Learning Through Reading

1313 · Jun 22, 2024

THE SIZE OF THE UNIVERSE

Every action is under God's control.
The Earth rotates on its axis at a speed of 18.5 miles per second (about 30 km per second).
In one year, the Earth completes an orbit around the Sun.
Light travels at the incredible speed of 1,086,284 miles per second.
It takes light 22 billion years to travel around the Universe. According to the “Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra,” the entire Universe is the Form of Vishnu (Vishvam Vishnu svarupam).
Even if a person were to travel at the speed of light, it would take 22 billion years to travel around Lord Vishnu.
Who can live for such a long time?
Due to the evil influence of the Kali Age, a person cannot even survive for 100 years, let alone 22 billion!
But is it possible to travel around Vishnu Svarupa (God in the Form of the Universe) in 1 second?
It is LOVE that makes this possible.
The speed of LOVE is such that it can travel around the Universe in one second.
The speed of light can be calculated approximately, but not the speed of LOVE.
Yet human beings have placed barriers around such transcendent and boundless LOVE and use It for petty purposes.
This is why the world has become chaotic at present.
People may attribute the absence of peace and security to various causes.
But the main reason is that human beings cannot manifest LOVE within themselves.
They make no effort to realize the Presence of Boundless, Immortal and Nectar-Sweet LOVE within.
May your thoughts, words and actions be imbued with LOVE.
May your life be filled with LOVE.
Nothing else is required to attain the Vision of the Divine.
LOVE IS GOD, LIVE IN LOVE.

Sathya Sai Baba,
“Rain of Love in Our Hearts.”
The Speech of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba at the Festival of
GURU PURNIMA, July 28, 1999.

1313 · Jun 26, 2024

Every day, set aside at least five minutes to repeat the Lord's name and a few minutes to serve those in need and unfortunate people.
When saying your daily prayers, pray for the well-being of everyone on the planet. Do not limit yourself to your own prosperity and salvation. Try to live without causing harm to others. Regard this as a spiritual discipline and purify your life.

"Sathya Sai Speaks," Vol. 23.

1313 · Jul 4, 2024

The northern direction is associated with the Gods in the Indian scriptures, and therefore the six months of Uttarayana, when the Sun moves northward, are considered especially suitable for sadhana, religious ceremonies, and rituals. But I must tell you that you should be more concerned with the Sun in your inner sky than with the Sun that is far away in outer space. What is the sadhana that will direct the inner Sun toward God? God is hidden and obscured by the clouds of egoism. Getting rid of egoism is the sadhana that must be practiced. Learn from the tree. When it bears many fruits, it does not hold its head high with pride; it bends low and bows its head, as though it did not consider this its own merit and as though it were helping you pick the fruit. Learn from the birds. They feed those who cannot fly far; a bird relieves a buffalo’s itch by scratching it with its beak; they help and serve one another without thinking of reward. How much more attentive, then, should a human being be, possessing higher skills and abilities? Service is the best remedy for egoism; therefore, serve one another to ease pain and sorrow as far as you are able.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Divine Discourse, January 13, 1968

Om Sri Sai Ram

1313 · Jul 6, 2024

You are not a wretched creature born in sin, destined to drag out a gloomy existence and perish forever. You are Immortal and Eternal. Therefore, face the challenges of life courageously. You must experience the Inner Divine Principle personally, because It transcends all words and explanations. The richness, fullness, and depth of this experience cannot be expressed in words. You must feel that your Greatest Destiny lies precisely in attaining This Experience. You are a combination of a mortal body and an Immortal Spirit. Liberation means freedom from temporary suffering and the attainment of Eternal Bliss. All you need to do is surrender all your problems to God and realize your Unity with Him. Then you will become Carefree and Happy. At the same time, you will accept everything as the Divine Play of the beloved Lord and remain, like Him, in Bliss as His Divine Plan is brought to life.
SSB

May you live a happy life in awareness of Unity with the Creator.

1313 · Jul 10, 2024

How can everyday activity be transformed into service to God? Bhagavan explains this clearly and also enlightens us as to why it is necessary!

The tree of life is the tree of illusion (maya), and all its branches, leaves, and flowers are maya. You can realize this as such when you perform all actions as offerings to God. See Him as the life force in every cell, as the sun that warms and creates every particle. See Him in everything, worship Him in everything, for He is everything. Engage in activity, but fill it with devotion: it is devotion that sanctifies. A sheet of paper is practically rubbish, but when the word “certificate” is written on it, you value and cherish it; it becomes a pass for progress through life. Bhava (the inner feeling) is important, not bahya (the external action); the feeling is important, not the action itself. In Tirupati or Bhadrachalam, you will find only a stone in the form of an idol; as a stone, it has little value. But when it is infused with feeling, when devotion transforms it, the stone becomes the Supreme Treasure of the human mind. A person does not know this secret of transforming each of their actions into sacred service and therefore suffers from disappointment and sorrow. — Divine Discourse, January 11, 1966.

Sai philosophy speaks of the unity of work, worship, and wisdom.

— BABA

1313 · Jul 12, 2024

Sathya Sai Baba Speaks to the West.

Today, people are valued primarily for their achievements at work. Someone may even be the last scoundrel, but if they have managed to accomplish something in their “job,” then everything is fine.
It is extremely foolish and dangerous to judge a person by the quantity of what they have done.
The quantitative aspect of what a person has accomplished—that is, evaluating them solely by how much they have done—is absolutely secondary. Only one thing is decisive: their character. Character is a mixture of knowledge and warmth.
Both knowledge and warmth have been formed over many lifetimes. They define a person.
Therefore, parents and society must do everything possible to promote the development of character in children, pupils, and students. A child’s character today is the destiny of a country tomorrow.
Therefore, respect your character. It is the most important thing. Also pay attention to developing the character of those entrusted to you. Treat them with love. Know what they aspire to, where they need to be understood, where they must learn to observe boundaries, what you need to protect them from, and what they need to stand up against.
The purpose of character is to teach you how to deal with yourself and with other people, because the heart of character consists of love and respect and teaches you to behave toward others in a way that fosters both their sensitivity and their strength.

1313 · Jul 14, 2024

*Why should we never feel disgust or shy away from unpleasant experiences? Bhagavan lovingly reminds and inspires us today with a wonderful and practical example from nature.*

If a person is constantly in an air-conditioned room, they will never know what coolness is. They must spend at least some time under the scorching sun to understand the value of air conditioning. No lamp can shine brightly in daylight. Only at night can one understand its value.

Many people come to Me lamenting: “Swami! We are in great distress; we are suffering from deep anxiety.” When I hear these words, I understand what is happening to them. I never feel grief or anxiety. I know that it is only a dream. They are unreal.

Some people may praise you, while others may criticize you; both are unreal. When a well is dug, the earth that is excavated becomes a mound beside it. Some people focus on the pit, others on the mound. I regard both in the same way. The soil that was a well has now become a mound. This is an endless process.

The sun sets in the West, while the Moon rises in the east. These dualities are part of nature. And while you are here, try to remain equanimous amid them!

— Divine Discourse, July 25, 1978

1313 · Jul 15, 2024

”If you put bread into the mouth of a hungry person, they will never learn to earn it themselves.
No one can devise an algorithm for their entire future life. Therefore, in life you are given a choice.
I test you and observe which choice you make. Whether you pass the test or not depends on this.
If there were no choice, you would become slaves, and I do not need slaves.
You must find the spiritual path yourself.
It all depends on you.
Do not expect any gratitude for what you give to others”.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba
The Yoga of Detachment.
Discourses 1981–1982, Chapter 31

1313 · Jul 17, 2024

"Love must manifest itself in the form of selfless service (seva). Seva should take the form of food for the hungry, and comfort for the destitute, the sick, and the suffering. Jesus was an example of such seva.
A heart filled with compassion is a temple
of God. Jesus prayed for compassion. Compassion was His Message. He suffered deeply at the sight of the poor. Nowadays Jesus is worshipped, but His Teaching is neglected. Sai is worshipped, but His Teaching is not followed.
Everywhere there is pomp, empty show, and boasting.
Lectures, lectures, lectures! No activity,
no love, no seva. Heroes in words, zeros in practice. Develop compassion. Live in love. Be kind to one another, do good, and find the good in people. This is the path to God".

Sri Sathya Sai Baba,

1313 · Jul 20, 2024

Sai Baba Speaks to the West.

I understand your problem: you cannot believe because you do not know, and you do not know because you do not believe. You try to escape from this circle, so typical of people and seemingly insurmountable, by throwing yourself into science, through which you want to encompass, prove, and understand everything. But this is meaningless, reckless audacity. How do you expect to understand the more complete from the insignificant? How can you, having seen an egg but never yet having seen a hen, understand the hen from the egg?
Instead of racking your brains, let all this go. Begin by sometimes asking God. I will undoubtedly answer you. Try each day to rely more and more on the fact that I am here for your benefit. I truly am here for this. From many lifetimes, you have My word given to you. Why do you never claim it? Why do you not test Me? Consider one more thing if you are always hesitant: our goals are very similar. The goal of your life is to learn trust. My task is to help you. Finally, one more thing. I chose this task of My own free will. And I love you all.

1313 · Jul 23, 2024

There is no separate spiritual life and worldly life. Do not divide your time into time for God and personal time for yourself. You must devote all your time, all your work, to God. No shares and percentages! No allocation by shares! I want you to remember… no shares and percentages! Do not share God with anyone or anything. You must be one hundred percent with God, only with God! One hundred percent Swami all day, every day, always and everywhere! Fulfill your duty in the world, attend to your profession, care for your family, but do all this in the name of God and for God. Offer everything to God as an offering. This is what “no shares and percentages” means.
Sathya Sai Baba.

1313 · Jul 24, 2024

Sitting on the lap of Mother Earth, what profound lessons should we pay attention to? Bhagavan lovingly explains them to us today!

Every person is a son of Bhudevi (Mother Earth). As a mother, Bhudevi teaches her children many lessons. She urges her children to learn everything from her, rather than follow other teachers. “Scientists and intellectuals cut me into pieces for the purpose of gaining knowledge and conducting their experiments,” laments Mother Earth. “Through their excavations and explosions, they cause me immense suffering. But none of this troubles me. Learn from me the spirit of tolerance. Whatever insults or attacks those around you hurl at you, endure them steadfastly. Remain impartial toward praise or blame, good or evil. This is the highest knowledge.” Another vital element of Nature is water, which is also one of the manifestations of the Divine. The lesson water teaches is this: “My son! By nature I am pure, sweet, and cool. Purity, patience, and perseverance are three good qualities that you should develop within yourself.” Fire is another teacher in nature. It tells a person: “My son! I do not distinguish between good and evil. I neither gain by burning one thing nor lose by not burning another. I treat everything that enters my sphere of action equally. Learn to see the Divine in all things. This is the path to Self-knowledge.”
- Divine Discourse, October 8, 1997.

Nature is the best teacher for humanity to learn this noble and sacred lesson of selfless self-sacrifice.
- BABA

1313 · Jul 27, 2024

What should our relationship with the Lord be, and why? Our beloved Lord reminds us today with unwavering love.

There are two ways of addressing God. One is the way of a beginner devotee who is still at the initial stage. He praises Him: "Lord! You are the embodiment of mercy, You are Ananda-svarupa (the embodiment of divine bliss), You are Almighty," and hopes in this way to earn God's grace. But the more precious God becomes to the devotee, the more this distance disappears. When an acquaintance comes to visit you, you greet him with a handshake and smiles that are largely contrived. But when an old friend drops by, you welcome him warmly and seat him in an armchair, with a lively sparkle in your eyes and warmth in your heart. In a stream of formal praise, love is usually absent. It so happens that in communion with a personal God, love is the main quality. Therefore, have faith, have patience, and perform acts of love and service. Such Love will be repaid a thousandfold.
- Divine Discourse, July 30, 1978

Only when you walk together with God as with a friend is He truly happy.
- Baba

1313 · Aug 3, 2024

You call yourselves devotees of God, so I will tell you about the dharma of people who aspire to attain devotion. Remember: if someone calls himself a devotee (bhakta), or others call him one, that does not yet mean that he truly is one. Devotion implies complete surrender to God, elimination of selfishness, and freedom from all desires and attachments. For a devotee, only God's commands and His will exist. A true devotee is like a drunkard (matta), a madman (unmatta); he has no sense of shame or pride. He is completely indifferent to everything that is unrelated to his ideal—the Lord. He is deaf to the voice of hunger and thirst, he is illogical, and when trading in the marketplace, he often makes mistakes. The sage Narada says that people intoxicated by ignorance stumble even over their own shadow, while those intoxicated by the Nectar of Wisdom always remain in the company of the Lord whom they have discovered within themselves.

Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 3, Chapter 1

1313 · Aug 4, 2024

Cast aside all lowly desires for several acres of land, a fat bank account, a few more bungalows or cars; desire the joy that will never fade, never run dry, that is deep, steady, and gives strength—the joy of Divine Realization. Discover your own holiness, your divinity, your truth. You may have doubts about what right conduct (dharma) is, what truth is, what Divine Love is, and so on—I allow that! But you do not doubt your own Self, do you? So find out who you are and establish yourself in that truth. That is enough to save you and grant you eternal joy!
Sathya Sai Baba

1313 · Aug 5, 2024

When people pray to God, they should not seek any favors. You should not even pray for healing from any illness. You should seek from God what is unavailable in this world.
You should pray for peace. Peacefulness belongs only to the Divine. And no one but God can give you true peace.
The second thing you should pray for is happiness. True happiness cannot be obtained from others. They may provide brief worldly pleasure. Only God has eternal happiness and everlasting bliss.
You should pray for this bliss. Only God can give it. You should pray to God for lasting peace and bliss, not for any earthly gifts.

Sathya Sai Baba.

1313 · Aug 8, 2024

When you attain the Love of God, His compassion will shower upon you. Love gives and forgives. The ego takes and forgets. When your son steals money from the house, you do not turn him over to the police; but when your servant steals a spoon, you have no such hesitation. For you do not feel love for the servant. Live without hating others, judging them, or looking for faults in them. Vyasa, who wrote eighteen voluminous Puranas, summarized all the Puranas in a single line of a short couplet: “Doing good to others is the only worthy act; doing harm is the most despicable sin.” When you feel that you cannot do good, at least refrain from doing evil. That in itself is worthy service! Do not try to find differences—find unity. Understand that the purpose of life is to know the Embodiment of Love, namely God, through love and to confirm through your own Love that you have known Him.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Divine Discourse, April 4, 1975

1313 · Aug 9, 2024

Which yoga or path is best for achieving success in spiritual seeking? Today Bhagavan reveals this to us with the greatest compassion!

There are those who are attracted to various systems and methods, such as Hatha Yoga, Kriya Yoga, or Raja Yoga, which claim to help people realize the Self. But I must tell you that none of these will help you realize God. I declare this firmly and with complete certainty. Only Prema Yoga, the practice of love, can lead you to God. Other yogic practices may temporarily calm the mind’s unrest, improve health, and prolong life by a few more years, but that is all they can do! What good do you hope to gain from this body by having a few extra years? The absence of love weighs you down like a heavy burden; by developing love, you can use the body to serve others, regardless of the body’s interests! The body should be cared for and maintained for the sake of the service you can render to others, or for realizing the Atma while you are in it. There are some who follow a strict schedule of japa, dhyana, and so on. Certainly, this is a good practice, but you should not adhere to that schedule when you are called to help someone who needs important and urgent service. If you leave meditation and serve them, you will gain more benefit from the service than you would have gained from meditation! — Divine Discourse, November 22, 1970

The purpose of human life on earth is to fill oneself with the Love of God and transform that love into service.

— BABA

1313 · Aug 11, 2024

How can we train the mind to accustom it to noble thoughts and practices? Today, Bhagavan lovingly explains this to us through memorable examples!

The mind suffers from a false understanding of values and tries to reject what benefits it. A child must be taught to appreciate solid, easily chewable food that they initially refuse. Likewise, the mind must be taught to envision the immeasurable, limitless, all-encompassing grandeur underlying time, space, and cause-and-effect relationships. First, one must develop a taste for the Personal God, and then for the Impersonal, who has neither name nor form. All names and forms are attributed to the Impersonal God by the mind. Bhajans, dhyana, Namasmarana, Nagarasankirtana—all these are stages of training. The bliss attained through merging with the Divine is the fulfillment of the desired goal. A sick person must swallow cough syrup while ill, no matter how bitter the medicine may be! A person afflicted with ignorance, and therefore suffering from egoism and discontent, must take the medicine of japa-dhyana (repetition of God's name and meditation). The illness of excessive attachment to worldly objects can be cured only by the medicine of attachment to God, developed through japa and dhyana. — Divine Discourse, November 22, 1970

God will serve you; He will save you and will always be by your side—you need only cultivate your character and polish your inner world so that He may be reflected in it.

— BABA

1313 · Aug 13, 2024

God resides in the temple of your heart; He is always ready to be your guide.
He does not value pomp or outward displays. He does not count how many hours you devote to singing the praises of God or repeating God's name, nor how many miles you have walked while singing in the streets to glorify God.
He looks only at how pure your heart is, and that is evident from your words and actions.

Sathya Sai Baba.