A person must achieve many goals during their lifetime. The highest and most valuable of these is winning God’s Grace, God’s Love. God’s Love will endow them with the great wisdom they need to attain unwavering Shanti, or Inner Peace. Everyone should make an effort to understand the true nature of Divinity. Of course, at the very beginning of their endeavor, a person cannot comprehend the unmanifest phenomenon of the Absolute.
At first, they must give it a form and certain attributes so that it becomes accessible. Then, step by step, they should strive to imprint it within themselves in the form of the descent of Divine Energy (Shaktipat). A person striving to succeed on this path is not merely an individual seeker entitled to pursue the goal. They must also cultivate the spirit of service (Seva) and take part in good deeds that earn people’s appreciation. Only in this way can they fulfill the task of purifying the levels of their consciousness (chitta) and become a worthy candidate for spiritual victory.
You may believe it or not, but over the next 25–30 years, all humanity will unite. All religions, such as Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and so on, will unite. There will be complete unity in the world. The spirit of devotion to God will emerge from Bharata and spread to every part of the world. Cherish this truth in your heart. People think that culture is a way of life. No, that is not so. Culture is unity; purity is unity. You will be able to realize Divinity only when you burn away all impurity within yourself. If you develop love, all your bad qualities, such as hatred and so on, will disappear.
(SEEING UNITY IN DIVERSITY IS TRUE SPIRITUALITY)
Very soon, the whole world will unite. In fact, in 28 years the entire world will become “Bharata.” Everyone will be able to call themselves a Bharatiya (a person in whom devotion—Bhagavat ratas—has developed). No one will say that they belong to one state or another, or to one religion or another.
(“Love is God, live in love.” Divine Discourse by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, November 22, 2008)
This is what Sadhakas should do now: first, they must develop Viveka, that is, the ability to distinguish the eternal from the transient and choose which is more valuable. Second, they must make sincere efforts to experience what they have chosen as valuable and true. Third, they should not abandon these efforts despite any obstacles. These three aspects may be called true Tapas, austerity. Only true Peace and Joy arise from such Tapas.
If you once allow the senses to make you their slave, they will not release you until the very end of your life. This is an insatiable thirst. But I call you to Me and even grant you worldly benefits so that you may turn toward the divine. No avatar has ever done this before—going out among the masses, advising them, guiding them, comforting them, uplifting them, and leading them along the path of satya, dharma, shanti, and prema.
Speech at the celebration of Swami’s 43rd anniversary
Man is the very embodiment of love; therefore, his personality finds expression in a character filled with love. Life without love is the same as death. Every thought, word, and deed should arise from love. Love binds every community together. It should strengthen the feeling of brotherhood and satisfy the aspiration for its expansion. Love should embrace all humanity and reach God.
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO SLEEP. YOU HAVE SLEPT THROUGH THOUSANDS OF LIVES.
If you do not awaken now, such an opportunity may not present itself to you for the next thousand lives.
COME WITH ME.
The principle of separation no longer rules the world.
I separated Myself from Myself in order to love Myself even more—now this experience is complete—I, in My entirety, want to return to Myself and merge into ONE SELF.
I gave many of you unhappy childhoods and conflict-ridden circumstances, and separated you from your mother and father. By doing so, I removed your attachment to your parents and family.
This left you with one choice—to become attached to Me. Why do you not use this opportunity, and instead constantly seek relationships that will never bring you satisfaction?
Even if you had a happy childhood, a mother’s love is not what you need.
*IN REALITY, YOU DO NOT EVEN NEED LOVE IN THIS FORM—SAI BABA, YOUR DEEPEST INNER DESIRE IS TO RETURN TO YOURSELF, TO LOVE YOURSELF, IN ORDER TO BECOME Being, Awareness, and Bliss*, which you all are.
*LEAVE THE PAST IN THE PAST*; do not try to get from one another what you think you did not receive in childhood or family life. You will never be able to find anyone who could satisfy you; I cannot do this either.
Love Yourself, know Yourself—only you yourselves can satisfy yourselves.
I love you so much; why can you not love Yourself?
Have I not truly turned heaven into earth and earth into heaven in order to lead you to Yourself?
I asked all My devotees to repeat the mantra: “I am God. I am not different from God.”
Now I ask you once again to follow this instruction; it will help you more than any other means.
Remember that I love you—love Yourself!
Why are practice and experience so important on the spiritual path? Bhagavan lovingly explains this to us so that we may sincerely aspire to it.
Spiritual practices such as worship, singing hymns in praise of God, and meditation are inspired by devotion to higher powers. Those who do not know the depths and heights to which such practices can lead should not argue about their effectiveness. These depths and heights can be assessed and attained only through direct practice. Only personal experience can serve as confirmation. A particle of wisdom gained during a meditation session is far more valuable than knowledge collected from millions of books. This glimpse of spiritual wisdom (jnana), however faint it may be, is the most precious acquisition. It is the result of one’s own spiritual practice (sadhana) and indisputable personal experience. As this seed of wisdom is cultivated and develops, arguments and criticism will subside. Until the truth is revealed, all discussions will take place at the level of the “lower” self. To set foot on this path of spiritual practice, a person needs self-confidence. — Leela Kaivalya Vahini, Chapter 1.
In the field of science, you can expect certain results by conducting experiments. But in the spiritual sphere there are no experiments, only experience.
Why is it said that the mind is the cause of all suffering, but also the means of liberation? Bhagavan explains and enlightens us.
Truly, the mind is the universe (jagat); for the individual, the mind is the entire world. In deep sleep, the mind does not function, and the universe practically does not exist for the person. It is born (or “arises in consciousness”) and dies (or “disappears from consciousness”) according to the mind’s capacity for cognition. Therefore, when the mind is destroyed, the world is destroyed as well, and the person becomes free, is liberated, and attains moksha. Anyone who has achieved success in controlling consciousness (chitta) is capable of attaining the vision of the Atma. Consciousness is like a grown tree, and the seed is the ego, the feeling of “I.” When the “I” seed is discarded, all activity of consciousness automatically ceases. An ascetic sincerely striving to achieve these results must always remain vigilant. The senses can restore their lost dominion at any moment and enslave a person.
Jnana Vahini, Chapter 7
The cessation of the mind’s activity may result from gradually getting rid of desires, just as threads are pulled out of fabric.
Bhakta: Swami, faith in the Lord sometimes weakens. What is the reason for this?
Swami: When a person is deceived by the external world and fails to achieve success in worldly desires, that is when faith in God weakens. Therefore, give up such desires. Seek only spiritual relationships, and then you will not become a target for doubts and difficulties. For this, faith in the Lord is important. Without it, everything—great and small—is called into question.
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
From the book: "SANDHEHA NIVARINI — DOUBTS RESOLVED"
What worldview should we develop, and what quality contributes to it? Bhagavan lovingly guides us today.
Without a spiritual worldview, acquiring an education and an academic degree is a waste of time. Their value in itself is zero. Therefore, fill your life with devotion to God and develop this worldview within yourself: “I am not this body. The body is merely the clothing I have put on. Within the body is God, who guides my life.” You are like fully ripened fruit. But fruit must be filled with sweet juice. Without it, it cannot be fruit. All of you should have the sweet juice of love. If a fruit has no sweet juice, it will simply be thrown away after just one bite. Therefore, fill your hearts with the sweet juice of love. Develop faith in God, regardless of Name and Form. God has many names, but God is one. There may be many ornaments, but the gold is one. Do not lose sight of the gold. Without gold, you cannot make ornaments. Develop faith as your fundamental quality, regardless of whether it brings you the desired results or not. Add love to this faith.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
—Divine Discourse, December 26, 2007.
I and you are one.
You are not different from Me.
—Baba
You—as body, mind, and soul—are merely a dream; what you truly are is Being-Consciousness-Bliss. You are the God of this Universe. You create the entire Universe and absorb it into yourself. To attain identity with the Infinite Universe, you must escape the wretched little prison of individuality. Devotion to God (bhakti) is neither sobbing nor any other negative state. It is the recognition of the One in everything we see.
The heart is what leads you to the goal. Therefore, follow your heart. A pure heart reaches beyond the intellect and finds inspiration there. Everything we do affects us. If we do good, we will be happy, and if we do evil, we will be unhappy. Within you lies a mighty ocean of Divine nectar. Find it within yourself, feel it, and release it. This is your true essence—not the body, not the mind, not the intellect. It is neither desire, nor the feeling of desire, nor even the object of desire.
You are above these outward manifestations. You must become like a smiling flower or a twinkling star. Then what in the world could make you desire anything?
With blessings and love,
Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
(Letter to devotees in the USA, a photocopy of which was given to the students)
PREMA DHARA
(The River of Love)
A collection of letters from Sri Sathya Sai Baba to his students
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centre of Australia, 1995
We all desire bliss. How can we attain it? Today Bhagavan sweetly explains this to us in His inimitable words.
You wish to attain bliss. But where do you obtain bliss? From a shop in the market? Or from a sumptuous meal with a variety of dishes at a restaurant? No, certainly not! Bliss must come from within. In reality, you are the embodiment of bliss. You were in bliss at the moment of your birth. But you began to cry as soon as you developed attachment to the world. Therefore, you need to lessen your worldly attachments. At present, you have too many of them. In this way, you make your body weak. In the end, sorrow awaits you. Worry is a very bad quality. Hurry, worry, and curry (spicy food) together make the heart very weak. Therefore, keep them at a distance. Whenever you experience difficulties, simply reassure yourself that they are fleeting clouds that will disperse, so you need not worry. Everything that comes must go. They are temporary.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
— Divine Discourse, July 28, 2007
Do not despair when adversity falls upon you, and do not rejoice when success blesses you. Every adversity is a stepping stone to eternal bliss.
Meet challenges with joy! One sincere devotee of God possessed immense spiritual experience and learning, poetic talent, and devotion. Yet whatever he undertook, whatever he touched, ended in failure, and still—not for a single moment did he reproach the Lord. On the contrary, he entered into an ever-closer relationship with the Supreme. No blows of fate could break his faith; he was unshakable, like a rock amid a stormy sea. He trained his mind to remain undisturbed in both joy and sorrow.
Whatever happens, remain faithful to the Source and the Totality of Power—the Lord; and then you will gain the ability to draw from Him all the strength you need. This commitment is called devotion.
Collection of Sayings by Sathya Sai Baba, Vol. 4, "Realization
Conversations Are a Waste of Spiritual Energy
Swami often tells students:
“Dear students, you should not talk too much. The divine energy within you is wasted in the process. If you indulge in too much talking, you will lose your power of memory, and weakness will develop in the body. The ultimate result will be premature aging. Moreover, you will earn a bad name.”
Imagine a radio. You can switch it on to listen to the news or religious songs; but if you forget to switch it off, it continues working without purpose. How much electricity will it consume if it continues broadcasting without interruption all day, needlessly using up precious energy? Our body can be compared to this radio, and the intellect can be regarded as the switch that turned the radio on but failed to turn it off again. In this comparison, your mind becomes useless sound in the form of words and conversations—continuous chatter that goes on all day. The sacred divine energy within you is wasted because of this kind of endless talking.
From the very dawn, when you get up, until nightfall, when you go to bed, you talk and talk—if not aloud, then to yourself. Even if you turn down the volume, the conversation nevertheless continues without end. The radio keeps playing continuously, and the invaluable energy of the Atma within you is wasted in exactly the same way that electricity is consumed by the radio, regardless of whether it is playing loudly or softly. The energy simply disappears.
The most common cause of premature aging and senility is this kind of chatter. There is nothing good in it. You must observe silence. From birth, you have not developed the habit of silence. Develop it now. In fact, the two functions of the tongue are closely connected. Excessive talking leads to unnatural hunger. When a person who talks feels hungry, he naturally eats more. Because of consuming excess food, feelings arise that express themselves in an even greater urge to speak. In this process, controlling the senses becomes an almost impossible task.
Likewise, if you consume nourishing food without working hard or engaging in physical activity, you will become nervous and restless, and selfish feelings of ego and pride will also arise in you. Appropriate physical activity will strengthen your health and help control these negative tendencies.
One of the main aims of spiritual practice is for the food you consume to be used in service to society. You must be resolute in doing only good. In the face of misfortune, you should not tremble like a flame in the wind. You must have firm self-confidence.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Sathya Sai Gita
On May 5, 1991, Sathya Sai Baba materialized a golden egg known by various names and rich in symbolism.
Baba said that Hiranya-Garbha (the golden egg) is a lingam (the lingam—the golden heart)
“contains the entire universe in miniature.
It is an expression of the triad of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
(God as Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer).
It is also the Atmic Consciousness—the Holy Spirit—which is like a thread running through a pearl necklace.
And it is the Spiritual Heart.”
At the Museum of Spiritual Heritage in Puttaparthi, you can read a quotation from one of Baba’s statements concerning the lingam (and lingams in general),
in which He calls it the “Cosmic embryo of creation.”
After demonstrating the lingam, Baba said that blessed is the person who receives this photograph and that it should be kept in every home. Its energy will work miracles. This was the first time I had heard Baba say anything like that about a photograph.
Dr. M. Doraisingam, whom I had never met and who sent me this photograph from England, told me the following story in a four-and-a-half-page letter.
Baba materialized a golden lingam while standing on the stage in an auditorium during the summer courses in Brindavan. He asked Professor Sampath to keep the lingam with him for a while so that He Himself could watch the students’ cultural program.
Professor Sampath, Vice-Chancellor of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning in Puttaparthi, was deeply moved by this. During the hour he held the lingam, he became hot and, in his own words, entered a state of divine ecstasy.
When the cultural program ended, Swami played a little joke on the professor. He touched his pocket, pretending to brush off some speck of dust. Later, while they were traveling together in a car, Baba asked the professor to return the golden lingam to Him.
In agitation, he searched all his shirt pockets, trouser pockets, and the car seat, but could not find the lingam. Finally, smiling cheerfully, Baba said that He had sent the golden lingam back to where it had come from.
Dr. Doraisingam continues: “Baba says that He created the Universe according to His Own Will and for His Own Pleasure through the word AUM. He proves this fact by creating a miniature universe in a few seconds with a wave of His hand, according to His Supreme Will. This is a manifestation of the incredible power of our Supreme Lord Sai, whose Glory and Power we are unable to measure. But we can see a small spark of it through the example of this great miracle.
Glory to our beloved Lord Sai, who is both our dear Divine Mother and our Father.”
Dr. Doraisingam also said that on June 7, 1991, while traveling to darshan with Baba, he saw a mother by the roadside holding a dead child in her arms. The doctor took out the photograph of the golden lingam and held it over the child, who had just fallen from an overloaded cart and died. Praying to Baba, the doctor repeatedly chanted “Om Sai Ram” while massaging the boy’s chest and abdomen. Through Baba’s energy emanating from the photograph, the dead child was brought back to life.
The next day, during an interview, Baba confirmed to the doctor’s friend that everything had happened exactly that way. He had prompted the doctor to stop in order to revive the child using the photograph.
In January 1994, when the author of these lines, Connie Shaw, was speaking in Houston, Texas, about the photograph of the lingam, some of those present were immediately healed through simply touching the photograph to the affected area. For example, several people suffering from headaches were relieved of them at that very moment. One man who was suffering from kidney-stone pain placed the photograph on his back over the kidney, and the sharp, stabbing pain disappeared immediately.
When Sai invited our family to India in January 1995, we had the fortunate opportunity to meet Dr. John Davis, who had previously lived in Colorado and Seattle, Washington. During our conversation, John told us about Baba’s instructions to him at his January interview. Among other things, Baba told John to repeat “Rama, Rama, Rama” nine times while rubbing John’s lingam, placed over the photograph of “Sai with the lingam,” in circular motions—the lingam would produce vibhuti of exactly the color and texture needed by the patient who came to John for treatment.
When I came to Dr. Davis’s hospital as a patient, the vibhuti appearing on his lingam was white and rather coarse in texture. On two other occasions, John’s lingam produced dull gray vibhuti resembling talcum powder for a patient from India, which I witnessed.
During the interview, Baba also held His feet in John’s hands for nearly fifteen minutes, then said: “Now you have ALL-HEALING hands.” Dr. Davis had recently been appointed head of the alternative medicine department at a new specialized super-hospital in Puttaparthi. He also founded a school of alternative medicine there. John Davis, a rolfer and chiropractor, gave me his deep massage (Rolfing) during that same stay in India. His Rolfing, however, can be endured only by the bravest patients, as it is a brief but terribly painful ordeal, emotional and physical, although the pain lasts only a few moments before a tremendous flow of energy takes hold of all the body’s systems.
In Dr. Davis’s hospital hangs a wall-sized photograph of Baba holding the golden lingam, approximately two by two meters. Everyone who reads this article will choose their own way to use it and this photograph to help and serve people with all their love. Besides placing it on an altar, you may wish to keep it in your purse, car, office, or luggage. You can make copies for distribution among members of Sai centers, as well as among the sick, elderly, lonely, and desperate.
Swami says: “When a problem arises, do not think about it. Simply think: ‘All this is anityam (not real); it belongs to nityaloka (the worldly plane); I will transcend it.’ Keep repeating My Name, and I will give you the strength to overcome it.”
Once, in Prashanti Nilayam, He invited me to an interview alone. Usually, He invited us as a group, but sometimes He also invited us one by one. He asked me: “Rani Ma, do you have problems at home?” I replied: “Yes, Swami.” He asked: “Do you know how to detach yourself from these problems?” I replied: “No, Swami, I don’t. You will have to tell me.” He asked me: “When you dream, are you aware that you are sleeping?” I replied: “Swami, when I wake up, I realize that I was asleep.” He said: “Until you wake up, don’t you identify yourself with the dream?” I replied: “Yes.”
You see, He meant that when we are asleep, we are not aware that all of this is a dream. In a dream, you feel that you are real; you are not aware that there is another “I” lying in bed and experiencing the dream. There are not two “I”s; there is only one. He said: “In the same way, you are asleep now. All these problems come like a dream. So, do you know what you should say to yourself? ‘Swami, this is a daytime dream.’ If you say that, the problem will not affect you. But if you identify yourself with what is happening, you will suffer. Therefore, you should only play your role.
Mrs. Rani Narayana "Enchanting Moments with the Divine Master"
Devotion to God (bhakti) is not sobbing or any other negative state. It is the recognition of the One in everything we see.
The heart is what leads you to the goal. So, follow your heart. A pure heart reaches beyond the intellect and finds inspiration there. Everything we do affects us. If we do good, we will be happy, and if we do evil, we will be unhappy. Within you lies a mighty ocean of Divine nectar. Find it within yourself, feel it, and release it. This is your true essence—not the body, not the mind, not the intellect. It is neither desire, nor the feeling of desire, nor even the object of desire.
You are above these outward manifestations. You should become like a smiling flower or a twinkling star. Then what in the world could make you desire anything?
Once, an elderly woman lived in Paris. Although she was not wealthy, she usually spent all her money buying blankets. At night, she would go out into the streets and cover people sleeping under the open sky, huddled from the cold. Even when she had no money, she continued to serve people in other ways. Thus, by the grace of the Lord, this woman’s service was constant, and her inclination toward self-sacrifice continued to grow. Whenever she had the opportunity, she would buy blankets again, load them onto a cart, and cover everyone who slept outdoors during the winter. In this way, she served people, and no one knew about it. Later, however, her neighbors learned of her selfless activities. This woman usually walked through the streets with her head bowed, and her neighbors did not understand why she behaved that way.
One day, someone asked her, “Grandmother, you serve people so selflessly—why are you so shy and humble? You should walk with your head held high.” The elderly woman replied, “My dear ones, I am ashamed to hold my head high, because the Lord gives to me with a thousand hands, while I give to people with only one.”
Charity should be practiced in such a way that no one knows about it. As the saying goes, your left hand should not know what your right hand is doing. Money benefits a person only when they generously share it with others.
Everyone in this world loves someone or something. However, there are differences in this love. The one God is present in all bodies. “Love All, Serve All,” because God is present in all human beings. There is no place in this Universe where God is not present. God is present in the sky, in water, in sound, and in light. Thus, everything in this Universe is an embodiment of Divinity. We forget this all-pervading Divinity and worship God in the form of some idol in a temple. Without a doubt, you may worship these idols; there is nothing wrong with that. But you must realize the truth that the same God present in the idol is present in every human being and, even more so, in every living creature. First, consider yourself to be God, and then begin to see that same God in every living being. Your body is a temple. There is divine energy in this temple.
— BABA
Divine Discourse, July 28, 2007
Do not be deceived by the belief in the existence of two worlds: this one and the next, the one here and the one that will come in the future. Understand life here; this world is intertwined with the next. There is no truth in opposing the worldly and the spiritual, the religious and the materialistic, the heavenly and the earthly.
SRI SATHYA SAI BABA
February 16, 1977
From the book: "VIDYA VAHINI"
