Balvikas
Divine Words of wisdom by Sathya Sai Baba - With Balvikas
1. Through Love we can achieve anything
Description
Always and at all time you should have the feeling of Love. From the time you get up in the morning, till the time you go back to bed, you should always be smiling and you should be full of love and you should show kindness and tenderness. ‘Happiness is Union with God’, if you are happy at all times, it means you are with God permanently. ‘Start the day with love, fill the day with love, spend the day with love and this is the way to God’. Imprint such sacred sayings in your mind and develop yourselves into useful citizens and be always good balvikas children. It may be that Ramakrishna Paramahamsa had just one disciple in either Brahmananda or Vivekananda but today we have so many Ramakrishna Paramahamsas, Brahmanandas and Vivekanandas. I hope you will grow into good disciples and develop yourselves into citizens, who are worthy of the traditions of this country.
2. Follow balvikas teachings all your life
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Description
Embodiment’s of Love! Since you are children of Balvikas and since you have already understood and are in contact with the ideals of Sai, there is no need for me to speak to you at any great length. I am hoping that by your education, you will be able to turn your minds and hearts into the shape of tender and sacred creepers and thereby be useful citizens for the country. Just because you are in Balvikas and you are the members of Balvikas, you accept the principles and ideals and put them into practice and when you grow a little older and join the colleges, you should not give-up those good practices. Whatever the nature and the environment into which you may be thrown, you should make it a practice that you do not give-up the good qualities you have acquired and the good practices you have acquired while being the members of balvikas.
3. Reverence to Parents linked to Indian culture
Description
All the boys and girls who belong to balvikas should in the very first instance learn to give regard and affection to the mother, father and the teacher. Today you young children will soon grow and some of you will become mothers, some of you will become fathers, it is only when you are young and when you learn to respect your mother and father, your children in turn will respect you and will show regard to you. It is in the experience of the citizens of Bharat that whatever kind of seed you put into the ground. The tree that will sprout out of it will be corresponding to the seed that you put in. So also the kind of food that you take in, will determine the nature of the belch that will come out. Your life is like a seed.You should change the seed of life and let it grow into a tree, you should also see that out of that tree, fruits of bliss and happiness come and you will be able to experience those fruits of bliss and happiness. If this tender plant in its young age gets crooked and gets a curved shape then the whole tree will become crooked. So this period of your life, you should really feel that you have spent in a fruitful manner and in a sacred manner. Out of this period you should get sacred education, when you get sacred education at this part of your life, you will be able to learn the contents of our spiritual texts like Bhagavatha, Bhagavadgitha, Ramayana. Not only your spiritual texts you should also acquaint yourself with texts of other religions like the Bible,Quran. Our country has been known to be the treasure house of the spiritual knowledge. In such a country which has the reputation of having being the treasure house of spiritual knowledge, today, unfortunately injustice, hatred and jealousy are sowing their ugly head. While the country is full of such injustice, hatred and jealousy, you boys and girls of Balvikas, I am hoping that you grow into such citizens who will re-establish shanthi, prema and dharma in this country.
4. Children have tender hearts; Mould them
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Description
Boys and girls who are the future citizens of this country and those who are responsible for the future welfare of this country. You are like the foundations for the future of this country. You are also like the roofs for the tree for this country. Children’s minds are like creepers which will go around a tree. It is only when the elders can make this creepers creep around the tree properly, that we will have prosperity and will have a proper decoration for the country. The creepers in the young minds are these boys and girls, who have to be put in the right path. It is only when they are put in the right path, they will be able to get prosperity for the country. We have to recognize that it is only by spreading the minds of this tender children in the proper way that we can look to the future of this country.The children have pure, unwavering, sweet minds.The teachers should recognize this and put in their efforts, give their life, the moral, spiritual support and give them an appropriate background.
5. Role of Balvikas Gurus and Parents
Description
Teachers, who are verily embodiment of Divine souls, must imprint in their mind that it is very necessary to identify and understand the holy culture of our country Bharath. I am hoping that from today onwards teachers with sacred hearts must prepare students to become ideal citizens of our country and groom them. So that, they can spread the holy ideals and objectives. Parents of some children are not readily coming forward to enroll their children in the Balvikas classes.You should explain to such parents about the true importance of balvikas and make an attempt to join their children in balvikas group.Truly, 80% of the parents are only thinking that their children should pursue higher education, should go to America, should acquire higher degrees and should do a big job. But they are not understanding the truth that, how their children are entering the wrong path and leading a desecrated life. Parents are not questioning their children even if they return home late at midnight after watching movies and playing cards. But they are punishing them even after attending Sathya Sai balvikas classes or some spiritual congregation.Hence, parents to an extent are also responsible for spoiling their children.
6. Swami teachings to balvikas teachers
Description
Modern-day teachers, 90 out of 100 have no spiritual knowledge. They should recognize the truth that because of this condition they are doing great injustice to their country.Teachers should come out of the notion that they are just working for salary and instead should sacrifice their lives in shaping the future of the students. Sacrifice and good character are like two wheels of the chariot and these are the two qualities which are required in modern-day teachers. A chariot without two wheels, or a bird without two wings are prone to accident. Therefore, it is necessary that the teachers must be given a systematic training and orientation, to bring discipline into their jobs. A teacher must take necessary steps to prevent the student from developing bad qualities like stealing and lying to others. In this context, a teacher should encompass these truths and morals into small, attractive moral stories and parables and they must be professed to the students. The hearts of these children are pure and selfless and at this stage whatever you teach them will be imprinted firmly and will remain for the rest of their lives. So, the teachers should spend some time and show interest in these young boys of pure heart and they should also have some discipline in them which is very important. It is necessary for the teachers to get an appropriate training. The teachers of balvikas should make no distinction between religions and castes and , whoever comes to the teacher, if christian children comes to you, you can teach them about the bible, if the Muslim children come to you, you can teach them about the Quran, if the Hindu children comes to you and if there is no possibility to teach them vedas or shastras, you can teach them small stories out of ramayana, Bharatha, and Krishna Tattwa which is very important. Those teachers who have such equal mindedness and who are impartial will be deserved to be called as teachers. It is only when the teachers have such an equal mindedness and do not distinguish between one religion and another or between one sect and another, will be able to propagate such good ideas. There is only one caste, it is the caste of humanity, there is only one religion, and that is the religion of love, when you remember these two things, then this world will become as one home. One eye of equal mindedness and impartial, and other eye showing love, these two should constitute your vision and the teachers of balvikas should pay attention to both these eyes.
7. Impart both Spiritual and Secular education
Description
Spiritual education provides permanent happiness, lasting prosperity and welfare of the world.Today it is not like that. There are no educated people in the world. A educated person is not able to help and give happiness to rest of the world with the education he is getting. In the olden days, students would serve their gurus, learn spiritual education and thus by earning the grace of guru. Even today their names have been ever glowing in our country. Yes, it is also necessary to pursue such worldly education, but that which gives you bliss is only spiritual education. All the worldly education is like a tasteless water. Spiritual education is like a sugar. It is only when we mix these two, the spiritual education and worldly education, we can enjoy the sweet bliss that is contained therein, experience self satisfaction and attain the knowledge of Brahman.This kind of education is like the negative without the positive.Today it is for this reason, wherever you see in this country, the agitation of the students are ubiquitously increasing.Thus, it is the role of balvikas gurus to try to propagate such sacred education and suppress that kind of education which causes obstruction in minds of students.
8. Concept of Four F
Description
Boys and girls! In your life you should pay great attention to certain things which we will call the four F’s. Four F’s the first F is ‘Follow the master’. The second F is ‘Face the devil’. The third one is ‘Fight to the end ‘. The fourth one is ‘Finish the game’. These four F’s follow the master, face the devil, fight till the end and finish the game, these four F’s, you should establish them as four pillars on which your life will be supported.The first F is Follow the master. Who is the master? He is the Father. Father is one who gives you education.Father is one who protects you, looks after your welfare and whose blood you are sharing. If on such father you have no faith and you do not follow him then you will be deceiving your own self.
10. Balvikas children must lead a Dharmic path
Description
There are many students in our colleges with varied experiences who were wandering in many ways outside and were addicted to many bad things. Such students after joining in our college are becoming best students and the kind of ideal life which they are leading cannot be identified by others except Sai himself. Young children like 9 year olds or 10 year olds, are smoking cigarettes and beedis, and going to places where they can drink alcohol. Parents are not properly training their children who indulge in all these bad habits and instead think that their children are doing something really great and go on boasting that their son is able to smoke 10 cigarettes a day which is an insult to them. There are parents who will pat on the back of the boy, and say you have done a great job by playing cards for the whole night and earned ten rupees. How their future will become consecrated if the students instead of studying indulge in all bad vices and bad habits. If the plant in its tender age were to become crooked and get a curved shape, then the whole tree too will be crooked.The Balvikas teachers must take responsibility to bring such educated parents closer to them by attracting them with sweet and soft words and explaining them the right situations.Therefore, it is imperative to provide training to these teachers for at least 3 months. While there are many other things which our balvikas teachers have to acquire, experience and learn, yet one after another it is necessary to put them on a right path.
11. What is the role of Balvikas Gurus
Description
Today the teachers are responsible for all the agitations and confusion happening in our country. How can such teachers communicate, demonstrate and show a ideal path to children.Today a good teacher is more essential than a good student. If one student is bad only he will get spoiled, but if one teacher is bad thousands of students will get spoiled. The future of the Bharath rests on the shoulders of the teachers. The teachers by showing sufficient forbearance and working hard can provide a great service to our country. There are two paths which one can follow here, one is the path of Diksha, and the second is the path of Siksha. We should enquire and find the true meaning of these two words Diksha and Siksha. Diksha means to teach students some stories, or to make them read some verses, or to make them memorize some words or to make them chant mantras.This kind of Diksha will not make them sacred or will not make them prosper in future. Even certain amount of Siksha is required to this. Siksha means to train them to control their sense organs by teaching yoga, to provide them strength of faith relating to any name. We should provide them education at the age when they are mentally, physically and spiritually strong. If they are not able to control their sense organs when they are in youth, it will not be possible for them to control when they become old.
12. Impart Indian culture to Balvikas Students
Description
Our ancient Bharatiya culture was essentially based upon discipline and control of one’s own self. Today the students have reached a stage where they don’t need any discipline and control.They have replaced discipline with complete freedom and replaced control by developing anger.They are roaming around here and there without being able to recognize what is freedom. “The end of education is Character”. It is also imperative to recognize that the end of wisdom is freedom. Today there is no wisdom among these boys. They are only becoming deaf and dumb. Having been born in this sacred country of Bharat and having obtained a sacred human birth, they are becoming foolish as they are not able to understand the significance of spiritual education. This misunderstanding is a big loss to our country. The teachers should get hold of such students with diligence and must sacrifice if necessary, to impart Bharatiya culture to them and try to see that it is imprinted in their heart.
13. Relation of Balvikas students and Gurus
Description
The close connection that should exist between the balvikas students and Gurus should be for the goal of controlling one’s own senses.The teachers should be good guides, and the students should be ideal recipients of such good ideas.Teachers should play the role of an alarm time pieces.The students, who are lost in the sleep of ignorance, should be woken up by these Gurus through the teaching of Prajnana (spiritual wisdom); they should be exhorted to, ‘awaken, arise and strive towards the goal.’ Ignorance strengthens ones ego. Ego is like a great sin. It has been said, “Death is sweeter than blindness of ignorance”. Where there is a teacher, ignorance disappears. But if one has ignorance, one cannot find a teacher. So long as one has ego, it is not possible to find a real Guru. Unfortunately, today in the world, there are plenty of greedy teachers and lazy students.Today, there is a great need for students with sharp intellect and teachers who can sacrifice. It’s not great to give away objects, but it is indeed great to give away one’s own self. It is only when there is a close relationship and connection between the teacher and the student, whatever is taught will take the shape of spiritual knowledge.
14. Swami teachings to balvikas teachers
Description
Modern-day teachers, 90 out of 100 have no spiritual knowledge. They should recognize the truth that because of this condition they are doing great injustice to their country.Teachers should come out of the notion that they are just working for salary and instead should sacrifice their lives in shaping the future of the students. Sacrifice and good character are like two wheels of the chariot and these are the two qualities which are required in modern-day teachers. A chariot without two wheels, or a bird without two wings are prone to accident. Therefore, it is necessary that the teachers must be given a systematic training and orientation, to bring discipline into their jobs. A teacher must take necessary steps to prevent the student from developing bad qualities like stealing and lying to others. In this context, a teacher should encompass these truths and morals into small, attractive moral stories and parables and they must be professed to the students. The hearts of these children are pure and selfless and at this stage whatever you teach them will be imprinted firmly and will remain for the rest of their lives. So, the teachers should spend some time and show interest in these young boys of pure heart and they should also have some discipline in them which is very important. It is necessary for the teachers to get an appropriate training. The teachers of balvikas should make no distinction between religions and castes and , whoever comes to the teacher, if christian children comes to you, you can teach them about the bible, if the Muslim children come to you, you can teach them about the Quran, if the Hindu children comes to you and if there is no possibility to teach them vedas or shastras, you can teach them small stories out of ramayana, Bharatha, and Krishna Tattwa which is very important. Those teachers who have such equal mindedness and who are impartial will be deserved to be called as teachers. It is only when the teachers have such an equal mindedness and do not distinguish between one religion and another or between one sect and another, will be able to propagate such good ideas. There is only one caste, it is the caste of humanity, there is only one religion, and that is the religion of love, when you remember these two things, then this world will become as one home. One eye of equal mindedness and impartial, and other eye showing love, these two should constitute your vision and the teachers of balvikas should pay attention to both these eyes.
15. Impart both Spiritual and Secular education
Description
Spiritual education provides permanent happiness, lasting prosperity and welfare of the world.Today it is not like that. There are no educated people in the world. A educated person is not able to help and give happiness to rest of the world with the education he is getting. In the olden days, students would serve their gurus, learn spiritual education and thus by earning the grace of guru. Even today their names have been ever glowing in our country. Yes, it is also necessary to pursue such worldly education, but that which gives you bliss is only spiritual education. All the worldly education is like a tasteless water. Spiritual education is like a sugar. It is only when we mix these two, the spiritual education and worldly education, we can enjoy the sweet bliss that is contained therein, experience self satisfaction and attain the knowledge of Brahman.This kind of education is like the negative without the positive.Today it is for this reason, wherever you see in this country, the agitation of the students are ubiquitously increasing.Thus, it is the role of balvikas gurus to try to propagate such sacred education and suppress that kind of education which causes obstruction in minds of students.
16 .Be grateful to balvikas gurus
Description
Boys and Girls, you are the future of our country, having been born in the sacred land of Bharata, having accepted the responsibility for maintaining and continuing the great traditions of the country, for promising to fight against injustice, bad conduct and untruth, we have to say in this context, that such a sacred congregation of boys and girls is something which is very vital and important. Just as the well being of a tree rests solely on the goodness of the roots under the tree, just as the security of a big building rests on the strong foundations of the building, so also the future of ones life rests very much on the strength we give in its childhood. To enable the lives of children to achieve all this, joining balvikas and learn therefrom stories that illumine the tradition and our culture, the considerable amount of help given to you by the teachers of Balavikas is something for which you should feel extremely grateful throughout your life.
17. Balvikas children must take up service
Description
Tender hearted boys and Girls, in the very first instance, you must take upon yourself the aspect of service. You should never allow ego or arrogance to enter your mind. It is only when you do some service, and become a servant; you will be in a position to become a leader and lead. Without becoming a servant, you never earn the right to become a leader. You can rise to a position of Shankara, the protector only after first being a “Kinkara”. All the boys and girls need to be disciplined with great care. You have to regard devotion, discipline and duty as the very life breath of your life. Recognise the importance of the three attributes, Satva, Raja, and tamo as divine and thus conduct your life. Therefore, while you are at this young and sacred age, if you do not recognize what is the appropriate kind of work, when and how you have to do work, you will only be wasting time.
18. Students should not hate each other
Description
Embodiments of love! In your classes, there may be small differences between individuals. On the basis of those small differences you should not develop hatred. I hope the teachers would teach the children with their soothing and loving words and avoid promoting hatred. All of you should regard yourself as children of God. You have to have the belief that man’s brotherhood and Gods fatherhood are your two eyes. If you can promote this brotherhood of man and fatherhood of God in you, automatically there will be fear for evil and love for god.
19. Swami's teachings for Balvikas Gurus
Description
Today in the context of there being about 5000 Balvikas gurus and if each teacher can set right at least 100 students, then the whole country can be improved in a large measure. What is the progress that we have made in the past four years is a question we should ask ourselves. We should look carefully at everything that each one of us does. The students who learn with a guru, who has Satvik ideas will also develop the same. If we therefore want sacred ideas to be developed and promoted in the students, first thing to do is to develop sacred ideas and thoughts in the minds of the teachers. The first step which one has to take is to see that in the teacher’s mind that there are no jealousy, hatred or any such bad qualities. Most importantly among the teachers, they must make an attempt that they do not make the same mistake which are committed in the realm of politics. Teachers should not form themselves into small groups. If some teachers become famous or reputed, then the other teachers become jealous. All the gurus should regard themselves as brothers and sisters and should promote the divine aspect of atma and regard themselves as promoters of one idea, that of Atma. In human lives, it is possible that at one moment or other, bad ideas may come in the minds. But what task you have undertaken is to become the gurus of Sathya Sai balvikas. If some bad qualities come in the way of other teachers there is not much danger, as will result if they enter the minds of the balvikas teachers.
20. Balvikas role in Society
Description
Today we see demons dancing in our society in the form of injustice and hatred. Our ancestors gave us our great culture that has come to us as the spiritual heritage. I am hoping that boys and girls trained through Bal Vikas, with courage will assume the leadership of this country will be in a position to drive away these demons who are spoiling our social structure. In the train of our social life, boys and girls have to undertake a rather long journey. The elders amongst you are like travellers are those who will get off the journey very soon either at the next station or the second station or the third station. You boys and girls will have to understand and take in your own hands the security of this train of the society to make this rather long journey of life. The affairs of the world, depends on the individual countries that make up the world. The affairs of a country, in turn depends on the society. The society finally depends upon the nature and the individual that comprises the society. You are the individuals that make the society. You will have to very cautiously correct this social structure and look after the well-being of the river, your country. You have the responsibility to take this river to the ocean, which is the universe. The first ideal of Balvikas is to be able to first understand and then spread universal love. You should be able to reach satisfaction through universal love.
