Teachings Archives - Page 2 Of 3

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The Divine and the Cosmos

Devotional / September 27, 2025

The Divine and the Cosmos Trees produce fruits for the enjoyment of others. Rivers carry water to meet the needs of others. Similarly, cows offer their milk to humans. However, man, forgetting that he has been endowed with a body for rendering help to others, is immersed in selfish concerns and the pursuit of narrow ends. He does not exhibit even a thousandth part of the spirit of selfless help to others shown by the trees, rivers or cows.From sunrise to sunset man today is steeped in selfish pursuits, and the problems of humanity stem from this selfishness. Man does not even live like a human. It is only when man becomes truly human.It is only when man becomes truly human, that he can experience the Divine. What you think exists is, truly speaking, not real. What you think does not exist, is the Reality. God is the only Reality and there is nothing in the world not pervaded by God. God is immanent in the entire Cosmos. The Universe does not exist apart from God. In every object (padaartham) there is a Divine element (paraartham). Without this Divine basis, nothing can exist. In this Universe, there is no material object without a Divine basis, no living thing without the vital force and no inert substance without Consciousness.It is usually supposed that the natural sciences are concerned only with matter, while metaphysics is concerned with things Spiritual. But the physical and the metaphysical are inextricably related to each other. The uniqueness of the Upanishads lies in proclaiming this basic unity. Many imagine that there is no connection between the physical world and the realm of the Spirit. This is a grievous mistake. The Divine is the base and the physical world is sustained by it. Thus, the Cosmos is the synthesis of these two, Spirit and matter.To ignore the physical Universe and remain preoccupied with the Spirit is a form of narrow-mindedness. You have to develop the conviction that the Divine and the Universe are intimately interrelated. If the phenomenal world does not exist, one cannot understand anything nor cognize the Truth. The Universe is what helps in distinguishing the Real from the unreal. It is impossible to accomplish anything, if the world is discarded. Basing yourself on the physical world, you have to aspire for realizing the Divine. If you want to realize the Divinity in man, you have to first understand the nature of the human state. The true goal of human life is to discover the cosmic unity of Consciousness and matter. The best way to achieve this is to lead a life of righteousness and to share the fruits of such a life with others. One’s true goal should not change with time; moreover, one should pursue the goal with firm resolve. A righteous life develops Inner Vision, allowing one to perceive Unity in diversity.In this Kali age, owing to the various perverse influences present, people are prone to ignore the prompting of Inner Conscience and act in response to external impressions. This is not correct. They must instead develop Inner Vision to achieve a balanced attitude to the world as merely perceived through the senses and the world as it really is, that is, as the ephemeral superstructure resting on the Eternal Divine Principle. One must learn to function in the world and yet not get bound by it – that is the meaning of balance.

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Teachings

The Five “D’s”

Devotional / September 27, 2025

The Five “D’s” The universe is itself a university in which every human being is a student. Every student pursues one subject and acquires a degree. Each one chooses the subject he likes. But whatever different subjects any may study, there is one thing common to all of them, one common pursuit and goal: to obtain the degree of Divine Love. In an army there are a variety of jobs to be done and a hierarchy of ranks. But whatever the job, whether it is that of a washerman, an orderly, a sentry, or a commander- disciplined drill at the parade and the ability to use the rifle are essential requirements for everyone. Likewise in the Cosmic University, though there are scientific, political, economic, and other studies, what is fundamental to all of them is spiritual knowledge. Even in the spiritual field, there are special subjects. There is one group which may be described as the Five D’s: Dedication, Devotion, Discipline, Discrimination, and Determination. Those who have mastered the Five D’s are qualified to receive God’s Love. DEDICATION Dedication: It means offering. As soon as Swami arrived (in the Auditorium) teachers and students made offerings of flowers and offered their salutations. The flower symbolises the heart. When you offer the flower of your heart to the Lord, it should be free from the pests of desire, hatred, envy, greed and the like. Only pure flowers are offered to the Lord or to those whom you revere. The flower of the heart is subject to infestation by two evil creatures- one is self-conceit (Ahamkaara); the other is envy (Asooya). Self-conceit is based on eight different factors: wealth, physical prowess, birth, scholarship, beauty, power and penance. Of these, the arrogance born of wealth or scholarship is to be despised most. As long as this conceit (Ahamkaara) is predominant, it is impossible to recognise the Divine or one’s spiritual reality. Self-conceit is a great barrier between the individual and God. It has to be utterly demolished. ESCHEW PRIDE Pride of wealth is another grievous human failing, which causes the downfall of man. All forms of pride, based on birth, wealth, power or scholarship, have to be given up totally. Only when egoistic pride is offered as a sacrifice at the altar of the Divine can man discover his true nature. This is the Dedication that is called for as the first step in the spiritual journey. DEVOTION Next comes Devotion. This is the highest form of your love. “Service to Hrishikesh is known as Bhakti,” says the Sutra. Devotion means constant contemplation of God. The term Bhakti is derived from the root Bhaj (to worship). Devotion means loving contemplation of God, repetition of His Name, worshipping Him and doing penance for Him. Service to the Lord is the highest expression of devotion. There is nothing which is not attainable through loving service to the Divine. Once Tulasidas was engaged in meditation at the confluence of the three rivers (Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati). Rama and Lakshmana appeared before him as two young boys. They asked him: ” Kakaji! What is it you are doing?” Tulasidas replied: “Children! I am doing service to Rama.” The boys asked: “What is the use of doing service to Rama?” Tulasidas replied: “Through service I get a sweet.” They said: ” What is the use of getting a sweet? Once you have eaten and digested it, nothing remains.” Then Tulasidas explained that the sweet gotten from others is digested in a brief time. But the sweet given by God is His love, which is not digested and cast away. When it is eaten, all hunger is appeased. The sweet of Divine love illumines the spirit. When the oil of Devotion is put into the lamp of the Antahkarana (the indwelling motivator) and the wick of integral consciousness (Prajna) is lit by the fire of spiritual enquiry, the flame of Self-knowledge shines effulgently. Devotion does not mean merely doing bhajans or performing puja. These forms of devotion at present are based on some kind of self- interest and self-seeking. True devotion should be free from selfish- ness of any kind. For the external observer all appear to be devotees, filled with humility and piety. But internally, their hearts are otherwise. Judging a student by his marks, he may have a high rank. But as regards his conduct he is a blank. Likewise, judging from external practices a person may appear to be a devotee. But his heart and mind may be filled with evil. This sort of duplicity should be given up. There should be the same loving devotion both inside and outside. Devotion is not something o be proclaimed or demonstrated. Exhibitionistic devotion may result in disaster. True devotion should be an expression of love both internally and externally. DISCIPLINE Next comes discipline. This is most essential for students. From the moment you wake up, you have to carry out your morning ablutions, meditate on God and then do your prescribed duties in an orderly manner without deviating from the regular routine. Variations in the routine from day to day are undesirable. You should not wake up at one hour on one day and at a different time on another day. The day’s activities should be regulated by the same schedule. Immediately after finishing the morning chores, one should devote, in the calm and serene atmosphere of the morning, at least a few minutes to loving meditation on God. The human estate is based upon regulations and self-control. These have to be strictly adhered to in daily life. DISCRIMINATION Then comes discrimination. The world is a mixture of good and bad, of joy and sorrow, right and wrong, victory and defeat. In a world replete with such opposites, man has to make constantly the choice between what is right and proper and what is wrong or undesirable. A man who has no such discriminating faculty is an animal. Man should not let himself be guided by the mind.

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Teachings

The importance of human body

Devotional / September 27, 2025

The importance of human body Wealth, friends, property, and even wife if lost, can be acquired again, but the human body is not like that; once it goes, it can never be got back, no matter how hard one may try. Human life is most precious, highly sacred, beautiful and invaluable. It is therefore the prime duty of every individual to take the greatest possible care of the body. The body is an indispensable vehicle for experiences. Without it nothing can be done, not even a simple task. The human body is, therefore, more precious than worldly wealth and such other material acquisitions. Life must be sanctified by making proper use of the body and engaging it in sacred actions. Time gone will never come back. Once the Ganges merges in the ocean, you cannot get back even a drop of its sacred water. Likewise, once life ebbs out and the body is gone, it cannot be recovered. The human body is also a clock marking time and the passage of life. It ticks away the seconds, minutes, days, weeks, months, and years. Man knows that life is ticking away and yet he does not bother to enquire about the real purpose of life. No one can say when the clock will stop. It is, therefore, most essential to make proper use of life while it is still available. The body is the vehicle for the journey of life. If the vehicle is not properly maintained, then one must be prepared to face serious problems on the way. he body has been gifted in order to serve others. You must firmly resolve not only to take care of yourself but also others. Unfortunately, man today does not know what service means. The essence of all the eighteen Puranas can be summarized in two short sentences: Help Ever. Hurt Never Though God has given the body for service man does not seem to understand what help means, being ever immersed in selfishness. Every thought, every word, and every action is driven by selfishness. Man has become a puppet in the hands of selfishness and self-interest. How can a puppet ever be called independent? Selfishness must therefore be totally rejected and selflessness must be wholeheartedly embraced. Then alone would the real purpose of the human body and human life be realized. You must make an effort to realize that the body is just an instrument given to you for a specific purpose, and must further understand that purpose. The body must be used only for performing good deeds. You must lead a virtuous life. In the end, you must give up the body with good thoughts. Do not assume that the body has been given for enjoyment, comfort seeking, beautification, and useless pursuits of that nature. Indulgence in pleasure seeking, comfort and luxury can be dangerous. God has not given this body for indulgence. Safeguard your body by all means and take full care of your health, but use your body solely to perform good actions.

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Teachings

The life principles of Man

Devotional / September 27, 2025

The life principles of Man A short compilation from the Divine Discourse of Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba: “The life principles of Man.” 9 October, 2001, Prasanthi Nilayam. Prajnana is the unchanging and eternal principle that is in you at all times and under all circumstances. People call it supreme knowledge, but the correct translation for this term is Constant-Integrated-Awareness. This Constant-Integrated-Awareness is present all over the body. How it is that man is not able to recognise such all-pervasive divinity, which exists in all the three periods of time, past, present and future? The life principle that flows through each and every nerve of the body is verily divine. The life principle that sustains our body is Prajnana. On this basis, it is said, Prajnanam Brahma. The same thing is reflected in another divine axiom, Ayam Atma Brahma. It can be interpreted as ‘I am Atma and Brahma’. The third one is Tat Twam Asi. Tat denotes that which is outside, and Twam stands for innate divinity. It means that the same divinity is present within and without. That all-pervasive God is present within and without. That which is seen, heard and experienced outside is nothing but the reflection, resound and reaction of the inner being. When reality is within, why crave for its reflection outside? God has no distinctions or differences. No one can stipulate dos and don’ts for Him. He can do anything, since He is in everything and is everything. He has no master above Him. If man wants to visualise God, he will see Him only in the form of a human being far superior to him in all respects. So, man should know the nature of a human being to begin with. All the sacred texts have described God as having human form. It does not mean that God is confined to a human form. God has no specific form. People attribute various forms to God. Here we have an idol of Dakshinamurthi. This form is but your own imagination. It is not the reality. How can you visualise God who is the very form of the universe? The Viswa (universe) is made up of five elements. The human body also consists of five elements. Hence, it is called Viswa (Totality, Whole creation). The Veda says, with thousands of heads, thousands of feet and thousands of eyes, Divinity pervade everything. The human’s form keeps changing, but the spirit remains unchanged. Do not follow the body. Do not follow the mind. Follow the conscience. Conscience is the Atma (Self). Through steady faith one can attain divinity. One should have faith in one’s own Self. Develop self-confidence, which will lead to self-satisfaction. When you have self-satisfaction, you will be prepared for self-sacrifice. Only through self-sacrifice, can one attain self-realisation. Self-realisation means to realise that you are everything. Self-confidence is the foundation, self-satisfaction is the wall, self-sacrifice is the roof and self-realisation is life. You are the embodiment of Prajnana. (Consciousness, Knowledge). It is not worldly or secular knowledge. This true knowledge is within you. It is not something that you acquire after you are born. It is with you right from your birth. But you have forgotten this truth and, consequently, you suffer from delusion. In this world, everything is an illusion; nothing is permanent. You have to carry on with your life sojourn and discharge your duties keeping in view the eternal Atmic principle. The term Brahma means vastness. Similar is the meaning of the term Vishnu. So, God symbolises vastness and broad-mindedness. But He appears narrow-minded to the narrow-minded. As are your feelings, so will be the result. God is filled with broad feelings. It is not possible for anybody to comprehend God’s Will. Unable to understand the Divine Will, people forget the yathartha (reality) and lead themselves jnto anartha (difficulties). They are carried away by padartha (worldly objects) and ignore Parartha (Divinity). Take Parartha as the fundamental principle. Do not repose your faith in the physical world. However, you have to play your role well in this drama of life. To that extent, you can keep the world in your mind. If you have firm faith in God, you will perceive divinity everywhere. All forms of God that are attributed to Him are man’s own creations and imaginations. God is depicted to be having four hands holding shankha, chakra, gada and padma (conch, discus, mace, and lotus). If God were really to be born with four hands, people would certainly put Him in exhibition. What is the inner meaning of God having these four insignia? Shankha (conch) represents sound; chakra (discus) denotes the wheel of time; gada (mace) symbolises power, and padma (lotus) stands for heart. It is only to make you understand that God is the master of sound, time, power, and heart that He is depicted to be having these insignia in His hands. Of all the forms of God, the human form is very significant. Who is a human being? The proper study of mankind is man. It means the thoughts, words, and deeds should be in harmony with one another. When you are in the company of God all the time, why should you give room for worry? In order to understand that God is not separate from you, undertake sacred deeds. Help others. Sanctify all the limbs of the body in selfless activities. But it is not that easy to practice. There is always some self-interest in whatever man does. Self-interest is also necessary, but it should be within certain limits. Man has the sacred name manishi. When reversed, it reads as shinima (cinema). Today man has become a ‘Cinema manishi’ meaning ‘one leading an artificial life’. Today, the world is plunged into utter chaos and confusion. You find misery, sadness, sin, and anger everywhere. Where is peace? It is within you.

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Teachings

The One Alone

Devotional / September 27, 2025

The One Alone The One – in Him alone is all this flux, all this changing Cosmos, established. He is the guide and guardian of every consciousness. All such denotions touch only the fringe of the One. Westerners said that the intelligence of man can succeed in this venture. But, the seekers of this land showed a heroism that could not be measured or limited. This is a fact that cannot but be accepted. Western Philosophers renowned for their daring flights into the realms of the spirit have shown only a tiny spark of this heroism; so, they are amazed at the speculative and experiential heights reached by the sages of India. This feeling of wonder has been charmingly expressed by Professor Max Mueller. “Into whatever unknown realms of experience their causative and positive inquiry led them, the Indian seekers ventured boldly therein. They never hesitated to discard, for the sake of success in this adventure, whatever they felt as an encumbrance. They were not affected by fear of how others might judge them”. Max Mueller exhorted people to involve themselves in Bharathiya Paramartha Vahini (the Nectarine stream of the search for the Supreme, flowing in India), for he felt the Indian sadhakas pursued the path of Right, the path of Truth. Ekam sath; vipraah bahudhaa vadanthi. (One alone is; the wise speak of It as many). This indeed is most sublimely meaningful. This is the basic truth behind the spiritual efforts of India since ages. And, even the theistic principle and practice that will spread all over the world with unprecedented benedictions in the coming years have as their basis this great axiom laid down by the sages of India, long, long ago. Rks arose on various Deities and Divine Forces, because the rishis knew that the “One that alone is”, can be cognised by each one only from his own viewpoint, and that it is different for different persons, depending on the stage reached in clarifying and purifying the vision. They announced through that statement, their discovery that the One is the subject which all the sages and saints, seers and poets, hymnists and composers adored and praised in various languages, during various moods, through various styles of expression. Thus, from the declaration quoted above “Ekam sath; vipraah bahudhaa vadanthi”, emerged consequences of the highest value to the world. For example, many are surprised that India is the one country where religious fanaticism is absent and no one hinders or harms the religious observances of another. There are, in this country, theists, atheists, dualists, non-dualists, monotheists, and others; they all live together in peace and harmony, without causing or suffering injury.

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Teachings

The Royal Path to God

Devotional / September 27, 2025

The Royal Path to God The more one loves one’s fellow beings, the greater would be the Bliss that one enjoys. The more you love others, the happier you would be. Therefore, if you wish to be constantly happy, you must always love all. Love is the Royal Path to God. The best way to God is to love all and serve all. Everyone wants to be happy. Such a desire is natural and it springs from the fact that man’s true nature is Bliss. Bliss is the Form of God but man does not understand that. He does not understand that he has originated from God, that life’s undercurrent is God, and that his final destination also is God. Bliss should be the goal, and one must seek it in all earnestness. The human body is temporary; hence, the pleasure that it can give is also fleeting. One must therefore seek that which is permanent, that is God, or, what is the same thing, Bliss. It is meaningless to seek Bliss by way of instruments such as the sense organs that are impermanent. The body can give only bodily pleasure, and the Mind can at best give mental satisfaction. But these do not represent Bliss; Divine Love alone is Bliss. This Love Principle is present not only in man but also in all beings, birds and beasts included. Therefore, one has to place the same value on the lives of all beings. Share the love latent within you with not only fellow human beings but also with all the creatures in Nature. That is the True Universal Love Principle. Such Principle alone should be the basis of one’s life. The Path of True Love alone can take you unfailingly to God and confer Permanent Bliss. Bodies may be different but the God within all bodies is the same. There is a man who is addressed as father by his son. The daughter-in-law calls him father-in-law, while the grandchildren call him grandfather. The individual is the same but the manner in which different people address him varies. Similarly the same God is given different names by the followers of different religions; they hail Him as Allah, Jesus, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and so on. Though the names vary, God is one and the same. Therefore, there is really no room for dispute between people belonging to different religions. You may address God by the name of your choice but all calls go to the same destination. Goal is one and God also is one. Scholarship will not protect or redeem you; only Pure Love can. Pure Love is like a well- paved, one-way road with no speed breakers. You can rush along it to God at whatever speed you want. Overcoming all obstacles, you must keep rushing towards God. That must be the characteristic of your spiritual journey. Excerpts from a Divine Discourse of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

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Teachings

The Teacher and Tomorrow

Devotional / September 27, 2025

The Teacher and Tomorrow The human body is the most wondrous machine in the world. It has a bewildering multiplicity of limbs, organs, veins, nerves and cells which co?operate to maintain it under varied conditions. If anyone of these rebel or refuse to rescue another, the body is bound to suffer. So too, a society, community, or nation can be safe, secure and happy only when the individuals comprising it are mutually helpful and bound together in skilful and sincere service. Every generation has to receive education and training in such intelligent cooperation and service. Or else, the world has to face confusion and chaos. The educational process has not received proper attention from thoughtful persons. The institutions which ought to have been temples of Saraswati (the Goddess of Transformation through Learning) have become in all lands temples of Lakshmi (the Goddess of Wealth). The ideal held before the tender, innocent, unselfish children is a lucrative job, rather than a life of peace, contentment and love. Narrow loyalties, contest and competition are polluting the minds of children. Parents, teachers, and all interested in the progress of mankind have to take note of this situation. Teaching and learning have both become mechanical routines. They have lost the freshness and joy which vitality alone can give. The value of the teaching process lies in raising the level of consciousness of the learner, in heightening the sense of wonder and awe and in emphasising the unity of one with all. The destiny of a country is decided by the ideals implanted by the teachers in the minds of the boys and girls entrusted to their care. Educators must pay attention not merely to the material and Intellectual progress of the pupils but, even more, to their moral and spiritual progress. Education should help man to live a meaningful life. It should not direct all efforts to provide a livelihood. Education can claim success only when it results in the student gaining awareness of the Divinity inherent in him and others. No academic degree can confer as much self?confidence and self?satisfaction and lead man as quickly and gladly to self?sacrifice and self?realisation as awareness does. It has to be transmitted by teachers who have attained it through a sense of duty and in a spirit of love. It has to be accepted by students who have cultivated faith in the teacher and reverence for his role. The pot that pours and the pot that receives have to be steady and straight, eager to give and gain. If the teacher has the responsibility to inspire and illumine, the student has the responsibility to respond to the Love and Light, discarding all contrary thoughts. Thoughts that arise from the region of the pleasant (Preyas) cannot co?exist with those which arise from the tough challenges of higher life (Sreyas). The student must be equipped to prefer the latter to the former. The higher life, which makes man human and a fit candidate for unfoldment of the Divinity that is his Reality, depends on the cultivation of the Five Cardinal virtues—Truth, Right Conduct, Love, Peace and Non?Violence. These virtues elevate the individual as well as the society of which he is a part. The teacher has to watch every word and gesture of his, every action and reaction of his, in order to avoid any infringement of these virtues. For, the teacher is, for the pupils, the ideal, the example, to whom the parents have entrusted them. Women teachers can discharge this responsibility better than men. Children can be moulded more easily through sweetness and softness which maternal affection implies, rather than by fatherly advice and admonition. The atmosphere of Love should not be disturbed by any uncharitable remark against any one’s faith. Nor should any one be ridiculed or slandered. Children’s minds should not be polluted by fear, hatred or disgust. The doors of their hearts must be open to all. Later on as the impact of society and the state grows, pupils can be led to an understanding of the political and religious forces that will affect their lives. Students have to be encouraged to “Follow the Master”, (the inner voice of Conscience), Face the Devil (the down?dragging antisocial urges), Fight to the End (until one is able to overcome the inner foes of lust, anger, greed, undue attachment, pride and hatred) and Finish the Game (of life on earth). This duty is referred to in the Gita as Swadharma (one’s genuine obligation to oneself); the duties that one gets involved in, while dealing with others is defined as Paradharma. Of these two, Swadharma is more vital and valuable.

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Teachings

The Trinity Within

Devotional / September 27, 2025

The Trinity Within Man is the crown jewel of Creation. Among the living beings, he is the highest and the noblest. Human birth is the greatest of all and it is therefore imperative that life is lived properly. From where does human life derive it’s sanctity and value? Is it the body or the human form that confers value to human life? No, it is not the body because that is made up merely of the perishable flesh and bones. However, this very same body is also the residence of the Atma and that is what makes human life so valuable. Divinity manifests in the individual as three Sacred Principles: The Principle of the Atma, the Principle of the Mind, and the Principle of the Word. Maheswara, Vishnu and Brahma are associated with these three interrelated Principles. Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara have no specific form but manifest in the individual as the three Principles mentioned. In the individual, Absolute Consciousness or the Atma functions as the Conscience; its residence is the Heart. From the Atma, is born the Mind, which has cognitive power. It is the Mind that enables us to cognize both the outside world as well as the world within. The Mind in turn is the fountainhead of word and speech. In short, man is three Divine Principles all rolled into one. That is, he is a composite of the Heart, the Mind and the body; and Ishwara, Vishnu and Brahma provide the subtle basis for these three aspects of man. Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the revered spiritual master and humanitarian, often spoke about the divine nature of the human being. One of the profound concepts he emphasized is “The Trinity Within.” This refers to the three aspects of divinity — God, Guru, and Self — which are not outside, but deeply embedded within every individual. Understanding and realizing this inner trinity is essential to spiritual awakening and self-realization. Man is misusing the Divine Power latent in him. Though gifted with a pristine Heart, like a fool he is behaving as if he is heartless. Man must remember that the Heart is the very seat of God and live constantly immersed in the thought of God. Vishnu is embodied as the Mind. The Mind is extremely powerful and the most important instrument of man. It must therefore always remain unsullied and nectarine in nature. Vishnu is ever calm and smiling. Reflecting these aspects, the Mind must be ever calm, serene and radiate joy. Finally, man must remember that he has been blessed with the gift of speech, symbolised by Brahma. In short, man is capable of speaking, thinking and feeling. The Word represents Brahma, the Mind represents Vishnu, and the Heart represents Ishwara. Thus man himself represents the Divine Trinity. The Heart is intrinsically pure, sacred and auspicious, and must never be allowed to become polluted. Always maintain the purity of your Heart. Don’t abuse any person, don’t criticize others and don’t accuse any one. True Word is Brahma. Pure Mind is Vishnu, and Pure Heart is Ishwara. Recognize this truth and maintain the purity of your Heart. Be firm in the faith that a Pure Heart is Ishwara, that a Pure Mind is Vishnu, and that Pure Speech is Brahma. Rooted in this faith, make proper use of your God-given facilities. Good results would inevitably follow, and in the end you are certain to merge with the Lord. Pure Speech, Pure Mind, and Pure Heart are the true manifestations of Selfless Love. EXCERPTS FROM A DISCOURSE BY SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

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Teachings

The true meaning of surrender

Devotional / September 26, 2025

The true meaning of surrender What exactly is surrender? To give yourself entirely, unconditionally and absolutely to God is surrender. To attain that state, you should first develop friendship with God. What is friendship? Is it saying, “Hello!”? No, not at all. Feeling of oneness is true friendship; the two must feel alike and think alike. The Telugu word Maitri (meaning friendship) has two syllables, one is mai and the other is tri. This tri stands for the three planes of a human being, namely, body, mind and soul. Thus the word maitri connotes a feeling of oneness at all these three levels. Such a state alone can be called a state of true friendship. Divinity can be attained only when the body, the mind and the soul are all surrendered at the Lotus Feet of the Lord. As long there is a feeling of duality, a sense of I and you, the notion of mine and thine, the Divine state cannot be attained. Your true reality is the Atma (the individual Soul) which is a wave of the Paramatma (Universal Soul). Krishna has declared that He is in everyone and every being. Thus, you do not have a separate existence; the individual and the Universal are one and the same. Just because bodies are different, you think that you have a separate existence. If, however, you seek friendship with God, you must give up this body-consciousness. You must follow the command of the Divine. But these days, selfishness has taken precedence over obedience to. God’s commands. If you disobey God’s commands, if you do not pay heed to them, can there be any true devotion? Always abide by the wishes of God and realise that this is the right path to Divinity. Purandara Dasa, a great devotee of the Lord, once declared: “O God! I forgot you in my previous birth and that has resulted in my being born again. This time, if I install You in my heart, there will be no rebirth; I will become a liberated soul.” These days, everyone is harassed by doubts of various kinds. As long as there is a feeling of attachment to the body, doubts cannot be overcome. Proper exercise of discrimination alone would lead to the Truth. For example, Purandara Dasa asked himself: “There are isolated trees on mountain tops that are otherwise barren. Who planted these trees, who watered the saplings, who protected them, and who provided the fertilizer? Who painted the feather of the peacock with such a glorious combination of colours? O God, you are such a wonderful artist!” The green parrot sports a nice red beak; who gave the parrot the red beak? Scientists have no explanation for all these wonders of Nature because their approach is purely worldly and materialistic. This is not the proper way of understanding Reality. Truth can be grasped only through the path of spirituality. God is the fountainhead of all existence and the will of the Divine is the cause for every happening. Nothing happens in the Universe without the Sankalpa (will) of Ishwara (God). You must have this belief implanted firmly. Don’t ever imagine that you are a low and an ordinary mortal. You are nothing of that sort; you are truly speaking a child of God, a spark of the Divine. Therefore it is that Purandara Dasa sang: “As long as I am aware of Your presence in my heart, I do not feel lost. You are the real doer and not me. You impart knowledge. You protect and You also reprimand when necessary. There is nothing that is not Yours. I am wholly Yours. When You, the Lord Almighty, are doing so much for me and are taking care for me, how can I be called poor?” Like Purandara Dasa, all of you also are a spark of the Divine. He realised that he was; you too should.

The true meaning of surrender

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Teachings

BHAGAVAN BABA ON NAMASMARANA

Devotional / September 26, 2025

BHAGAVAN BABA ON NAMASMARANA God has a million Names. Select any Name of His, any Name that appeals to you, select any Form of His; every day when you awaken to the call of the brightening east, recite the Name, meditate on the Form; have the Name and Form as your companion, guide and guardian throughout the toils of the waking hours; when you retire for the night offer grateful homage to God in that Form with that Name, for being with you, by you, beside you, before you, behind you, all day long. If you stick to this discipline, you cannot falter or fail. Baba AUM SRI SAIRAM SAMARPANAM This compilation of quotations on Namasmarana is lovingly dedicated at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, our beloved Swami. Similar to offering a garland to God, made out of the very flowers which were provided by Him, this compilation is indeed made up of quotations from the Divine Discourses given by Swami Himself. The selections are from the Sathya Sai Speaks series and the Vahini series. The page numbers referenced correspond to the American edition of the books. Chapter numbers and titles are also provided for easy reference. All the Sanskrit words have been italicized. We are indeed grateful to Swami for having showered His infinite Grace on us to complete this work. We humbly pray to our beloved Swami to forgive us for any omissions or mistakes we may have committed in the process of compiling this work. We pray for His continued Blessings to make this compilation useful, for the fellow members of the Sai family in their daily spiritual Sadhana. Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.November 23, 1994Jenine ColamussiP. K. PrabhakarP. V. Swaminathan FOREWORD It is a privilege to write a foreword to a book of this kind which is the outcome of the dedicated labors of three devotees of Bhagavan. From the moment Bhagavan Baba embarked on His Avataric Mission, he has laid stress on the supreme importance of Namasmarana in the spiritual unfoldement of a devotee, especially in the Kali Yuga. The three compilers of this well produced volume have gone through all the eleven volumes of Sathya Sai Speaks (the American Edition) and the four Vahinis – Prashanti, Geeta, Dhyana and Prema Vahini – and picked out of them Bhagavan’s pronouncements on Namasmarana – the greatness of chanting the Name of the Lord as a spiritual sadhana. The selection has been done with such punctilius care that alt the different facets of this vital spiritual exercise as expounded by Bhagavan have been brought out Tor the edification and instruction of devotees. Bhagavan is such a supremely consummate artist that he can offer a myriad variations on the same thing without reducing it to a cliche’ or making it repetitive. Not only is the message Namasmarana conveyed in varied roles and contexts, but the importance of chanting the Lord’s name is brought home to the reader through a variety of illustrations drawn from our immortal epics as well as from the incidents of daily life. The book should serve as a perennial source of inspiration to everyone engaged in the discovery of the Divine as the source of all bliss and the culmination of human existence. I recommend it to all aspirants as an invaluable addition to Sai literature.24 October 1996V. K. NarasimhanPrashanti Nilayam NAMASMARANA EFFICACY OF NAMASMARANA Words have tremendous power. They can arouse emotions and they can also calm them. They direct or infuriate, they reveal or confuse. They are potent forces that bring up great reserves of strength and wisdom. The tongue should be used for pronouncing the Name of the Lord. It should not be used to hiss like a serpent or growl or roar with intention to strike terror. This is not the purpose for which the tongue is granted to man. Dwell on the Name and its sweetness will saturate your tongue and improve your taste. Speech is so powerful that it indicates one’s character, reveals one’s personality, educates others and communicates experience and information. So be vigilant about words. Slip while walking, the injury can be repaired; but slip while talking, the injury is irreparable. The present age is described in the scriptures as very conducive to Liberation, for, while in past ages, rigorous penance was prescribed as the means, the present Kali Age requires only Namasmarana to win Liberation. When the Name of the Lord is remembered with all the glory that is associated with it, a great flood of happiness wells up within the mind. The Lord is full of Bliss and in fact He is Bliss itself. All this Bliss is to be tasted through the Name. Vyaasa himself knew this, for, when some sages once went to him to find out which Yoga is most conducive to success in man’s efforts for Liberation, Vyaasa anticipated their question and repeated to himself aloud, “How fortunate are those destined to be born in the Kaliyuga! It is so easy to win the grace of the Lord by Namasmarana in the Kali Age”. The Name of the God, if recited with love and faith, has the power to bring upon the eager aspirant the grace of God. The Name has the over-mastering power of even leaping over the ocean. It can award unimagined strength and courage. When questioned whether it was Raamanaama that strengthened Hanuman to cross the ocean, Rama replied that since His body was called Rama (the Name that combines the Beeja aksharas of both Shiva and Vishnu) He Himself was able to conquer Ravana and his hordes. The name has so much efficacy. By repeating the Name, the Lord and His attributes can be easily identified. The tongue must be sanctified by the repetition of the Name. It has also to be used for sweet expressions which will spread contentment and joy. Remember the God, in whom you move, the God who makes you move, the God who is all this vast universe, every little atom and every huge star. Select some Name and Form for this all pervasive immanent God and keep it in your tongue and before your mental eye. That is what

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