Thursday, May 21, 1992 to Wednesday, June 03, 1992
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| Sri Sathya Sai Speaks at the Inaugural Session of the Summer Course |
Bhagavan lit the lamp in the Institute Auditorium at Brindavan and inaugurated the Summer Course on Indian Culture and Spirituality on 21st May 1992. Nearly 2,000 students, both boys and girls, participated in the Course. Bhagavan, accompanied by Justice Chandrachud, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, arrived at the Auditorium at 4.30 pm amidst Vedic chants, led in procession by the Institute band. Prof. Sampath, Vice Chancellor of the Institute, welcomed the gathering. Mr. Vijay Sai, student of the Institute, gave a speech. Justice Chandrachud addressed the students prior to Bhagavan’s Inaugural Address. In His Divine Discourse Bhagavan exhorted the students to be like lions and protect people’s welfare:
“The stage of the student is like that of a tender sapling. When it is tended properly, it will grow into a good tree. From this young age you should see that the mind does not go astray. Do not give room for envy, hatred and arrogance. Rejoice in the success of others. Success will come to you of its own accord. Yield place to persons weaker than yourself in queuing for the bus. Shed the desire to get ahead of others. Do not always think narrowly about your own position. It is only when you develop a broad outlook that you will be able to emerge in the years to come as leaders of the nations. You are the leaders of tomorrow. It is only if you develop fight attitudes now that you will be able to play your roles properly in the future. Purify your hearts. Control your senses. This is the right path.
Spirituality does not mean mere meditation or worship. It means getting rid of the pollution in the mind. Students should be known for their serenity and orderliness. Instead, we find that there is excitement and agitation wherever a few students gather. This should not be allowed to happen.
Students! Yesterday Natesan brought two life-size figures of lions in bronze from his collection of antiques. You may wonder why these lions have been displayed on the stage. Many may be under the impression that they are kept for decorative purposes. But I considered them from a sacred point of view.
The lion is esteemed as the king of animals. It is not prone to commit anything mean or lowly. It is only when it is hungry that it kills an animal. It does not kill animals wantonly. Because it is known for its nobility of character it has been dubbed the King of animals. It has been said that human birth is rare among living beings. Hence every man should strive to become a lion among men. You should not fall a prey to weakness or fear. Be lions and not sheep. Our students should become lions who will protect the people as leaders. They should be content to use their abilities for satisfying their minimum needs. Do not get involved in foolhardy adventure. Observe the proper limits in the use of your talents, wealth or position. Pledge yourselves to promote the advancement of the country with determination, courage and spirit of sacrifice. Go forward with courage. "God is by your side. God is the Indweller in the heart." Have this confidence in yourself. This confidence begets courage.
Justice Chandrachud said that the first requisite is courage. What kind of courage? The one who is filled with doubts perishes, “Samshayatma Vinashyati”. Never become ‘Doubting Thomases’. Only when you are free from doubts will you become heroic. Doubts will disappear where there is self-confidence. “Shraddhavaan Labhate Jnanam” (The earnest aspirant gains supreme wisdom). It is lack of earnestness that gives rise to doubts. Students should develop firm faith in sacrifice, patriotism and the spiritual goal. There is no need to tell you more about this, as you are familiar with all this as students of the Sathya Sai Institute. But there are quite a few new things which you have to learn. And there are many things which you have learnt which you have to put into practice and experience the fruits thereof. Moreover, you have to share and rejoice with others your experiences. That is the way to experience real bliss.
Develop firm faith in God
Students! The Vice-chancellor expressed a wish that Swami should bless the students with knowledge of Bharat’s culture as embodied in great works like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. These works are of value not only to Bharatiyas but to the whole of mankind. However, it is not enough if you merely listen to these discourses in the Summer Course. You should try to transform yourselves as a result. Without such transformation the Summer Course will be in vain. Therefore, cherish in your hearts whatever is said here. Develop firm faith in God. It is the loss of faith in God that has led to the degradation of mankind today. The existence of the Divine is demonstrated, even by science, in many ways. For instance, the sun, the moon, the earth and other planets are moving in their different orbits according to certain speeds. It will be disastrous for the world if they change their courses. There must be an unknown power which determines their movements. Without such a power they would not be following their prescribed courses. Who has determined these orbits and limits? We must ponder over this. We drop an object from the hand. We see the object falling to the ground. But we do not see the power of attraction of the earth - the power of gravitational attraction. The gravitational force is there even though you don't see it. To deny what you cannot see is a mark of ignorance.
How the Divine works
To give another example. During World War II, millions of men died in Europe. Two years after the war ended, the children who were born were predominantly males. What is the reason for this? It is the need for maintaining a balance between the ratio of men and women in the population. If such a balance is not maintained, the human race will be extinct. What is the power that maintains such a balance? It is the will of the Divine. Whoever enquires deeply into the workings of the Divine cannot fail to notice this. There is at the base of everything a power that is at work. That is divinity. Ignoring this, and placing his faith egoistically in some other power, man is falling a prey to Ashanti (unrest). He is a slave to his conceit as a doer and enjoyer. This is wrong. There is a principle that is the Prime Mover.
There is a power which governs the Cosmic process. Few attempt to recognise this. However, it may be asked, if God is controlling everything, what is the need for human effort? God is like the electric current. But even if the current is there, you must have a bulb to obtain light. It is only when the bulb is switched on to the current that the bulb will burn. Students should understand how the four values Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, and Prema, are interrelated. If a bulb is to shed light, it has to be connected to a switch by a wire and current should flow in the wire. Sathya is the current. Dharma is the wire. Shanti is the bulb. Prema is the light. When the current of Truth is connected to the wire of Righteousness and enters the bulb of Peace, you have the light of Love. You can see how all the four are essential. Human effort and Divine Grace should come together like the joining of the negative and positive ends of an electric circuit, to accomplish anything.
Students! Fill your hearts with the resolve to promote the welfare of the nation. Do not succumb to selfishness and careerism. Dedicate your lives to the well-being of the world and the promotion of world peace.”
The 14 day Course comprised of lectures by distinguished invitees during the morning sessions and Discourses by Bhagavan during the afternoon sessions. This year’s programme featured three special events: a panel discussion on the relevance of Ramayana in modern times; a symposium on the topic - My Life is My Message; and a second symposium on the topic - Sai Education and the New World Order. Bhagavan was present during all three events.
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| Sri Sathya Sai and Veeraswamy Ringadoo, President of Mauritius at the Valedictory Function of the Summer Course |
The Valedictory Function was held at the Institute Auditorium on 3rd June. Bhagavan accompanied by The President of Mauritius, Sri Veeraswamy Ringadoo, arrived at the Auditorium in a procession. Prof. Sampath welcomed the distinguished Chief Guest. Sri Veeraswamy Ringadoo then delivered his Valedictory Address which was followed by Bhagavan’s Valedictory Message.
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