Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

THE sunlight illuminates the entire world and helps the people to carry out their tasks. But the sun has nothing to do with the pleasures and pains of human beings. Likewise, the innumerable problems man faces are related only to his senses and the mind; his consciousness has nothing to do with them. It is said that the devotees search for God. But there is no need for a devotee to go in search of God as He is everywhere. In fact, God is in search of a true devotee whose heart is filled with the spirit of senses.

When you touch a hot iron ball, you say, that your hand is singed by it. But it is not the ball that singed your hand. The fire present within the ball singed your hand. The world, like the iron ball, is not the cause either for the pain or for the pleasure you experience. The divine power is present within you. You do not recognise that power and wail over your sufferings and difficulties.

Strange is the nature of modern man today. He thinks something and speaks something else. He laughs outwardly to conceal his inner wickedness. He appears to be weeping outwardly but inside he really laughs. His outward appearance is that of a human being but his mind is that of a monkey. Such hypocrites and wicked people can never find God. God expects that human beings should live like human beings devoid of such animal qualities. Pure and pious qualities are immanent in man. He should manifest these inherent pure feelings and not the animal and artificial qualities. But man today is going down-hill morally. With all these contrived situations, the world has become a morose and lifeless place.

If money is lost, it can be earned again. If health is lost, it may be possible to regain it. But if time is lost, it can never be regained. So, man should utilise the time at his disposal in the right manner. Money decreases only when you spend it. But man’s life-span decreases on its own with the passage of time. Every individual should be aware of the sharp scimitar called time hanging over his head ever ready to strike. You should not become its victim. You should be careful. Time wasted cannot be regained. It is not like health and money, which can be regained.

To sanctify time, you should take up virtuous actions. Good actions are the result of good feelings only. You should cultivate such pure and divine feelings. Clouds are caused by the sun, but these very clouds overshadow it. Likewise, the clouds of thoughts that originate from the heart cover the heart. So, the source is overshadowed by the elements that emanate from it. That which originates from Brahman cannot be anything else but Brahman. What is the source of this creation? It is the splendour of the Divine. It is the Will of the Divine. As the Divine Will is the cause of man’s existence, he should have divine feelings only. The creation born out of the Divine Will is called Nature. So, man being the product of Nature should manifest the qualities of Nature. He should not possess qualities alien to Nature. Desire, anger, avarice, attachment, arrogance and jealousy originate from the food you consume. They are also the consequence of the samskaras of your past lives. They are not your natural qualities.

You introduce yourself as ‘I’. That ‘I’ is the foremost name of the Divine; all the other mystical words originated later. In the Vedic proclamation Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman), the letter ‘I’ stands for Brahman. So, the first name of Brahman is ‘I’. The second name is Atma. The third name is ‘Self’. ‘Brahma’ is the fourth. God is the fifth. These five are the different names of one Divinity. You should understand the true meaning of these words. Where did this ‘I’ come from? It is the very form of the Self and the Divine. But man is putting it to much misuse by associating it with physical body. It should be put to sacred use.

You should try to know the ways and means to adhere to truth in daily life. Without recognizing the path of truth, people undertake spiritual practices like prayer, meditation and yoga. But this is not enough. In addition to the spiritual practices, you should also nurture good feelings. Good qualities, good feelings, good acts and good thoughts should manifest in you. These are natural divine traits. Despite the truth that Nature is your origin, you are discarding the qualities of Nature and are adopting artificial behaviour. You should not lead such an artificial life. You should speak what you think and do what you speak. The Vedas say, Antar Bahischa Tatsarvamvyapya Narayana Sthita (That all-pervasive God is present within and without). The proper study of mankind is man. Who is this man? The one who maintains harmony in his thought, word and deed is the true human being. He alone can be called man. God is in search of such a true human being. He is not searching for the one who is a human being merely in appearance.

Man is granted sacred intellect so that he can recognise his true nature. The intellect is pure and unsullied which can be compared to a mirror. On the rear side of the mirror, a chemical is applied. Without this chemical, you cannot see your reflection in the mirror. You can see the objects that exist behind the mirror and cannot see the objects that exist in front of it. Likewise, if you want to recognise your true nature, you should coat your intellect with the chemical of love. Today you keep the mirror without the coating of love and try to see your reflection and fail in the attempt. God has given the mirror of intellect to man to see his own form. But modern man today is not at all trying to recognise his true form with the help of this mirror. He is holding the mirror before the faces of others. Likewise, every individual is using his intellect to know the world outside. People question the whereabouts of others, but they do not try to find out their own whereabouts. Hence, stop asking others,

The intellect is granted to you to enable you to look at yourself, not to look at others. Man is forgetting his true nature as he is associating himself more and more with worldly affairs. Everyone, from a child to an adult, is immersed in worldly affairs. Man today is not satisfied with the affairs of world only; he is trying to probe the space and stars also. He is turning towards everything else but he is not turning inward. He is traveling lakhs of miles into the space but is not traveling even half an inch into the inner recesses of his heart. So, his feelings are taking an ugly turn. We find only selfishness in him. He is not attempting to realize his true nature.

To realize one’s real nature, one’s innate disposition, is the foremost aim of spirituality. This aim is not confined to spiritual practices alone. Man should realize his true nature in every field of activity - temporal, ethical, physical and secular. You are enthusiastic in finding the faults of others but you are not trying to know your own faults. You will be able to improve yourself when you try to know your own faults. Such a man will become an ideal human being. He alone is the true human being. If you behave like a monkey, who will treat you like a human being? At the most, people may show respect to you just for the sake of courtesy. But in your absence, they may criticize you in many ways. So, you should not tread that path. You should act according to your conscience. You should follow the sacred path and put the divine qualities present within you to right use.

You need not go in search of the innumerable aspects of the world. You should strive to know your true nature. Yesterday, I explained to you the nature of the five sheaths. The body is physical and gross. It is the cause of innumerable troubles. With the increase of attachment towards the body, attachment towards the Self declines. Without the Self, the body cannot survive. You should take care to reduce your attachment toward the body gradually. If your attachment toward the body increases, desires and avarice too will increase.

The subtle body constituted by the Pranamaya, Manomaya and Vijnanamaya Koshas is called Taijasa. How did it get the name Taijasa? It got this name because it is associated with the resplendent inner thoughts and feelings. You should recognise this divine aspect of your being. The innumerable worldly affairs you indulge in give you ephemeral pleasures only and cannot give true, everlasting bliss. So, you should develop inner vision. External vision is the vision of the animals. You should not go down to their level. This is not the true nature of man. You should purify your feelings. You should develop pure, unwavering and selfless intellect. Only then will you be able to love all and serve all.

But modern man has no faith in himself. This is the main mistake of man today. First, he should have faith in himself. That is self-confidence. Selfconfidence is the foundation of the mansion of life. You can raise the walls of self-satisfaction on this foundation. Self -sacrifice is its roof. Supreme bliss of self-realisation can be attained in this mansion.

Do not try to find others’ faults. First identify your own faults. But you will not be benefited if you simply see good in others without cultivating good qualities in you. Nurture pious feelings. You should not hate anyone. Why? Sarvata Pani-padam Tat Sarvathokshi Siromukham Sarvata Sruthimalloke Sarvamavruthya Thishthati (with hands, feet, eyes, heads, mouth and ears pervading everything, He permeates the entire universe.). Divinity is immanent in every being.

Today, it is necessary to develop broad outlook. Narrow-mindedness and self-centred feelings should be annihilated. You should give up selfishness and self-interest. The size of the eyes is not even one inch. But this small eye is able to see the magnificent stars in the sky. It is able to see far off objects. That is the power of the eye. You can see even greater things if you develop inner vision. So, you should have broad-mindedness. Many foreigners call it broad heart. It may denote heart enlargement. Such hearts are treated by the doctors and not by the Divine. Develop broad-mindedness in which broad feelings manifest.

You are born in this vast universe. You are living in this vast world. So, you should have broad feelings. Man living in this vast world should not have narrow feelings. It is wrong to find faults in others. There may be faults in them. But do not see their faults, see their good qualities. Then the entire universe becomes one family. This is the spirit of the brotherhood of man and fatherhood of God. Such feelings promote universal brotherhood. Mamaivamso Jeevaloke Jeevabhuta Sanathana (the eternal Atma in all beings is a part of My Being). The Divine is the source of the entire creation. He is the creation, the Creator and the director of the universe. Divinity is invisible. It cannot be understood. Recognise that you all are the reflections of the Divine. Then you will not hate anyone or feel jealous of anyone; you will be free from egotism.

Cultivate love. Love is God, live in love. That should be the aim of your life. There is no God greater than love. If someone questions you, “Where is God?”, you should tell him that He is immanent in every being. What is His form? Love is His form. You should recognise that form of love and tell it to others with full conviction. It is not enough if you say ‘love’, ‘love’, ‘love’. You should express it through your conduct. Only then can you command respect and honour. That is the real attainment of true human nature.

You are young and possess great energy. You have all the powers of mother earth. Despite possessing all the powers of the earth if you feel that you are powerless, it is a sign of your weakness. Whenever any calamity occurs at any place in the country, you should rush there and help the people.

You should not treat them as different from you. Do not harbour the feeling of separateness. Cultivate the feeling of oneness and participate in social service.

The society is the principal limb of Nature. Just as hands, nose, eyes, stomach and feet are the limbs of the body, the body is the limb of the society. The society is the limb of humanity. Humanity is the limb of Nature. Nature is the limb of the Divine. So, you should recognise this truth and participate in social service with love. Only then does human life attain fulfilment. Limbs like hands and nose belong to the body. But the body belongs to the society. So, it should serve the society. You should work with the active participation of all your limbs. Identify the different needs of different people and act accordingly so that they will be benefited. That is true social service.

These days many people go to villages, sweep the roads, whitewash the temple walls and feel satisfied that they have done social service. No, no. That cannot be treated as service as it is your duty. What is true service? Find out the main problems being faced by the people in the villages. What are the unfavourable circumstances? What are their immediate needs? You should do your best to fulfil their needs. Summer is the next season.. Drinking water is not available in some villages. Water is the very life of man. You should help them out either by digging borewells or by channeling water through some other source. When you take up such acts, which have utility value, you can claim that you have done some social service. In fact, you should not treat this good work as service. If you feel that you are doing service to someone else that may promote egoism in you. You should feel that you are serving your own people. All are human beings. All belong to one caste - the caste of humanity. All belong to one religion - the religion of love. There is only one language - the language of the heart. You should cultivate such broad feelings. Only then the service you render becomes true service. In this way, you should serve people and make your education and skills useful and meaningful.

The purpose of education is not to go abroad and amass wealth. This is the weakness of the Bharatiyas. The moment a student gets a degree in engineering or medicine, he applies for a passport. Serve the people in your own village instead of going abroad. People are going abroad to earn money but not to earn good qualities. You should foster your culture. Lord Rama said, Janani Janma Bhoomishcha Swargadapi Gareeyasi (the mother and the motherland are greater than even heaven). But are you emulating Rama while performing your duties? He followed the command of his father, sacrificed his kingdom and spent fourteen long years in the forest. Your body, intellect and mind are the gifts of your parents. Your head, your blood, your food and the money you spend are all the gifts of your parents. So, you should show your gratitude to them. That is the true service to God. It will give you the true service of peace. Today man is shouting ‘peace,’ ‘peace’ while holding atom bomb in his hand. Although he has conquered space and reached the moon, he has no peace in his heart. How can it be attained? Fill your heart with divine feelings. Throw the bomb away. Then you can experience peace. Peace is the reflection of your inner being. Everything comes from within.

You are good, highly educated and intelligent. But selfishness is destroying your every other good quality. One drop of poison can infect the whole pot of milk. So, you should eschew anger and hatred and serve the society with love. You may be able to do service in a small way. Do not get disheartened if you cannot do service in a grand way. Enter every tiny hamlet and identify the needs of the people there. In case you do not have the required money or capacity, do not worry about it. You students come together, join your hands and work together. There is nothing in this world which cannot be accomplished with unity.

Today in Bharat, we find difficulties, sufferings, sadness and fear everywhere. What is the reason? We attained independence but lost unity. Lack of unity is the cause of all these sufferings. Even brothers fight with each other. First achieve unity. That should be the aim of your life. Unity should underline the tasks you undertake. Only then does all your learning become meaningful. You say that you have passed MBA, MFM, M.Tech. Then you go abroad begging for jobs. If you want to beg, do it here in your own country. Do not become a beggar in a foreign land. As you are beggar there, you are losing respect here also. Look after the welfare of your own country.

Your mother may be ugly. Still you call her mother. She brought you up. Do you treat someone else’s mother as your mother just because she is more charming and beautiful? You call your country a poor country. This is the weakness of the youth. Know that India is not a poor country at all. What cannot be found in India cannot be found anywhere else. India possesses all the powers. This is the land of Yoga. This is the land of virtuous actions. These days people are trying to convert such a great land into a land of ephemeral pleasures. You should not crave pleasures. They breed diseases. You should dedicate everything to God through sacrifice. Bend your body and work hard. Your hands should be busy in work and your mind should be filled with good feelings. If you do so, there will be no greater man than you. Such human being is a true human being. God is in search of such a true human being. Devotees need not search for God. He is everywhere. Instead make every attempt to make your mind pure and pious. You should become a good man and not a great man. Is the world gaining in anyway from these so-called great people?

You should not feel otherwise. Understand the truth properly. Educated people are the cause of difficulties, losses and sufferings of this country as most of them are motivated by self-interest. They are utilizing their learning and skills to serve their own interests and not the interests of the nation. There are many great intellectuals in India. They have brought the nation to this sorry state. They are not at all selfless. If they had sacred feelings, the country would have made giant strides on all fronts. They are utilizing their intelligence for their personal benefit only. In our country, some people take Rs.10,000 as salary and do not do work worth even Rs.10. How much is the country losing that way? Question yourself. Is the work put up by you in a month worth Rs.10,000? But such people when they go abroad work very hard. They even do extra work. They work at night also. If they can work like that in foreign countries, why not in their own country? You should express your love, sacred feelings towards your country with broad outlook. This is true devotion. Devotion does not mean worshipping the photo of God. Such activities can be treated as good actions. You should cultivate good feelings. Without good feelings, good actions yield no beneficial results.

What is the significance of Sivarathri? Siva stands for auspiciousness. You should sanctify your life with pious feelings on this day. You did bhajan throughout the night. It has given you happiness. But it is confined to the external activity of listening and chanting only. The happiness should be felt in the innermost recesses of the heart.

What is the use if you involve in positive and constructive activities with negative thoughts in your mind? Get rid of negative thoughts first. Fill your mind with positive thoughts. Then the entire world will flourish; the society will flourish; your village will flourish and your home will flourish. Social service should expand from the individual to the society and from the society to the entire nation. Do not observe any differences while doing service. It can be any organization. It does not matter. Go and participate. Service is your aim; sacrifice is your aim. Nurture pious and divine feelings. Only then will your life find fulfilment.

Many youth waste their time and face innumerable problems till they get suitable jobs after completing their education. They blame the government for not providing them employment. How many jobs can the government create? If it goes on giving jobs this way, is it possible for it to run the country? Moreover, the employees are asking for a hike in their salaries. But the treasury is empty. There is no expected income. If the government imposes taxes, people blame it, saying that it is harassing the public. If the government does not impose taxes, how can it look after the welfare of the people? So, you should pay attention to this viewpoint also. In our institution, no fee is charged from the students, but in other institutions students object when the tuition fee, exam fee, etc., are raised. They insist that the fee should be reduced whereas the teachers demand that their salary should be raised. Wherefrom can the government get the funds? It collects from the public and spends for their welfare. Without taxes, it is not possible to pay salaries or to spend for the education of the children. So, you should have a broad outlook.

Indian culture preserved for posterity from ancient times spread to other lands and attained great glory. But today the Indians themselves are looking at it with indifference and thereby harming the nation and the world. No other country had a culture of its own for such a long time. Others follow one culture today and adopt another tomorrow. But for the Indians there has been only one culture which is eternal, pure and virtuous. This culture alone can help you to cultivate the true nature of man. You should uphold this truth. You should nurture human values. The process of development should not be restricted to the fields of science and industry only. If you go on establishing more industries, risk of environment pollution will also go on increasing. So, you should nurture sacred feelings in your heart to your utmost capacity.

You are studying many branches of knowledge and are attaining degrees. When you finish your studies and leave Prasanthi Nilayam, serve the villages with the permission and help of your parents. Do not crave government jobs. You should yearn to serve the public. If you serve them, they will look after your welfare. You do possess divine powers, but you behave as if you are powerless and weak. Today you are trying to have friendship, wealth and strength. But you are not fostering good character. What is friendship? It is just hello, hello. If you eat well, you get physical strength. You can also earn a lot of money by working hard. But are you living just for the sake of these things? These are all passing clouds. Money comes and goes, morality comes and grows. You should cultivate virtues. You should respect elders and officials and love your parents. You should have faith in your parents. You should have faith in your teachers. You should nurture such sacred feelings. Humanness and human values will unfold within you, which should be nurtured and developed. Without these human values all your learning becomes useless. Contentment is the hallmark of true education.

If you help others, you will be able to set an ideal to the world. The ideal never dies. It does not get dissolved. It grows day after day. You should foster such ideals and for that youth is the right age. It is the golden age. This sacred age should not be put to misuse. Utilise it in the right way. Only then will all your learning become fruitful and valuable.

Cultivate love. Whatever you do, do it with the spirit of love. Without love, all your actions become unsacred.