When you pray to God, wishing to receive a job, a son, or a reward, you demonstrate devotion not to God,
but to the job, son, or reward.
Pray to God for God. Love, because Love is
your Nature.
Expand your True Self and accept Him in everyone! Develop Love.
One day, Krishna and Arjuna were walking along a road. Seeing a bird in the sky, Krishna asked Arjuna, "Isn't that a dove?" He replied, "Yes, it is a dove." Then He asked Arjuna, "Or perhaps it is an eagle?" Arjuna hastily replied, "Yes, it is an eagle." "No, Arjuna, I think it is a crow. Isn't it a crow?" Krishna asked, and Arjuna replied, "Forgive me, it is undoubtedly a crow." Then Krishna laughed and reproached Arjuna for agreeing with everything He said. Arjuna replied, "Your words mean much more to me than what my eyes testify. You can turn it into a crow, a dove, or an eagle, and therefore, when You say it is a crow, then that is what it must be." Unconditional faith—that is the secret of success on the spiritual path.
Remember that the Lord loves not the devotee (Bhakta) himself, but his devotion (Bhakti). The Lord's Grace is like rain, pure water pouring down equally everywhere. But the taste of the water changes according to the soil through which it flows. In the same way, the Lord's words are sweet to some and bitter to others. The ways of the Lord are inscrutable. He blessed Vidura with the words, "Perish!", and Dushasana with the words, "Live a thousand years!" He meant that Vidura's "I" would be destroyed, while the evil Dushasana would have to suffer from the diseases and afflictions of this world for ten whole centuries. You do not know the true reasons behind the Lord's actions. After all, you cannot even understand the motives behind the actions of other people who are almost entirely like you and whose actions are driven by the same impulses, who like or dislike the same things as you do! And yet how easily you judge the motives of the One who is above, far above, the level of Man! How many words and arguments there are about matters as inaccessible to you as air is to fish!
When I created the world, I simultaneously established a plan for its development.
Human beings have free will. Therefore, within certain limits, they may act as they wish.
Because of people's free will, I must change the implementation of My plan again and again. I must adapt to the circumstances they create.
But the goal remains unchanged: not a single soul will be lost.
Be unwaveringly certain that you will be saved. My love for you is indestructible. No world power can prevent Me from standing beside you.
You are blessed.
From the very beginning.
Human beings consume many living beings as food—plants, eggs, fish, cattle, sheep, and so on—which, as a result of this consumption, are born as humans.
But since they do not possess the necessary knowledge to discover God within themselves, they languish, essentially retaining their former animal nature. They are unable to appreciate the lucky ticket they have been given, one that allows them to rise above the human condition into which they have prematurely entered.
Like the rest of humanity, they travel the path from the mother’s womb to the grave, remaining enslaved to the emotions and illnesses that inevitably accompany them on this journey. Do not reconcile yourself to your enslavement; strive to reach the Sun of Splendor, the Source of Perfect Wisdom.
To achieve this goal, the seers and sages of India offered various methods, placing particular emphasis on discipline. But today’s Indians know nothing of the full importance of such discipline.
Cynics and narrow-minded critics discredit our ancient culture, laughingly pointing fingers at what they interpret as its absurdities and inconsistencies. Do not join them in their efforts to vilify it.
Instead, try to absorb this culture and attain the experience of Bliss that it promises. Only the poorly educated fall into traps set by corrupt, prejudice-filled people. In ignorance and delusion, you may turn God away, but the day will come, when you will have to call upon His compassion.
God is subtler than any ether; by His Majesty, He fills every crevice. You should outgrow statues, paintings, and images, which are but children's toys in the school of spirituality; strive to know the Divine Energy, unburdened by either Name or Form. Rise higher, to the heavenly heights of the Pure, Qualityless, Transcendent One.
Never work solely for money. Those who work only for money lose shanti (their inner peace), satya (truth), dharma (righteousness), prema (love), and, for a long time, ahimsa (nonviolence) as well.
Even if you are experiencing the greatest difficulties and need to find some kind of work to provide yourself with the means to live, do not take any immoral actions and do not work solely for money. Always try to discern meaning in your work. Seek the opportunity to perform it willingly, because otherwise you will lose yourself.
If you can choose, seek an occupation in which you can do something useful for the society in which and through which you live.
But work not only at your profession, but also on yourself, so that whatever you need to do, you will do with increasing joy.
Do not focus on the fruits of your labor. Rather, imagine that God is acting through you, that you are carrying out His work by serving Him and the society in which you live.
Offer all your work to Him (7.I) and ask Him to guide you and accept the results and fruits of your activity.
At the end of your work, thank God for His guidance and His grace.
Be assured: if you offer your work to God, He will bless it and bestow joy and fulfillment upon you.
September 10 is Lord Ganesha’s birthday!
Who is Ganesha?
In the “Tirumantiram” it is said: “He, Shiva’s son, has five hands, an elephant’s face, and powerful tusks; his appearance is like the moon. He is the flower of wisdom abiding in the heart; I praise his feet. Lord Ganesha, the god of time and memory, abiding in the Muladhara chakra and maintaining balance between the higher and lower chakras, supports all sentient beings. He keeps the blueprints of the entire past and future of the universe—this divine masterpiece. Only goodness emanates from Ganesha, who, having taken the form of an elephant, differs from the other Gods. He wards off misfortunes from those who perform penance in his name. He guides our karma, residing within us and determining the timing of events. Before undertaking any important endeavor, we ask him to remove obstacles from our path, if that is his will. This Lord of Obstacles ensures that we do not harm ourselves by living according to an imperfect plan, expressing unnecessary requests, or starting an ill-considered undertaking. Before we turn to him, he expects us to use all our mental faculties to arrive at the decision he has made.”
The symbol of Shri Ganesha is the swastika.
Ganesha’s day is the fourth lunar day. It is precisely on the fourth lunar day of the month of Bhadra (August–September) that the Chatur-Ganesha festival is celebrated, continuing for the next 10 days.
Ganesha also represents the pranava OM, without which nothing exists in this world.
A little more about Ganesha
Ganesha has a human body, but an elephant’s head, and a mouse as his vehicle. Symbolically, this can be related to the development of the soul—from a mouse to an elephant, and then into a human being. The elephant’s head bears the symbol “OM” and points to Ganesha’s wisdom.
Indeed, the elephant-headed, immense Ganesha moves with ease on one of the smallest animals. The metaphor is that, with the help of wisdom, he has mastered his Ego and is the lord not only of all living beings in the world, but also of himself.
The mouse is a symbol of the sense of smell, symbolizing a tendency toward worldly pleasures and, consequently, darkness. Thus, Ganesha leads a person from darkness to light, freeing people from negative qualities and habits.
Ganesha’s large belly is a symbol of Abundance and a receptacle for all earthly sorrows and troubles.
It is said that Ganesha was created to observe all true and false karmas and dharmas on earth and in heaven, and was given the position of the intergalactic and interplanetary God of Karma. His knowledge is infinite, and his judgments are always fair. Even the Gods and Devas, before beginning any action, perform a ritual of worship to Ganesha—just as his Great Father Shiva once commanded, saying: “My son must be worshipped first, even before me.”
And so it happens… Throughout India, whatever people undertake, they make an offering to Ganesha, asking for his divine grace before turning to other Deities.
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha
In fact, much is not as it seems to you. You think that certain foods are good for you. But in reality, they harm you.
You feel that conversations of a certain kind bring you joy and are therefore good for you. On the contrary, I know that they harm you.
Something similar happens with your body. You think that a beautiful body is a gift; to a lesser extent, you associate duties with it, and even less do you perceive it as a burden.
I believe quite the opposite: a beautiful body is, at the very least, a duty, and in many cases even a burden. Conversely, a less beautiful body is a gift.
How can I assert this? Because every day I see how many people become entangled because of their beautiful bodies.
Arrogance, coldness, stubbornness, and selfishness are much more often characteristic of beautiful people than of those who are less beautiful or even unattractive.
Especially beautiful women, but also distinguished men, are much more often prone to delusions. They are often noticed only because of their bodies, and not because of their souls. This causes them to wither, grieves them, and makes them dry.
Even if their bodies were still more beautiful, their souls would remain hungry and therefore wither. And what happens when they grow physically old? When what they regarded as most important to them begins to disappear? Then it often happens that despair gnaws at their souls.
Less beautiful people go through this process while they still have plenty of strength and most of their lives ahead of them. Therefore, in old age, they have capital to which they can return. Think about death. Think about the perishability of your body and be happy. Be as happy as if you had just escaped a great disaster. Be happy because once again everything has turned out well for you. All this is merely a delusion. You will not die. You are not the body.
Sai Baba
Your true nature is Self-Revelation—in other words, the Revelation of Divinity. There is also the revelation of the ego, which is presented as Self-Revelation.
This mistaken Self-Revelation is on everyone’s lips.
And what is the result? Relationships are destroyed. Families are breaking apart.
Society is on the brink of the abyss.
Yet cunning individuals continue to preach this so-called Self-Revelation, because they know well how to influence those around them: by encouraging laziness and indulging their desire to be captivated by everything attractive and spicy.
Beware of simple solutions. Be especially wary when you also have to pay a lot of money for them. They are all cheap, even though they cost a considerable amount of money!
Life is not cheap. You earned this life, which was given to you, through many, many births and deaths. Being born human is very difficult, and for that reason alone, life is an exceptionally great value.
Do not halt your development by merely avoiding the trials that could help you on your further journey.
Do not seek a solution by running away; instead, consider what you need to change within yourself. Do you truly want to attain Self-Revelation? Then ask yourself whether you are ready to give something for it—in other words, how much. And examine yourself: are you really giving as much as you think?
If you can answer “yes” to all of this, then ask yourself what it is that you are giving. These are the best answers to the question of true Self-Revelation.
Since ancient times, an outward form of devotion to God has developed in the form of rituals; however, we are unable to demonstrate the true strength of our inner devotion. Loving devotion, bhakti, does not at all consist in acquiring an image of a deity for worship, performing the sacred arati ceremony before it every day, or making ecstatic exclamations: “Baba, Baba!” True devotion, bhakti, implies transformation—a fundamental change in all your behavior. God is everywhere: He is around you and within you. He is everywhere. Having realized this truth, you should come to the conclusion that you and God are one.
*The purpose of life is to realize the Divinity originally inherent in human beings and merge with It.*
This is liberation. There can be no other purpose.
You were given life not to build houses, acquire property, accumulate wealth, multiply your offspring, gain titles, or climb the social ladder.
Human greatness does not lie in these things. Life’s sweetest achievement lies in attaining lasting bliss and finally being free from sorrow and anxiety.
You are children of eternity. The heritage of eternity must be realized and experienced; you must reclaim it.
Attachment to name and form is temporary and must be eliminated. Name and form are not the true, natural characteristics of the human soul.
Freedom from suffering and joy for a short period are not signs of true liberation.
True wisdom lies in realizing that you are pure Divine bliss, existing in the past, present, and future.
_Sri Sathya Sai Baba_
*Je*The purpose of life is to realize the Divinity originally inherent in human beings and merge with It.*
This is liberation. There can be no other purpose.
You were given life not to build houses, acquire property, accumulate wealth, multiply your offspring, gain titles, or climb the social ladder.
Human greatness does not lie in these things. Life’s sweetest achievement lies in attaining lasting bliss and finally being free from sorrow and anxiety.
You are children of eternity. The heritage of eternity must be realized and experienced; you must reclaim it.
Attachment to name and form is temporary and must be eliminated. Name and form are not the true, natural characteristics of the human soul.
Freedom from suffering and joy for a short period are not signs of true liberation.
True wisdom lies in realizing that you are pure Divine bliss, existing in the past, present, and future.
_Sri Sathya Sai Baba_
*We wish you a happy life filled with Love and Unity on the path toward achieving the main goal of human life.*
*SATHYA SAI ANSWERS*
Ascetic: Swami, I feel that my spiritual practices are bearing no fruit. What should I do so that you will reveal yourself to me?
Sathya Sai: I know that you lead a harsh, ascetic life. You should know that I reveal myself only in response to love of God and devotion, and also in response to a life illumined by this love of God. Do not deprive your body of the essentials it needs; for the body is the sacred instrument you have earned, and it will carry you to your goal. Lead a simple life, eat simple, sattvic food, be sincere in your speech, serve your fellow beings with love, be humble and patient, and always maintain mental equilibrium. Direct all your thoughts toward God, who dwells in your heart.
Ascetic: What should one do to succeed in devotion to God?
Sathya Sai: There are various kinds of love and devotion to God. Some foolishly shed tears in anguish because I am physically far away from them. Others submit to me, but recklessly, with wild abandon. Finally, there are those who submit to my will with unwavering strength of spirit and steadfastness. I accept all these forms of devotion. You do not choose the form of your worship of God. I shape your feelings and guide them. If you resolve to act against my will, I will prevent you. All your actions are subject to my will. This is the highest expression of devotion.
Ascetic: Then what, in fact, do I do?
Sathya Sai: Why do you think that “doing” is so important? Maintain equanimity and calm. Then you will no longer be concerned with “doing” and “not doing,” success or failure—neither will disturb your inner balance.
Ascetic: I understand, Swami. But when one has to suffer...
Sathya Sai: Do you really think I would subject you to suffering if there were no reason for it? Open your heart to suffering as you open it to joy. Welcome suffering as a call to new achievements. Do not run from suffering. Do not be guided by the intellect. The intellect and troubles are one and the same, for all your troubles come from the intellect. The intellect has turned itself into this world because it has its own need to do so. This is all my design: the pain of unfulfilled needs will prompt you to listen to my voice; and the revelation of God will destroy your ego and thereby silence the intellect.
Ascetic: Swami, I dream of being constantly in your holy presence. Tell me, where will you be and when?
Sathya Sai: I want you to turn away from the idea of place and time. Always be ready to meet me, but you do not need precise knowledge of the time and place, for such knowledge limits and binds. Let events unfold by themselves. Surrender to my will, and I will guide you.
Ascetic: You subject us to excessively difficult trials.
Sathya Sai: I bake you like a pastry chef preparing a pie: I mix the ingredients and knead the dough; I knead and twist you in every way, then dip you in your tears, scorch you in your own sobs, add sweetness, and cover you with icing—in a word, I make you worthy of being offered to the Lord God. My intention is to remake you, to turn you into dedicated ascetics. I will not leave you until I achieve this. And even if you stray from the path before reaching the goal, I will not abandon you. You cannot escape me.
Ascetic: How compassionate you are!
Sathya Sai: Everything is revealed to me; all paths are known to me. My knowledge is absolute and unlimited. I encompass everything—everything converges in me.
Ascetic: In that case, how can I hope for your grace?
Sathya Sai: I do not demand great achievements from you in meditation or complete self-renunciation. I expect only love from you—such love as sees God in everyone and serves everyone as God. I will not reject you. I am your mother. Wherever you are, I will be with you. And wherever you are, I will come to your aid.
Ascetic: Swami, I understand my insignificance. Yet I ask for one grace—make me an instrument of your will.
Sathya Sai: Every person is an instrument of my will. Do you perhaps think that I accept people selectively—this one is good, this one is bad, and so on? Oh no, everyone is suitable. My will brings forth everything that exists and everything that happens. It permeates every thing and every action. Everything is contained within it. And finally, you should know this: my will commands you to discover my will within yourself and proclaim it through yourself.
(“Sanathana Sarathi,” August 1974, p. 185)
Constantly keep in mind that everything you see, hear, and perceive is like food.
It enters you and affects you.
Therefore, watch with the utmost care what enters you.
Do not listen to anyone who speaks badly about others. If you do, you become an accomplice in their negative karma.
Avoid communicating with those who blaspheme against God or have no respect for saints—in other words, spiritual teachers.
If you are with them and spend time together, your destiny will become bound to theirs, and this will serve you to your detriment.
Protect yourself from bad films, especially those that spread aggression, rudeness, irresponsible sexuality, and immorality.
What you see and hear can remain within you and influence you for years.
Therefore: watch good things, listen to good things, eat good food, occupy your mind with positive thoughts, and your life will blossom in ways you could never have imagined possible.
Nowadays, there are many people who experience great fears and strong self-doubt. This is connected with the modern age.
Such difficulties were unknown in other eras.
This affliction, like almost everything else, can be healed through understanding and love. If you accept someone with their fears and self-doubt with all your heart, they can open up to you, and this already brings about a great change.
Love resolves everything in life. Of course, it is also no less important to know what lies behind someone’s symptoms, because knowledge promotes growth. And everything in the world revolves around growth.
Therefore, one needs to know that behind fear and self-doubt lies a problem of the ego. People with such difficulties identify very strongly with their ego and—as compensation for their feelings of inferiority—raise themselves above others, despite feeling very small and helpless.
Moreover, because this too stems from their ego, they are exceptionally dependent on the opinions of others.
But if there is fear, this mainly means that they do not trust in God. Therefore, they try to do everything themselves, which also allows the ego to inflate.
Never use the knowledge I am giving you here to judge others, but solely to learn yourself—in other words, to help others and gently guide them toward greater self-knowledge. Then My blessing is assured for you.
You believe that food, drink, and sexuality are very good and beneficial things.
Who would not do everything possible to satisfy their cravings for these things? And how much negative karma they burden themselves with by doing so!
But who told you that satisfying these cravings is worth the effort?
That it brings you great happiness?
Who tells you this? Why do you believe it so strongly?
How can you never analyze your experiences in this area and regard them as desirable circumstances that will bring you happiness?
And you are satisfied with this. Therefore I ask you: how do you know that this truly is the happiness you are seeking?
I tell you: the happiness you receive by satisfying your cravings is only an imitation of the happiness you knew while in heaven and are now seeking by every means.
Therefore, consider the following: by satisfying your cravings, you are merely going around in circles. In doing so, you have completely bound yourself in maya (in the external world, in illusion). And that is all. True happiness is within you, and I am that happiness.
If you cannot believe this, then be certain that you are still moving in circles, and that My task is to show this to you with all My love.
That is why the Avatar is on Earth.
The beginning is of decisive importance in everything. With the beginning, you set the direction for the whole.
The ancient Greeks said: "The beginning is already half the task." Therefore, respect the beginning, because it is where the whole begins. The beginning in relationships is decisive.
Do not succumb to influence or get carried away by reckless feelings and decisions; their consequences may affect you throughout your life.
If you have met someone who attracts you, then give yourself time—plenty of time.
Devote yourself to prayer and ask God to guide you, protect you, and help you act correctly.
He alone knows your path in life. He knows the longing of your heart. He alone can protect you from mistakes.
Seek silence, and within yourself you will find His voice guiding you.
Therefore, from childhood one should establish direct contact with the inner voice, so that later, in such an important matter as marriage, one can find the right guidance.
Prayer is most important so that you can use your time on Earth to your own benefit.
Therefore, what is primary in prayer is not that you receive something through your prayer, but that you create an ever closer relationship with God.
All the worldly gifts you receive as a result of prayer are nothing more than bait, a sweet, to bring you into contact with the power of prayer.
This contact is divided into five stages:
- First, a person does not pray at all.
- Then they pray in times of need.
- Third, they pray more and more for themselves and for others if it serves their interests.
- Fourth, they pray for others even when it promises them no benefit.
- And finally, they ask only for others.
The stage that follows cannot be called the sixth, because at that point one no longer prays, but can directly grant and act through the power of their perfection.
Pray, pray, pray. This is the best exercise for developing the finest virtues and attaining lasting closeness to God.
Everything has its time. Sexuality is no exception.
Have you ever wondered why sexuality diminishes in many relationships over time? Because it is meant to diminish!
But naturally, you do not want to admit this in an age when many people leave their long-term partners to experience sexuality anew with someone else.
This is a sin against the partner who is left behind and against oneself.
And what is sin? Foolishness born of ignorance that sexuality diminishes over time, and that this is God’s gift to people, helping them free themselves from attachment to the body and, at the same time, prepare for death.
The more you enjoy your sexuality in old age, the more attached you become to the body, and therefore the harder it will be for you to leave it. That is why there is a spiritual law: from the age of sixty or sixty-five—as agreed by the partners—to live only in so-called platonic relationships.
Combined with repeating the name of God (27.II), this is the best method for gradually detaching oneself from the body and increasingly becoming like God.
Why are you worried?
Let Me take care of all your affairs.
I will be the One who thinks about them.
I expect nothing other than your surrender to Me.
I intervene only when you know how to completely surrender
Yourself—to Me.
And then you will no longer have to worry about anything.
Say goodbye to all fears and worries.
They demonstrate your distrust in Me.
Instead, you must rely on Me wholeheartedly.
To surrender to Me means to let go of thoughts about your worries, the difficulties you face, and all your problems. Place everything in My Hands, saying to the Lord: “Thy Will be done.”
That is: “Lord, I Thank You for taking everything into Your Hands
and for resolving everything for my highest Good.”
Remember, thinking about the consequences of your actions contradicts complete surrender.
In other words, when you worry that the situation will not lead
to the desired outcome, you demonstrate that you do not Believe in My Love for you.
Thus, you prove that you do not believe your Life is under My control.
Never think: how will this end?
What will happen?
If you indulge in such thoughts, you thereby demonstrate that you do not trust Me.
Do you want Me to take care of you? Yes or no?
If yes, then you must stop worrying about anything.
I will guide you only if you surrender completely to Me.
When I lead you onto a different Path from the one you expected,
I carry you there in My Hands.
What upsets you is your reasoning, your worries, and your obsessive idea that you must provide for yourself at all costs.
I can do a great deal for you, both regarding material
and Spiritual needs, if you turn to Me, saying:
“You arrange this”—and then entrust it to My Will.
You will receive everything only when you rely COMPLETELY on Me.
When you are ill, you pray to Me, asking Me to intervene, but only in the way you desire.
In fact, you do not rely on Me, but simply want
Me to agree with your demands.
Do not behave like patients who seek help from a doctor while telling him how to treat them.
Instead, under all circumstances say: “Lord, I Thank You for the problems that have arisen. Please resolve them according to Your discretion. You Yourself know what is best for me.”
Sometimes you feel that the troubles keep growing instead of diminishing.
Do not worry! Close your eyes and turn to Me with Faith:
“Thy Will be done. You will arrange everything.”
When you say this, I may even perform a miracle if necessary.
I am always with you, but I can help only if you rely completely on Me.
Those who turn to Me are of four types. The first type consists of weak, sick people, called arthas.
Another type is preoccupied with the struggle for prosperity, power, ego, possessions, offspring, etc. These are artha-arthis.
The third seeks realization of the Atma, reads the Scriptures and sacred texts, always remains in the company of spiritual sadhakas, acts by following the example of sages—that is, conducts themselves according to Sad-achara—and longs exclusively to attain closeness to the Lord. These are jijnasus, seekers of wisdom.
The fourth type is the jnani, the wise. They are already immersed in the Nature of Brahman (Brahmatattva).
The first type, the artha, worships Me only when in difficulty, suffering from grief and pain. When they call out to Me, I hear their prayer and fulfill it only in relation to that specific problem connected with their grief or illness. The same applies to the artha-arthi, who prays for wealth, status, power, or distinction. I hear them and grant them only what they long for.
The jijnasu receives the blessing of being able to perform nishkama-karma (activity without attachment to its fruits) under the guidance of a worthy Guru. As assistance, they receive an intellect sharp enough to distinguish the Atma from the Anatma. By My blessing, they are freed from obstacles and can concentrate on a single goal—Liberation.
Sai Baba
In everyone’s life, there are periods when it seems that you are beset by misfortunes: whatever you do, it seems that nothing works out.
Believe Me, for those who are on the spiritual path, there can be no losses in the end. What I am saying here may sound exaggerated and incredible, but it is the pure truth.
I arrange everything for you so that there are no obstacles on your path.
But you need to understand correctly what I mean by this. I am speaking about your spiritual development, whereas you are thinking about your worldly achievements.
Your worldly path may not be straight. There are always intrusions, surprises, and unforeseen events.
And this is right, because the ups and downs lead you again and again into contact with your inner self.
But your spiritual path can move in a straight line.
You ask how this can be achieved?
By acknowledging everything that happens to you in this world: understanding the lessons taught to you here, drawing conclusions, and no longer making the same mistakes.
If you conduct yourself this way, your life will become a celebration, with every event being a new peak.
You don’t believe this? That is your right, but there is no reason not to test it!
