You were born because you failed an examination in certain subjects. There is a certain balance of life experience that you must acquire in order to complete this course. If you attain the understanding that your true nature is Atma, then you will complete the course and receive a “passing grade.”
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 1, Chapter 28
Since creation is a projection of the Divine Will, the purpose of every person’s life is to live in accordance with that Will. Life should be devoted not to satisfying one’s selfish desires or the desires of one’s friends, but to serving the Lord. Whatever you do, if it is performed as an offering to God, your actions will reach Him. A person should sanctify every action by dedicating it to God.
A person contains the cosmic power that fills the universe. The power contained within a person is the same power that exists beyond the body. The body can be compared to a balloon filled with air. The air inside the balloon is the same air that surrounds it outside. When the balloon bursts, the air inside it merges with the air outside. Similarly, when the body dies, the cosmic power within a person merges with the universal Cosmic Power. The Upanishads speak of unity in diversity and unity in infinity. Only when a person understands this does it become clear that the Divine within and the Divine in the Cosmos are one and the same. And this is the Divine Universal Form.
Sathya Sai Baba
Summer Showers in Brindavan, 1993.
What can you achieve with your limited intellect? Once, a man laughed at God for giving the majestic banyan tree such tiny fruits while giving the low-growing pumpkin fruits of enormous size. He doubted whether God had any sense of proportion.
One day, this man had been traveling for a long time and, feeling tired, lay down to rest in the shade of a huge banyan tree and fell asleep. While he slept, several berries from the banyan tree fell on him. When he awoke, he realized that if the large tree, which attracted people with its shade, had fruits as large as pumpkins, their falling could be quite dangerous for those resting beneath the tree. He thanked God for His perfect logic and Wisdom and continued on his way, feeling completely safe.
Accept everything as it is and develop Contentment. Do not multiply your desires or encourage greed and despair. When you feel warm, you take off your warm clothing. Similarly, when the warmth of your Devotion increases, remove the clothing of desires. Strive to attain God’s Grace, not to acquire something insignificant and transient!
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Divine Discourse, October 4, 1962
Although God dwells in every person, this fact remains hidden, like oil in a sesame seed. For Divinity to manifest fully within you, you must pass through many difficulties and trials. At the same time, your Love for God must steadily grow.
Just as gold is increasingly purified and made to shine by being heated in a crucible, so your Devotion must be purified and shine more and more as it passes through a continuous process of purification. Remember that the main cause of the cruelty and violence we see in the modern world is selfishness. It must be completely eradicated.
Live in Love. In this way, you will rid the world of hatred. When hatred disappears, the world will be freed from violence and conflict. Develop Pure Selfless Love and express It in all your thoughts, words, and deeds. Thus you will experience Bliss. Filling yourself with Love for God, you will forget all your suffering and sorrow. It is precisely to spread this Divine Love that the Lord descends from time to time in human form.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Divine Discourse, August 21, 1992
How and why do we need to calm the mind? Bhagavan lovingly explains this to us today.
The mind is influenced by attachments to material pleasures and by the delusion of ignorance, through which it pursues the fleeting objects of the world with astonishing speed. Therefore, again and again, it must be directed toward higher ideals. Of course, this will be difficult at first, but with persistent training the mind can be calmed; then it will become established in the eternal bliss of "Om." The mind must be trained through methods of gentle persuasion, promises of attractive rewards, the practice of detachment from the external world, enduring pain and suffering, cultivating sincerity and steadfastness, and attaining equanimity (sama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha, and sama-dana). The mind can be turned toward Brahman and constant contemplation of Brahman through studying the Upanishads, establishing oneself in regular prayer, sharing with others the ecstasy of devotional singing, and following the truth.
Jñana Vahini, Chapter 6.
Teach the mind to turn to the intellect for inspiration and guidance, rather than to the senses, seeking adventure and success in them.
A life sustained by food is short,
while a life sustained by the Atman is eternal.
Strive not for a long life, but for a life in God.
The Buddha knew this and therefore taught the following truths:
the whole world is filled with suffering,
everything is transient,
therefore, a wise person should conscientiously and dispassionately perform their duty.
Be attached to nothing; simply play your role. Let your consciousness always remain in a forest ashram; do not become caught up in worldly bustle.
At the same time, perform your duties, devoting all your strength to the work entrusted to you, regardless of loss or gain, failure or success, slander or praise.
The Gita says: “I take upon Myself the burden of the one who performs upasana (spiritual practice), thinking only of Me.”
Even the greatest scholar cannot understand Me through laboratory knowledge. I am always full of Bliss. Whatever happens, nothing can stand in the way of My smile. That is why I am able to impart Joy to you and lighten your burden. I never exult when I am praised, just as I never frown when I am insulted. Only a few have realised My Purpose and Significance, but I am not troubled by this. When I am attributed with qualities I do not possess, why should I worry? When people speak of what I possess, why should I exult? I always say: "Yes, yes, yes." If you humble yourselves and surrender to the Lord, He will protect and guide you. The Lord has come precisely for this purpose. He declares that He will do so, and that this is the Supreme Goal that has brought Him here. I know the anxieties and aspirations of your Heart, but you do not know My Heart. I respond to the pain you experience and the joy you feel, because I am in your Heart. I dwell in the Temple of every Heart. Do not lose contact and connection, because a coal can catch fire only by coming into contact with burning coals.
Cultivate closeness with Me in your Heart, and you will be rewarded. Then you too will receive a particle of Supreme Love. This is a Great Opportunity. Rest assured that you will all attain Liberation. Know that you are saved. The faith of many that the situation will improve, that life will be happy for everyone and full of Joy, and that the Golden Age will dawn again, is wavering. Let Me assure you that this Divine body (Dharmasvarupa) has not come in vain. The crisis that has befallen humanity will be successfully overcome.
Divine discourse by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, 23 November 1968.
Among all forms of sadhana, bhakti (love for God and surrender to Him) is the easiest and, at the same time, the most sacred. The word bhakti consists of the root bhaj and the suffix thi. In meaning, this word is identical to the word seva (service). Bhakti is characterized by a feeling of intimate friendship with God and, at the same time, reverential awe before Him.
One who is a creation of the three gunas (sattva, rajas, and tamas) must realize something that transcends these gunas—the feeling of humility and the deepest reverence. Bhaja sevayam means worshipping God through service. Following the path of bhakti, one must use the mind, speech, and body to worship the Lord. Bhakti is absolute, all-encompassing love. Total surrender to the Lord and love for Him are inseparable from each other. Bhakti is the path to salvation; love is the expression of bhakti.
Narada declared that bhakti is turning to God with boundless love, and Vyasa said the same. The sage Garga maintained that a bhakta is one whose mind, speech, and body are pure. Yajnavalkya also believed that true bhakti lies in the ability to control one's mind, turn it inward, and thus enjoy communion with God. Another view of bhakti is that it is the ability to concentrate fully on God and experience one's unity with Him.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba, "Sathya Sai Speaks," Chapter 22
Christ taught people to love all beings and serve everyone with compassion. Only by following these ideals can one truly celebrate His Birthday. The divinity within you must be reflected in every action you take.
Once, Krishna pretended to suffer from an unbearable headache. With a scarf wrapped around His head and His eyes reddened, He tossed restlessly in bed. Queens Rukmini and Satyabhama tried numerous remedies, but they proved ineffective. Together with the sage Narada, they approached Lord Krishna and asked what could cure Him.
Krishna then asked them to bring dust from the feet of a True Devotee. In an instant, Narada appeared before the Lord's renowned devotees, but they did not dare offer the dust from their feet as medicine for the Lord. Narada returned disappointed. Then Krishna asked the sage whether he had sought help from the Cowherd Girls (Gopis). Narada doubted the Gopis' devotion, so he went to them with some misgivings. As soon as the cowherd girls learned that the dust from their feet could help Krishna, they gathered dust from their feet without a moment's hesitation and gave it to the sage. Even before Narada reached Dwaraka, Krishna's headache had disappeared!
The Lord staged this five-day drama to show that self-mortification is a form of egoism. When egoism disappears, you will feel neither superiority nor inferiority. Krishna also wished to show that Devotees must always carry out all the Lord's Commands without hesitation and unconditionally.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Divine Discourse, July 7, 1963
What do we, as spiritual seekers, need to do to experience the bliss of the Higher Self (Atma-ananda)? Bhagavan lovingly guides and inspires us today!
Spiritual seekers need to redirect their attention from the external world and become discerning; they must turn their vision toward the Atma. They need to analyze the processes taking place in the mind and discover the source of all its changes and disturbances. Thus, every trace of “intention” and “desire” must disappear. After this, the only idea established in the mind will be the idea of Brahman. The only feeling that will seize the mind will be the feeling of bliss arising from its establishment in the state of being-consciousness-bliss (satchidananda). Such spiritually wise people (jnanis) will experience neither joy nor sorrow, as they will be fully immersed in the ocean of atmic bliss (Atma-ananda), which lies beyond the reach of the worldly.
Jnana Vahini, Ch. 5.
Jnanis (spiritually wise people) who possess the vision of the Atma within themselves will never suffer from sorrow.
Lord, I want to reach You very soon. What should I do?
Swami: Through love, only through love. Love is everything. Love is God. Live in love. Begin the day with love, live the whole day with love, fill the day with love, and end the day with love. This is the path to God.
(Once Swami said: “You know the power of this hand. It can turn dust into gold. It can turn stones into diamonds. It can turn earth into heaven and heaven into earth. There is nothing beyond the power contained in this hand... But it cannot turn your hearts toward God. That is your choice. Turn toward God, and God will turn toward you. Take one step toward Him, and He will take ten steps toward you. But if you turn toward the world, God will leave you alone. The choice is yours.” He was asked: “Swami, does free will exist or not?” He replied: “It depends on how you think. If you think free will exists, then you have free will.
Sai Baba
How long can you remain in the same “class” of devotion?
Would you like to move on to the next “senior class”?
There are two “classes” in devotion (Bhakti):
Sahaja-bhakti and Vishesha-bhakti. Sahaja-bhakti is satisfied with puja (worship), vrata (observance of ritual worship), bhajans, namasmarana (group singing, remembrance of the Lord), pilgrimages, and so on.
Vishesha-bhakti yearns for purity of character, control of impulses, control of the mind, and the practices of daya, prema, shanti, and ahimsa (compassion, love, peace, and nonviolence), as well as realization of the very essence of a human being. It is unfortunate that people remain year after year in the “class” of Sahaja-bhakti.
After you complete the second “class,” there is another—the highest “class,” called Para-bhakti—seeing God everywhere.
Sathya Sai Baba
Divine Discourse, January 14, 1967
What is the greatness of Hanuman, and what lesson can each of us learn from him? Bhagavan lovingly reminds us of this in perfectly clear words.
Hanuman’s devotion and faith greatly helped him fulfill the wishes of his Lord. Along with devotion and faith, Hanuman possessed great self-confidence. When a person lacks self-confidence, he cannot achieve much, even if he has faith and devotion. A person may be self-confident, but if he lacks devotion and faith, that will not help him either. Devotion and self-confidence are like the negative and positive poles. Only their combination enables us to realize our sacred thoughts. In this situation, because Hanuman had a divine vision and self-confidence in his heart, he could see Rama, the Lord, wherever he went. Whenever an order was given to Hanuman, he never doubted whether he had sufficient strength or ability to carry out the task. He firmly believed that Rama’s commands themselves would give him the strength needed to fulfill these duties. Hanuman vividly demonstrated to the whole world the power and necessity of self-confidence.
Summer Showers in Brindavan 1977, Ch. 10
A lack of self-confidence marks the beginning of a person’s decline.
When the wisdom and bliss we seek are transcendental, is there then any need to strengthen this body and mind? Today, Bhagavan lovingly explains this to us.
A person who wishes to enjoy the fruits of a tree cannot care only for its flowers. He must nourish the roots, trunk, branches, leaves, and flowers. Similarly, a person seeking the highest jnana (wisdom) must properly nourish the body, senses, and emotions. For this purpose, nine forms of devotion have been prescribed for such seekers. As it is said, the mind is the cause of bondage or liberation. The heart is like a lock, and the mind is the key. When the key is turned toward God, detachment arises. When it is turned toward the external world, attachment arises. Therefore, the mind is the cause of both liberation and bondage. Thus, the mind must be directed toward what is sacred and pure. Then you will live a free, joyful, and blissful life. A person who develops such an attitude will remain in a state of constant bliss. He will be the embodiment of bliss.
Divine Discourse, November 23, 1989.
Attachment to the world can be destroyed only by attachment to the Lord.
Why is it so important to express our gratitude to the Divine? Today, Bhagawan lovingly reminds us of this.
The first quality you need to cultivate in yourself is gratitude to the Divine. People are grateful even for small acts of service performed for them. Should we not be grateful to the Divine, who has provided us with so many of life’s blessings through Nature and the five elements? The air you breathe, the water you drink, and the earth you walk upon—all these are God’s gifts. How grateful are you to the Sun, which gives us light that cannot be matched by all the electric bulbs in the world? Can all the pumping stations on the planet provide as much water as falls in a single downpour? Can all the fans in the world provide an air current as powerful as a gust of wind? Failing to express gratitude for these divine gifts, people chase after worldly things and squander their lives. The great sages of ancient times, who worshipped God in various ways, regarded devotion as a means of expressing gratitude to Providence.
Divine Discourse, January 14, 1989.
A person devoid of gratitude is worse than an animal. Such a person is deprived of Divine Grace.
Devotee: But, Swami, how can we develop faith in ourselves and selfless love?
Swami: Only through the Grace of God. Love, selfless love—all of this comes through the Grace of God. Without the Grace of God, you will not be able to do anything. First, perform your duties and think of God all day, from morning until evening. See everything as God and be happy. Think to yourself: O Lord, You are everything to me. You are my goal. You are my breath. Do not think: This is mine or that is mine, or this is not mine. Instead, think: All this is You, Lord. Everything is Yours. Think in this way: I am beyond the body; this mind is merely a mad monkey. I am the Atman. God and I are One. Think: “Before this body appeared, I existed. After this body is gone, I will remain. When this body passes away, I am. Without this body, I still am. I am omnipresent. I am everything. To realise this truth, you need to engage in sadhana. You must inquire deeply into the essence of the questions: What is God? Who is God? Who am I?
“Jesus spent 12 years in the wilderness and then attained self-realisation. The first stage of self-realisation is to think of God all the time, and after several years you will realise that you are one with God. At first, you may think that this whole world is merely a stage, and that you are simply an actor. God is the director. Everyone else is an actor. He directs everything. But do not stop there. Go further and identify yourself with God. Fill the mind with God. Be God.”
(During the dress rehearsal of the Christmas play “Sarva Dharma,” Swami came backstage, where He addressed the performers with a question. He asked each of them in turn: Are you the director of this play? Each replied: No, Swamiji. Then He turned to A. Drucker and asked him: Are you the director? He replied: No, Swamiji, You are the director of this play, and I am merely an assistant. Then Swami said: The director does not need any assistants. You may call yourself an instrument.)
(A conversation between Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Western devotees, recorded by A. Drucker. Kodaikanal, 1985.)
Children of Immortality!
Remember that you were created
In the image and likeness of God. Exactly so!
Be worthy of this image
Always and everywhere,
Live as Masters!
Walk the earth with your head held high.
Your spirit soars in the heavens...
Your hearts are open to love...
Believe in yourselves and in the God within you.
Then everything will be well.
The Earth is only a manifestation of My Being,
Created by My Life!
Wherever you look, I am there.
Wherever you go, I am there.
Whoever you meet, it is I.
I am in everyone, in all My Splendor.
See Me everywhere.
Speak with Me and love Me,
Who dwells in each of you.
And then I will answer from within every being
And lead you to Glory.
I cannot be seen in any one place,
For I fill all of space with Myself.
You cannot hide from Me
Or hide anything from Me,
For there are no secrets from Me.
Live... live... live... in harmony
With My laws—and miracles will begin.
Now reflect.
Do your delusions hinder the free
Flow of the Essence of My being through you?
Immediately ask Me, in the silence of meditation,
To show you your mistakes.
Let old memories of Me
Rise from your subconscious...
Old images...
Old, forgotten feelings and thoughts.
Now immerse them in the Ocean of Light,
Ignite them with your consciousness,
So that you may become
True symbols of My Being.
Right now
Imagine My burning Flame,
Rising higher and higher
As it fills you.
This is the flame that refreshes,
Purifies and heals;
It eases hidden suffering...
And gives you serenity and peace.
Rest in My Love.
Let everything you have had to go through
Over many lifetimes up to this day,
Melt away in My Redemptive Light.
Children of My Being!
Dissolve your sorrows and fears in Me.
Allow Me to erase
All your Karma.
Return to My Consciousness, which is
Your own true consciousness.
Let your miserable human self disappear at once,
As soon as you come to Me—to Him
Who is your Inner True Self.
Now you are—
My Radiant, Glorious “Self”...
Do not separate yourself from Me again...
Dissolve into Me... Merge with Me...
Become Me!
Audiobook of “The Book of Mirdad” by Mikhail Naimy
This work came from the pen of Mikhail Naimy, a classic of modern Arabic literature. Osho, a master who attained enlightenment, spoke of this book as follows: “The Book of Mirdad” is one of my favorite books. It is one of those books that will live forever. If I had to make a list of great books, I would put it first. Millions of people have written books trying to express the inexpressible, but they have all failed. I know only one book, “The Book of Mirdad,” in which this was achieved. It is one of the greatest works created throughout the ages. You should not read it like any other book. You should not read it like the Bhagavad Gita or the Bible. Take it as beautiful poetry; listen to the music that pours from its pages. Read it as a message from a meditation master. Words are codes. Do not look for their meanings in a dictionary. Their meaning is the moment when they touch something in your heart.” The book speaks about what matters to every person: love and hatred, faith and betrayal, time and death, good and evil. Legend, philosophy, and poetry are magically intertwined in this extraordinary book. Its age-old wisdom and gentle lyricism form an exotic pattern of an Eastern parable.
