywhere.
The fulfillment of human life consists in the service that man renders, without any thought of return, in an attitude of selflessness.
Spiritual discipline grows only in a field fertilized by Love.
Be steady, have faith, and reach the Goal safe.
To rectify the world and put it on the proper path, we have to first rectify ourselves and our conduct.
Teachers are reservoirs from which, through the process of education, students draw the water of life.
Knowledge that is not put into practice is like food that is not digested.
Man can realize his mission on the earth only when he knows himself as Divine and when he reveres all others as Divine.
Real Peace of mind has no ups and downs; it cannot be partial in adversity and whole in prosperity.
Instead of making the senses which are at best very poor guides and informants his servants, man has made them his masters.
There may be differences among men, in physical strength, financial status, and intellectual acumen - but, all are equal in the eye of God.
Discipline trains you to put up with disappointments, every rose has a thorn.
You say, "Enjoy"; but it is when you "end joy", that you can really enjoy.
The day when passion is accepted as a mark of womanhood, it will mark the beginning of the end of femininity.
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| Baba Saved a Woman from Death |
| 09.19.04 (1:04 am) [edit] |
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Baba Saved a Woman from Death
In 1927. a husband and wife were returning home after celebrating Ramanavami at Shirdi, The wife got down at Thana railway Station to fetch water and just when with a water full vessel, she was boarding the train, the train started and the woman fell down under the train. The husband and other passengers combined shouted to the guard to stop the train. They feared, the woman must have been crushed under the wheels as the train having started already stopped Only after it had gone some distance. They ran up to the spot of accident; to their utter amazement they saw the woman standing there uninjured. In reply to the enquiry to all, "the woman said as soon as I fell I remembered Baba. He at once appeared, stood in front of me pressed me hard against the platform till the train passed away and saved me. Baba disappeared as soon as the train left the platform. What sort of Body, Baba had assumed to save this woman ? One can hardly know for usually there is no room enough to stand for two persons between the train wheels and the platform, and yet what is not possible to a superman like Baba? Surrender Shri Sai Completely !! Stupendous Delectation and Deliverance be there !!
(Adopted from 101 stories of Sai Baba after his Mahasamadhi as published in the rare book Ambrosia in Shridi by Sri Ramalingaswamy)
Courtesy: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shirdi_sai_baba _divine_grace/" title="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shirdi_sai_baba _divine_grace/" target="_blank"http://groups.yahoo.com/group...
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| Baba's appendicitis operation |
| 09.18.04 (11:21 am) [edit] |
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Baba's appendicitis operation
A pilgrim to Puttaparthi suddenly developed acute appendicitis. At the time, there was no hospital there nor was there a surgeon, so Sai Baba was asked to come to the room where the patient lay groaning. He waved his hand in the air and produced a surgical knife out of nowhere. A second wave materialized vibhuti which he used as an anaesthetic. With these aids he performed the operation to remove the inflamed appendix. Then the surgical knife vanished into thin air. He applied the vibhuti on the wound which healed immediately, leaving only a small scar.
Kanu, Sai
Baba, God Incarnate, p. 52
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| Water into petrol |
| 09.18.04 (11:11 am) [edit] |
Water into petrol
As Jesus Christ changed water into wine to satisfy a need, so Sai Baba turned water into petrol to satisfy a different need. It happened one day as Baba was being driven along a country road in India. The car suddenly stalled and stopped. The driver examined it and found that the fuel tank was empty. "There is no more petrol in the tank," said he. 'They have no wine,' said Jesus's mother (John 2:3). There was no filling station within sight and no passing traffic. Baba ordered that the petrol tank be filled with water from a nearby pond and this was done.
The driver got back into the car with trepidation and nervously switched on the ignition, and the engine responded beautifully. He drove all the way to their destination hours away on a tank filled with pond water!
Kanu, Sai
Baba, God Incarnate, p. 17.
(Another time Dr. Kasturi following Baba in a car caravan heard 1 part after another fall off his car. Arriving at his village the mechanic told him it was impossible mechanically for the car to have arrived. Kasturi asked Baba if it was because the devotees in the caravan were good that He had done this miracle and Baba replied: The car... the car is a great devotee).
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SaiBabaLeelas/m essage/389" title="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SaiBabaLeelas/m essage/389" target="_blank"http://groups.yahoo.com/group...
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| Sai Baba - A Loving Mother |
| 09.18.04 (9:26 am) [edit] |
Sai Baba - A Loving Mother
[Speech delivered by H. H. Sri Sai Padananda Radhakrishna Swamiji on the occasion of the opening of the Kalyana Mandira and Installation of Baba's Portrait and Idols of Rama, Laxmana, Sita and Maruti in it at Pavagada, Tumkur District, Karnataka State.]
Sri Sai is to me a loving Mother, a tender Father, a Spiritual Guide and Divinity Himself. He protects all and protects me. His love is as unfathomable as the depth of the ocean and his unfailing grace is unlimited as the sky.
His love is universal because it pervades the whole universe and it reaches every body and is available to every being in the Universe. It is not human being alone who enjoys the blessings of His Love, Mercy and Grace as there are so many myriads of beings including those apparently lesser than human being in the evolutionary order, who reside on the earth. Sri Sai's Love extends to them all, irrespective of nationality, caste, creed, colour, health, wealth, etc. It is devoid of selfishness which is the root cause of all evils.
The progress in this path of universal love which Baba teaches, once started, will not stop with mere realisation of the fact, but it will lead us to the Truth that the function of Love is to serve and sacrifice and to spread happiness and lessen misery. There is no greater end than this in life .Love is nothing but Truth and Truth is nothing but Love.
Human happiness will be commensurate with this awareness and the faith and faithfulness with which this true and straight path is trodden. We shall then not noly be ourselves happy but we shall spread happiness among others. This is the path not merely shown but also trodden by all saints and sages at all times and climes. True happiness is that happiness that no outside agency can take it away from us.
There can be no beauty where there is misery; There can be nothing but ugliness where there is selfishness; there cannot be violence or hatred where there is Love. Love is Beauty, Bliss Absolute and Baba is Beauty, Love and Truth.
Baba is the embodiment of Love because he knows only to give without asking for anything in return. This is true Selflessness, the force that binds mortals to mortals and mortals to immortals.
Baba passed away in Shirdi in Ahmadnagar district in the yeaj 1918. His entire life was devoted to the amelioration of the state of the suffering people who nocked to him in their thousands for succour and relief. His manner and means were superhuman and marvellous. Among his devotees were Hindus, Muslims, Parsis and Christians, rich and poor, men and women, and aged and the very young. They knew but one Saviour ,but one God, and that was Baba. And His love was superhuman because His sacrifice was superhuman. His power was superhuman because His love was superhuman, a love that knew no bounds. Boundless love, boundless sacrifice, boundless power, boundless service, that was Baba, that is Baba.
In His immediate presence, Baba's devotees and disciples were filled with feelings of fraternity towards each other and they pulled together as his children. "Love ye one another as I Love ye all," was his mandate. Baba wants us to realise this truth, the truth of the identity of Love and Truth, the Truth that Love and Truth are not different, the Truth that the Love that unites us in brotherhood is also the SUPREME LOVE that binds us to God.
Let us bow to Baba, who is Supreme Bliss and who alone can give us Supreme Bliss, the Bliss that goes beyond pain and pleasure. Let us bow to Baba who is SUPREME CONSCIOUSNESS who alone can take us beyond the pairs of opposites. Let us bow to Baba who alone can teach us the Truth of Upanishadic Mahavakya— TAT-TVAM-ASI—"That thou art." Let us bow to Baba who abides in our hearts as the immaculate and eternal witness, who sees all, knows all.
This is a happy occasion and an auspicious occasion when we are installing the portrait of Baba and Idols of Rama and others in this Mandir. ON THIS HAPPY OCCASION LET ME INSTAL IN YOUR HEARTS, IN THE HEARTS OF EVERY ONE OF YOU, THE PORTAIT OF BABA.
We are all grateful to Sri Shankar Setty who has built the Kalyan Mandir in the name of his father of revered memory and has arranged to instal Baba's Portrait so that it may also serve as Baba Mandir, where Baba's ideals will be honoured in letter and spirit by the devotees. I pray for the welfare and prosperity of Sri Shankar Setty and all his family members, who have set an example of service and sacrifice by their noble act of donating the Mandir for a worthy cause.
Let us all pray. Let all true and sincere disciples and doevtees of Baba pray with me, for the welfare of all mankind, for the all-round peace and prosperity of the entire humanity.
May all be happy. May all be healthy. May good befall all. May none know sorrow.
May blessedness prevail everywhere.
Om Shantih! Shantih! Shantih!
SAI PADANANDA RADHAKRISHNA SWAMIJI
Pavagada,
Source: http://saileelas.org/articles/saibabathemo ther.htm" title="http://saileelas.org/articles/saibabathemo ther.htm" target="_blank"http://saileelas.org/articles...
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| The Life Story of Shirdi Sai Baba - Chapter 10 |
| 09.18.04 (9:12 am) [edit] |
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Shri Sai Satcharitra
The Life Story of Shirdi Sai Baba
Chapter 10
Sai Baba's Mode of Life - His Sleeping - board - His Stay in Shirdi - His Teachings - His Humility - The Easiest Path.
Remember Him (Sai Baba) always with love, for He was engrossed in doing good to all, and always abided in His Self. To remember Him only is to solve the riddle of life and death. This is the best and easiest of Sadhanas, as it involves no expenditure. A little exertion here brings great rewards. So as long as our senses are sound, we should, minute my minute, practice this Sadhana. All other Gods are illusory ; Guru is the only God. If we believe in Sad-guru's holy feet, he can change our fortune for the better. If we serve Him nicely, we get rid of our Samsar. We need not study any philosophy like the Nyaya and the Mimansa. If we make Him our Helmsman, we can easily cross over the sea of all our pains and sorrows. As we trust the helmsman in crossing rivers and seas, so we have to trust our Sadguru in getting over the ocean of worldly existence. The Sadguru looks to the intense feeling and devotion of his devotees, endows them with knowledge and eternal bliss.
In the last chapter, Baba's mendicancy, and devotees' experiences and other subjects are dealt with. Let the readers now hear, where and how Baba lived, how He slept, and how He taught etc.
Baba's Wonderful Bed-Stead
Let us first see where and how Baba slept, Mr. Nanasaheb Dengale brough | |
