Living Divinity

Living Divinity

Respected elders, brothers and sisters and my young friends.

During a very significant speech in 1981, Swami spoke about the ‘eight flowers of worship’. Out of these He said that Ahimsa, non-violence, is the most important. Swami’s concept of Ahimsa is far beyond the connotations of not causing physical harm. His concept of Ahimsa is not causing harm in word, thought and deed!

I would like to commence today with an offering of such a flower at the Feet of our Lord

Albert Einstein, the famous physicist, was once asked whether it is possible for him to explain Divinity in scientific terms. He said that it is conceivable but it would make no sense; it would be like explaining Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in the form of an air pressure curve. We have the same kind of a problem in speaking about Bhagavan’s Divinity. The Living Divinity cannot be explained in metaphors or examples; the limited cannot comprehend the unlimited; no form can contain it; the wayward cannot measure the stable; or the now measure the ever. We can only repeat the words of Sir Isaac Newton who said after enunciating the principle of gravity “I feel like a little boy playing with the pebbles on the seashore while the ocean of Truth lay all undiscovered before me”.

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Bhagavantham tells the story of how in the early years Swami once materialised a beautiful sapphire and stuck it on the statue of Shirdi Sai next to him. Bhagavantham was not only a staunch devotee but also a renowned scientist. The scientist in him wondered how the sapphire stood there without any ostensible means of support defying all laws of gravity. He started chuckling to himself, “Here I am accepting the principle miracle of the creation of a sapphire and I am questioning the secondary miracle of the sapphire defying the laws of gravity. Surely one who creates matter can also transcend the laws of matter.”

A Malaysian devotee once told me the story of how 20 miles from Prashanti Nilayam his car stopped for want of gas. This was his first visit to Prashanti Nilayam and it was late evening. He was naturally concerned; he prayed to Swami, “Swami, make this car move forward to Prashanti Nilayam this evening.” He prayed, asked the driver to start, and the engine stuttered and they started moving to Prashanti Nilayam. Next day the grateful devotee told Swami at Darshan time, “Swami thank you for the Grace of moving this car to Prashanti Nilayam without gas.” Swami looked at him and said, “But that was not your only problem.” Puzzled he went back, filled gas in the car, started the engine and turned the wheel. The wheel just locked and a mechanic was brought who found out that there was a broken tie-rod end. There was no way this car could have travelled 20 miles with or without gas. How many of us have travelled in cars with our broken tie-rod ends fixed unbeknown to us by this cosmic welder.

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On this forum, several devotees in the last few days have shared their experiences of Swami. Each one of us have received this benediction from Swami if only we know where to look for it. Some of these we know; many like the Malaysian devotee we do not know at all. Howard Murphet, whose books have brought more foreign devotees to Swami than any other writer, calls all these ‘parables in action’.

Whenever Swami materialises something, blows into something and creates something else or cures an affliction, He is in fact demonstrating these ‘parables in action’. Their purpose is not to make us richer, or to cure an affliction but to demonstrate to us and instruct us in the science of being and in the art of living through the demonstration of His Omniwill.

I would like to share with you one such parable, one of many that I was privileged to have. I would like to share with you not the experience but the education behind the experience – it was like learning at the Feet of Divinity.

 story I am about to tell has a lot of political implications, I seek your indulgence not to name the country where this took place as some of the people involved are still alive today. This country was a totalitarian military state and had had 3 major coups. There were 3 ethnic groups in the country – Muslims with political clout; Christians with economic strength; and tribal leaders who had their own axe to grind.

Because of recent struggles there was a distrust of foreigners, particularly Asians. There was no constitution in this country and there was complete anarchy. I had heard of friends who had been taken away in the middle of the night and were never heard of since. There were summary executions – this was the order of the day. You could see bodies tied to automobile tyres and set fire to at the end of the streets; the stench of burning flesh and vulcanised rubber quite often rent the air. This was the background of the country where we wanted to introduce Swami’s concept of Education in Human Values. We organised a conference of secondary school teachers and in order to give a big PR event to this incident, I was given the responsibility of inviting the wife of the president of this country to inaugurate the session and preside over the first day. I went and met the president’s wife, she listened patiently and ultimately said that her office would get back to us as to whether she can preside or not.

A couple of days later, as I was driving to work I found that there was a big black limousine that was following me. I was concerned because this country had a fearsome secret service system. I made some enquiries with a contact that I had in the government and I learned that an enquiry had been ordered against me. As there was a lot of religious strife in the area in which we were living probably meeting the president’s wife the previous week had triggered off a suspicion that our’s is might be a religious institution and therefore needs to be followed. In the meantime the wife of the president had declined our invitation. My contact in the government confirmed my suspicion that I was in fact the target of an investigation and said that people were being taken away in the middle of the night never to come back; he strongly advised and cautioned me that I must quietly leave the country. The Indian Ambassador who I consulted one day before the event confirmed this and also strongly advised me to leave the country. I was very concerned and left for home a day before the function.

The day of the conference had come; in order to protect my identity they did not announce my name – they announced me as a spokesperson. My job was to talk about EHV and introduce the speaker of the day who was Victor Kanu. But in view of the religious sensitivity I was advised that I should make no mention of Sai or of the institutions which He heads. With great trepidation I climbed the stage; as I went up I found the same secret service agents who had followed me sitting in the first row – my steps faltered. I started with a silent prayer to Swami, but very soon I threw caution to the winds. Instead of talking about EHV, I spoke about the Author of EHV; I spoke about Swami; I spoke about SanathanaDharma; I spoke about Hinduism; I spoke about everything I was advised about not to speak. I had decided that if I was to go down I would go down with the Name of the Lord on my lips.

Living Divinity – A Sacred Path Of Love, Purity, And Inner Awakening

Living Divinity is not only a spiritual idea; it is a way of recognizing the presence of God within every heart and expressing that awareness through daily life. Many people search for the Divine in temples, scriptures, pilgrimages, and rituals, but the deeper truth is that divinity must also be lived through thoughts, words, and actions. When life becomes pure, loving, and selfless, spirituality becomes real.

The Divine is not far away from human life. It shines as love, conscience, compassion, truth, and inner strength. Whenever a person chooses kindness over anger, forgiveness over revenge, service over selfishness, and truth over falsehood, the light of God becomes visible through human conduct. This is the practical meaning of spiritual living.

Living Divinity teaches that human birth is sacred because every person carries the spark of the Divine within. The body may be temporary, the mind may be restless, and situations may keep changing, but the Atma is pure, eternal, and full of peace. Spiritual practice helps us remember this truth and live with greater awareness.

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba often emphasized that man is not merely the body or mind, but the embodiment of divinity. He taught that the purpose of life is not only to earn, enjoy, and struggle, but to realize the God within and serve the God present in others. This message turns ordinary life into a sacred opportunity.

Living Divinity becomes meaningful when it is reflected in character. A person may speak beautifully about God, but if the heart is filled with pride, jealousy, anger, and selfishness, the spiritual journey remains incomplete. True devotion should make speech gentle, actions helpful, thoughts pure, and relationships peaceful.

Service is one of the clearest expressions of divine living. When we help someone without expecting praise, we reduce ego and expand love. Feeding the hungry, comforting the sad, teaching children, caring for the sick, respecting elders, and protecting nature are all forms of worship when performed with humility. The hands that serve with love become instruments of God.

Living Divinity also teaches that every moment can become spiritual. Prayer is sacred, but so is honest work. Bhajan is sacred, but so is kind speech. Meditation is sacred, but so is patience during difficulty. When the heart remembers God, even simple duties become offerings. Cooking, studying, working, cleaning, helping, and listening can all become worship.

The greatest obstacle to divine living is ego. Ego makes a person think, “I am the doer, I am superior, I deserve praise.” Divinity grows when ego becomes small. Humility allows grace to flow. Just as a clean mirror reflects light clearly, a humble and pure heart reflects God’s love naturally.

Living Divinity requires discipline. The mind must be trained through prayer, self-control, good company, sacred reading, and remembrance of God. Without discipline, the mind runs behind desires and distractions. With discipline, it becomes steady and peaceful. A disciplined life is not a burden; it is a protection for inner peace.

Love is the heart of divine life. Love should not be limited only to those who please us. It should slowly expand toward family, friends, strangers, the poor, the suffering, and even those who oppose us. This does not mean accepting wrong actions, but it means responding with wisdom instead of hatred.

Living Divinity finally reminds us that God is best honored through noble conduct. Flowers may fade, lamps may go out, and words may be forgotten, but a loving action leaves a lasting fragrance. The true temple is the heart, and the true offering is a life filled with purity, compassion, and service.

In the end, divine life is not beyond human reach. It begins with small choices made every day. Speak kindly. Serve humbly. Forgive sincerely. Think purely. Remember God. When these simple practices become natural, life becomes peaceful and meaningful. The human heart then becomes a living shrine where divine love shines brightly.

Assert your Godhead