Introduction
|1-42 | 43-84 | 85-126 | 127-168 | 169-210 | 211-252|
|253-294 | 295-336 | 337-378| 379-420 | 421-462 | 463-504|
|505-546 | 547-588 | 589-630| 631-672 | 673-714 | 715-756|
|757-798 | 799-840 | 841-882| 883-924 | 925-966 | 967-1008|
From 841 - 882
841
IN every country today, men have become power-mad
and they resort, without any compunction, to self praise and dry declamation.
They develop hatred against others, foster envy and feed their fatal egos. They
plunge the Society to which they belong into fear, anxiety and disorder. They do
not know, that if elevating ideals are adhered to and practiced, they could gain
eternal fame; instead they are content with cheap applause and short-lived
publicity.
842
THE mansion called life must be built on a strong
foundation and the pursuit of Artha and Kama, of Wealth and Welfare, and all
desirable objects must be regulated by the standard of Dharma. Dharma fosters
those who foster it. "Dharma Rakshithi Rakshithah". The strongest foundation is
ever-present Faith in the Almighty. Some may ask, "If He is Almighty, why then
is He not patent"? He reveals Himself only to the person who yearns for the
answer, not to the one who questions out of impudence or ignorance.
843
HE will be patent only in the transparent heart,
the heart that is not clouded by egoism or attachment. The string of the Rosary
is patent only in the Spatika Heads, the crystal beads, not in the coral or
Rudraksha beads. Though the string runs through these latter also, it can be
seen only by splitting those beads. This is the meaning of the story of
Hiranyakasipu who split the pillar. When he did that, he could see for himself
the Lord, who is the core of every object and being.
844
YOUR Reality is the Atma, a wave of the Paramatma.
The one object of this human existence is to visualise this Reality, this Atma,
this relationship between the wave and the sea. All other activities are trivial;
you share them with birds and beasts; but this is the unique privilege of man.
He has clambered through all the levels of animal, all the steps in the ladder
of evolution in order to inherit this high destiny. If all the years between
birth and death are frittered away in seeking food and shelter, comfort and
pleasure, as animals do, man is condemning himself to a further life sentence.
845
THERE are only three ways of saving oneself:
Prakruthi, Nivrithi and Prapatti. Prakruthi (action, external activity) is a
method of sublimating the instincts and impulses. Nivritti (detachment; internal
quiet), is a method of subduing the thirst of the senses and of the ego.
Prapatti (surrender) is a method of utilising the senses, the instincts and
impulses, the intelligence and the emotions for the glorification of the
all-knowing, all-directing Divine. Do and dedicate, work and worship, plant and
protect; but do not worry about the fruit; that is the secret of spiritual
success.
846
THE boulder on the hill, from which a portion has
been blasted away to carve an idol for the temple, tells the idol, "Thath Thawam
Asi" (You and I are the same), That and this are one substance. Yes, of one
substance, but what a difference? The hammer and chisel have made one, a thing
of beauty and a joy for ever, an inspiration to make life beautiful and holy.
You too must subject yourself to the hammer of discipline and the chisel of
pain-pleasure, so that you become Divine.
847
WHEN you reach the bank of a river in a strange
land, you do not take advice from a lame person or a blind person on where you
can best wade across. You follow a person who has waded often and who is neither
lame nor blind. The man who can see is a scholar; the man who can walk is a
person with experience. The man with both capacities is a good guide, not those
who prattle things learnt from the books or dole out set formulae irrespective
of the stage the recipient has reached, or roamed about in search of people whom
they can squeeze for money.
848
MAN imagines that he has achieved much as a result
of his search for material pleasures. He has discovered electricity and is using
it for giving light. But what poor glory is this? When the sun rises even the
brightest bulb pales into insignificance. Man has invented the fan and, by means
of electricity, he is able to create a breeze. But, when a storm arises in
Nature, the toughest tree is uprooted and man's handiwork of brick and mortar is
laid in ruins, with the roofs flying in the air. On what basis can he erect his
pride?
849
ALL who come embodied are Avatars, that is to say,
advents of the Divine, Manifestations of God. What then is the special feature
of Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Christ? Why do you celebrate their Birthdays with
much reverential enthusiasm? The specialty is this: they are Aware, you are
unaware of the Atma which is the Truth. Awareness confers Liberation from bonds,
from time, space and causation and from sleep, dream and wakefulness. Avatars
are ever alert, aware, and alight.
850
THERE was a huge halo of splendour illuminating the
sky over the village when Christ was born. This meant that He who was to
overcome the darkness of evil and ignorance had taken birth; that He will spread
the Light of Love in the heart of man and the councils of humanity. Appearances
of splendour and other signs to herald the era that have dawned are natural when
Incarnations happen on Earth. Jesus was to shatter the darkness that had
enveloped the World and the Aura of Light was a sign that announced the event.
The Masters arrive in answer to man's prayer, "Thamasomaa Jyothirgamaya"; "Lead
us from darkness unto Light".
851
THE word "Hindu" has been interpreted by scholars
in various ways, but the real meaning is "Hin" (Hinsa or Violence), "Dur" (far
from): people who keep away from violence. The Hindus have been praying since
the ages for the peace and prosperity of all the Worlds. "Loka Samastha Sukino
Bhavanthu". Their conception of the immanence of God is strong and unshakable.
The rituals, ceremonies, vows and rites prescribed in Hinduism are all directed
to the promotion and well-being of "all the Worlds". This is the reason why
Hinduism is still alive and active.
852
VISHNU is described as "Buyagasayamam" sleeping on
the snake and also as "Samthaakaaram". The "Bujaga" or snake, which has visha or
poison, represents the World or "Vishaya" and, when you rest upon it, instead of
allowing it to envelop you, you can afford to have "Santham". Let your boat be
on the waters; but do not allow the waters to enter the boat. Be in the World,
but not of it. That is the secret of a successful life.
853
SARANAGATHI, or unconditional surrender, is the
main gate to enter the mansion of Mukthi. It has four floors: Dhyanam, Karma,
Bhakti and Jnanam. Each floor rests upon the one beneath and the uppermost
cannot be reached without ascending the first three. Remember this, when you
hear people arguing about the relative superiority of the Yogas or labeling
themselves as "this" or "that" in the Adhyathmic field.
854
PLEASE do not be under the delusion that God needs
light and that He requires illumination. He is "Jyothiswarupa" with the
splendour of a thousand suns. He is the force which makes Light shine, and He is
above and beyond the Thejas that Nature can supply. It is not so much this stone
structure that needs illumination. When you come to think of it, it is the
temple that you are carrying about with you in body that must be fitted with
lights. "Dehodevalaya Proktham". The body is said to be the temple. "Jivodevah
Sanathanah". And in that temple is installed the Jivi who is the "timeless" God.
855
YOU try to avoid grief; you try to taste joy
instead. It is the nature of man to do so. For he is essentially "Anandaswarupa".
When we seek "Ananda", it is like the call of the deep for the deep. When
someone asks you, "How do you do?" and you answer, "Quite well, thank you", he
does not stop to enquire why you are well. It is only when you answer that you
are ill, that he stops and expresses concern and probes into the causes,
symptoms and care of the illness. "Wellness is natural"; illness is unnatural.
Anxiety is caused by the unnatural only. So you are "Suka-Swarupa" also.
856
CLARIFY the Buddhi by Sadhana so that you get a
vision of the Lord who dwells within, that is the Sudarsana which saved Gajendra,
the wild elephant (man) that was caught by the alligator (egoism) while
rollicking in the lake. The objective World (Samsara) looks upon joy and grief
as teachers of hardihood and balance. Grief is a friendly reminder, a good
task-master; even a better teacher than joy. The Lord grants both, protection
and punishment; for how can he be the Lord if he does not insist on strict
accounting and strict obedience?
857
TAKE everything as it comes. Cultivate contentment,
do not multiply your wants and foster greed and despair. You take off your warm
clothing when you start feeling warm. The coat of desire has to be taken off
when the warmth of Bhakthi increases. Strive to secure Grace; do not strive to
secure any lesser fruit.
858
THE youth today, in India as well as in other lands,
are afflicted with deep discontent which manifests itself in revolt against
rules, regulations, curricula and social norms and an agitational approach to
every little problem that affects them. What is the basic cause of this
phenomenon? The Reason lies in the fact that they have started to neglect the
ancient culture of India and its ideals. They are imitating undesirable and
fanatic norms of behaviour and are addicted to a code of disbelief, having no
roots anywhere.
859
WHEN God has come assuming a Form, take it from Me,
it will not fill inferior vessels or embellish tawdry stuff or enter impure
bodies. So, do not extol these falsities and ruin those unfortunates. Deal with
them severely and they will be cured. Those who have seen the brilliance of the
diamond will not be misled by glass trinkets. The Lord is like the diamond, call
it by any name. But a trinket cannot be turned into a diamond, however loud the
praise and however adamant the claim.
860
WHO can give us the secret of transcending the
barrier that divides the region of death from the region of immortality? Of
course, the Lord has often sent Messengers to tell humanity about it, and He
himself has come down in human form to communicate it and save mankind from
perdition. It is because the task of guiding man has gone on so consistently
that today, at least in India, there is this quantum of earnestness to achieve
it and to escape from the cycle of birth and death.
861
THE Jnanendriyas are more important for Sadhana
than the Karmendriyas; Buddhi is more important than all the rest of the inner
instruments given to man. Make Buddhi the master of your Manas and you will not
fail. You will fail only when the senses establish mastery over the mind.
862
EASWARASSARVOTA Bhoothaanaam Hrddese Arjuna
Thishtath, "Oh Arjuna, the God resides in the heart of all being" says the Lord.
He is not to be found specially in Amarnath, Kasi, Tirupati, Kedaram or Gokarnam.
Just as every drop of the ocean has the taste, the composition and the name of
the ocean, so too every single being has the Divine taste and composition and
the name of the Lord. Only you do not realise it so clearly. The Godavari
realises itself by reaching the sea; man realises himself by merging in the
Absolute. "Gamyam ithi Lingam" (That which merges in the goal is Lingam).
863
YOU have to trace your ancestry and be proud of it.
From Paramatma, Moola Prakrithi descended with the emergence of Maya, and from
the stuff of that illusion, Akasa; and from Akasa, Vayu; from Vayu, Agni; from
Agni, Jala; from Jala, Earth. By a combination of the five elements, this
Tabernacle of Paramatma, which is you, was produced. The entire ladder has now
to be climbed up in order to reach the Paramatma, the Origin of all. There is a
regular syllabus for the promotion of the spiritual aspirant, which is given in
that form in the Veda and in the form of an elaborate story in the Bhagavatha.
864
THE discovery of Truth is the unique mission of
man. Man is a mixture of Maya and Madhava; the Maya throws a mist which hides
the Madhava. But through the action of the healthy impulses inherited from acts
performed while in previous bodies, or through the cleansing done by austerities
in this body, or through the Grace of the Lord Himself, Maya melts away; for it
is just a mist which flees before the Sun. Then Nara is transformed into
Narayana and this Bhuloka is elevated into a Prasanthi Nilayam.
865
EVERYONE has a mother as the source of his life and
body. So, the mother has to be strong in mind and body, ripe in culture and
character, sanctified by holy thoughts and steeped in love and dedication. Good
mothers make a good nation. Mothers have to be repositories of "Thyaga, Yoga and
Bakthi", Detachment, Discipline and Devotion. Their Karma (Activity) must be
based on these three urges.
866
THE one Namaskaram you do, do with devotion. That
is enough. You do not even do that; you do it so callously, so indifferently and
automatically. When you fold your hands and bring them together, feel that you
are offering at the Feet all the actions of the Five Karmendriyas and the Five
Jnanendriyas as indicated by the ten fingers. Again, the purpose of Namaskaram
is to touch the Feet, to have Sparsan of the Lord. The Negative pole Mayasakthi,
and the Positive pole, Mahasakthi, have to meet in order to produce a spiritual
current that will flow through you.
867
COME, I am the repairer of broken hearts, of
damaged Anthahkaranas. I am like the smith who welds, mends and sets right. Ten
years ago, a devotee prayed to Me in song, "My heart has gone dry, my lamp has
gone out, my path is dark, my brain is confused. Lord make me fit again for
life's arduous journey". The Lord will be waiting outside the door of the puja
room of the Bhakta, anxious to fulfill his wish. Verily he, who has the Lord as
His Servant, is the real Prabhu.
868
EVERY little movement or incident results in sound.
Only, you may not be able to hear, because the range of your ear is limited. The
falling of an eyelid over the eye makes a sound and the dropping of dew on a
petal makes a sound. Any little agitation disturbing the calm is bound to
produce a sound. The sound caused by the primal movement that resulted in the
enveloping of Brahman by self-evolved Maya is the Pranavashabda or OM. The
Gayathri is the elaboration of that Pranava and so, it is now held so venerable
that initiation into Adhyatmic life is achieved by its contemplation.
869
YOU may complain that God is hard and heartless
since He does not respond to prayer, give a signal from his pictures and speak
from "nowhere" in clear unambiguous terms, assuaging, assuring, advising - but
let Me tell you: God is Love. Love is God. His Akara (Form) is Prema (Love). His
Swabhava (essential Nature) is Ananda (Bliss); and His Raktha (Life-blood) is
Sathya (Truth). Even when the stony cliff echoes your voice and responds when
you cry, will not the Softest, Sweetest, Love-filled Heart of God respond? When
there is no response, infer that there is something wanting in the cry; perhaps,
the cry is hollow, insincere, mere play-acting set to a pattern, addressed to
someone alien to oneself, taken to be far away and distant as a tyrant or task
master.
870
KNOW that God is the One that is dearest and
nearest to you, as dear and as near as your own heart and pray to him. Surely
his answer will be vouchsafed immediately. You may have huge hordes of men in
the army; but they are useful only when the few Generals who lead them know
where they are and whether they should proceed and how to overcome the enemy,
whose strength and weakness they have comprehended. Hordes of people sing,
recite, adore, worship, praise and prostrate, but these are the soldiers. Those
who believe, those who have faith and who practice the disciplines are the
Generals in whom the Master confides.
871
TALKATIVE persons easily step into scandal mongering.
Too much talk and a tongue addicted to scandal are twins; they work together and
in unison. A poet addressed his tongue thus "Oh, Tongue, knower of taste,
relisher of sweetness, always prefer the Truth". One should not inflame passion,
diminish enthusiasm or inflict injury "Sathyam Brooyath, Priyam Rooyath" (Speak
the Truth, Speak pleasantly), "Nabrooyath Sathyam Apriyam" (If unpleasant, do
not speak the truth), "Priyam cha na anvartsham brooyth" (Though it may be
pleasant, do not speak falsehood).
872
THE Lord has said in the Gita: "Anudevega Karam Vakyam
Sathyam Priya Hitam Chayat". (Speech, that does not offend, that is truthful,
pleasant and beneficial, has to be praised). Such speech sanctifies the tongue.
It knows and respects the limits. The ear cannot tolerate a false or discordant
note. Every one of the senses responds within its own limits of tolerance and
protests when that limit is exceeded or disregarded. You must be vigilant that
they are put to use with proper attention to those limits. When they stray from
the path or overstep the boundaries, reason bites its head and makes you inhuman.
873
YOU can master all Knowledge and win loud applause.
The crowds that gather may praise and proclaim: "Ah, what a wonderful lecture he
gave". You can be hailed as a King and rule over the realm. You can pile up vast
wealth and donate old and land. But what is the benefit gained? Karna gave away
the earrings he wore and even sliced off his Divine suit of armour and gave it
away in charity. Wherein lies the key to greatness? Whereto does renunciation
lead? The question is, does it purify the heart? Does it help the Divinity
within to manifest itself?
874
BRAHMACHARYA does not mean merely desisting from
marriage. It means becoming soaked in Holy Love for the Divine through
transparent sincerity, unselfish will, pure consciousness and holy thoughts. You
all know that Hanuman is described as the Eternal Brahmachari. He was married to
Srivatsala, yet he earned that description. How? Brahmachari means, "He who is
in Brahman". Hanuman had no other thought than Rama (who is Brahman) and so, was
ever moving in Brahman and living in Brahman. Your thoughts, feelings, desires
and activities must all move in Brahman, the Universal Absolute. That is to say,
whatever is spoken and whatever is seen must be cognised as Brahman. That is the
real Brahmacharya stage.
875
LIFE can be sanctified and elevated to a worshipful
pilgrimage if only every one clings to his way and sees it in its proper
perspective. Idle brains exaggerate matters; and cynics cause great social
damage. Gulfs are widened by thoughtless criticism. If only all of you would
remember the principle underlying the brotherhood of man, mankind will become a
mighty family full of peace and joy.
876
MOHAKARMA flows from delusion and leads to further
delusion. Man must outgrow this tendency and turn towards Dharma Karma, that is
to say, moral activity, idealistic activity, activity that sublimates lower
instincts and impulses and transform every deed into an act of dedication. When
the attitude is confirmed and consolidated, all Karma becomes Brahmakarma. Man
merges in the Universal and loses the inhibiting individuality. That is the
Karma which the Atma craves for and delights in.
877
PREMA or Love is a much misused word. Any positive
response to the attraction is called Love. Any feeling of attachment, however
trivial or transitory, is characterised as Prema. We must certainly coin new
words or set aside specific words to indicate the forms of Love. The attachment
of parents to their children or of children to parents must be called affection.
The response to the attraction of sex can be best described as fancy,
fascination or delusion, Moha. The feeling of Kinship or comradeship evokes
dearness. The pleasure one gets through a sense of possession, especially of
material objects, can be known as satisfaction. Only the yearning to reach for
the sublimity that lies inherent in Truth is entitled to be called by that holy
word "Prema".
878
IT is My general practice to induce people to learn
the sweetness of the Name. I begin My Discourses with the recitation of a
spiritual poem and end them with these Namavalis and in between I give the
lesson I love to teach. It is like a tasty health giving meal which I serve to
you on a plate (the problem) covering it with a lid (the Namavalis). That is how
you may take it.
879
HOW can a person, who cannot swim, teach others the
art? How can one whose granary is empty, pour out charity? Acquire the wealth of
devotion, fortitude and peace, before venturing to advise others how to acquire
them. Bharath (India) has suffered slights and disregard as a result of a spate
of teachers who have not cared to practice what they teach. I know you have the
enthusiasm to carry My message among the people of this country and other
countries. Let Me remind you that the best and the only successful way in which
you can do it is to translate the Message into your own lives. Your thoughts,
words and deeds must be saturated with the message. They then will spread
effortlessly and efficiently, and the face of the World will be transformed.
880
THE Name undoubtedly brings in the Grace of God.
Meerabai, the Queen of Rajasthan, gave up status and riches, fortune and family
and dedicated herself to the adoration of the Lord, Giridhara Gopala. Her
husband brought a chalice of poison and she was ordered to drink it. She uttered
the Name of Krishna while she drank it. It was transformed into nectar, by the
Grace the Name evoked.
881
GOD is the harmony of all the Forms and Names that
man gives Him. Only those who are ignorant of the Glory of God will insist on
one Name and one Form for His adoration and, what is worse, condemn the use by
others of other Names and Forms. Since you are all associated with the Sathya
Sai Organisation, I must warn you against such silly obduracy. Do not go about
proclaiming that you are a sect, distinct and separate from those who adore God
in other Forms and Names; thereby, you are limiting the very God whom you are
extolling.
882
PEOPLE pray to God to relieve them from pain, grief
and loss, to confer on them health, strength and wealth. But if you develop an
intimate attachment to Him and make Him yours, then He will manage to give you
all that you need. Do not demean the relationship into bargaining: give me this;
then I shall give you that in exchange. If you insist on wages you become a
coolie. Become His own. He is providing for the idler, the insane and the
shirker; can He not provide for you?
>>>
883-924 >>>