Do we need to pay Tax to God?

In a village, if anyone helps us, when they talk to us and enquire about our well-being, we reply saying ‘thanks’. When you drop your kerchief and it is returned back, you express your gratitude by saying ‘thanks’. You pay tax for using water and electricity. You construct a house on the site that belongs to you, and yet you pay the house tax. If you want to have a fan then you have to pay the electricity bill. If you make use of water from the tap then you pay the water tax. But what tax do you pay for the wonderful breeze given by God? What kind of tax do we pay for the sun which gives light to the entire universe? What tax do we pay for the downpour of rain which gives us the perennial source of water such as the rivers, which are incomparable to the municipal water tanks? When you have a certain boundary limit of 40 by 30, then you pay the land tax. Who gave you that land? God has given it. All the five elements are Divine.
 
What are God’s gifts? Light, water, air, wind and sound are God’s gifts. These are all given free to humanity by God. This earth is also a gift of God. All of God’s gifts are offered free. We enjoy being the beneficiaries. But do we pay tax to God? Is this enquired by man or any educated person? God has given us these eternal and essential things but what kind of tax do you pay for using them? Yet we blame God for not giving us this and that.
 
Instead of helping, we are harming. You don’t pay tax or express gratitude for all the things that you have received, and yet you want more. Because of excessive desires, you have bad habits too. Because of these bad qualities you are egoistic. Excessive desires, bad habits and egoism are not human qualities. Human qualities are peace, forbearance and sympathy. You should lead a life of satisfaction. Today mankind has no satisfaction whatsoever. This beautiful world was made much more beautiful by God. Look at the shining moon. Where is the moon?  God has kept the moon on His head (referring to Lord Shiva often referred to as Chandra Shekhar or Shashank Shekhar, meaning – the One who is adorned with the moon on His head). The coolness of the moon is passed on to everyone. When the world is shining beautifully under the glow of the moon you are carried away by worldly peace and joy. Such a heart is gifted to mankind by God. What sort of a heart is it? It is a very cool heart. It is a heart of love, a heart full of sympathy for everybody in distress. Though God has given us such a noble heart we are spoiling it. We pollute it. We make it unholy.  

The Tax of Gratitude

Having been the recipients of God’s mercy, we must pay Him some tax. Sages and the Rishis of olden days called it Bali or sacrifice. Sacrifice was considered as tax to God. But people misunderstood the meaning of sacrifice and started sacrificing animals as tax to God. Sacrifice is not harming any animal. We have to pay tax to God. What is this tax? Expression of one’s own gratitude is tax payment. How do you express it? You express it by praying. All the bliss that you enjoyed in the heart should be conveyed by words in your prayer. You should utter true words and pay the tax. Truth is the real jewel given to man and charity is the precious ornament given to man’s hand. With these hands we should pray to God. That is what Potana said, “Oh Rama! We don’t pray to God with full devotion from this heart and don’t sing his glory full throated. What then is the use of the heart and the throat?”
 
Why is this tongue given to you? Is it only to eat? Though men have tongue they don’t sing the glory of God. It is their fate. It is like the tongue of a frog. Why is the tongue given to you? The tongue is given only to chant the name of God. What is the use of these hands if you don’t sing Bhajans and don’t clap your hands? Join both the hands, indicating the unification of the ten senses. Sing the glory of God and pay the tax. Otherwise you will be indebted.
 
Source: “Pay The Tax of Gratitude”, Discourse 3, My Dear Students Volume 4

From Death to the Path of Immortality – By Radha Narayan Rao

Radha Narayan Rao with Sri Sathya Sai

In the year 1991, on September 15, a baby lay helpless in hospital. It was the day he had come into this world, but alas, it could also be they day he would depart. His spinal cord had not formed completely, and the doctors declared that if he had to survive, an operation had to be conducted within twenty four hours, or else, his chances were bleak. Further, even if the operation was performed, the procedure could not guarantee that he would be a normal child and there was a possibility that his limbs could fail to function in due course.

All that the parents could do was to pray to the Lord for their baby and that’s just what they did, fervently. By His grace, the operation went ahead and was successfully completed. The baby survived, and grew up to be a healthy child. However, the episode did not end there as God interfered into the child’s fate and saved him.

Some years later, the parents asked the boy if he wanted to join Baba’s School to which he readily agreed! Thereafter they applied for the first standard in the Sri Sathya Sai Primary School. However, a few days later due to some reason they had to shift house and relocated to another part of the town. One day after all the things had been shifted, the boy, his mother and sister were standing in front of the old house to ensure that everything had been shifted when suddenly one of them saw an envelope. They opened it to see that it was the call letter for the little boy’s admission test and there was hardly any time left for the entrance exam. So the whole family immediately hurried to the station and got into a train running southward and after a lot of hurdles reached Puttaparthi.

The boy wrote his exams and his father took him to Brindavan for Darshan of Bhagavan. After coming back to Puttaparthi, his parents took him to the “Kalpavriksha” tree. The boy went inside the small room in which Swami used to meditate as a boy and after some time the boy came out exclaiming “I have got a seat, I have got a seat”! The parents did not pay any heed because the boy was only a small child. They returned to their home town and life continued as usual. A few days later a letter arrived from the Sri Sathya Sai Primary School saying that the boy had been selected and he was to report for a medical checkup.

They came to Puttaparthi but after the medical checkup, he was declared unfit for joining because of his back problem. They were at their wits end as to what to do. They consulted the warden of the school, who advised them to get a clearance certificate from the Manipal Hospital in Bangalore. After much trouble, they got a clearance certificate from the hospital. This they submitted to the medical staff at Puttaparthi who then certified him fit to join the school. The family’s joy knew no bounds!

Moving ahead a few more years, when the boy was in his fourth standard he sat for birthday blessings in the verandah in front of the interview room. The heavenly gates of the interview room opened to soul stirring music and the Lord of Lords came gliding into the Mandir. He came patted a boy here, took a letter there and so on. Then He saw this boy sitting there with two other students on the verandah but went inside the interview room. He came out and called for His car. Seeing this, the boy felt very sad. He thought that Swami was not going to bless him on his birthday. Seeing the sad faces of the boys, Swami came to them and made a deep statement. He said, “What more do you want? I am all yours! Smile! Smile! Smile!” He then patted each of the boys on the cheek and went out of the Mandir.

Today, it is only because of Bhagavan’s compassion that I have survived to write this article. That is why life without Bhagavan is a hopeless end, but life with Him is a saga of endless hope. If we are all the zeroes, then He is the One whose presence alone adds value to all our lives.

Being His students we enjoy many facilities. In fact, He showers His choicest love on us. One day, Swami called my brother, took his letter, smiled at him and went away. I then called my parents and told them the good news. But what they told me stupefied me. They asked me very anxiously at what time it was and then told me this incident. That very day, they were coming back from a village after doing service and Bhajans. They had to travel on a very muddy road that obviously was a one way road. They were moving slowly in their car when they saw a speeding truck coming from the opposite direction. Not knowing what to do at that moment, they shouted out in unison, “Sai Ram” and lo! At that very moment, inexplicably they had crossed that vehicle and were safe behind it!

Many are the instances that we know of Swami’s Divinity, but many more are the instances that we do not know of! Swami often calls us His property. We must not only feel proud of it but we must also live up to it.

Bhagavan is our guru, guide and guardian and the above incidents stand testimony to it, even though He requires none. In fact even if we take the whole sky as the parchment, the water of all the oceans as the ink, the trees as the quill, and Mother Saraswati as the author it wouldn’t be enough to describe His nectarine Love. In fact we His students are the most privileged to call him “Ours”. Bhagavan is our guru, guide and guardian and the above mentioned incidents bear testimony to these words.  

Sri Sathya Sai blesses Radha Narayan

For a single Divine Darshan, sages do penance on one leg, one toe and what not for just one glimpse of the Lord; and we fortunate ones have his Divine Darshan, Sparshan and Sambhashan every day. Imagine what good fortune we are privileged to have. He is like an engine for the car, for without the engine the car has no value. He is like the ink in the pen ,as the pen is of no use if it does not have the ink. He is like a film roll in a camera as the camera has no value without the film roll. Similarly our life also has no value without Him. He is the very soul and substance of our life. Without Him we are nothing. 

K. Radha Narayan Rao
Student (2012-2014), Department of Management Studies
Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning
Currently, ARM University Program Operations Assistant, Bangalore

-   


Source: Sai Chandana 2010 (85th Birthday Offering)

Discussion with Sri Sathya Sai on Budget and Politics...

Wednesday, February 28, 2001 

In the morning, Swami had gone to the Hanuman temple (at the end of the Gopuram Road) for the installation of the Navagraha idols. After the evening interviews, coming towards the Ganesh portico, Swami saw the School and Institute students sitting together.

Entrance to the Hanuman and Navagraha Temples at Puttaparthi

Swami    :    Today, they (students) are sitting together.
        (To Prof Anil Kumar) What is the news?

Prof. A. K.    :    Swami, today, it is fully about the budget.

(Regarding the criticism and counter criticism in politics, Swami remarked that people who committed mistakes always talked about others’ mistakes and not their own. He also narrated the story of the barber who did not have any work and so shaved the head of a cat; similarly people who don’t have work, go on criticising others.)

Prof. A. K.    :    Swami, I heard that some function took place in the village.

Swami    :    Yes, it went on very nicely. All people could come. The flooring was of mud. I told them to cement it. Navagrahas were exhibited.

Prof. A. K.    :    Swami, is there enough space?

Swami    :    Yes, enough space is there. People can go round the Navagrahas and enough place is there to accommodate many people.

Prof. A. K.    :    After how many years did you go to that place, Swami?

Swami    :    I went after 60 years. What else is the news?

Prof. A. K.    :    Swami, is our Hospital running well? (Swami said that because of the personal care He took, the cost of running the Hospital had reduced.)

Swami    :    (Mentioning the name of one of the Hospital members) He was telling, “Swami, because of You alone, the Hospital is running so well. Swami, You know the rules which we do not know.” In case of medicines too, the same thing happened regarding the dealership. There are no dealers for our Hospital. Medicines come directly. We called up to America and confirmed that medicines will come to us directly (hence, dealer charges are avoided).
We should not spend anything unnecessarily.

Prof. A. K.    :    In Summer Course also, one senior devotee mentioned that for a good cause, Swami spends crores; but for anything unnecessary, Swami does not spend even a rupee.

Swami    :    I am telling all these things because the time has come to tell these things. (To a teacher) Where is Ramakrishna Reddy (Faculty Member, Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, and alumnus of the erstwhile Sri Sathya Sai Arts, Science and Commerce College at Brindavan) going? Is it for spot valuation? Tell him to correct properly.

Teacher    :    Not for spot valuation, Swami. He is going for invigilation.

Prof. A. K.    :    Swami, they (Central Board of Secondary Education) send people from good schools to oversee the examination.

Swami    :    He should do it properly. (Swami blessed Sri Ramakrishna Reddy with Padanamaskar).

Prof. A. K.    :    Swami, people say that there are many Buddhas and Vyasas.

Swami    :    Many people with those names are there. But they are not them. Even our students have names like Siddhartha, Buddha. Will they become Buddhas? The Vyasa who categorized Vedas is only one and the Buddha who got wisdom in Bodhgaya is also only one. (After that Swami spoke about many old devotees.)

Prof. A. K.    :    Swami, when did You first go to Delhi?

Swami    :    I went in 1962, and from there, I went to Badrinath, Kashmir and other places.

Prof. A. K.    :    Swami, Sheikh Abdullah (Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir) used to come?

Sheikh Abdullah and Begum Abdullah with Sri Sathya Sai at Kashmir - June 1980

Swami    :    Yes, he used to come very often. (Then Prof. Anil Kumar asked Swami about many other people.) Why are you asking Me all those things? (Catching a bunch of His hair) I have seen so many people. So many leaders and kings have come.

Prof. A. K.    :    I find one thing unique in all works of Swami. All works of Swami are for the use of poor people.

Swami    :    Yes. (Mentioning the name of a person) He asked Me to come to his place and said that he would give thousands of acres of land for Swami to build an Ashram and stay there. I did not agree to it. A plant should grow where the seed is sown. I am also like that. I have also grown in the place of My birth. Now, I am giving shadow to everyone.

After sometime, Swami went back to the interview room.


Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (2000-2001)

Sri Sathya Sai Celebrates Bheema Ratha Shanti: A Programme to Felicitate the Elders

Thursday, February 10, 2005

Sri Sathya Sai with the one of the blessed couples during the Bheema Ratha Shanti Programme in the Sai Kulwant Hall

As part of the 80th Birthday celebrations of Bhagavan, a spiritual marriage ‘Bheema Ratha Shanti’, for 275 couple above 70 years of age, was organised in Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagavan went to each couple and handed over the Mangalsutra. At the end of the ceremonies, Bhagavan sprinkled sacred rice on few of them. Bhagavan gave a grand feast to all the couples and their relatives. The afternoon function in Sai Kulwant Hall commenced with Bhagavan’s Darshan. Bhagavan blessed the couples with His Discourse in which He explained the significance of this function. He said:
                                   

Sri Sathya Sai delivering the Divine Discourse on the occasion

“The elderly couples who participated in the “Bheema Ratha Shanti” celebrations held today have experienced inexplicable joy and bliss. In this context, you must understand the underlying meaning in naming this ceremony as Bheema Ratha Shanti. It does not mean that all these couples must be physically strong and courageous like Bheema, the Mahabharata hero. Bheema was the son of Vayu (air), which is all-pervasive. The wind by nature is a very strong and powerful element, which can uproot even a mighty tree. 

There are certain traditional rules for the performance of this Bheema Ratha Shanti. But there is no age restriction as such for this ceremony. By God’s grace, everyone has sat Sankalpa (good thoughts). Normally, married couples celebrate the Shashtyabda Poorthi ceremony when the husband attains the age of sixty years, hoping to lead a peaceful and happy married life. They also celebrate when the husband attains the age of 70 years. Generally, people believe 70 years of age as the deadline in the lifespan of an individual. But, there are other milestones like 80, 90 and 100 years also to be crossed in life. When an individual crosses these important milestones in his married life these blissful occasions are named and celebrated as Bheema Ratha Shanti. Unable to understand and appreciate the importance of these holy occasions, the children in this Kali Age are sending their parents away when they cross 60 years in life, under the mistaken notion that they should not lead a married life and they are fit only to be Sanyasis (renunciants). This is a serious mistake. On the other hand, children should take greater care of their parents when they attain sixty years of age and beyond. Generally, children are under the impression that people beyond the age of 70 years are useless and a burden to the family as well as to society. But, the truth is otherwise. In fact, the enthusiasm, encouragement and mental strength increase after a person crosses 70 years. It is only after 70 years that the mental faculties and Atmic strength express themselves in full measure. Prior to that, they also behave like other human beings. They will not specially strive to set an example to others. The mental faculties, divine force and the will power in a person will manifest fully after 70 years and prompt him to set a new goal in life. As a result, such elderly persons will be contemplating upon and exploring the secrets of life. The Divine force latent in these elderly persons is beyond the reach of the youth. It manifests in ever-so-many ways in their actions. Today, we find several youngsters talking ill of their parents and making fun of them. This is a grave mistake. Instead, if one can analyse carefully their actions, every action of theirs will prove to be purposeful and divine in nature. If the youth of today wish to receive proper training to face the challenges in life, they must live with their parents and constantly observe the noble qualities that manifest in their actions. In fact, no one can match their systematic life and strict discipline. The blossoming of their intellect and the divine qualities in them will herald a new and meaningful life for humanity. You just observe their life closely and you will be thrilled at the changes it can bring about in your own life.

Sri Sathya Sai with the blessed couples

Embodiments of Love!

These days, we are ignoring these elders, considering them to be not useful to society. This is not correct. In fact, the strength and energy latent in these elders are not to be found in the youth. When you wish to undertake any new activity, it will become fruitful only when you take the guidance of the elders and walk in their footsteps.

Nowadays, a human being is unable to recognise the qualities of a fellow human being. The term “Manava” (human being) means a person who can make the quality of humanness blossom. People generally tend to describe the physical strength of body, whenever a mention is made of Bhima, the younger brother of Dharmaraja, the Pandava King. But that is not the real strength.

Blessed couples in Sai Kulwant Hall

The real strength of elders lies in their wisdom and noble thoughts. The ideals set by these elders for the younger generation are most valuable. Unable to understand their value, people ignore them as useless folk. Today, a lot of value is attached to the retired scientists. None can match their intelligence and passion for new inventions. But, their services are not made use of properly for the benefit of society and they are being wasted. The world can benefit a lot from these elderly people. There is immense power in these elders that can be harnessed for the good of society. Today, we are making effort to reveal the strength and great spiritual power that were latent in the ancient rishis. These elderly people reflect those great ideals. Hence, we should not neglect them. Every thought that emanates from these elders is noble and most valuable. The youth cannot have even a minute fraction of thoughts and ideas in comparison. Hence, we must nourish and nurture these valuable assets and take good care of them.

Unfortunately, nowadays the younger generation grudges even to provide one square meal a day to their elders. They think it is an avoidable expenditure. Do not by any means let this happen. Even if you put them on a sustenance diet, they will maintain the dignity and reputation of your family as if they are well fed. The concern and enthusiasm displayed by these elders in bringing up the children in a proper way is not found in others. In the ancient times, kings and nobles made use of the great wisdom of the rishis by seeking their advice regularly. Even to this day, the great treatises on spiritual and temporal matters compiled by the great rishis of yore are an authority to the younger generation. Unfortunately, they are not able to understand the great truths expounded in those treatises. It is Swami’s advice that from now on we must popularise this great ancient tradition of Bhima Ratha Shanti. It has great significance and value for the coming generations. The ritual of Bhima Ratha Shanti signifies nourishing and nurturing the quality of humanness by undertaking spiritually powerful and noble activities.” 

Sri Sathya Sai blesses Smt. Sudha Raghunathan

Padma Shri Smt. Sudha Raghunathan rendered devotional music that evening. Bhagavan blessed the artiste and materialised a gold chain for her. The programme concluded at 6.05 pm with Mangala Arati.

Source: Sri Sathya Sai Digvijayam (1986 – 2005)

The Spiritual Journey of a Sai Student – Part 2

… Continued from Part 1 

Sri Sathya Sai at the entrance of the Hostel that day...

Students! Your hearts are very sacred. Sacred feelings alone should arise from such sacred hearts. The delight you derive in life is in consonance with the feelings that arise from the heart. Each one of you lent expression to your feelings in different ways in different languages. The languages in which you uttered your poems are different, but the essence of joy in all your hearts is the same. The love that you nourished in your hearts burst out as showers of love in the form of these verses. Love alone is real and hence do not be lured away by the miasma of the physical and the material. We should cultivate love. The Gopikas sang the song of love thus: 

Sing O! Krishna, sing!

Sing on the flute the ecstatic song of Love.

Sow the seeds of Love in the desert sands devoid of Love.

Let there be rain of Love.

Let the seeds sprout into seedlings of Love.

Sing O! Krishna, sing!

Sing on the flute the ecstatic song of Love.

Let the streams of Love flow

From the heart and rush out as rivers of Love. 

The rain of love flows as a stream of love and becomes a river of love. It is all love from the beginning to the end. In the middle, all sorts of feelings may arise and go. But love neither comes nor goes like these feelings. Love is an eternal reality. You should nourish love in your heart every moment of your life. You should not harbour hatred against anyone, for your hatred for others is the reflection of the hatred in your heart. The love in your heart should grow day by day, become broad, and never narrow. It all depends on how you direct your love. If you are narrow-minded, your love too will flow narrowly. Even though the stars in the sky are far away from us, we can see their reflection in a tiny mirror. Your heart should reflect the Divinity in you, for the Lord resides as the indweller of your heart. 

The Lord in your heart, who exists as the Atma in you, is the very embodiment of Ananda. But sometimes, you entertain the notion that there is no joy in you. The cause for this is your own thinking. The Ananda is always in you; it neither comes nor goes. Suppose you are coming from the Ashram after Bhajans in the evening. While walking on the road in the dark, you think that there is a snake on the road. Then you switch on the torch light and find that you have mistaken a rope for a snake. The rope neither came nor vanished. It was there all the time. It was your imagination and mistaken notion. The beauty neither comes nor goes. It is the imaginary and transient feeling that comes and goes. Hence, you should nourish in your heart the eternal and not the transient. 

Students! All the learning that you have mastered was already there in you. How can you learn something that was not there in you before? All the learning latent in you manifests itself with time. It takes some time for a blossom to become an unripe fruit and an unripe fruit to become a ripe fruit. The unripe fruit that tastes bitter becomes sweet and delicious when it is completely ripe. Similarly, your heart is now like an unripe fruit, which, with the fullness of time, becomes sweet, as you cultivate love in it. This love, in course of time, fills your heart with the sweetness of peace. This peace has not come from outside. It has been there in you always, for you are the embodiment of Satya (Truth) and Dharma (Righteousness) as well as that of Shanti (Peace). But you are ignorant of your innate reality as you have been deluded by the physical and the external. For the waves in the ocean, the water in the ocean is the basis. Without water, there will be no waves. From the waters of love in your heart, the waves of Kama, Krodha, Moha, Mada and Matsarya (desire, anger, attachment, pride and jealousy) may arise now. Remain calm and quiet, without becoming hasty, for haste makes waste. Take your time. Suppose you have lost your temper, you should not act impulsively on the spur of the moment. You pause and ponder. When you start enquiring about the cause for your anger, your anger will abate and you will be peaceful. This kind of enquiry may cost you some time. But, it is highly rewarding. That is why I often say ‘Haste makes waste’.

Start early, drive slowly, and reach safely. You should start your spiritual journey in the early part of your life. You earn your degree only after completing your college education. But before that, you have to complete your education in the Primary School and the Higher Secondary School. Then, you have to complete your education in the college to be eligible to receive a degree. No degree is conferred on you during your Primary School and the Higher Secondary School days. Similarly, you have to go through the Karma Marga (Primary School), the Upasana Marga (Higher Secondary School) and the Jnana Marga (University). It is only after the successful completion of the course in the Karma Marga, Upasana Marga and Jnana Marga will you be eligible to earn the degree of Moksha – liberation. This degree of liberation will make you eligible to earn anything in the world. But, how will you earn this liberation? It can be earned essentially by going through the High School course of Upasana (Love). 

Students, you have a pure, tender, and stainless heart. But, you must keep this heart pure and free from pollution always. Evil feelings will pollute your heart. But, how does this evil enter into you? It is the evil company, which makes you evil. It is said, “Tell me your company, I shall tell you what you are”. Good company makes you good and bad company makes you bad. Hence, it is said,  

Satsangatve Nissangatvam, Nissangatve Nirmohatvam

Nirmohatve Nischalatatvam, Nischalatatve Jeevana Mukti

(Noble company nourishes detachment; detachment nourishes non-infatuation;

Non-infatuation nourishes steadiness; steadiness confers liberation.) 

You have come from different places with different backgrounds. After enjoying the noble company in Sathya Sai Institute, you have imbibed sacred feelings, which manifested itself as sweet poetry that you composed. Do you think this would have happened had you joined elsewhere? You are on the royal road now. Shine as pearls by standing as ideals to others. Be happy and share that happiness with your parents. You should not live for Swartha (selfishness), but for the Parartha (selflessness). Many a people strive only for their happiness and betterment. But selfishness is not the mark of a true human. Humans who are endowed with light, purity, and sanctity would not sink into selfishness. Purity secures unity and unity in its turn secures Divinity. 

Students, noble feelings will grow in you by leaps and bounds. You have recited verses full of sacred words. Plant these sacred words deep in your heart. But, beware of worldly temptations and associations.

Lord Govindaraja in the Ancient Temple at Tirupati

Once, there lived in Karnataka a poet called Ramana Shastri. He would visit Tirupati every month. During one of his monthly pilgrimages to Tirupati, he noticed that Lord Govindaraja was in a reclining posture keeping a vessel under his head. He addressed a verse to Lord Govindaraja in which he said, “Oh Lord, You are seen always sleeping. If You go on sleeping always like this, who will get rid us of our troubles and travails? Wake up from Your sleep and give joy to Your devotees. I will come to You next month. If I find that You are still sleeping I will go away from You forever and will never come back to You”. He visited Tirupati in the ensuing month and found that the Lord was still sleeping. He became furious and started going back to his town. On the way back, he repented for his folly and said in another verse, “Forgive me, Oh Lord! Steeped in worldly life, I have succumbed to the worldly tendencies and feelings. Being a worldly man, I attributed worldly passions to You. The fault is mine and not Yours”. 

There were many great poets like Ramana Shastri, who took birth in this sacred land of Bharat. Potana (1450-1510 AD) and Tikkana (1205-1288 AD) were great poets of this land. They experienced the Divine joy and shared it with others. It is My hope that you should become sacred poets like them and lend joy and ideals to others. You must keep the cloth of your heart always clean and pure. In case it has become dirty, apply the soap of Karma Marga, wash it in the water of Bhakti Marga and squeeze it dry with Jnana Marga. This is the way to clean your heart. Nurture these sacred feelings in the days to come and delight others with your feelings. 

The programme, which you have put up today, was extremely delightful. The way different speakers stood up from different places was very much enjoyable. Someone mentioned that I had come here only three years ago. But I have always been with you. I have come today for your sake and not for the sake of the Hostel. You mentioned that this is Your (Swami’s) Hostel. That utterance pained Me. You should say that it is ‘Our Hostel’. Use ‘our’ in every avenue of life. Our Mandir, our house, etc. ‘My’ and ‘Your’ signifies selfishness and narrow-mindedness. Rise above this and become broad-minded. 

You said that I had come three years ago. In fact, I came to Hostel many a time. Do not consider My physical being as the basis for your Sadhana. Take the eternal and the real as the basis for your adoration and worship. In fact, I did not want to speak. I wished to see more of your cultural activities. I wanted to hear more from you. Since you wanted Me to speak, I spoke. (Mentioning a Research Scholar’s name) He spoke a few words and asked me to speak. So I came here and spoke. My sweet Love for you flowed through My words. 

There is a direct and inseparable connection between you and Me. No one can break this bond. Wherever you may be, the same Sai is here, there and everywhere. You may go to distant places and work in different places, but I will be with you, in you, around you, behind you and above you. I follow you wherever you go. I follow you as your shadow follows you always. But I am not the shadow. I am the very being in you, the indweller. Firmly install in your heart the feeling: “I Am You. You Are Me.” 

Sri Sathya Sai Hostel for Senior Students, Prasanthi Nilayam

Given below is a short clip from Swami's Divine Discourse that day:

Excerpt from the Divine Discourse

Bhagavan was very happy with the students. After the Divine Discourse, the students requested Swami to have dinner with them. Although Swami hesitated in the beginning, at last He agreed to have dinner with the students. Swami also visited the kitchen. Swami left the Hostel around 6.35 pm. Before leaving, He fed Sai Geeta who was standing at the entrance of the Hostel. 

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (2000-2001)

“I will never give up on You…” – By B. Subramani

Lord Vardhaman Mahavir in a Jain Temple in Mumbai

I had finished my day’s work. I came out of office and started walking towards Parel station (Mumbai suburban station) from where I always catch a train for home. On the way to the station, there is a Jain temple – a majestic white building with the door to the sanctum sanctorum facing the road. Any person walking on the road can get a glimpse of the Divine Lord seated there in a lotus posture. In the evening, this presents a most serene view as all lights are off in the temple and only two lamps are kept lit. The sight fills one with a strange peace. 

As I walked, I was feeling guilty for not having submitted the article on time. At the same time I was feeling helpless at not being able to put my thoughts into words. This is when I crossed the temple and as I turned to look at the figure of Lord Mahavira, my eyes fell on a man standing on the road between the temple and myself. He caught my attention as he was carrying a heavy load (an iron trunk) on his head. He was a little on the older side and looked quite troubled. As I looked at him, he seemed to be conversing with the Lord and making gestures with a wave of hand as if asking, why he was being made to suffer and when his misery would end. This sight triggered a rush of thoughts that started me on this note. 

As I sat down to write this, a thought passed my mind that probably the man was not questioning as to when his sorrows would end but was actually asking when the Lord would take over his load. I also realised that my thoughts had started flowing the moment I had stopped worrying about writing the article and had looked up to the Lord to help me. In effect, I had cast off my load and He had readily taken over. 

What better theme could I latch on to, than to share the simple teachings that we tend to ignore in our daily life, especially in our professional life, the slip-ups that the ever-merciful Lord conveniently forgets when it comes to showering His Love. He takes over in spite of our resisting Him. 

With Swami’s Grace, I have tried to pick up those very simple things which I have in past overlooked and have later realised their importance. I am submitting these follies (from my own experience) which, when avoided can help each one of us tremendously. 

Start Early… says Swami if one has to reach safely. How many times does it happen that we find the time allotted for an activity to be insufficient or we are faced with the proverbial eleventh hour tasks? In all this mad rush we end up missing something important or even turn up with a mediocre performance. Work expands (and sometime overflows) to fill the time available.  An example that comes to my mind is from the area of sales where annual targets are to be achieved. It is invariably true that the sales teams spend first few months of the year without much activity, simply because they had overexerted in the last few months of the previous financial year. The so called run-rate (target per day to be achieved in remaining days) keeps climbing up slowly until it looks like a vertical climb ahead. The common complaint at this time is that the targets are too high. Then there is a whole list of activities and contingency plans and …..if only we had started early! 

Talk Less…. Swami never gets tired of telling us to talk less and to be careful of the sins committed by the tongue. Idle talking and backbiting are the two most dangerous components of the socio-political atmosphere of an office. In the last few years of my brief professional career, I have seen people at all levels getting caught on the wrong foot, just because they opened their mouth at the wrong time and place and spoke more than what was required – a senior official trying to score a point over his colleague, an officer from one department trying to put down another department and so on. There is no dearth of such episodes. But as Swami says, it is better to talk less about such things. That’s the surest way to escape unscathed! 

Almost every time Swami speaks to us, He emphasises the importance of Self-confidence. And each time He has explained the meaning of this word. While it is easy to mistake the voice of our mind as originating from the inner core, it is not difficult to listen to that Indweller. Doubts surface very often when one’s decision is questioned and is subjected to criticism. At times it seems that one’s suggestions are being rejected and those of others, though less pertinent, are being accepted. It starts the vicious cycle of self-condemnation and castigation resulting into impatience and a loss of heart. In the worst of times, however, I have seen people bounce back, riding on the wave of faith in the Lord and on the confidence in the Self. 

Remarks are more important than marks. Scoring a few points over others may help one get forward in the short run but ultimately it is the work and nature of the person that sets him apart. If we look around in our organisations, we will find more and more people trying to gather what we call the ‘brownie points’ by being in the good books of the boss. At the same time I have found that those who excel in knowledge, work and behavior earn all the respect. These are the people who keep silent and let their work speak volumes. This is true in any unit, be it a batch of students, a team of players or a group of professionals. 

Preaching without practicing is easy. Most of us tend to be like the direction pointers that show the way to a destination but that never go there and I must say I am no exception to this trait. One cannot deny that the impact of our actions is much stronger than that of our words. There are examples abound which ratify this simple and basic principle. One can’t be a leader unless he leads by example. Children learn from the actions of their parents. Students follow what the teachers do.  Don’t we have the best example in front of us all? Swami never talks but shows and guides us by His actions. Only one who practices can say ‘Hands that help are holier than lips that pray’.   

Tell me your company… At every stage of our growing up, we are constantly reminded of this statement. Instinctively we know whom to make friends with and whom not to. It is the signal system installed by the Lord in each of us, which attunes us to good and keeps us away from bad. Even at the cost of repetition, I say that one’s company determines not only one’s personality but also gets reflected in one’s work. It is Swami’s incomparable Love that every time we come into harmful circles; He ensures that a helping hand pulls us out. I am sure that if we look back and think about our lives, we would all recollect many occasions when we were on the brink of a disaster or failure because of some person whom we had wrongly trusted, and suddenly the fog had lifted, and everything reappeared in order. Who else can manage it so neatly? 

Each of us is a student in Swami’s school and college and I am sure we all want to stay that way, for we cannot find a more Loving and Caring Teacher. He nudges and cajoles us to keep us on track. He tempts us to learn all the time. He scolds and forces us to go through testing times so as to make us stand up stronger after each fall. He waits lovingly until we get tired of our foolishness of committing the same mistakes again and again ……He will never give up on us! 

- B. Subramani

Student (1996-1998), Department of Management Studies

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam

Currently, Business Head at Forpple Consulting, Mumbai 

Source: Fragrance 2005

“Cleaning Your Heart is Your Responsibility…”

Friday, February 23, 2001 

After the evening interview, Swami gave Padanamaskar to devotees from Italy and Visakhapatnam. Then Swami came to the third block. Swami enquired from Prof. Anil Kumar about a teacher from the Brindavan Campus. 

Swami : What is his name? 

Prof. A. K. : Sunderasan, Swami. (Dr. C. N. Sundaresan, an alumnus from Swami’s Institute and currently, Faculty Member, Department of Chemistry, Brindavan Campus.) 

Swami : Whose husband? (Swami would always joke about Dr. Sundaresan, a bachelor, as Meenakshi’s husband.) 

Lord Sundaresan and Goddess Meenakshi at Madurai

Prof. A. K. : Meenakshi Sundaram. (Consort of Goddess Meenakshi in the Madurai temple in the state of Tamil Nadu is called Sundaresan.) 

Swami : For Vishveshwara (In Kashi)? 

Prof. A. K. : Kashi Vishalakshi. (The consort of Lord Vishveshwara at Kashi.) 

(Editor’s Note: As per Indian culture and tradition, all the Shiva or Shakti temples in India, are always worshipped as a pair – Shiva and Shakti. So, for example, the Jyotirlinga at Kashi worshipped as Lord Vishveshwara also has the temple of Goddess Vishalakshi, His consort. And the Shakti Peetham of Goddess Meenakshi in Madurai, has the temple of Her Lord – Sundaresan.) 

Swami asked a student to speak. In the course of his speech, he said that it was Swami’s burden to clean our hearts. Swami corrected him. 

Swami : Cleaning your heart is your responsibility. Actually heart is pure. There is no need to clean it. If you remove desires and ego, that is enough. 

Student : Swami, we will try our best. 

Swami : There is no question of trying. You have to do it. 

Then Swami commanded another student and teacher to speak. After the teacher’s speech, Swami materialised a ring for him. Swami asked the teacher to chant Vedam. Students also joined him in the chanting. Swami also chanted with all. Then Swami asked a few students to chant individually. Some chanted confidently while a few fumbled in the middle. 

Prof. A. K. : Swami, if You ask them to chant individually, they will get afraid. 

Swami : Why stage fear? (To Prof. Anil Kumar) Do you know Vedam? 

Prof. A. K. : Swami, I did not study here. 

Swami : But you studied in Guntur. 

Prof. A. K. : Swami, I know a few things from the Bible. 

Warden : Swami, one boy is ready to speak in Hindi. 

Swami called the student and asked him to speak. After that Swami went back to the interview room.

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (2000-2001)

Programmes Galore by Sai Students during the Divine Visit at Brindavan

Saturday, January 21, 2006 to 

Saturday, February 18, 2006 

The Aethetically Decorated Sai Ramesh Hall, Brindavan

In response to earnest prayers of the devotees of Brindavan, Bhagavan blessed them with His Physical Presence from 21st January to 18th February, 2006. He returned to Puttaparthi on 18th February. A few celebrations were held in Brindavan during Bhagavan’s stay over there. 

The students of the Brindavan Campus presented a few interesting and beautiful programmes in the Divine Presence of Bhagavan during His stay at Brindavan. Their first programme was ‘Hridayapushpam’ which was held on the afternoon of 29th January, 2006, in Sai Ramesh Hall at Brindavan. The students presented soulful group songs in different languages interspersed with speeches. They narrated their experiences of Bhagavan’s Divinity. They expressed their love and gratitude to Bhagavan for the wonderful opportunity of His proximity that was bestowed on them. 

Brindavan Campus students presented their second programme entitled ‘Bhaktisagar’ on 5th February, 2006, in Sai Ramesh Hall. The students described the nine modes of worship of God, citing examples of great devotees like Prahlada, Meerabai and Hanuman, etc. They described each mode of worship with appropriate songs in different languages. Besides Bhagavan, some other dignitaries including Sri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Vice President of India and Sri T. N. Chaturvedi, Governor of Karnataka enjoyed this Presentation. The programme concluded with offering of Mangala Aarati to Bhagavan at 6.45 pm.

Chinese New Year Day was celebrated in the Divine Presence on 6th February, 2006 at Whitefield. Devotees numbering over 200 from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia came to Brindavan to celebrate this New Year Day in the Divine Presence. On the 6th morning, Bhagavan was led from His residence to Sai Ramesh Hall (the venue of celebration) in a procession by the lion dancers at 9.45 am. Bhagavan took His seat on the dais amidst Vedic chanting. The Chinese devotees (men and women) went on the stage and made their offerings at His Lotus Feet. Some of them showed Bhagavan the photographs of tsunami which destroyed the concrete buildings on the coast of Philippines but had left the wooden mosques untouched, to prove how Divine Grace saved these places of worship. Thereafter, a group of Chinese children presented a skit highlighting the customs associated with New Year celebrations and their significance. Then, the Chinese devotees led the Bhajans. Prasadam was distributed to all. The programme concluded with offering Mangala Aarati to Bhagavan at 11.05 am. 

A Yagna for the welfare of the humanity was performed from 10th to 14th February, 2006, in the Divine Presence of Bhagavan in Sai Krishan Kalyana Mandapam at Brindavan. On 14th morning, Bhagavan performed the Poornahuti to mark the completion of the Yagna. He distributed the clothes to the Priests who performed the Yagan and blessed the couple who organized this Yagna. Bhagavan then blessed the devotees by sprinkling Akshatas (sacred yellow rice) on them. 

Sri Sathya Sai Darshan in the Sai Ramesh Hall at Brindavan

The third and final programme of the students, ‘Poet’s Meet’ was presented in the Divine Presence in Sai Ramesh Hall in the afternoon. 15 students dressed in the traditional costumes of poets, exhibited their poetic talents reciting beautiful poems in many languages. The themes covered by these budding poets in their poems included the Glory of the Sai Avatar, Sai’s Mission, and role of students in the Divine Mission of Bhagavan and the message of Bhagavad Gita etc. At the conclusion of the programme, Bhagavan blessed the students and posed for photographs with them.

Bhagavan returned to Prasanthi Nilayam from Brindavan on 18th February, 2006. The joy of His students was worth seeing when they formed a colourful procession and performed Bhangra dances in front of His car when He arrived from Brindavan. They welcomed Bhagavan into Sai Kulwant Hall with Poorna Kumbham amidst Vedic chanting. On 19th afternoon, after Bhagavan’s Darshan in Sai Kulwant Hall, the Vice-Chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai University, Sri Anil Vinayak Gokak and two students of the Institute expressed their feelings of delight and happiness on Bhagavan’s return from Brindavan. 

Source: Sri Sathya Sai Digvijayam (2006 – 2011)