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January 22, 2026

Sathya Sai Baba compassion and love
Sai Thought for the Month - Eternal Blessings

Vagaries of the Mind

Vagaries of the Mind The mind is like a clean mirror. It has no intrinsic power of its own to directly experience the sense objects, except through the concerned sense organs. For instance, it can see only through the eyes and hear only through the ears but can neither see nor hear by itself independently. Consequently, the offenses committed by the senses are reflected in the mirror of mind. No blame attaches to the mind per se. It is the association with the wayward senses that pollutes the mind. According to the scriptures, the mind is subject to three kinds of pollution: mala [impurities like lust, anger, & greed], vikshepa [mental oscillation], and avarana [veil of ignorance]. What is mala? Man commits many offenses, knowingly or unknowingly, not only in this life but also in previous lives. The imprint of these actions is carried by the chitta [memory] life after life, like the dust accumulating on the surface of a mirror day after day. Thus the mirror of man’s mind gets covered up by such dirt, called mala. On account of this mala, man is unable to see clearly the reflection of his real identity in the mirror of his mind. Hence, it is necessary to cleanse the mirror of the impurities covering it. This cleansing is done by regulating one’s food and other living habits including recreation. The Lord dwells in every one as Vaiswanara [the digestive fire] and digests the different kinds of food that is consumed. If you eat food without first offering it to God, you will be affected by all the impurities and defects present   in it. On the contrary, if you offer the food to the Lord before eating, all the impurities in the food are thereby eliminated. This helps the process of gradually cleansing the mind of its impurity or dirt called mala. The second distortion of the mind called vikshepa is due to the constant wavering of the mind, like the movements of the reflected image in a mirror that is kept moving or shaking frequently. To control this waywardness of the mind, one should undertake various spiritual practices like meditation, prayer, and the nine modes of devotion mentioned in the Scriptures… If you discharge your duties properly and lead your lives on these lines that broaden and purify your minds and hearts, your mind will automatically become free from the distortion of vikshepa and you will acquire steadiness and concentration of mind without the need for any other spiritual disciplines. The third distortion of the mind is avarana. This may be likened to a thick cloth covering the mirror of man’s mind, that does not permit any reflection whatsoever of the image of the self. Thus, while mala does not enable us to have a clear and correct image of the self, and while vikshepa results in seeing the self as wavering, avarana altogether hides the reality–self, and makes one identify himself wrongly with his body. What exactly is the thick cloth that covers the mirror of one’s mind? This cloth is made up of the arishadvarg [the gang of six internal enemies of man]–kama [desire], krodha [anger], lobha [greed], moha [attachment], mada [pride], matsarya [jealousy, envy]. …The best means to remove this thick cloth of avarana is to develop love for all. Love is God, live in love.

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Sathya Sai Baba spiritual inspiration
Love Offerings - Devotees Writings to Lord Sri Sathya Sai

Suffering in Life

Suffering in Life Look around you and you will see everywhere the specter of suffering. Try to understand it, and, more often than not it will baffle you. How, you will argue, can God the infinitely merciful tolerate suffering in the world? And yet, there is no life without it. It is as inescapable as the rose with the thorns or the body with its corruption. It winds itself into life projecting its image in the most unlikely places. Science seeks to root it out, but its success is only partial. For suffering is not God’s doing; it is the effect of our sin. And the sooner we realize this fact, the better it will be for all of us. For just as a car will not work if there is something wrong with the engine, so suffering will not disappear until sin, its cause, is removed from our experience. You may ask: Could not God have prevented man from sinning? The answer would be yes, but at what price? The price is reducing us to be sub-humans with no option but to do the creator’s bidding. Surely such a conception would do God no justice! It is because God loves us and loves us intensely that there is sin in this world. For God would not think of man as anything less than Himself. And if God is free, then man, too, must be free. And because man has freedom and can choose to do what he desires, man can sin in the same way as he can rise to heights of heroism and merit. God is as little to blame in this as the teacher who does not give beforehand to the children in her class the questions that will be asked at the exam­ination. He is as little to blame as the mother who coaxes her child to walk even if he risks fall­ing down, or the father who sends his son out into the world even though he foresees him falling into evil company. It is because God loves us that He has run the risk that we will sin. Even then, despite God, man continues to sin. It is not surprising that suffering is always present everywhere. For man essentially is one family, and for better or worse influences others as others influence him. And so, a man might be sinless and yet suffer because of this soli­darity with others. He is born into a family, grows in society, and depends for his entire develop­ment on others. And when he sins, it is often well-nigh impossible to say how far the implications of his sins will travel, as it is often impossible to pin­point the origin of the disorder caused by famines, wars, or earthquakes. There is a mysterious communion between ruin and man and between man and matter—and for every sin that appears in the world, there is somewhere a new suffering making itself felt. Do not for a moment entertain the thought that God needs suffering or desires it in any form. He wants it wiped out, but He knows that this will only happen when sin is wiped out too. And therefore, while we should lay the axe at the root of suffering and destroy sin in our own lives, we must also endeavor to sublimate suffering wherever we find it. There is often little that a man can do. But rather than steel the person for the worst, as the stoics would, could we not make suffering acceptable so that he who suffers, suffers with the thought that his pain can be enriched and made a meritorious action pleasing to God? To anaesthetize oneself to suffering is selfish. Become insen­sitive to your sufferings today and you will become insensitive to the sufferings tomorrow. For if every sin brings with it a new suffering, every suffering patiently and lovingly borne will in turn bring about a new love, a new charity that will counteract the spread of sin. Here it has a redeeming action! It becomes creative and there­fore an object of love to God. Everything that takes place on this earth is purposive and has a meaning. Suffering by itself would be meaningless except for the love of God that gives the pain its inner purpose. So the next time you have a headache, do not yell out; the next time you are passed over in your office for promotion, do not take it out on your family; the next time you fail your tests, do not despair. Use the suffering that each of these actions entails to remind you that you can utilize this suffering to help yourself and others. And where you can, you must help toward the eradication of suffering. Today perhaps more than ever in history, the inequality between man and man has spawned hunger, sickness, and misery. Once again it is sin, the egoism of man, his pride and negligence that have been the ruin of others. To this you must bend your will. You may be able and trained to alleviate physical suffering. Your talents may place you in a position to bring justice and peace to nations or communities. Your work and research may help benefit mankind. Suffering may lessen by your joining a union or resorting to strikes. If in all sincerity you can say you are helping to remove misery where you find it, then go ahead—you are doing the right thing. If you prune a tree merely to cut its branches off, if you sow a seed only to see it die, if you punish a child merely for the pleasure of it, you are mentally unbalanced. Pruning, planting, and punishing all look to new growth and development as their ultimate aim. Asceticism is meaningless without a positive purpose. It must involve a richer harvest. Suffering should be a continual reminder to man that he is a sinner. Suffering generously borne for others should be a continual reminder that he

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Bhagwan Sathya Sai Baba meditation image
Sai Thought for the Month - Eternal Blessings

One-pointedness/Ekagratha

One-pointedness/Ekagratha The wayward mind wanders hither and thither, but it is possible to fasten it on one fixed point by means of steady discipline and persistent training in spiritual discipline. This condition is called One-pointedness (ekagratha). It is also referred to as single-mindedness (dharana). The uninterrupted flow of oil from one vessel to another is a fine symbol of the mental process called single-mindedness. The mind plans and executes innumerable deeds and roams over vast expanses, all in the twinkling of an eye! It operates with unimaginable speed. It conceives an object and dallies with it a little, but it soon discards it for another more attractive object toward which it flees and about which it begins to worry. The spiritual aspirant has to be ever watchful of this tendency of the mind. When the mind flits from object to object, it must be brought back to the right path and the right object. That is the correct spiritual practice, the path of concentration and meditation. If, however, the aspirant does not struggle to achieve this one-pointedness but leaves the mind to itself, following its vagaries from this to that and that to this, the process deserves to be called monkey-meditation (markata dhyana), a type of meditation that is indeed very harmful to spiritual progress. Dhyana Vahini Truth is more fundamental than the atom. Every atom and every star manifest the Truth to those who have the eye of wisdom. Each aspect of science has a special feature when it applies to some one group of things or beings. What is the special feature of man? If he too lives and dies as any animal, how can his supremacy be justified? His supremacy lies in his capacity to become aware of his Truth. We use the phrase ‘one-pointedness’ when referring to sadhana [spiritual effort]. The meaning that we generally give to that phrase is not correct. Each sense organ or faculty has ‘a point’ that makes it valid. Don’t we say, ‘There is no point in it,’ when we condemn something in an argument? Seeing is the ‘point’ of the eye; hearing is the ‘point’ of the ear. If there is no point or agram, it is blind or deaf. The sense is then afflicted with some disease, it has some defect. Even if you catch a slight cold, the nose loses its ‘point’ for it cannot discover smells. Now what is the ‘point’ of the mind? When we say ‘one-pointedness’, it must mean that the mind should be pointed toward the One, the One that is denoted as being without a second, the One that has willed that It may become the many. Unless the mind lays aside all other pursuits and seeks to become aware of the One that has become the many, it can be said that the mind too is diseased and is suffering from some defect. Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 13 Plunge the wayward mind, which is fleeing in all directions, in contemplation of the name of the Lord; the effect will be like concentrating the rays of the sun through a piece of magnifying glass. The scattered rays develop the power of a flame to burn and consume. So, too, when the waves of intellect and the feelings of mind get One-pointedness through the converging lens of the atma, they manifest as the universal divine splendor that can scorch evil and illumine joy. Everyone can gain success in their profession or occupation only through one-pointed attention. Even the pettiest of tasks needs the quality of concentration for its fulfilment. And even the toughest problem yields before unswerving endeavor.

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Bhagwan Shri Sathya Sai Baba spiritual guidance
Sai Thought for the Month - Eternal Blessings

Love

Love Men who are devoted to Me are full of love. They always stand by dharma or righteousness. They speak the truth. Their hearts melt with mercy. They are devoid of wrong conduct. They avoid sin. They will renounce everything gladly. They act in moderation. They are always engaged in doing good to others. They are not selfish. They are worried by no doubts. They do not lend their ears to flattery. – Baba You should cultivate an attitude of inseparable attachment to the Lord, who is your very self.  If He is a flower, you should feel yourself as a bee that sucks its honey.  If He is a tree, you must be a creeper that clings to it.  If He is a cliff, then feel that you are a cascade running over it.  If He is the sky, be the tiny star that twinkles in it. Above all, be conscious of the truth that you and He are bound by the Supreme love.  If you feel this acutely with subtle intelligence, then the journey will be quick, and the goal can be achieved. Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 5 If you view the world with love, it will appear as filled with love. On the other hand, if you view it with hatred, everything will appear antagonistic to you. Eyes filled with love shine with brightness and cheerfulness. On the contrary eyes filled with hatred appear bloodshot and fearful. Your thoughts determine your actions whether good or bad. The external world will reflect your thoughts. You must consider the entire universe as a temple of God. You must regard all that is beautiful and great in Nature—the lofty mountains, the vast oceans, the stars in the sky—as proclaiming the glory and power of the Divine. The sweet fragrance of flowers or the delectable juice of fruits should also be regarded as tokens of God’s love and compassion. Divine Discourse, July 24, 1983 Love develops divine power in you. There is nothing that love cannot conquer in this world. Sages performed penance in dense forests infested with wild animals. They did not possess any weapon for self-protection. The weapon that protects them is their intense love and yearning for God. They tame the wild beasts with their power of love and transform them into docile beings. You should not merely exist as a human being in form. Speak good, see good, do good, and be good. Divinity will manifest in you only when your conduct is good. Divine Discourse, Sep 9, 2002 When you win God’s love, His compassion will flow unto you. Love gives and forgives. Ego gets and forgets. Live without hating others, condemning others, or seeking faults in others. Doing good to others is the only meritorious act. Doing evil is the most heinous sin. When you feel you cannot do good, at least desist from doing evil; that itself is a meritorious service. Do not try to discover the differences, discover unity. Divine Discourse, April 4, 1975 Install God in the altar of your heart and meditate on Him constantly.  Despite sorrow, difficulties, and calamities that you may encounter, hold on to Him firmly. They trouble your body, not you—for, you are separate from your body.  We cultivate qualities like anger, jealousy, envy, and pride due to our contact with the outside world. Only when we get rid of these qualities, we enjoy peace. Therefore, we must start our spiritual journey with truth and righteousness. When truth and righteousness go together, peace will reign. Peace brings love.  Where there is peace, there hatred cannot be. When we develop hatred against someone, it means the spring of love has dried up in our heart.  When there is love in our heart, we do not get angry, even if someone accuses us. Hence always follow the motto, “Love All, Serve All.”

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Sathya Sai Baba spiritual inspiration picture
Love Offerings - Devotees Writings to Lord Sri Sathya Sai

God is Love, Live in Love 


God is Love, Live in Love 
 Once while I was sitting at His Lotus Feet, Swami asked my son who was also present in the Interview Room, “Whom do you love most?” Swami Himself, proceeded with the answer, “All the relatives in the
 world are bound to depart from this world one day or other and love 
toward them is also a passing phase. Before we marry, there is no wife and until we beget a child or children there is no father or mother. All these relationships evolved one day or other during this lifetime, and your love with 
such persons are also developed through attachment and selfish desires. This love is not permanent.  But one should remember that God is with you through and through, in your past births as well as in
 this birth, and in the forthcoming births, too.  So, if you love God without any condition, it will be pure and selfless love.  We should
 develop constant faith and love toward God, who alone is eternal.” There were a group of devotees from Australia with Swami during the interview. Swami turned toward one of them and asked from where they had come. He replied that they were from Australia. Swami asked him 
the reason for this visit to Prasanthi Nilayam. He replied, “Swami,
we have come here to see God.” Pat came the Divine reply by way of
 another question, “Oh! Is that so? Then you do not have God in 
Australia?” The devotee could not say anything. Somehow another one 
from the group replied, “Swami, there is God in our country also, but
 we have intense desire to see God in human form, who is none other than Baba Himself.” Bhagavan was pleased with this reply. Swami advised, “We should 
love God without any conditions or reservations in mind because God 
is one who is our ever-lasting friend, relation, and everything during all our births. This intense love toward God should be continuous and a constant feeling and should develop a feeling to 
be with Swami as much as possible. In faraway places, when devotees 
think of Swami, they should pray to Him, or sing of His glory, 
whenever they feel lonely.  They could also reach out for satsang, 
company of other Sai devotees that would to some extent satisfy their longing to see and to be with Swami.” Swami continued,
”There are some devotees who reply that Swami is always in their heart, and they need not go to Him very often. This shows their lack of
 enthusiasm.  What does this reply indicate? Here is a kerchief, and I 
am holding this in my hands. This means my hands are bigger
 than the kerchief and it can hold the same inside the hand. Likewise, when somebody claims that Swami is in His heart, then it 
means that he is much bigger than Swami.  This is not correct.  Sure,
 Swami is in your heart. But He is also in front of you, behind you,
 around you, and all over the place. He is omnipresent. There could be
 some compelling reasons for the inability of the devotee to come to
 Me. One reason is lack of enthusiasm. It could be due to the
 pressure of your work from which you could not escape and come to Swami.
 Another reason could be the lack of resources.
 But if only you have enthusiasm and intense desire to be with
 Swami, then the obstacles could be overcome by His grace.” ‘Love is God’, is a repeated maxim of Swami. The God incarnate Bhagavan is Himself the embodiment of Love. If only we spend a few minutes in His Divine presence with intense love and prayers in our hearts, we can positively experience the strong divine love flowing from Him. Swami’s love envelops everybody, even in an assembly of lakhs of devotees who throng for His darshan. One has only to experience this bliss all by himself to understand what Divine Love is! I wish to narrate a scene on ‘Love on Motion’ that I witnessed. The Divine Love pulls the multiplying millions of devotees to His presence. In Dwapara Yuga, it was the melody of Lord Krishna’s flute that made the devotees of Brindavan gravitate toward His presence.  The gopis [milk maidens] lost any consciousness of their body, mind, and spirit, dropped their work and other activities. They were absorbed by the melody.  How lucky we are to witness today the re-enactment of the same phenomenon by Sai Krishna at Parthi. The devotees run to catch a glimpse of Swami even at a murmur of the news that Swami’s car is approaching. They feel elated and truly blessed by the chance darshan even of a fleeting second as the car passes through. Once Swami graced me with a rare chance of following His car from Puttaparthi to Brindavan (Whitefield).  Swami’s tour program is always unpredictable and un-announced. Nobody can dare to set the exact timings of such tour program. On that blissful day, Swami left Parthi about one and half hours earlier than scheduled. I was fortunate to be provided with the experience of following Swami’s car. I followed Swami’s car as the second one for quite a long distance till all other cars in the caravan showed up. I could not really believe the emotionally surcharged sendoff given by the devotees even at such short notice. From Gopuram onward, up to and far beyond the gate of the Super Specialty Hospital, devotees had lined up in good strength on both sides of the road. Even the devoted Sai Gita [the elephant] turned up with her majestic presence to greet Swami as the car passed by the side of the gates of the shed. Hundreds of devotees were showering flower petals on the car. I saw many of them breaking coconuts on the street in front of the car. Indeed, it looked like a real car festival in our villages when people offered special poojas in front of the Divine car as it passes through the streets. Swami’s’ car was bedecked with the petals offered

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Shri Sathya Sai Baba raised hand blessing image photo
Sai Thought for the Month - Eternal Blessings

Ravana – Lessons to absorb and put into practice

Ravana – Lessons to absorb and put into practice The bad qualities and the cruel ideas that are in us are symbolic of the aspect of Ravana [King of Lanka in the epic Ramayana]. The good in us is symbolic of Rama. It is only when we can let these two aspects confront each other and get Rama to defeat Ravana that we can imagine that the coronation of Rama within us is possible and has taken place. We should not think that Ravana was a person or character only in the story of the Ramayana. Our whole life is a Ramayana. Our heart is a meeting place for the good and the bad. Without there being some bad, there cannot be good alone. By the presence of both bad and good, bad will try to suppress the good to some extent. We must make an effort to see that the good in us is not suppressed that way. You are listening to so many good discourses everyday…. During the period in which you listen to these discourses, they look very nice and attractive. But once you go out after listening to them, they do not appeal to you, and you do not want to put them into practice. It is only when we can digest the food that we have taken on a particular day can we again eat food the next day. If you eat something today and do not digest it till tomorrow, you will suffer from indigestion. Just as we should make an attempt to digest the food on the same day that we eat it, so, also, whatever ideas you listen to on a particular day should be absorbed and put into practice the same day. It is only when you take to such a path that you will be able to have a body and mind that are strong and sturdy. –Summer Showers 1977 Today, the power of Kali [Age] affects everybody without any distinction. Realizing that Ravana would pass away in a few minutes, many sages, scholars, and noble men came to Ravana and asked him, “O Ravana! You performed many good deeds as well as evil deeds. What is it the most memorable thing that you have discovered in your life?” Ravana replied, “Sirs! Don’t delay the noble acts you want to perform at any time. Put into action whatever noble thoughts and feelings that arise in your heart instantaneously. Procrastination is the thief of time. It is dangerous to delay. At one time, I thought of connecting the earth and heaven with a ladder. I wished to turn the saline water surrounding Lanka into sweet water. I wished to bring comfort and solace to the residents of Hell. Though I decided to do these things, I delayed acting. Thereafter, I could never succeed in doing them. Translate into action whatever good resolve emanates in your minds. We waste our time in postponing the good deeds. We should be ever ready to put into action all the good thoughts that arise in the mind.” This is the noble advice that Ravana gave to the people who came to him at the end of his life. Since he delayed the performance of good deeds, it brought disaster to him. – Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 35 (2002) Once the intelligence is purified and dedicated to spiritual effort, there should be no slipping back whatever the obstacle, whatever the temptation. Hanuman, charged with the mission of discovering the place where Ravana had confined Sita, decided that he should take a leap over the sea toward Lanka to search for her in that island of Rama that he carried in his heart and on his tongue. A mountain immersed at the bottom of the sea felt a strong urge to do him some little service, for he was the instrument of God and engaged in an exhausting adventure! Its name was Mynaka. It rose above the waters and called upon Hanuman to rest awhile on its crest and refresh himself with the fruits upon the trees that grew thereon. Hanuman declined to delay his landing in Lanka; he was engaged in a Divine Mission, which brooked no rest, no delay, no dallying. He turned a deaf ear to the importunities of Mynaka and sped forward to fulfil the command of the Lord. Ponder over this incident: Consider the compassion and the eagerness to serve that the ‘inert’ massive mountain felt! Consider the steadfastness, the undeviating faith, the single-pointed loyalty of the monkey, Hanuman! Do they not teach invaluable lessons to man—lessons of heart that melts at suffering, a head that refuses to swerve from the path of duty? The whole duty of man is to engage himself in good acts with the gross body, scatter good thoughts and good influences around him with his subtle body, and earn self-realization and bliss through his causal body.

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Bhagwan Shri Sathya Sai Baba love and peace photo
Sai Thought for the Month - Eternal Blessings

Recognize the Power of Mind

Recognize the Power of Mind Today man has to understand the true relationship between matter and mind. When one is asked about the mind, he says, “Don’t mind.” When he is asked about matter, he answers, “It doesn’t matter.” By this sort of casualness, man is failing to understand [both] mind and matter. Only when man understands the nature of the mind can he recognize the true nature of humanness. What is the mind? it is not something negative. It is positive. It represents the power of the atma, the power of sankalpa (will). It can travel any amount of distance in space. It can explore the powers of the atom. The mind can recognize the truth that is valid for the three categories of time—the past, the present, and the future. The mind is therefore very essential in man’s daily life. It is the source of all strength. Man today is indifferent to the importance and the powers of the mind. Man is seeking happiness from birth to death. The search starts with education. But education does not confer happiness. He desires a job, but that does not make him happy. He then seeks marriage as the means to happiness. Happiness eludes him because the wife claims equal rights. Then he declares; “my life is a total darkness.” What is the reason for this feeling? It is the ego that is the cause. As a man grows, his egoism also grows. One after another, desires go on increasing. Their fulfilment does not bring him the happiness he seeks. Where is ananda (bliss) to be found? It does not exist in material objects. It is not to be found in physical pleasures. The truth is man is the embodiment of bliss. He is searching for it outside himself. This is the mark of ignorance. When he is the embodiment of bliss, how can he secure bliss outside himself? Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 28. Those who experience this [Baba’s] Presence within them can experience a joy that is indescribable, wherever they may be…. People should realize that time is fleeting and one’s life span is melting away every moment like a block of ice. Man is nearing his end even before he realizes his primary duty. What is that duty? It is to discover the purpose of life. Man seeks wealth, comforts, position, and happiness. How are these to be got? Moving away from God’s grace, man seeks all these kinds of worldly happiness. Of what avail are these transient physical pleasures? Thyagaraja sought to know wherein lay real happiness. Is it in wealth or is it in the service of Lord Rama? If one is blessed with God’s grace, what more does he need? Hence, seek God’s grace at the outset. Does real happiness lie in enjoying creature comforts? No. true happiness consist in manifesting all the potentialities in man. When you put into practice all the sacred thoughts that emanate from your mind you will realize true happiness. Most people do not practice the sacred impulses that arise in them with the result that they do not experience the bliss within them. Embodiments of Love! The most important thing you must recognize is that your heart is a Ksheerasagaram (Ocean of milk). But because of the invasion of bad thoughts and feelings, your humanness is vitiated. Humanness consists in harmony of thought, word, and deed. Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 28. The mind is known as the inner sense organ. The mind is always engaged in recapturing, remembering, recalling, and reflection. As a result, it receives, and rejects wishes. You may be alone and silent, but the mind is on a spree—wishing, desiring, planning to do or not to do. And it keeps the tongue busy until sleep silences it. There are no standards that are kept in mind while looking for things, talking about people, and engaging in acts. Since these are done as soon as the thought arises. One must hold the thought for a while to examine and judge. Develop the quality of fortitude and the strength not to yield to the opinions of others unless you find them to be right, the courage to bear criticism and face slander. Baba the Breath of Sai

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Sathya Sai Baba spiritual inspiration
Sai Thought for the Month - Eternal Blessings

Pray for Fortitude

Pray for Fortitude New Year must usher in a new step in spiritual discipline. The old must be rung out; the new must be rung in! How do we celebrate the New Year Day? We sweep, we clean, we remove the cobwebs, we whitewash the walls, we hang up festoons and greens, floral garlands, and croton leaves; we wear new dresses, we feast on new types of dishes. For one day, we feel fresh and renovated. At this time of the year, Nature, too, puts on a new garb of green… In this festival of renewal, man alone continues with his old prejudices and tendencies, outworn habits, and moth-eaten principles. Should not he, too, brush the cobwebs from his mind? Should he not get rid of opinions and motives that tarnish and demean? As a matter of fact, life is a series of acceptances and rejections, of attachments and detachments, of joys and griefs, benefits and losses… Take everything that happens to you as the gift of grace. Of course, on your path you must act with all the skill and devotion you are capable of. Do this with as much sincerity as you worship God. Then leave the result to the All-powerful, All-knowing, All-merciful God. Let whatever ensues ensue! Why do you hold yourself responsible? He prompted it, He got it done through you; He will give whatever result He feels He must! Without grief, there is no relish in joy! The orange has a bitter rind, the bitterness guards the sweet juice from marauders; you cannot have a sweet sugary rind for the sweet fruit, for then it will be consumed entirely by all and sundry then and there! The urge of the fruit is to travel far so that the seeds may grow into trees in open spaces in the distance and not under the shade of the parent tree. The tree desires its progeny to spread far and wide. So, if the rind is bitter the eater will take it with him and travel some distance while removing it and start scattering the seeds only many paces away! You cannot keep gold safe in a gold box! You must have a steel almirah for it! The gift of joy comes packed in the rind of grief. Do not pray to God to give you only joy; that will be foolish. Pray for the fortitude to realize that grief and joy are but the obverse and reverse of the same coin. ~Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 11 (1971 – 72) People talk about the new year but do not care to develop new feelings and new attitudes. They must develop new ideas and new enthusiasm. If they are all the time depressed, when will they learn to express the joy of good living? They must exude happiness. That is the mark of the Divine within. Happiness is union with God. God is eternal bliss. Get rid of your evil tendencies and fill your hearts with love of God. You will become one with God. I am ready to give you all happiness. Are you prepared to receive what I wish to offer? Banish all worries. They are temporary like passing clouds. Do not allow anyone—whether it is the father, the mother, or the preceptor—to come between you and your duty to God. This is the lesson taught by Prahlada, Bharata, and Emperor Bali. Their allegiance to the Lord transcended all other obligations. God takes care of such devotees. Surrender yourselves to God and dedicate yourselves to the service of mankind. You have my blessings. Foster love and serve society. ~Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 31 (1998) Be devoted to the Universal; be eager to become That. When you pray to God for a job, or a son, or a prize, you are devoted not to God but to the job, to the son, and to the prize. Pray to God for God; love because it is your nature to love, because you know nothing else, because you cannot act otherwise than love. Expand your Self, take in all! Grow in Love. That is the new dress you have to wear and shine in this day.

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Sai Thought for the Month - Eternal Blessings

How to Experience Divinity

How to Experience Divinity Embodiments of Love! Your names and forms are different, but the principle of love is the same in all of you. That is why I address you as the “embodiments of love”. Love is always one, it should not be divided. Consider God as one and love Him wholeheartedly. Such one-pointed love toward God can be termed true devotion. Devotees like Jayadeva, Gauranga, and Eknath developed such divine love and sanctified their lives. Likewise, Mira and Sakkubai had unwavering love and devotion toward God. They did not worship various names and forms. They followed one path. They installed one name and one form in their heart and contemplated on their chosen deity incessantly. Those who are dual-minded and change their path every now and then are bound to ruin their lives. Hence, never be dual-minded. Experience divinity with ekatma bhava (feeling of oneness). You may choose any name you like—Rama, Krishna, Eashwara, etc.—and contemplate on the form. You will certainly reach the goal of life. Lead your life with your mind always focused on the goal. Once Radha could not find Krishna anywhere. Since she was deeply attached to Krishna’s physical form, she went in search of Him everywhere. She always yearned and pined for His physical proximity. The name and the form are one and the same. However, people are unable to enquire deeply and experience such oneness. The power of love is unparalleled. It is beyond the ken of human understanding. Love can be understood only through love. Mira’s husband, Rana, had built a mandir (temple) for Krishna. Being a great devotee of the Lord, Mira was always found in the mandir singing His glory ecstatically. Consequently, she earned the wrath of Rana. He commanded her to leave the mandir. This came as a great shock to Mira. She thought to herself, “When Krishna is all-pervasive and not confined to this mandir alone, how can Rana take me away from Him?” She left her home and hearth and set out to Mathura. Where is Mathura? It is not some geographical location. The heart suffused with nectarine love is Mathura. She sang, Chalo Re Man Ganga Yamuna Teer (Oh mind! Go to the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna). Here, Ganga and Yamuna symbolically mean ida and pingala (left and right nostrils). The central part of the eyebrows where ida and pingala meet stands for Mathura. This is the esoteric meaning of the song. She proceeded toward Mathura, chanting the name of Krishna incessantly while crossing rivers, hills, dales, and forests. When she ultimately reached Brindavan, she found the temple doors closed. In spite of her repeated prayers, the doors did not open. Then she said, “Oh Krishna, my heart is Your temple. I have installed You in the altar of my heart.” She banged her head against the temple door calling out to Krishna. She had the vision of Krishna and merged in Him. King Rana repented for having driven away Mira from the temple. He prayed to Krishna for forgiveness. People these days do not enquire into the inner meaning of certain words they use. They are carried away by the worldly meanings and interpretations. You should take into consideration the feelings that emerge from your heart, which is true and eternal. This is how Mira experienced oneness with Krishna. If one wishes to tread the path of devotion, one should hold on to the principle of love firmly. Ordinary mortals do not have such firm determination, but a true devotee will never deviate from the path of love under any circumstances. No other path except love can take us to God. Develop love more and more. Wherever you are, love is your sole refuge. Many devotees proclaim, “Oh God, I am in you, I am with you, and I am for you.” They repeat these words like parrots but do not say them from the depths of their heart. Actually God is never separate from you. Pray to Him wholeheartedly with the conviction that He is always in you, with you, above you, below you, and around you. When you offer such a prayer to God, He will certainly redeem your life. Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 38 (2005) Embodiments of Love! The main aim of human life is to acquire the knowledge of the Self. This is the true Purushartha (goal of life). Human life will find fulfillment if this goal is attained. The ability to distinguish between that which is permanent and that which is transitory, the ability to control the internal and external senses, yearning for liberation and the path of inquiry—all these four (the four auspicious qualities) depend on devotion. The word bhakti (devotion)—derived from the root word bhaj means pure, unsullied, and selfless love toward God. In this world, no other virtue is greater than love. Love is truth, love is righteousness, and love is wealth. This world originated from love, is sustained by love, and ultimately merges in love. Every atom has its origin in love.

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Sai Thought for the Month - Eternal Blessings

Happiness Comes Out of Suffering

Happiness Comes Out of Suffering Contemplation of God is the right royal path that will remove all types of worries. Therefore, do not try other means for achieving mental peace and get into trouble and worry. March on along the divine and glorious path. All the karmas (actions) in the spiritual field are meant to bring peace and happiness to us. They are not intended to trouble us. Mental peace can be achieved only by performing one’s own duty, not by any other means. Karma brings about a result; and that result brings happiness and peace. Even when you are undergoing difficulties, always think that they are meant to bring you happiness. Every human being undergoes difficulties, only to enjoy happiness later. However, he does not realize this during the period of suffering. But in the course of time when suffering ends and happy days arrive, he would realize the truth. Hence, always remember the truth that sorrows and difficulties are prelude to happy days ahead. In fact, real happiness comes out of suffering only. Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 37 (2004) If there are no difficulties to start with, how can you enjoy the sweetness of pleasure? So you must struggle to some extent and face difficulties. Without darkness, does brightness have any value? Without hunger, does food have value? Similarly, you must discover the true taste and value of happiness. In what way must you do this? Discover first the love within you, and then use it to receive God’s love. Once you tap the pure and unpolluted love within you, you will become the recipient of God’s love. God would even overlook and forgive your mistakes. However, do not take this for granted and commit mistakes endlessly! You must safeguard all the treasures God has deposited in you. Summer Showers 2000 Do not give room to worry and anxiety. God is not stone hearted. He will certainly take care of your needs. His heart is filled with compassion. Swami’s concern for you is hundred times more intense than the concern you have for yourselves. You need not be worried at all. Develop the feeling that difficulties and suffering are for your own good. Even insurmountable difficulties will vanish like thin mist when you have firm conviction. Hence, do not be unduly perturbed about your problems. Difficulties come and go. Not only the poor, even a millionaire cannot escape from difficulties. Swami confers His blessings on you so that you will be relieved of your suffering soon. The physical body may undergo suffering, but you should make efforts to attain peace of mind. The mind is the basis for happiness for everyone. All physical comforts will be of little use without peace of mind. Only through contemplation of God can you attain peace of mind and not by any other means. Hence, chant the Name of God incessantly, unmindful of the difficulties that come in your way. It is because of contemplation of God’s Name that you have been able to experience peace despite the innumerable difficulties you faced. God is the refuge for the poor and the forlorn. He is always with them through all the vicissitudes of life. Do not think that God is in some distant land. God is by your side always. In fact, He is present in the inner recesses of your heart. Never think that God is away from you at any point of time. Neither friends nor relatives can come to your rescue. God is your sole refuge. He will protect you under all circumstances. Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 37 (2004) Smilingly, Dharmaja replied, “Draupadi! Look at the Himalaya mountains. How beautiful are the peaks! I am filled with joy looking at those mountains. They do not serve me in any way, but still, they fill me with joy. The beauty of Nature gives me joy. Beauty is bliss. That bliss is nectarine. There is no joy equal to the enjoyment of the beautiful. When you look at a flower, you derive ineffable joy, though the flower renders you no service. Nature is the vesture of God. When you behold Nature, you experience bliss. I love Nature for the joy it gives. I derive joy from seeing it and for no other benefit. Likewise, God should be loved in a selfless spirit. I love Krishna regardless of what difficulties I must suffer, because that is the way I love him. I have no interest in the transient pleasures and possessions of the world. True bliss transcends the fleeting pleasures experienced by this perishable body. Draupadi! Do not seek these pleasures relating to the body. Seek the Divine feet of the Lord, which will confer enduring bliss. Do not grieve over petty difficulties. Concern yourself with the means to experience God. All other things are valueless.” The bliss from experiencing the Divine has been extolled by the Vedic seers and sages from ancient times. It is holy, eternal, ineffable and infinite. It is the bliss of oneness with God.

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