God is present in everyone in the form of The Atma How many of us follow the age old adage “live and let live” and how many of us make a sincere effort to live our lives responding to the moment in accordance with His teachings? Having been fortunate to come under Bhagawan’s Supreme Love, most rarest of heavenly boon, are we not obliged to transform into Cosmic Beings, showing Care for Life, Concern for Nature, Love and Reverence for all Creation sans any reservations… Let the Universal Mantra, Samasta Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu be our breath every moment with a firm intent. Read on an interesting story from Ms. Jullie Chaudhuri, narrating an episode involving ‘saving a precious life’ of a reptile, that happened at Hadshi during Bhagawan’s Divine Soujourn in October 2009. 28th – 30th October 2009.Pune had waited for just such a moment silently and patiently for 36 long years. Finally her prayers were answered. The Lord had given His divine acquiesce to the oft repeated earnest invitation for a visit. Her heartbeats increased with sheer jubilation, even as she stretched her arms lovingly into the ether, to embrace the Jet Airways 737 – 700 aircraft which was about to land at Lohegaon airport, having being blessed supremely to have the Lord on board as a Passenger! The soil of this erstwhile Peshwe city beamed with delight as it received the touch of those precious lotus feet as Beloved Bhagawan alighted from the aircraft. Each atom bowed with deep reverence. Every heart applauded and celebrated this most sacred moment. His chariot too was eagerly waiting for Him, having journeyed over 775 kilometers along the highway from Prashanti Nilayam to Pune, in order to serve Bhagawan during His Maharashtra sojourn. Ever so quickly He sped away, first to the Jadhavs’ residence in the city, where a loving welcome awaited Him and then on to Panduranga Kshetra, where thousands had gathered for a glimpse of their Beloved One. The Jadhavs’ had the delightful benediction to play ‘host’ to Bhagawan here for the next three marvelous days and in all humility they extended their hospitality to the massive turnout of devotees. It was a time when Earth was transformed into heaven. Famed vocalists from Mumbai enjoyed the bliss of serenading Bhagawan, on the evening of the first day of this divine visit, even as the sun gently bowed out, to make way for the moon and stars to witness this most captivating tableau. Space, Air, Fire, Water, Earth watched in awe, while the environment and all those gathered in it remained fascinated to the core. Nature had been blessed to reign supreme at Panduranga Kshetra, with her lush emerald green foliage and charming abundance, now her flora and fauna knew themselves to be in the presence of their most adored benevolent Creator. As the evening’s programme concluded and Bhagawan returned to His abode, the milling multitude too began to disperse, their minds soothed and hearts replete with joy. The sound recordists, the camera and video technicians and some others were still around. My niece and I were as yet standing and looking at the stage, the wonderful floral decorations, mesmerized by the fact that only a few moments ago Bhagawan had been sitting there. Suddenly we heard some sort of a commotion and several voices giving an alarming cry of having sighted a snake. The snake could be seen wriggling in the direction of the men’s enclosure. Perhaps it too had just been a part of the sanctified audience and was counting its blessings! Snakes live quietly and attack only when disturbed, provoked, threatened or cornered. We, my niece and I, knew this to be true and asked the people in the crowd to leave it alone, stressing that it would slither away. But the technicians were getting trifle agitated that it might enter their equipment which was lying around the place. We heard some people give orders to kill the snake, that’s when my niece, went down on all fours, maneuvering herself under the bamboo blockades, that divided the different enclosures. She rapidly moved on to the grass, chasing the snake in order to catch it. My first thought was why should we slay this serpent and how could anyone think of any kind of killing when Bhagawan was physically present here? It was preposterous and absolutely unthinkable. Whatever we have read in the Shirdi Satcharitra and from Bhagawan’s teachings has made us open our hearts and minds to seeing Him in all creatures and beings. His love opened us up to His compassion. And His compassion to a feeling of unspeakable joy. Any kind of pain inflicted upon any creature is felt by Him, for His ‘body’ is made up of all of us. How else does He always answer us so promptly…? It is because He lives within us and breathes and feels through us! Now, it was my turn to try and get into that enclosure where this reptile was. I followed my niece, crawling under the barricades in my sari, trying to ‘save’ this courageous young lady, who was determined to save the snake, so that it will not face a premature and violent death, being beaten with sticks. What an insult that would be to His presence! More than me this young lady is an absolute ‘natural’ when it comes to animals…there is a genuine bond. I am always reminded of Bhagawan in His avataric form of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, setting the path of devotion aglow, singing and intoning His own glory, while birds and wild animals of the forests follow Him enchantedly! I love this image of Bhagawan…Creator leading and His creation following…All that hullabaloo and the chase soon ended as I, to my surprise, managed to catch the snake in my hand. Wasn’t I afraid? There was no time for fear. We had to act. When someone you consider your very own is being persecuted you will step in. Love gives courage and when courage

Baba – The God Of Bees! Emphatic statements boasting of one’s faith in God could very well be heard and tested by God ‘in the same coin’. Baba’s ears are everywhere and better watch out, says Ms. Maria St. John of California narrating a thrilling episode of her own….Baba – The God Of Bees! …an extract from Sanathana Sarathi later published under Sai Spiritual Showers. The other day, here in Prasanthi Nilayam, I was listening to a story about Baba, being told by Mr. Kasturi, to a group of us Westerners. The story related to a cat who called on Baba in distress and how He came to its help. It moved me very much, as I am an animal lover, and especially fond of cats; our family has seven of them. So, I decided to share this animal story of my own, or rather insect story. About seven years ago, while living in the beautiful mountains of Idylwild, California, this miracle happened. Idylwild is a place that has many bees, especially wasps called yellow backs, a dangerous stinging variety. Most people living in these mountains are dreadfully afraid of them, but I was not; in fact I used to put out every day a plate of left over fruit for them to enjoy a habit my husband did not appreciate! Often he would complain that the plate was too near the house, then I would go out and move it, fruit and bees further away, telling him a little egoistically: “I am not afraid of them, I have contacted their spirit, and they will never sting me. Any way Sai Baba is protecting me!” Well! When one makes a bold statement like that, better watch out, for the ears of Baba are everywhere, and He might decide to test the statement. Which is just what He did! I had known about Baba for two years, but had not yet had the blessed chance to see His physical form. I did, however firmly believe in His Divinity and Omnipresence! Some day later I was invited to a children’s party, to which I went alone. When the festivities were over and I was about to leave, loud terrified screaming was heard from outside the back of the house. Everyone rushed to the wide windows to see what was wrong, and there we saw two small children running to the house pursued and surrounded by a thick cloud of furious bees—yellow backs! There must have been at least two hundred of them. The children had found and broken open one of their hives and bees were taking their revenge! All the party guests, including myself, seemed to be rooted to the floor. Only the mother rushed out into the holocaust to save her little ones No one else dared! Then a big man ventured out, coming back almost immediately with several stings. The back door was closed tightly to keep the bees from swarming inside. From the safety of the windows all watched the mother strike out at the bees helplessly, only making them more angry … Then I heard it, that still small voice inside, which I had come to identify, as Baba. It said, “Go out and help that poor mother and children, I will be with you,” I stared at the scene before me in horror, my faith in having made friends with the spirit of bees having fled. The small Voice insisted, so I found myself opening the door and stepping out into the middle of the flying, buzzing storm. A moment of terror rushed through me from my toes right up and out of the top of my head. I closed my eyes and prayed: “Baba if ever I needed you, it’s now, please come here!” In that very same instant He was there! I felt His cool, peaceful presence surround me, and the whole area! Finding the hysterical mother almost hidden by the swarming wasps I grabbed her wildly flaying arms and shouted, so as to be heard above the ominous droning. “Be calm now, God is with us, He has come to help us.” I had never met this woman before, nor she me, for all I know. She stared into my eyes and became calm. Together we caught hold of the children, and began to strip off their clothes, to which dead, half dead and live bees were clinging. We both spoke gently to the children, and I also talked to the wasps, begging them to be calm and not to sting any more. Their stings had caused numerous ugly swellings on the faces, arms and legs of the children, some of them bleeding badly, and were giving a lot of pain also. We plucked bees out of their hair, eyes, nose; mouth, somehow getting them cleared enough to enter the house and into the bathroom. As we bathed them, they cried with pain, and indeed their small bodies were a mess! I prayed again silently to Baba to help the poor little things, and then a great miracle occurred, for, before our astonished eyes all the swellings, the ugly lumps, began to fade away and with them all the pain went too! The mother and I looked at each other in amazement, neither of us having suffered even one sting ourselves. When it was all over; and the children, smiling now, were wrapped in towels, I said to the mother, “I believe that your children have had a divine healing, but if you have any doubt at all you’d better take them to a hospital for treatment.” As most of you readers will know, bee stings can be deadly! She answered me, with tears of Joy pouring down her face! “I know I have just seen a miracle, I need no hospital!” We smiled at each other, simply ‘knowing’! Then she said quietly: “I have never met you, but I have heard about you, and that you follow a holy man who

I Am In Every Heart That Is The Temple Where I Dwell The Lord of our times, our Beloved Bhagawan, epitomised Love not alone for humans, but for all of His creation. The Lord Who gifted a revised Universal Mantra, “Samasta Lokah…” encompassing entire creation, often hinted upon expanding our hearts to “Samasta Jeevah…” for humans to take a cue and imbibe, loving all alike, be it human, four legged ones, the flying colours or even other terrestial beings. It’s time for man to see God in a dog…and that alone would help him to earn His Grace…seeing all alike as exemplified by Mother Sai…Read on an interesting episode illustrating how precious is a animal that we identify as ‘stray’ one when it comes to viewing through His eyes…For me there were no strays all belonged to Bhagawan and I couldn’t ‘stray’ away from that thought…writes Ms. Jullie Chaudhuri narrating a life-saving incident from her diary, happened in early nineties. “Yea, I am in all creatures and all creatures are in me. In all their joys I rejoice, in all their afflictions I am afflicted. Wherefore I say unto you: Be ye kind one to another, and to all the creatures of God.” – Jesus. There was great excitement in the air.My friends and I had meticulously planned on a trek to the foothills of the Himalayas. I could almost breathe in that cool, crisp mountain air laden with fresh fragrances. The previous year we were so charmed by the Valley of Flowers, Hemkund Saheb and Badrinath, that this time too the destination was the rugged and awesome locale of Garhwal. There is something about this region’s jagged peaks and myriad meandering rivers that compelling draws you to its terrain again and again. From early 1990s, the incident being related here occurred way back then, till date…the pull seems magnetic and irresistible. Perhaps the fact that innumerable Mystics and Masters have walked that earth and have leant their aura to it makes Uttaranchal ever so vibrantly alive. Unknown to the ordinary human mind there are many renunciates and sages, who even today live in solitude and seclusion in those pristine surroundings, spiritualizing and uplifting man through their evolved efforts, while negating the attempts of those with evil and hateful intent. The Himalayan Masters, needless to say, are in direct communion with Bhagawan. And Beloved Bhagawan’s Himalayan sojourn in 1961 has revitalized the sanctity of that region a zillion times over! Well, so there we were, two of my friends and me, at Bandra station gearing up, preparing ourselves mentally for the physical challenge of getting aboard the local train at that peak rush hour. We were going to Churchgate to complete our booking formalities with the GMVN – Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam. Getting in and out of Mumbai local trains is indeed an art, at times a herculean feat! For those who were not used to travelling frequently and were inexperienced in this ‘art’, and I do confess none of us were accomplished at it, it felt like we were waves bobbing up and down in a sea of humanity. Getting in and out of the ‘crowded beyond capacity’ compartment was like setting the mode to ‘auto pilot’ and gushing forth as did water released from a dam. Now as we were waiting at Platform 5 for the train to scramble in, my friends were peering into the distance upon the tracks, while I was gazing about the platform. My attention was caught by a dog that seemed to be sitting and dragging itself forward. It seemed to be restless and kept yelping every now and then, looking back at its tail section. I just had to know why it was so agitated and so rushed across to see for myself if all was well. Crouching down I called out to the dog and it responded and came towards me. I realized that there was a mass protruding out of her anus which was bothering her. On closer inspection and with great trepidation, I noticed that this ‘mass’ was a puppy that was stuck in the birth canal during the process of whelping. I tried to look for signs of life in the pup but there was none. Whether it was still born or died in the process of birthing couldn’t be fathomed. All I knew was that this ‘mumma’ dog needed medical attention urgently. Immediately I sent an ‘SOS’ to Swami. The train was about to roll in, my friends were gesturing frantically. I gestured back matching their urgency. Shaking their heads they ran over towards me. I asked them to carry on without me, if they so wished, as I just couldn’t leave this dog in that helpless state, with the pup half in and half out of her body. What trauma! When they saw what had gripped my attention, my friends were eager to help and ease things out for this four legged homeless street ‘mumma’ dog. For me there were no strays all belonged to Bhagawan and I couldn’t ‘stray’ away from that thought. Prayers came spontaneously to the lips – Beloved Bhagawan, You led me to this child of Yours…now show me how to reach out and rescue her, while restoring some semblance of relief from her painful and distressing state. What do I do? How do I go about things? I looked around for assistance and finally asked the man at the refreshment kiosk if there was anybody at the station who looked after this particular dog. I know and have experienced so in my travels, that there are many amongst us, who though have no roof over their head and do not know from ‘where’ or ‘if’ they will get something to eat, yet when they do get even a piece of chapatti, they are willing to share it with a dog. I have personally witnessed this at street corners, dustbins and wayside stations – wherever a homeless man sits down to eat and along comes a dog wagging its

Beloved Bhagawan…So Incomprehensibly Vast Are You! In a world so incomprehensibly vast,  God – The Creator  has  not made any distinctions when it comes to “Love n’ Serve”. As is the Biblical saying, All Are One…Be Alike To Everyone, Bhagawan taught humanity to “Love All and Serve All…Help Ever and Hurt Never”. Are we diligent  in following what He has preached, what He has practised and what He has allowed us to imbibe? Let’s pause for a while and listen to a narration from Ms. Jullie Chaudhuri, of a big heart that practises Tender Loving Care in serving the co-existing world of humans and who, most incessantly asks for Cosmic Brotherhood under the Fatherhood of our Beloved Bhagawan. Let’s gear up for a Cosmic Embrace… When you live with God it is True Education, When You live for God it is True Devotion, When You live in God it is True Spirituality, says Bhagawan. “Beloved Bhagawan…So Incomprehensibly Vast are You,In all that I see and experience it is You,All life forms represent You,You are in me and in all creatures of the land and the sea…All the love that You have filled me with, I would like to share with all that is around me.Samastha Jeeva Sukhino Bhavantu!Samastha Lokaah Sukhino Bhavantu!Lifting the veils of darkness ushering in a bright new dawn…It’s You, It’s You, It’s You, Oh! Beloved Bhagawan…So Incomprehensibly Vast are You…encompassing the present, the future as well as the past…It’s You, It’s You, It’s You…Beloved Bhagawan… Samastha Jeeva Sukhino Bhavantu…Samastha Lokaah Sukhino Bhavantu…The whole world should be a Prasanthi Nilayam – a place where we can constantly dwell in You…” This is the prayer Usha Ramani sang for the Lord, just before she turned in for the night. She sang her own words and set her own tune! As soon as her head touched the pillow she was fast asleep. Well, that’s how it ought to be, for one who was on her toes from 4 am till well past 11pm! As sleep took her into a journey through the subconscious, she dreamt a dream of a flavor most pleasant. And, what can be more pleasant, more effervescent than a dream of Beloved Bhagawan? And so she saw herself in Prasanthi Nilayam, in Sai Kulwant Hall, carrying out what seemed like a normal daily routine – feeding all kinds of animals! It had that warm atmosphere and feeling of ‘home’. From a distance Beloved Bhagawan comes towards her and within hearing distance pauses and speaks to her friend, insisting – “Tell ‘her’ to feed the cats also.”A little later He approaches her, looking upon her with that genuine, warm and tender glow, certainly belonging only to a loving Mother. Then, ever so softly He says unto her, gentle words which bring forth a stream of tears – “You do so much for Me!” Falling to her knees, clasping His Lotus Feet, bereft of speech, she remains enraptured by that Divine Gaze… She woke up before the alarm, remembering every little nuance, so vivid was the vision of the Beloved One. Switching on the lamp, she began to write down what she had just experienced while pondering each word that the Divine Lips had uttered. She hugged herself recapitulating  those enchanting words when ‘Sri Bhagawan Uvaca’. Yes, as the Lord had commented, so far she had not focused so much upon cats. Her early morning routine began with preparing food for cows, dogs, pigs, crows, pigeons etc…which she took with her, along with packets of biscuits, as she combed the lanes and by-lanes of her neighbourhood, encircling the hutment areas too, feeding the animals along the way. Medicines to treat injuries and maggot wounds, itchy skin that had traces of mange, as well as certain injections also formed a part of her ‘little bag of wonders’. The kind-hearted ones living in the hutments always looked to her to solve the problems relating to the animals in their locality. Usha had to make an early start so as to avoid criticism that she normally faced from some of the human kind, who did not have tolerance and a sense of peaceful coexistence as their forte. Besides, she had to get to her office at the regular time! The animals were familiar with her routine and waited for her along her route every day. But yes, as revealed in the dream by Beloved Bhagawan, she had somehow overlooked feeding and checking on cats as part of her TLC regimen! But the Omnipresent, Omniscient Lord, Whose compassion knew no boundaries, knew how to nudge her on!  She had to be more careful and aware that His ‘watching’ all our thoughts words and deeds was indeed an axiomatic truth! Usha Ramani’s lunch time was spent giving ‘lunch’ and quenching the thirst of animals in the area where her office was located and for this she had charmingly roped in the gardener and the chowkidars in that area to assist her. Most of the time her lunch box remained intact, till she emptied it out in the bus while travelling home so as to avoid her mother’s exasperation. The weekends were spent in helping out with ABC – the Animal Birth Control Programme, which involved picking up dogs, taking them for spaying and bringing them back. This particular responsibility was always a bit stressful as it was akin to admitting a family member for a surgery! Vibhuti was applied to all the dogs before and after coming back from the Pound. In fact, she had emptied a Nebasulf Powder container and replaced it with the holy ash, as it was easy and quick then to apply it on wounds of street animals – whether they were abandoned dogs, horses, ‘cats’ or cows, or at times even injured birds. Vibhuti for her was the panacea for all ills. In between, Usha Ramani was busy with Bal Vikas activities. Her children loved to hear about Bhagawan’s love for animals, growing and gaining confidence in the awareness that ‘Ahimsa’ and Samastha Jeeva/ Lokaah Sukhino Bhavantu, was

Do You Have The Courage To Be Kind? What human can learn from animals? An amazing tale of gentleness, generosity, compassion and love was seen in a canine, in an Animal Shelter, where the canine mothered eighteen puppies that were left orphaned. Watching this incredible act of love exhibited by an animal, the writer, Ms. Jullie Chaudhuri, with bells of introspection ringing within, pauses, asking fellow travellers to toe the line, keeping Bhagawan’s Love in their hearts, to be His envoy serving all as One… She didn’t even know she was being kind,It was something so natural,Playing out a role that especially for her,Destiny had signed,Though her own puppies were no more,The mother in her,From deep within the core,Came flowing to the fore,And she went from cage to cage,In this most ‘human’ act,This canine did herself engage,Feeding eighteen orphaned little ones,Abandoned on the material stage… As I watched her play this magnanimous role,Bells of introspection,Within me began to toll,‘Do You have the courage to be kind?Will you allow your heart,To beat through your mind,Oh! Most importantly,Can you for a few thoughtful deeds,Spare some prime time?Even as Creator awaits creation to toe the line…’ These thoughts were dancing in my psyche,After a visit to an animal shelter – ‘Jeev Raksha’,Where these eyes did see,Acts suffused with gentleness and generosity,Threads woven from the Creator’s harmony,Beyond the I, me and mine,A glimpse of what is truly inspired by the ‘Thine’… It is not how much you receive,But what other beings can receive through you,It is not how much you have,But how much you can share,From what you have been given,It’s not the cost but a cause lost,A lost cause,Due to far too many a clause,An exodus from an inner applause… Bhagawan’s one look is my courage,Replacing the dim, enhancing the voltage,His silence does my soul salvage,His image – the solitary spring of joy,His thought instills me with poise,His words any kind of demurral destroys… ‘When Beloved Bhagawan is my source of joy,Can’t I be His envoy?’His Sathya is His Prema,His Prema is His Sathya,This Truth within me,Of Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa,Fashions a serene alloy,Post-haste I must this divine convoy deploy… The Beloved One gives me the courage to be kind,It is His heart that beats in my mind,No matter what, no matter how or when,And most certainly – no matter who,Deeply understanding what He needs me to do,I must simply do what He wants me to,For steady caring acts I will spare prime time,No more should the Creator wait,For creation to toe the line… II Samasta Jeevah Sukhino Bhavantu II

What a crow can teach When Prasanthi Nilayam becomes a global spiritual workshop, every being coming to this holy land gets the golden opportunity to learn from everything around, from every being around, be it a winged one or an animal or a fellow human. This miniscule world ‘created’ by Beloved Bhagawan has everything in it for humanity to observe, imbibe and practise. One such pilgrim leant a vital lesson during his/her trip to Prasanthi, a lesson learnt by observing a ‘crow act’, sitting in the precincts of hallowed Prasanthi Nilayam. Extracted from Sanathana Sarathi, May 1990. After flying thousands of kilometers to Prasanthi Nilayam, you try to learn something from everything you see there, especially in the courtyard of the temple. One morning during bhajan a crow continued to crouch on the concrete in front of us, long after the rest of his flock had come and gone. He sat and sat, while we sang and sang. You could tell he wanted to take off, but could not pick up the necessary wing power. After sometime he gave a loud “Cawl” which set the other crows in motion. They deserted their posts on temple roof, palms and neem tree, and came whirling down and away again, as if to scoop up their mate. It looked very much as if he had been given the classic crow summons, “Come, fly!” When he did not take to the air himself, some of the flock swooped down again and circled in a puzzled way. Then, one by one, they returned to their perches high above the courtyard, where they hopped uneasily to and fro, apparently unsure what was expected of them. Meanwhile, as if glued to the concrete, the old crow roosted helplessly, his beak opening and closing without a sound. Many suspenseful moments later, he called again, very feebly. This time, only one crow responded, and to some purpose. He took up a challenging stance facing the groundling and set about dealing with the problem. His method was drastic and, eventually, effective. Gentleness would not have worked. The newcomer began a mock attack, peeking at the old one, who tried to defend himself. It looked like a cruel kind of rescue, but no one watching could doubt that a rescue it was. The “rescuer” had to intensify his offensive before the grounded crow was driven to take wing. Hurling himself desperately aloft, he dived under the nearest sunshade canopy, passing over the heads of the ladies as he tried to clear the outside wall, and failed. Instead, he blundered heavily into the top of the wall and flopped back into someone’s lap. After a short but furious flurry of feather and saris, he found himself back in the courtyard, where his rescuer was still waiting and watching. Once again the mock attack was renewed, with such vigour that the old crow rose into the air almost immediately, and soared elegantly under the roof and over the wall. Mission accomplished, the rescuer flew away in turn, leaving us humans to interpret at our leisure what had happened. This example of crow seva—in which some of us had briefly taken an active part—showed one of those predicaments where waiting passively for a “miracle” is not enough. So you cry for help. Having done so, you may have to wait until the right kind of helper appears, one who understands what you need, perhaps better than you do yourself. A true helper will stay and persist until a solution is found; both of you have a part to play in it. One of the teachings that first attracted me to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was that the good is not always the pleasant. We know life is happiest when we are full of bliss, but also that sometimes life has to peck at us with apparent cruelty before we are impelled to summon up strength that we did not know we had in us. Then we soar over what seemed like insurmountable obstacles. Out of helplessness comes new power, and out of pain new freedom.

Karuna Draws The Lord Near…Karuna Makes The Lord Appear… When Almighty Lord as The Creator ever remains alongside His creation, as the Soul Spark within, having imbued with this wisdom, can man ever stray from his path acting oblivious of the co-existing animal kingdom? If man is marching God-ward it is a must for him to instil feeling of Love and Compassion, if ever he wants to evolve to have His Beloved Lord appear before him. A beautiful poem from the pen of Ms Jullie Chaudhuri. Enhanced Compassion Reveals The Essence Of Divinity Within You… ‘…Oh! Master, in vain have I struggled for a glimpse of the Lord,Help me do…Be kind to me, I earnestly beseech you…’Thus did the disciple cry out seeking assistance,Hoping to gain from the Master’s benevolence…The Master’s eyes shone with wisdom and understanding,“Is your kindness all surpassing,Is your heart consumed with love and consideration,To all sentient beings do you have the courage to show compassion…?”‘Oh! Master, why ask me all this, all I want is…is a glimpse of the Lord,Usher me do……Into the Presence of God…’ Son, pay heed to these words that Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba spoke,With these words you must forever your consciousness stroke –“And I want to share something with you,That you must never forget,In the end, in the final analysis,When the body turns to dust and is gone,The only thing that will matter,Is how much love you have shared with all of creation……How much love you have shared with all of creation,…Every single moment of your life.” ‘But, Master…’Listen further, child, you are a bud as yet,Reflect, deliberate, meditate, contemplate,In your half baked mind…let these words of the divine reverberate –“Manana (deep contemplation) will confirm,The fact of God being in every living being, bird, beast, tree,And when this awareness is established,You will not be tempted,To hate or ridicule or envy any other living being in creation,For you are He and He is you fundamentally…Until you come to this stage,You are only a partial devotee, still a long way to go…”Dear child, you want to see God, is it…?Is your heart free from all past samskaras…so intricately knit,Imprints…that time and again repeatedly on your subconscious does flit…?Bereft of impressions and impurities, conditions and contaminations,Is your soul quite ready and well lit…?Are you free from the shackles of ‘I, me and mine’,Expanding your consciousness,With the Universe are you able to make it align…?Being content with your lot,Sharing with all of creation what you have got,Uncaring, mean and nonchalant ways are you willing to abort…?Only the boundless power of compassion can free you from your karma,Listen to this story of the sage Asanga…He meditated in seclusion for many years,His object of meditation was Buddha Maitreya,Thrice did he attempt to leave his cave but eventually returned to intensely enhance his practice of contemplation,The first time – he notices how the wings of birds had corroded the rocks around their nests over a period of time,During the second endeavour – he is fascinated by the effect of erosion that constant dripping of water had on the surface it fell upon,With the third attempt – he comes across a man trying to make needles by stroking a gigantic bar of iron with a fine piece of cloth…On him it did dawn –He also had to maximize, intensify and elevate his perseverance,  so as to cut through the layers of his mind and finally reach the light within…Ultimately in acute frustration he sets aside his practice and moves towards the city,En route he comes across a dog writhing in agony of a maggot infested wound,Overcome with wholesome compassion he attempts in vain to attract the maggots away…by offering a piece of his own flesh,Such was the intent and content of his extreme empathy…the situation did his sensitivity so enmesh,That he tries to wean away the maggots through body contact…using his tongue…so as not to hurt the wriggling worms, yet provide relief to the tormented canine…Closing his eyes he inches closer to the wound of the dog, trying to remove the maggots with his tongue and then place them on a part of his own flesh…Even as he attempts to thus ease out the acute suffering of this distressed being,The dog disappears,And bathed in luminescence, radiant and resplendent before him appears –Buddha Maitreya…As Maitreya explains – Asanga’s own past impurities had impaired his vision preventing him from ‘seeing’ the Lord who was and is ever present with him ……Just when all seems dim……It was only then…When his karuna (compassion) matches….is in harmony with…corresponds and attunes to his knowledge and perception,…When kindred spirit elevates his wisdom and comprehension, that he is able to discern the presence of Maitreya……and Maitreya in turn…is visible unto him… And so, dear child, it was only when Asanga’s kindness was all surpassing,His heart consumed with love and consideration,Towards all sentient beings he had the courage to show compassion…He was able to perceive the Lord with his senses…When he did his ways appraise…He was able to find the ever present Lord before his gaze… Let these words of Beloved Bhagawan enhance your compassion to reveal the essence of divinity waiting for you…within close reach…quite simply…inside of you…Thus spoke the Lord – Behind all the activity is the Omnipresent Lord, the Creator, the Life Force, the unity within the whole, and the force that manifests as each one of you – each animal, each plant, each insect, every stone.  They are all Mine and part of the whole. When a devotee seeks with humility and purity to give seva and prema to My creatures who are in need of such selfless service and sublime love; when he considers all creatures as My children, as his beloved brothers and sisters, as the blessed manifestations of My immanence, then in fulfilment of My role as Sathya Sai, I descend to help, accompany and carry that yogi.  I am always near such a yogi to guide him and to shower My love on his life.Listen child, the Creator always remains alongside

There Is Only One Language – The Language Of The Heart Song Celestial Bhagavad Gita, the essence of Vedas and Upanishads, has many Shlokas that echo the Vedic doctrine of one-ness of humanity. Bhagawan Sri Krishna even went on declaring that He is The Friend of all creatures -’Suhridam Sarva Bhutanam’. He went on declaring “Ishwara Sarva Bhutanam” that He, The Lord, has the same affection for all creatures, and whosoever remembers Him, resides in Him, and the Lord in turn…. We have heard Bhagawan echoing these, His own, declarations during the Krishna time, time and again, enforcing humanity to “Love All Serve All” sans any reservations…Read on an inspiring story from Sri Jullie Chaudhuri featuring a ‘Royal Rescue’, wherein Language of the Heart overcame the might of external power, saving six blind and emaciated lionesses from a Circus troupe, achieved with fervent prayer for Bhagawan’s Divine intervention. Yet another inspiring tale for you and me to follow His dictum…Love All Serve All – Help Ever Hurt Never… It was her time-off from duties as a stewardess. She was in Mumbai, her base station, for a few days. She read the news about the circus in town. A string of questions began flashing across her mind. Why do we make wild animals do silly tricks? Just for a few laughs? To amuse us out of our boredom?Surely we can find better things to do? Aren’t they born free to lead their life the way they should? Are we so lost for entertainment that we stoop to unethical means just for fun? How can we be entertained at the cost of another’s discomfort? She wondered and wondered about how the animals would have been trapped, ensnared, snatched away from their families and then made to submit to human will, forced to mimic ‘their’ ways. Let’s hear in her own words this true life account of a ‘Royal Rescue’ where the Language of the Heart overcame the might of external power. As far back as I can stretch my memory, this episode took place around mid October 1997. A few days later a dear friend and colleague, called to ask if I would be interested in rescuing six blind and emaciated lionesses from the Golden Circus. Swami had heard me grumble, object and protest! “Reach Out” had always been my theme in life. Reach out to whomever, whenever, however… for that gave life a sense of purpose, a kind of happy feeling that said, ‘Hey, I don’t know if I really was of any use, but this gives me a nice feeling inside of me’.The matter had reached the Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court and a legal battle was on for the rescue. Some of those who strongly believed in “Ahimsa” and ethical rights and who were pained to see the plight of these magnificent creatures now reduced to this most pathetic and appalling state had decided to move court. Not only were the lionesses blind and all ‘skin and bones’ but had loose motions too. Their names were –  (1) Basanti, (2) Lily, (3) Gauri, (4) Tina, (5) Ganga and (6) Sita. Three Veterinary Doctors certified them as – Basanti and Ganga were totally blind in both eyes. Lily was partially blind while Tina was blind in one eye and had a cataract in the other. Gauri was pregnant. All of the lionesses were very weak, dehydrated and unfit to ‘work’ in the circus. They were beaten, whipped, goaded by sharp instruments in their abdomen and one of them was even tied with a rope and picked up by her tail.  The Circus owners had influence, might and money on their side but our strength lay in compassion and prayer. My friend who knew my passion for prayer and belief in its outcome, plagued me to pray ‘like I had never prayed before’. I clutched my picture of Swami…it fitted into my palm…and intensely started praying for relief.Visualising His Lotus Feet, in that court room, I became a mythical lawyer pleading to Him, the Supreme Judge…I sought His immediate Divine Intervention. Did He not say time and again “Ishwara Sarva Bhutanam” and that “All are One, be alike to everyone”, so also “All beings belong to Me”…? These mute creatures were His children too and they needed Him here and now! The Circus owners looked quite confident and intimidating and the case went on, the Judge seemed to tilt in their favour and I stepped up my pleas to Bhagawan. Diwali was fast approaching and the Courts would be shutting down, the darkness had to lift, the cause was just.The flame in the heart turned intense, the Judge was replaced. This time it was a lady – strict, with a ‘no nonsense’ attitude and to top it all she had a kind and understanding heart. Just a day before closure of Courts she gave her verdict and the judgement was in favour of releasing the animals! 30th October 1997…it was Diwali and my mother’s birthday too…and we had by way of this court order received a wonderful gift from Beloved Bhagawan.I kissed those Lotus Feet in my mind! And saw Him smile! All set we approached the Circus Tent late evening for the animals. It was silent and dark. But the managers refused to cooperate and give us their vans to transport the animals. It was the night preceding Diwali and I prayed – Tamasomaa Jyotirgamayaa. We were disappointed that night but undeterred. We returned the next morning having made our own arrangements for transporting the six royals that the Lord had allowed us to rescue. Faith, patience, determination, love and compassion had won. We followed the Van to the National Park where the lionesses were released for the time being in to cages, as they had to undergo medical care, treatment and recovery. Though they were blind and in gaunt condition, they had been made to perform their tricks which they did as per their training and which they had perforce grown into. It would be a while before they healed from

Start Early…Drive Slowly…Reach Safely… Do you have love for animals, birds and other creatures? If so, here is a real incident happened in as recent as Nov 2011, on the busy road near Deccan Gymkhana, Pune. The story has an inspiring tale, a resolve to follow Bhagawan’s dictum “Love All Serve All”, “Help Ever Hurt Never”, shown by a young journalist based in the city. The Lord Who introduced the Universal Prayer, ‘Samasta Lokaha Sukhino Bhavantu’ lived His life loving His creation sans any reservation, emitting His Love Unbounded on all life forms. Rightly, He introduced another Universal Prayer, ‘Samasta Jeevah Sukhino Bhavantu’ encompassing all life forms under His loving care and protection. Read a poem, a third person’s account from Sri Jullie Chaudhuri, on this young lady journalist’s adventure to save a wounded, abandoned horse. Indeed a lesson for you and me, to follow His Message!!! The car sped along the road,To miss this event,They just couldn’t afford,Traffic lights, vehicles swishing by,Cycles, Scooters, Cars, Pedestrians,None heard the cry,For there was no cry,Though wounded in several places severely,The abandoned horse lay silently,It’s breathing laboured,It’s vision blurred,Surrounded by swarming flies,Yet there was not a murmur,Nor a stir… She saw this scene from afar,As she came up close,She stopped her car,She had to do something,She had to,Though her boss sitting beside her,Asked her to carry on and not to,No doubt right now she was on duty as a journalist,But helping a fellow being in need,She just couldn’t resist… She got down and handed her boss the keys,Asking him to carry on without her… please,To another’s suffering,She couldn’t turn a blind eye,This is what she had learnt from her Guru,Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai… As he heard her statement,Her boss said,“Your feelings are well meant,But that is just an animal…And they are generally ignored,By most people…”Sir, that is why I am doing,What I have to do,Someone has to reach out,And I am sure you know this to be true,This could happen to anyone,To me or to you,In this case it is an animal,But they have feelings too,They get hurt, they feel pain,But they don’t show it like we do,They don’t scream and shout,Or lash about,Or raise a hullaballoo,Quietly and stoically, They bear their agony through… The boss heard her,And what’s more he waited too,She caressed the horse gently,Speaking soothing words lovingly,Whispering many a Sai Ram softly,Out came her box of Vibhuti,She applied it on the wounds carefully,Even as she called welfare workers,For assistance urgently,A crowd began to gather,She enlightened them too –Animals have feelings,Just like me and you,They may seem mute,But they have a language of their own,When they face injuries and old age,Them you must never disown,Especially when they have worked for you,And you have depended on them for your earnings too,How can you abandon them,When they have no strength?When they have brought you the income and comfort,That you have enjoyed and known?For then you must remember,You will only go on to reap,What you on your own have karmically sown… The boss watched all this silently,Standing by,It seemed to him,His employee had only one ‘Boss’,And that is Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai,When she got back into the car,As the Animal Welfare Ambulance drove away,The boss had this to say  –“So much wisdom in one so young…?From where has it sprung…?”“Start Early,Drive Slowly,Reach Safely,Has made me what I am today,Youth is the time to invest,And indeed I am blessed,That my Guru’s message,Touched my heart,Helping me make an ‘early’ start… The boss looked at her,Admiring her courage,Her determination and her pledge,He had learnt a lesson that day,From one so young,It had touched a chord hitherto unsung –Words should match deeds,Theory must flow into practice,Before time does youth dismiss,And habits along with age,Have you in a grip,Old attachments to a thought process,People and things,Lead to many a slip,Start Early,Drive Slowly,Reach safely,Ah! What a deep meaning it sent forth,Inner and outer journey – It meant both,To stop and reach out, The boss was no longer loath,This incident in fact,Had led to his growth…“Indeed you are lucky, my dear,”He did finally sigh,“To have been drawn to such a Persona,Such profound truths His words do imply, Ever so fortunate you are,To live in the aura, In the immense presence,Of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai…”

Why Do Seva For Animals? If man believes in the Fatherhood Of God, then he is bound to follow His precept “All Are One…” fulfilling His dictum, acting upon it, by being “Alike To Everyone…” Quoting Bhagawan’s precious gems on service to the co-inhabiting world of creatures, Ms. Mercini Sheratt writes about the supreme significance of doing service to animals and other creatures, bringing in interesting tales of rare instincts of love and gratitude shown by the co-existing world of creatures. “Foster the tiny seed of Love that clings to ‘me’ and ‘mine’, let it sprout into Love for the group around you, and grow into Love for all mankind, and spread out its branches over animals, birds, and those that creep and crawl, and let the Love enfold all things and all beings in all the worlds.  Proceed from less Love to more Love, narrow Love to expanded Love.” (Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 8, ch. 16) Once, when presented with seva projects for human beings, Bhagawan said: “What about the animals?  They need help too.  My love embraces the animal kingdom as well as the human kingdom and so should yours……….it should not just be limited to human beings.” (source: Dr. Narendranath Reddy,UK medical conference, September 2011).  To another devotee, He has said, “Real Seva is animal seva”. Bhagawan tells us that we can learn many good qualities from our animal friends and below, you can see a remarkable act of kindness by one of them: “Two blind people wanted to drink water at the RagiGudda temple, Bangalore. When they were unable to operate the tap, this mother monkey opened the tap for them, allowed them to drink water, drank some water herself and then closed the tap before leaving the scene.”  (extract from an Indian newspaper) Please note well!  If a monkey can do this act of kindness for human beings, then can’t we humans also do this for our animal brothers and sisters?  Many people do feed stray animals and wild creatures and birds,  while many more never think of it…………..but hey, what a shining example this monkey is to the human beings who don’t ……she is clearly not ‘speciest’ like many humans or prejudiced against members of other species in need. No life can be sustained without water or food.  This applies to all life forms and while humans suffer terribly when they do not have enough water to drink or food to eat, so do our fellow creatures……..especially in extreme weather conditions such as the intense and simmering summer heat of summer or freezing winter. And the love and care that we give towards those in animal form is never wasted for the same atma flows through us all.    As Bhagawan says: “When you love and look after an animal, you help to lift the whole of creation.  If you cannot care for an animal, then at least feed the birds and wild creatures.” (‘Sathya Sai Speaks’ – Vol 10/Ch 36) While they may not be able to thank us in words, those who have fed and cared for animals, wild or domestic,  have often experienced their loving gratitude in other ways.  Our love attracts their love and helps us to realise the Oneness behind all forms. A small example of this occurred at the time of the passing away of Lawrence Anthony, a highly regarded and remarkable conservationist and environmentalist who could communicate heart to heart with elephants.  He had been particularly successful in taming and ‘normalising’ a herd of wild, traumatised and rogue elephants, ‘delinquents, every one of them’ in Zululand, South Africa.  Although he had not seen the elephants for 15 months as he had had to distance them for their own safety, on the day that he died without warning in March 2012, the whole herd appeared out of nowhere and stood silently outside his house as if to pay homage to the human being who had so loved and understood them.  We know that elephants mourn their loved ones and to them, he had become a beloved family member. Somehow, on their jungle telegraph, they had intuited that he had passed away. A kind and loving soul who has kept a small animal sanctuary for years told me the following story:  Alerted by her dog’s barking one day, she found a wounded baby pigeon beside him which had fallen out of a tree.  She rescued and hand reared it while it lived with her and her other pets for about five weeks……………..then one day, it was ready to leave and join others of its kind. For 4 years it lived freely, often in her garden.  She could tell which pigeon it was because it recognised its name and was not afraid of her dog, with whom it had lived before.  Then one day, it appeared at her patio door, very sick, walked in, greeted her, the dog and the resident crow in turn and then went into its old cage which was still there. It settled down and the next day, quietly passed away.  It had come home to die where it knew it was loved and safe.   A few days before it reappeared, she saw the outline of a pigeon on her window pane………..photo below………..rather like an angel bird……………perhaps an omen of what was to come. An old neighbour of mine used to feed some badgers every night, as indeed many people do……….and I know, because I saw it with my own eyes, that these badgers would announce their arrival in the dark by banging on his patio door.  The food was then served and once they had finished it, they would bang on the patio door again, indicating that they would like a second helping!……..Their visit and their playful antics gave him such delight that it was not a one-way giving…….. “When a devotee seeks with humility and purity to give seva and prema to My creatures who are in need of such selfless service and sublime love;  when he