Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

Our ancients enquired into the nature of divinity through many paths, but they were unsuccessful in recognizing reality. Hence, they started worshipping Nature (Prakriti). Thereafter, the Indians (Bharatiyas) took to idol worship (vigraha aradhana).

Every creature that takes birth in this universe has a form. Idols are inanimate in nature and do not possess the qualities of compassion, love, forbearance, etc. It is for this reason that some people are against idol worship. This is ignorance. Just as you use your forefinger to point to a specific object, say, a flower or a tumbler, idols, similarly, are pointers to Divinity. Such being the case, is it not foolish to object to idol worship?

Are you not worshipping the pictures of your parents and grandparents? Do these pictures have life in them? No. Nor do they have the qualities of compassion, love, sacrifice, etc. Then what is the point of worshipping them? It is through these pictures that we are reminded of the virtues and ideals they stood for.

Take for instance a hundred-rupee currency note with dimensions of 6 x 4 inches. There is neither life nor virtues of love, compassion, etc., in this currency note. Yet, people love it and would like to possess it. Is there anybody in the world who dislikes money? Irrespective of the country or religion, everyone loves money. There are innumerable instances where people gave up their lives for the sake of money. The currency note is valuable because it bears the authentication seal of the government. Similarly, we respect the national flag for the values it stands for, though it is merely a piece of cloth, which is inanimate. If idol worship is considered foolish, then the same should apply to love for money and respect for the flag, which are also lifeless. Thus, man's beliefs are based on his likes and dislikes.

The entire world is permeated by God. Every being is an embodiment of Easwara. It is also said, God is the Indweller of all beings (Easwara Sarva Bhutanam). He is present in all beings in the form of Consciousness. Easwara is the master of six forms of wealth – righteousness (dharma), wealth (aiswarya), fame (yashas), power (shakti), wisdom (jnana), and detachment (vairagya). Easwara has another name, San(m)kara. 'Sam ' refers to eternal bliss (chidanandam) and bliss of the Self (Atmanandam). 'Kara ' means one who bestows. Therefore, Shankara is the one who confers eternal bliss.

Every word has a deep inner meaning. Take for instance the name Sathya Sai. Sathya stands for Rig Veda. 'Sa ', 'A ', and 'Ya ' in Sai stand for Sama Veda, Atharvana Veda, and Yajur Veda, respectively. Therefore, Sathya Sai is the very personification of the four Vedas. What is the meaning of the term linga ? It is the symbol of divinity since it has neither a beginning nor an end. Divinity is immanent in the Heart (Hridaya) of every person. Hridaya means that which is suffused with compassion. So, Divinity is the embodiment of compassion.

Today, people are unable to understand the principle of Divinity. Though the modes of worship vary, they all are directed toward different forms of the same God. You may call Him Rama, Krishna, Eswara, etc. All are one. They refer to the same God. Each person worships a particular form according to his or her likes. Some people worship Rama because they are attracted by Rama's Name and Form. It is said, 'Rama is the one who captivates the hearts of one and all' (Ramyate Iti Rama).

Today is Shivaratri, meaning an auspicious night. Shiva symbolizes the breathing process 'Soham ', which takes place in every person. This is referred to as Hamsa Gayatri. 'Ham ' refers to 'I' and 'So ' means 'That' (God). This message of 'I am God' is conveyed through this breathing process – 21,600 times a day. Such teachings have been propagated and practiced since ancient times.

It is the finger that points to a flower. Likewise, idols point to divinity. So, idol worship cannot be considered foolish. Never disregard idols because they are inanimate. Even in inanimate objects, there is Consciousness (Chaitanya). Brahman is smaller than the smallest and greater than the greatest (Anoraneeyan Mahato Maheeyan). This Consciousness is present in the smallest to the biggest. From your point of view, an object may appear to be inert, but from the Vedic point of view, everything is Consciousness. It is foolish to overlook the existence of Consciousness. One may question: if Consciousness is all-pervasive, why is it not visible to the naked eye? You are all well aware of the fact that there is butter in every drop of milk. Can you deny its existence merely because it is not visible to the naked eye? The process of obtaining butter involves adding culture to curdle the milk and then churning it.

People are unable to perceive this Consciousness principle because of two defects:

They overlook their innumerable faults
They magnify the minutest faults in others.

One can attain divinity only when one stops hiding one's faults and highlighting the faults of others. It is a great sin to search for others' faults. Instead, look into your own. Consider your smallest defect as a great blunder and try to rectify the same. Ignore the faults in others however big they may be. Do not criticize others; instead, criticize and question yourself – Is this the way I should behave, having been born as a human being? The true spiritual practice lies in finding out one's own mistakes and correcting them. It involves giving up evil tendencies and developing noble traits. That is 'Sadhana ' (spiritual practice). 'Sa ' symbolizes divinity, which is the embodiment of all forms of wealth. Today, the number of people who seek the faults of others is on the rise. This is the cause of restlessness in society. All those who aspire to be peaceful should eradicate all their defects. Only then can you realize Shivatwa (Divinity).

Man is falling prey to anger. Who is affected by this anger? It is said,

Therefore, make efforts to control your anger. Do not consider yourself to be superior to others. Where is God? He is present in every human being and in every living creature. That is why it is said, God is the Indweller of all beings. God takes the form of man. When you consider all as divine, you will never indulge in criticism. God judges a person by their feelings, not by their actions.

One's inner feelings are dear to God, not outward ostentation (Bahyapriya). So, make efforts to turn your vision inward. One who lives purely by outward vision is an animal (Pashyati Iti Pashuhu). A true human being is one who turns their vision inward. The moment an animal spots a green patch of land, it immediately rushes to that spot for grazing without weighing the pros and cons. In contrast, it is the duty of people to use their power of discrimination and act accordingly. People should always be conscious of their duties. Otherwise, they have to pay a heavy price. Whenever there is a delay in the arrival of a bus or a flight, the passengers start criticizing all those authorities responsible for the delay. This is because of the fact that duties were not carried out diligently. Likewise, man becomes an object of criticism if he does not discharge his duties properly.

Man cannot be called a human being unless he practices human values – Truth (Sathya), right action (Dharma), Peace (Shanti), Love (Prema), and Non-violence (Ahimsa). These are like the five life breaths of man. The absence of these life breaths amounts to a living death. Each one is responsible for his own downfall. Man brings ruin to himself by not practicing these human values.

Embodiments of Love! Love is your greatest asset. Develop love and always speak the Truth. Truth may sound bitter, whereas people are easily pleased by falsehood. People do not relish milk, which is brought to their doorstep, whereas they are prepared to travel miles to consume a bottle of liquor. Falsehood has become the order of the day. Falsehood may please others but not your conscience. Strive to satisfy your conscience before satisfying others. Under all circumstances follow the path of Truth. In case the utterance of Truth is likely to lead to some danger, remain silent.

A hermit was deeply engrossed in the contemplation of God. He had vowed to speak the "Truth always." Lord Eswara wanted to subject him to a test. He assumed the form of a hunter and started chasing a deer, which, out of fear, hid in a bush close to the hermitage. The hermit noticed this. On being questioned by the hunter about the whereabouts of the deer, the hermit was in a dilemma. He could not feign ignorance and say that he had not seen the deer, since that would amount to uttering a lie. At the same time, he could not reveal the whereabouts of the deer, lest the hunter should kill it. In that case, he would be a party to the crime. He prayed to Lord Eswara fervently to show him a way out. A brilliant idea flashed in his mind, by God's Grace. God is always with you, in you, around you, above you, guiding and guarding you. Why fear when He is near? The hermit replied, "O hunter, that which sees cannot speak; that which speaks cannot see."

By such a tactful answer, the hermit not only upheld his vow to adhere to Truth but also saved the life of the deer. Then Lord Eswara manifested in His true form and declared, "Such yukti (tact), which safeguards your interests as well as those of others, is true yoga."

Shiva also stands for humility. A person with humility is one of Shivam (auspiciousness). On the other hand, a person with an ego is verily a shavam (corpse).

By constant prayer, man can overcome any difficult situation. You should develop noble thoughts and help the needy. Do not harm anyone. The harm that you inflict on others will boomerang on you. Criticism and accusation are worldly traits and negative in nature. Develop positive tendencies. What is the use of all your education if you cannot give up your evil tendencies?

Despite his education and intelligence, a foolish man will not know his true Self and a mean-minded person will not give up his wicked qualities. Modern education leads only to argumentation, not to true wisdom.

One attains merit by serving others and commits sin by hurting them (Paropakara punyaya, papaya parapeedanam). Help ever, Hurt Never. This is the essence of the eighteen Puranas. Never mind if you have to suffer, but do not put others to suffering. God will take care of you.

Your behavior should be befitting human birth. Morality (Neeti) and integrity (nijayati) are the life principles of the human race (manava jathi). Develop morality and lead an honest life. Only then can you attain Eswaratwa.

The main teaching of the "Culture of Bharat (India)" is to realize unity in diversity. But today, man fragments unity into diversity because of his narrow-mindedness.

Embodiments of Divine Atma! Never give scope to the feelings of I and mine. First, know yourself. Question yourself, "Who am I?" Once you know who you truly are, you will realize the oneness of all. Once you realize that you are the embodiment of Atma, you will know that all others are also an embodiment of Atma. However, in daily life, and in one's professional life, it may be difficult to observe this equality. However, even in these situations, one should exercise forbearance and attempt to bring transformation in fellow workers by recognizing the inherent Divinity.

What is adhyatmikam (spirituality)? Weeding out animal qualities and rising to the level of the Divine constitutes true spirituality. Therefore, true adhyatmikam is that which relates to the eternal Atma. Recognizing the fact that you and I are one is true adhyatmikam.

When Dharmaraja offered Krishna the first offering (agratambulam), the wicked Sisupala felt that Krishna did not deserve it. He abused Krishna endlessly and ridiculed Him, saying:

Krishna smilingly replied, "Yes, you are right, you speak the truth."

Dharmaraja felt deeply hurt and fell at Krishna's Feet and said, "O Lord! How is it that you continue to smile in the face of such harsh criticism? You may be smiling, but I am shedding tears of sorrow."

Krishna replied, "Dharmaraja, praise or blame relate to the body, not to the Spirit. Why should one feel depressed when criticized and elated when praised? In fact, we criticize our own bodies because it gives us the scope to develop various diseases and makes us suffer. Hence understand that whoever criticizes your body is in fact doing you a favor." Dharmaraja was immensely satisfied with Krishna's reply and said, "Because there is a dearth of such wise teachers, people are afflicted by ignorance."

What about Duryodhana? He was no ignoramus. But despite knowing all (about right and wrong), he fell into the path of ignorance. He also told Dharmaraja to keep his mouth shut.

What is silence? One should never speak ill of others. Strife does not arise out of silence (Mounath kalaham nasthi). Salute those who offend you. Don't counter an offense with an offense. If you act in the same manner as your opponent, how can you become greater? While saying that the other is acting wrong, will you be right if you act in the same manner? Never act in this manner. Let those who commit offense continue their offensive behavior. You should never react. Wish for the welfare of everyone.

Our daily prayer is Loka samastha sukhino bhavantu (May all people of the world be happy!). When all are happy, you are included. We pray for the welfare, wealth, and health of all. Never wish for the misfortune of any other person. There is no room for hatred in this world. All are friends. If you persist in this manner, wishing well for everyone, and praying for their prosperity, you become an ideal person for the whole world. You are born in this world for this ideal only. There is a purpose behind the creation of every individual. That is why God created you. And for this, you have been gifted with the capacity to love. Act according to your conscience. Consecrate to God every action of yours.

The one valuable gift that You have bestowed on me is love. It is my duty to share this love with all my fellow beings. That is the sign of my understanding of Your gift.

One who is filled with anger, hatred, and envy will be shunned by all those who are near to him, including his wife and children. Hence, you should avoid these evil tendencies. Once you understand the principle of love, all these evil tendencies leave you by themselves.

Humanness is Divinity in essence. When a child is born, it is naturally pure, but as it grows, it starts accumulating these evil tendencies more and more. The evil tendencies are of your own making. They will ultimately destroy your humanness itself. Don't ruin your human nature. How sacred, how noble, how humble, and how valuable is humanness! Such noble humanness is willfully ruined by you. Never harm others for the sake of your selfish and greedy desires. Be happy at the happiness of others. Then only you will realize humanness. Being born as a human being, do not become mean. Cruelty is the nature of animals. By hurting others, you lose your humanness and become a beast. When you threaten others, you become a wild beast. If you are scared by somebody, you become an animal of prey. You are neither a hunting beast nor an animal of prey. You are a human being. Never hurt anybody; cultivate an attitude of happiness in yourself. Then you will be doubly happy.

The Lord is constantly blessing, saying, "So be it! (Thathastu), So be it! (Thathastu)." So, as you wish, so will it happen. If your intentions are evil, evil will result. If you are always filled with good intentions, you are equally blessed with good by God. The consequences of all your actions will result in reactions – maybe not immediately, but definitely sooner or later. Therefore, you should live without hurting others or being harmed by others, and thus lead a blissful life. Put your learning to good use. Give respect and take respect. This is true humanness. Love and be loved in return. Your education is meant to cultivate such virtues.

Students study some limited subject or the other. Of what value is such specialization? All such academic undertakings are essentially negative. There is a saying in Telugu that a washerman is better than a scholar. When the washerman collects clothes from your house, you make a detailed record of the number and type of clothes given to launder, if nowhere else, at least by a few notes on the wall. But the washerman has no need for any such devices, for he carries all the information in his head, and will return your clothes to you duly washed and pressed, without a mix-up with the clothes of other customers. What has he studied? This is not the only type of study one should undertake. You should study positive things. Your education should benefit society at large. Only when you help others do you become pure.

Our ancients worshipped Nature. It is Nature that gives us food, raiment, and shelter. Not merely that, it also gives us precious metals like gold and silver. So, what is wrong with worshipping Nature? All the modes of worship that our ancients practiced were highly sacred. Mother Earth (Bhumatha), Sacred Cow (gomatha), the Vedas (Vedamatha), and the earthly mother (dehamatha) are to be revered.

Since people have stopped worshipping God, we find chaos all over the world. People are plunged into sorrow because they have lost faith in the Self. What is the use of life without Self-confidence? Worship of God alone can safeguard the nation. The country will be blessed with plenty and prosperity, and people will lead happy life once they start thinking of God. We repeat the Shanti (Peace) Mantra thrice in our daily prayers. What does this mean? We should attain peace at three levels, i.e. physical, mental, and spiritual. There is no peace in the external world; we find only pieces. Peace is, in fact, within you. Make efforts to manifest your inner peace.

Spend the whole night in chanting the holy Name and spread this spiritual energy to the world at large.

Who is Easwara? He is all-pervasive. Just as the wind blows freely everywhere, so do we find the principle of Easwara pervasive. Share your love with all and propagate the Divine Name to the entire world.