Divine Words of wisdom by Sathya Sai Baba – On Karma

1. Sevadal should take up the path of Karma; With analogy

x1979-05-25

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In order to arrest the tendencies which are unfair and unjust sometimes we have to adopt that path. Suppose we come to know that thieves have entered the house at night and as soon as we come to know that, the robbers try to run away through thorny bushes. Instead of following through the thorny bushes to catch them, if we try to catch them by a car on a smooth road, we would not be able to catch them. In order to catch the thief we must pursue the path which the thief had followed. Likewise, when we want to help those who are in trouble or distress we must also be prepared to undergo the difficulties. Therefore, we must first enter the path of work and through that we must attain wisdom. In today’s world when we want to put an end to the evil practices it is only through such path that we can set them right. A thorn in the foot can be removed by another thorn. If we want to remove the dirt on the cloth, it has to be washed by dirt. In earlier days we used to use some material like soil to wash our dirty clothes. In the same way we cut a diamond using a diamond. Similarly we must attain Karma through karma. So for the members of the sevadal this path of karma is most ideal and sacred one.

2. Work, worship and wisdom; Karma Marga

x1979-05-25

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“Work is worship”. Sevadals must work with the body, worship with the mind and merge in wisdom through heart. They must cultivate these three ideals, ‘work’, ‘worship’ and ‘wisdom’. Working with the body, worshipping God with the mind we must attain the state of Ananda in the heart. But without work, worship is of no importance. Work is comparable to a flower. This flower in course of time develops, the petals drop off and the tender fruit develops. So this tender unripe fruit in course of time becomes a juicy fruit. So without the flower, you cannot get the raw fruit and without the raw fruit you will not get the ripe juicy fruit. Therefore “work” is the flower, “worship” is the raw fruit and “wisdom” is the juicy fruit. From the three planes we must carry on the three avenues of activity. Social service, individual practise, universal love– through these three avenues the Sathya Sai Organizations must be expanded. Swami gives you another example so that when you go back you can infuse enthusiasm in other sevadals. These three, work, worship and wisdom have only one goal. Several of us undertake a journey, travelling by an ordinary train. This train travels up to a station, and stops. Then we need to wait and catch another train. In this process we may experience some inconvenience and trouble. So when we travel by an ordinary train there will be loss of time and many other troubles. This ordinary train stops at all stations equally. In the ordinary train, sometimes there will be a ‘through carriage’. Changing of trains is made easy by this ‘through carriage’ as it will be attached to another train without our getting down. And the third is a ‘through train’ which runs through. Though there may be difficulties and disturbances in the path of karma , if we undertake it, it will be useful in the long run. In order to alleviate the pain and suffering of others, in order to comfort others, we have to enter the Karma marga, the path of karma.

3. Karma, Janma, Dharma and Brahma

x1983-03-17

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The castle of Hindu philosophy has the concepts of karma, janma, dharma and brahma as its walls. For any size house, four walls are essential; then is it not imperative that the huge wide mansion of hindu philosophy requires four walls? These four attributes must coexist amicably. One cannot escape the results of one’s deeds; whether done knowingly or unknowingly one must bear the consequences thereof. Action cannot be without a consequence; actions, good or a bad, will yield result if not today, tomorrow. Hence it is this doctrine of karma which stands as the cardinal principle for every man’s life. “Man is born through his actions, Man is sustained by his actions, Man dies by his actions, Actions lead man to God, Actions are the cause for joy and sorrow in the world!” It is through karma that one is endowed with life. What is the secret behind the existence? “Sareera madhyam khalu dharma sadhanam!!”—the body has been given to undertake righteous action, hence one must uphold righteousness. One can attain the divine by following dharma. The Gita proclaims that the day dharma, the righteousness, declines, God incarnates as an avatar. All said and done what one sees in the form of body, is nothing but a manifestation of God Himself who takes the form of man to restore righteousness.

4. Importance of Karma or action with Analogy

x1978-11-22

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Actions are very important. Animal is born in Karma, it grows in Karma and ends in Karma. Karma is God to man, Karma is the basis for sorrow and happiness in this world. For our happiness or for our sorrow, the actions that we do are the primary cause. For the uplift of man or his downfall, actions are responsible. So, by doing good actions, by thinking good thoughts and leading a good life, to attain a good position is man’s responsibility. In the Vedas, the first part is Karma. This has also been called Samhitamu. This is a synonym for Karma. The second part is called Brahmana. Brahmana describes the manner of Upasana or worship. Third part is Upanishads. Upanishads deal with wisdom, Jnana. Karma, Upasana and Jnana that is work, worship and wisdom, these three are such that they cannot be separated from each other. Without a flower there cannot be a unripe fruit in this world, without an unripe fruit, there can be no ripe fruit. Without actions, to cultivate devotion is difficult. Without devotion, we cannot become wise. Thus, these three, work, worship and wisdom are not different aspects. These three are inextricably connected with each other. It is not at all possible to separate them from each other. They are one contained in other. This is a piece of cloth. There are threads in it. In the thread, there is cotton. Just as cotton, thread and cloth are inextricably connected and included in each other, so also work, worship and wisdom are one. If there is no cotton there is no thread, if there is no thread, you cannot have cloth. Thus, though names are different, the basic material is the same. From childhood, youth, from youth old age – all are intertwined. In one single individual, is it possible to separate his childhood, his youth and his old age? It is the same entity in three separate stages. In the same manner, as we go performing actions, it takes the shape of selfless actions and transforms into worship. In this, the feeling of love emanates. As a consequence of this prema, love becomes wisdom. The paths of action, worship and wisdom are not three different things and it is essential to prove this by selfless actions.

5. The words, mind, ego and the spirit belong to the same family

x1996-06-25

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Students!! The culture of Bharath is noblest and second to none. Man is sum total of his mind. Mind is the conglomeration of thoughts. Thoughts result in actions. Actions determine the joy and sorrow. Man’s behaviour is the cause for the joy and sorrow that he experiences. One’s behaviour is based on one’s thoughts. Mind is the collection of thoughts. Hence man is called as “Manishi”, human, as he originates from mind. Without mind man cannot be human. The one with mind is “Manishi”, human. Birds and animals do not have a mind. Therefore “Vaak”, word originates from the mind. The mind originated from ego and ego is a reflection of ‘Atma’, the soul. Hence the word, the mind, ego and the soul belong to the same family. Word, mind and ego together help man to attain Divinity. When there is harmonious relationship amidst all the three, then man attains divinity. When there is disharmony among these three it leads to restlessness.

6. The attributes of wisdom – Sraddha, Rutham, Sathya and Yoga

x1996-06-21

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The first one is “Shraddha”. It has two meanings: ‘interest’ and ‘stability’. Shraddha is comprised of two aspects, namely ‘interest’ and ‘stability’. It is not enough if one has just ‘Shraddha’ or interest; one should have full faith in one’s interest. Therefore intellect has these two, namely the ‘interest’ and ‘stability’. The power of intellect is ‘Rutham’. What is its effect? It is the discrimination of good and bad under at all times that is the past, present and future, the three phases of time. The harmony of the thought, word and deed is called as ‘Rutham’. The word ‘Rutham’ is truly applicable only when there is purity in thought, word and deed. Hence the second aspect after ‘Shraddha’ is ‘Rutham’. Expressing the nature of ‘Rutham’ by way of word is called as ‘Sathyam’. ‘Sathyam’ or truth is that spoken word which comes from deep faith in the purity and unity of thought, word and deed. Merely uttering that, which is seen, heard or done, as it is, does not amount to truth or ‘Sathyam’; it only becomes a fact or ‘nizamu’. There is wide difference between truth and fact. There is a gulf of difference between intelligence and intellect; they are considered as same by people who do not know the difference between the two. Therefore truth is the expression of the nature of Rutham in word. The fourth aspect is ‘yoga’. What is ‘yoga’? There are many kinds of ‘yoga’ in the world today. According to Patanjali Yoga sutras yoga is defined as “yogaha chitta vruttinirodhakaha” meaning yoga is to have total control over one’s senses. Yoga means to have all the powers in a human under his control. Having total control is called as yoga. Exercising control over what one hears is yoga; control over smell is yoga; controlling one’s speech is yoga; control over one’s thoughts is yoga- therefore yoga is having control over the five senses. However one has to talk and cannot give up talking. But how should one talk? One must talk with purity and unity of thought, word and deed. One must not engage in arguments over untruth. Arguing about things unknown to oneself is ignorance. Arguments breeds hatred and disunity. Hence Vedas say, “Vaade vaade varjyathe vairam” meaning continuous argument gives scope to enmity. Therefore students should have full faith on the control over the senses. This age is very sacred, divine and a one that lays a royal path to bright future. It is the age where one builds the royal path to bright future. Today’s youngsters are the emancipators of this country. Sense control is the first and foremost lesson that the students should learn. Therefore, the combination of steadfastness, the Rutham, the truth and the yoga amounts to the mighty power. The divine manifestation is the mighty power. In that divinity, exists the Rutham; Sathyam, the truth, shines on this mighty power. Hence it is said that ‘truth is God’. Steadfastness is also divine for it is only through steadfastness that one can aspire to attain knowledge- “Shraddhavaan labhate gyanam”. Gyanam, wisdom, is God. It is said, “Sathyam gyanam anantham brahma!” meaning God is truth, God is wisdom, and God is without limits. Therefore truth is God; Rutham is God, Shraddha is God, Yoga is divine. God has so many names viz., “Yogeeshwara”, “siddhi sankalpa”, “sankalpa siddha”, and “yoga Yogeeshwara”. Of all the five aspects “buddhi” or intellect is the most important. The vedas reiterate this fact as “buddhi graahyam ateendriyam”. Intellect is transcendental, beyond the senses. Comparing such intellect with intelligence is not proper.

7. Three p's important for building good character

x1996-06-24

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Embodiments of Love!! In order to be successful in the field of spirituality, every man must develop the trinity of character. The first one is ‘pavitram’ purity, sanctity. The second one is ‘sahanam’, patience. And the third one is ‘pattudala’, perseverance. These three have been called as ‘pikara trayam’- the three ‘p’s. The first ‘P’ is “purity”. The second ‘P’ is “patience” and the third ‘P’ is “perseverance”. The man, who develops the three aspects of character, sanctifies and redeems his life.