Truth is My Name – Bhagwan Sri Satya Sai Baba

"Many of you come here to me with problems of health and mental worry of one sort or another. They are mere baits by which you have been brought here. But the main purpose is that you may have grace and strengthen your faith in the divine."

"Whatever talent a person has should be dedicated to the rest of humanity indeed to all living beings. Therein lies fulfillment. Service to man will help your divinity to blossom, for it will gladden your heart and make you feel that life has been worth while. Service to man is service to God, for He is in every man, and every living being, in every stone and stump. Offer your talents at the feet of God."

"Man is the Divine poured into the human mould, just as everything else, alive or inert, is; but it is the privilege of man alone, to be able to become aware of this precious truth. This is the message of the Upanishads to man. The same message is echoed by the scriptures, and declarations of countless saints."

"Scatter the seeds of Love in dreary desert hearts; then sprouts of Love will make the wastes green with joy, blossoms of Love will make the air fragrant, rivers of Love will murmur along the valleys, and every bird will beat, every child will sing the song of Love.... Cultivate nearness with me in the heart and it will be rewarded. Then you too will acquire a fraction of that supreme love."

"If you have faith, the Lord who is the core of your being will manifest Himself. He is within your grasp. Be aware of Him who is the eternal Witness: He sees and knows all."

"When you know that nothing happens without His will (Sankalpa), everything that happens has a value added to it. When you know that the Lord is the cause, the source of all, you deal with everyone in a humble, reverential manner. That is the path which will lead you quickly to God."


I often tell you not to identify even me with this particular body. You do not understand. You call me by only one name and believe I have only one form, but there is no name I do not bear and there is no form which is not mine.


My work is ceaseless and so your work, too, is without end. Know that I am within you and without you. There is no difference. Rid yourselves of petty matters for ever more. You are now ME and I am now THEE. There is no difference. My Darshan will pour forth from ME to and through you. You may be unaware of this constant action. Be ever pure in heart and soul, and mankind in your lifetime will benefit from your unique qualities. This is a great chance. Be confident that you will all be liberated. Know that you are saved. Many hesitate to believe that things will improve, that life will be happy for all and full of joy, and that the golden age will recur.

Let me assure you that this dharmaswarupa, that this divine body, has not come in vain. It will succeed in averting the crisis that has come upon humanity. In my present Avatar, I have come armed with the fullness of the power of formless God to correct mankind, raise human consciousness and put people back on the right path of truth, righteousness, peace and love to divinity. In this avatar [Divine Incarnation], the wicked will not be destroyed; they will be corrected and reformed and educated and led back to the path from which they have strayed.

I have come to give you the key to the treasure of Ananda, or bliss, to teach you how to tap that spring, for you have forgotten the way to blessedness. If you waste this time of saving yourselves, it is just your fate. You have come to get from me tinsel and trash, the petty little cures and promotions, worldly joys and comforts. Very few of you desire to get from me the thing that I have come to give you: namely, liberation itself. Even among these few, those who stick to the path of Sadhana, or spiritual practice, and succeed are a handful. I am determined to correct you only after informing you of my credentials. That is why I am now and then announcing my Nature by means of miracles, that is, acts which are beyond human capacity and human understanding. Not that I am anxious to show off my Powers. The object is do draw you closer to me, to cement your hearts to me. I ask only that you turn to me when your mind drags you into grief or pride or envy.

Bring me the depths of your mind, no matter how grotesque, how cruelly ravaged by doubts or disappointments. I know how to treat them. I will not reject you. I am your mother.


Why fear when I am here? Put all your faith in Me. I shall guide and guard you. The godliness which is present in everybody in the form of a little spark exists in me as the full flame, and it is my mission to develop every little spark of God in everyone to the fullness of the divine flame. Where there is a desire for mental tranquility, I hurry to grant tranquility. Where there is dispiritedness, I hasten to raise the drooping heart. Where there is no mental trust, I rush to restore trust. I am ever on the move to fulfill the mission for which I have come.

I never utter a word that does not have significance, or do a deed without beneficial consequence. What I will, must take place; what I plan must succeed.

Transformation must begin with the individual. When the individual changes, the world will change. This transformation has to take place in the minds of men. Right thoughts will lead to right actions. Do not bother about what has happened in the past. Get immersed in the tasks of the present. Render service with a pure and selfless heart. The delight of the individual gladdens the Divine. Equally the Divine esteems you. Do everything with the Lord's name on your lips. Develop all that is good in you and share that goodness with one and all.


There is only one nation - the nation of humanity
There is only one religion - the religion of love
There is only on language - the language of the heart
There is only one God - And He is Omnipresent
ON PURPOSE OF LIFE
As a boy he spends his time playing with his friends;
As a youth he after the fair sex;
Even in the old age he does not think of God
But keeps lamenting and feeling sorry
For not having this and that.
He is not able to give up his bad habits,
Is not interested in devotion.
He ruins himself and wastes his life.


Youth is like a sweet fruit. The fruit of your heart (hrudaya phala), and the fruit of your mind (mano phala) must be offered to God. It is difficult to think of God in your old age when you have lost control over the senses. Start early, drive slowly, and reach safely. You should start praying to God right from this tender age. If you do not start praying now when your body is strong, when you are mentally alert and when your capacity for spirituality is at its peak when is a better time? Right at this time when you are physically strong, your senses are under control; when your mind is full of faith offer the flower of your heart (hrudaya pushpam) to the Lord. This is the proper offering to the God. But you do not make such an offering! You indulge your senses, you spend all your time enjoying with all the senses. The balance of life that is left over which you no longer is offered to God. You offer to Krishna the flower petals that have blown away by the wind! When all the senses have lost their strength, their capacity and their ability what is it that is being offered to God? You have to serve God when you are at a peak - physically strong, when the senses are strong (indriya shakti), the mind is stable (mano shakti), the discrimination is clear (Buddhi shakti) and you are full with wisdom (Jnana shakti). If you do not surrender to God, at this right time when will you?

START PRACTICING DHARMA WHEN: -


The senses are strong: Indriya Shakti
The mind is stable: Mano Shakti
The intellect is clear: Buddhi Shakti
The heart is full of wisdom: Jnana Shakti



DHARMA OF THE TONGUE


Do not tell lies – Always speak the truth
Do Naamasmarana, Bhajan and Glory of God
Do not hurt with the tongue – Always speak obligingly
Do not gossip - Do not indulge in backbiting
Do not overeat - Eat Prasadam only - Eat Satwic food



ON DHARMA OF EAR


Inner silence - God is sound in silence
External silence
Sabda Brahmamayi - OMKARA
Attentive listening
Patience and sympathy
ON DHARMA OF EYES
Everything is a reflection of the inner being. At one time Krishna summoned Dharmaja and charged him to find out if there was a wicked person in the kingdom. Similarly, he also called Duryodhana and charged him to seek out a good man in the kingdom. Dharmaja and Duryodhana went in different directions. Dharmaja came back and said, “ Krishna there is not a single wicked person in the entire kingdom- all the people are virtuous”. Krishna sent Dharmaja away. After sometime Duryodhana came. He said, “ Krishna, our kingdom is full of bad people- I have not come across a single pious or good man”. Then Krishna said “ Yad bhaavam tad bhavathi”. As Duryodhana was full of wicked feeling he saw everyone as bad. As is the colour of the glasses so is the vision. The vision of a bad person is bad. Duryodhana was bad, wicked and cruel. Dharmaja was a Sadhu, pious, truthful, and full of good practice. He was the very embodiment of dharma. Thus he saw good in people and met only good people. The vision and the experience of Dharmaja and Duryodhana are based on their own inner thoughts. A young man should know how to conduct himself; how to achieve a good reputation; what sort of vision he should have, how and to what he should listen and what words he should use. All the three the vision, the ears and the words should be kept under control. Just because we have eyes does not mean that we should look indiscriminately at everything. This way you make your eyes unsacred through sinful acts. What do you really obtain from sinful looks? You look at a woman in a sinful way just for your mean satisfaction. But when you do this you lose the very authority to look. You should look at what you are supposed to. Why? Bhagawan considers it His duty to tell you what is happening in the world today. In the world today if, an elder brother of 25 years is traveling with his sister of 20 years, the society thinks they are lovers because of there are and because they are going out with the ancient tradition of Bharat even brother and sister should not ever go together to the cinema, the beach or for shopping. Their father or mother should accompany them. This was the command in the ancient times. Though the brother and sister have good feelings within, the world thinks bad of them. We should never give any scope for actions, which will give us a bad name. The sister must go with the mother. A mother or a sister must never go alone. The prestige of the family and respect is important. The modern youth have looks, you can say, like that of the crow, which looks with each of its eye in isolation on the two sides. Why? The crow has a long beak. One eye does not see what the other eye sees. This is natural for the crow. But you do not have the nose of the crow. So you have to have straight looks, an integrated vision, a good vision. Good looks beget a good name. Your tongue should know how and when you should speak. The students should know when to smile and when not to smile. At times they just look and smile, but even a smile at an inappropriate occasion can put you into much trouble.


Dharma of the Eyes


Do not see bad in others; It will get into you! See good, then feelings of goodness get into you. Avoid trashy materials in books, magazines and on the T.V. INTEGRAL VISION is to see the total picture, not to see like a crow who sees with each eye in isolation.


ON FOOD FOR THE MIND


All that you take in is ahaara, or food. Bhajana is food to the mind (Bhajana manasukahaaram). You decorate and paint a chariot. This mind, which we do not see with the physical eyes, is like the chariot. What is the use of merely decorating the chariot if the horse is not fed properly. Such a chariot is fit for a museum only. First of all you have to see to it that the horse is strong enough. The mind has to be strengthened with mano Shakti. How do you obtain mano Shakti? Through good thoughts, good feelings good emotions and good sentiments.

Dharma of the Eyes

Do not see bad in others; It will get into you!
See good, then feelings of goodness get into you.
Avoid trashy materials in books, magazines and on the T.V.
INTEGRAL VISION is to see the total picture, not to see like a crow who sees with each eye in isolation.
ON FOOD FOR THE MIND
All that you take in is ahaara, or food. Bhajana is food to the mind (Bhajana manasukahaaram). You decorate and paint a chariot. This mind, which we do not see with the physical eyes, is like the chariot. What is the use of merely decorating the chariot if the horse is not fed properly. Such a chariot is fit for a museum only. First of all you have to see to it that the horse is strong enough. The mind has to be strengthened with mano Shakti. How do you obtain mano Shakti? Through good thoughts, good feelings good emotions and good sentiments. ON REAL ORNAMENTS
Hathasya bhushnam dhanam – Charity is the ornament of the hand
Kantham sathyasya bhushanam - Truth is the ornament of the neck.
Srothram Dharmasya bhushnam - Listening to the words of Dharma is the ornament of the ear.
Bhushanai Kim Prajanam? - What is the use of any other decorations?
What other decorations do you need? We should consider that virtues are our ornaments. Peace is the ornament of the noble souls, speech is the decoration of the mankind, bliss is the jewel gifted by God. ON FOOD


The prayer:

“Brahmaarpanam Brahmahavir Brahmaagnu Brahmanahutam Brahmeva Tena Gantavayam Brahma Karma Samadhinaha”

is recited at the time of offering. When food is offered thus to Brahman it becomes sacrificial food, or Prasadam. Before the offering it was merely delicious food, but after the offering it becomes Prasadam. It becomes sacred. It has no impurity or defect any more when it is Prasadam that is eaten. You should eat to the extent that the stomach can accommodate the food comfortably. If you eat to excess, it leads to indigestion. Sometimes we don’t observe discipline and we don’t follow the command of the stomach. When you pray before eating with the prayer “Brahmarpnam…” you always get the Divine reply from inside “Aham vysyanaro”. That means you should eat to the extent needed. But because the food is tasty, you may eat more than you need. Vysyanaro will caution you, “Don’t eat anymore! If you load yourself with too much food, you will get breathless and sick. Sickness leads to other diseases. When the stomach is upset, it will give rise to other complaints. Therefore a part of your stomach should be kept empty. When this is followed, your eating is under discipline. Every day you should observe this discipline. All that you do from morning till evening – sitting, standing, walking, everything should be under discipline. Then your life will be a disciplined life and this is the yoga of Karma, which will give you all the skills you need in life. ON DISCIPLINE

Birds and animals, without any trace of knowledge or education follow their discipline wholeheartedly whereas man with all his intelligence does not follow the minimum discipline observed by these birds and animals. For proper discipline, there are certain requirements. You should keep your body pure and clean. To keep the body pure, you should undertake good actions. Only through good activity is the body purified. You can purify your mind through good thoughts. Once you purify these two, the intellect becomes pure all through. These are the benefits of discipline. ON DESTINY

Sow the seeds of thoughts, Reap the Fruit of actions
Sow the seeds of action, Reap the fruit of attachment and habits
Sow the seeds of attachment and habits, Reap the fruit of character
Sow the seeds of character, Reap the fruit of destiny