"My Students should lead Ideal Lives"

Today, very few people understand the difference between the positive and negative aspects of life. Whatever attracts the mind is negative. Desireless actions are positive. The discharge of duties in a spirit of detachment is the basic obligation of everyone from a student to a scholar. Thereby you can manifest the divinity within you. But, if you cannot recognise your humanness, how can you recognise your Divinity? The first requisite is purity of heart and a mind free from all desires. You may or may not believe it. Here is My body. It has a mind, intellect etc. exactly like that of any of you. But I am aware of the workings of the monkey mind. I have no desires in My mind. I do not let Myself be caught by the wiles of the mind. It is natural for the mind to behave in that way. I do not get trapped by it. I am not attached to the body or the mind. I follow the conscience. Here is the body of Mine. You may touch any part of it. You will receive positive vibrations from it. There is no trace of the negative vibrations anywhere in My body. No negative thoughts enter in My mind. Sometimes I may appear to speak harshly. But it is not for My sake, but for correcting others. Although 72 years have gone by, yet I entertain no desires. I have had no desires at any time. The way My life is spent from moment to moment is remarkable. Every one of my actions is positive and not negative. All My thoughts and actions are positive. There is no disharmony between My thoughts and actions. In fact, this has been the case from the age of 9.

In this village (of Puttaparthi) there was a Karnam (village officer) named Subbarao. He was the richest man in the village. He owned most of the lands here. All the villagers used to be afraid of him. Swami was a short lad at that time. The Karnam was given to bad ways. Swami called all his young friends together, taught them various songs, and asked them to go round the village singing the songs. The boys told Baba, “Swami! The Karnam may beat us up”. Swami assured them, “He has no authority to touch any of you. No one can object to your singing the songs”. Swami taught them how to sing the songs tunefully. The boys did not know the meaning of the song. On the first day, when the boys sang the songs in front of the Karnam’s house, the Karnam went inside. On the second day, when the boys repeated their performance, the Karnam went inside, brought some mangoes, distributed the fruits among the boys, and asked them not to sing the songs. He asked them: “Who taught you these songs?” They all shouted: “Raju. Raju taught us all the songs.” One day the Karnam invited Raju (young Sathya) to come to his house for tiffin (snack). Raju told him, “I don't want your tiffin”. The Karnam was furious that a young fellow should speak like that to him.

In those songs I was teaching what was appropriate to those times. The song condemned those who went after women of ill fame and warned that such persons would be shunned by society, and forfeit the respect of everyone. The boys were afraid to sing the song. The strong words used in the song were necessary to teach a lesson to those who misbehaved. To correct people who were leading bad lives, I used to compose poems and write plays even from those early years. I am always in the habit of living up to what I preach. I do not preach what I do not practice. Whatever I do is of a positive character. I have no desires of any kind.

I have often declared that “My students are My property”. A student also said earlier: “Swami! We are Your property”. This is true. But there are properties of different kinds –those that are valuable and those that are not. As long as students consider themselves as My property, they should lead ideal lives. You should not become useless garbage. You should stand up as high mountains. It is for this purpose that I am training all of you. Many students are not rising up to My expectations. They are not understanding My Message. Some day they will understand it. There is no trace of negativity in Me. Everything is positive. Pay heed to My advice. Talk as little as possible. Some students tell Me that their parents want them to get married (after finishing their studies). I won’t advise you not to get married. If you wish to marry, do so. But, I will not force anyone to marry against his will. Each one should consult his conscience and decide. Do your duties to your family. Do not let your children do what you consider is wrong. In the Mahabharata, Dhritarashtra failed to correct his eldest son, Duryodhana, and the result was disastrous for the entire Kaurava clan. Vidura reminded him that if only he had taken firm action to restrain Duryodhana, the family could have been saved.

Source: Excerpts from the Discourse ‘Be Positive’ - My Dear Students – Vol.5, Delivered on February 15, 1998 at Sri Sathya Sai Hostel for Senior Students, Prasanthi Nilayam