Friday, December 14, 2001
 |
| Sri Sathya Sai in the Interview Room |
Swami : Put on the fan. (One of them got up and turned it on. Swami got up and decreased the speed.) Chaala Chaliga Undi (It is very cold). (After sometime…) Emi Samachaaram? (What news?)
Student : Swami, we are happy to be with You. It’s our good fortune.
Swami : Manchidi (Good).
Student : Swami, how can we show gratitude to You?
Swami : I do not want anything from you. Be good. Have good walk, talk, and looks. Do not have bad words, looks, head and heart. You should lead an ideal life. Have ideal studies and actions. Be ideal.
Another student…
Student : Swami, if You do not mind, can I ask you something?
Swami : Emi? (What?)
Student : Swami, You should eat a little more.
Swami : Enduku? (Why?)
Student : Swami, You are very thin. You should become a little fatter. Please Swami.
Swami : I don’t want to grow a stomach like yours. Look at Swami, He is always the same. If you are fat, it looks ugly.
(To a student) Emi Telangana? (What Telangana?)
Student : Swami, though I was born here, I was brought up in Telangana.
Swami : Born in Anantapur. Brought up in Telengana!
Student : By Your grace all are happy.
Swami : Santosham (Happy).
Student : How many ever difficulties come…
Student : Swami, though I was born here, I was brought up in Telangana.
Swami : Born in Anantapur. Brought up in Telengana!
Student : By Your grace all are happy.
Swami : Santosham (Happy).
Student : How many ever difficulties come…
Swami interrupted the student here.
Swami : Without difficulties, you cannot get happiness. You do not get happiness from happiness. Pray for difficulties every time. Difficulties are like exams. You can go to higher classes only if you pass in the exams.
You know what Kunti prayed for?
Students : She prayed for difficulties, Swami.
Swami : When everything was well, she did not think of Krishna. But when the Pandavas were in difficulties, she thought of Krishna every minute. When Krishna asked Kunti to wish for something, she asked only for difficulties. You should also wish for difficulties only. Difficulty is the real friend. Not happiness. Sukham does not help.
Another student…
Student : Swami, please talk to us.
Swami : (Looking sternly) Talk!
Student : Swami please speak to us. All are waiting for You.
Swami : I am also waiting.
Another student…
Student : Swami, the Orchestra competition in the College was performed very well. The moods during 1857-1947 were depicted. Tears came in some people’s eyes.
Swami : Tears came in eyes!
Student : Yes Swami. One more was the Rama Katha Rasavahini. In that, they depicted Rama’s birth, His marriage to Sita, coming to Ayodhya, going to the forest, going to Lanka for Sita and killing Ravana, and returning to Ayodhya, with music alone.
Swami listened to all this with a lot of attention.
Swami : Chaala Santosham (Very happy).
Student : Swami, the other boys are also doing Sports Meet items for Your sake. Swami, if You look at them also, they will feel very happy.
Another student…
Student : The band students are also practicing very hard for Christmas.
Swami : Giving recommendation? No need. I will see the January programme only.
Students : They are practicing for Sports Meet only, Swami. You should come and see.
Swami : They are still planning!)
Students : No, Swami. They are practicing. Rope Stunts, Crystal Medley and other nice items are being done.
Swami : Avuna? (Is it?) (After a pause) Warden Ni Piluvu Okkasaari (Call the Warden once).
When Warden – Dr. Siva Sankara Sai, came inside the interview room…
Swami : What items are the boys doing?
Warden : Swami, boys are planning for items like Crystal Medley, Trail Blazers, stunt items. After they are ready, we pray that Swami come and see those items also. They are doing for Swami.
Swami : Are they doing for the sake of Swami? Good. Practice well. It is all in the initial stages. Isn’t it? But do not do anything risky.
Warden : Yes, Swami.
Swami : (To Arvind, a student of the first year M.Sc. (Physics) class) Where do you come from?
Student : Swami, Rajahmundry.
Swami : Have you not studied in Rajahmundry school?
Student : Yes, Swami. I studied in Rajahmundry school.
Swami : After Rajahmundry school, you have joined here. What did you learn?
Student : Swami, duty and devotion.
Swami : What is devotion or Bhakti? (The student answered, but not to the satisfaction of Swami.) Bhakti is love for God. Love towards child is Vatsalyam, towards wife is Moham, towards relatives is Anubandham, and towards God is Bhakti. Love towards God should be completely selfless, without expecting anything in return. There should not be any trace of selfishness. If it is selfish, he expects something in return. Self lives by getting and forgetting, but love lives by giving and forgiving. (After a minute’s silence…) Aa, Inka Emi? (What else?)
Student : Swami, You brought us so near to You and are giving so many chances. Is it because of Bhakti or Praapti (devotion or destiny)?
Swami : Bangaaru, it is Praapti. It is the due to the Punyam (merit) that is done by your forefathers and parents accumulated from Janmas and Janmas (births and births) that you all are getting these chances. Same way if you do Punyam (meritorious acts) your successors will reap the benefit. But then, now you must make sure that you do not loose what you have got.
Student : Swami, where does selfless love or Bhakti come into play?
Swami : Selfless Love for God is there with all. Even the devotees sitting outside have selfless love. You should have Self-confidence (Swami often refers to Self-confidence as confidence in one’s higher ‘Self’).
Student : For spiritual practices, we need grace, isn’t it Swami?
Swami : Correct.
Student : Then for Self-confidence, is it not the grace that is important?
Swami : Grace is not getting and giving. It is already there on all. But what is important is Self-confidence, which is your effort. Self-confidence can be developed by practice alone. It is the constant thinking that you are not the body, but the Self. You say my hand, leg, head, and pen. But who am I? Have confidence in that Self. Along with grace, Self-confidence is also important.
Raghavendra Prasad, another student from first year M.A. (Economics) programme…
Student : Swami, You told that people who stay far from You, love You more.
And those who stay near are in the darkness, like the darkness just below the candle. But Swami, is it not natural for a dark circle to be there beneth the lamp? Then how will we be ever in light?
Swami : True, I told this as an example. Far away people are like bees and people near are like frogs. But some of these people (those who are near) are also like bees. But I am not suggesting that all those who are here are like frogs. There are many people here too who are pining for Swami’s love, who are like bees. But you tell me, does Swami differentiate between near and far, day and night? Eswaramma used to always ask, “Why Swami You do not sleep at all in the night?” Understand carefully. (Swami turned to rest of the group) When do you call it a day or night? When the Sun raises from the East you call it a day and when the Sun goes down in the West you call it a night. Day and night happen because of Earth’s movement around the Sun. But does the very Sun itself (Swami pointed to Himself) has got any day or night differentiation? Same way Swami too does not have any difference between day and night, near and far.
Student : Swami, when everything is God’s will, where is our self-effort useful?
Swami : When you go for bath, and if your clothes get wet, you take the clothes to the Sun and dry them. This action of drying is self-effort. When this self-effort is put, the objective is achieved. But if you have the real faith that everything is God’s will then there is no need of self-effort. Suppose you see a snake and get scared. Then you are having the Dwaita Bhavam (the feeling of duality). Then you do not have the faith that everything is God.
Raghavendra Prasad, a student from first year M.A. (Economics) programme…
Student : Swami, last year from beginning of June till the end of February, we prayed to You to introduce M.A. (Economics) in our Institute, by writing letters and making cards. But since Swami did not respond, we accepted it as Swami’s will. And thus, we left that topic. Then in March, Swami sent word for M.A. (Economics) to be introduced. What is the reason for this?
Swami : Till you hold onto it, I cannot give it to you. Leave everything to Swami, and then you will get everything. Adugakuve O’Manasa… (Do not ask oh mind). (Swami sang the poem and then translated it.) When Shabari left everything to the Lord, she got the Lord Himself. When Jatayu also left everything to Rama, he had the privilege of his last rites being performed by Rama Himself, which even Rama’s father did not have.
Another student…
Student : Swami, we all are Your children and You are our Mother. So we have full right on You.
Swami : I am not only Your mother. But I am ‘Vishwa-Mata’ (Universal Mother). Suppose there is a child who is sixteen years old. And he has a mother. The mother dies after sometime and the child starts crying. But why is the child crying? Isn’t the body of the mother there? Then what is he crying for?
He is crying for the life in that body. So, similarly when you say you love Me, do not love this body, but love the life in this body.
Student : Swami, Swami, can I ask You one boon?
Swami : Aa, Adugu (Yes, ask).
Student : Swami, please give us that Pure Love which You have, so that we can love all selflessly as You do.
Swami : Follow My life, My life is My message. If you follow, it will come. There is no use just speaking; you should follow it.
Warden : Swami, ‘Shiksha is Raksha’ (Punishment is for Protection). When people go through Shiksha (punishment), people find it difficult to bear it. Why Swami?
Swami : It is the mind, which is responsible. Even though it is good for you, it goes only after pleasures. Controlling the mind is important. It can lead you to any heights. (Swami then narrated the story of Shishupala…) When in the assembly great people like Bhishma and others had assembled, Shishupala asked Yudhishthira for the person to be chosen as the Sabhapati. Yudhishthira suggested the name of Lord Krishna. Hearing this Shishupala got very angry. He shouted, “How can you make Him, who has stolen butter from the houses, who has taken away the clothes of the Gopikas when they were bathing? How can we make Him, when the Acharyas themselves are present here? I will cut Him into 1,000 pieces.” Hearing all this, Yudhishthira felt very bad. However, Lord Krishna was made the Sabhapati by making an offering in a plate to Him. Krishna then took this plate and hurled it at Shishupala. The plate became the Chakra (discuss) and Shishupala was killed. The blood of Shishupala fell at Krishna’s feet. A puzzled Yudhishthira asked the Lord for an explanation. Lord Krishna told that the Atma in the person who was scolding was the same as that in the person who was receiving the scolding. So who is ridiculing, and who is getting ridiculed? It is the same Atma. When he was ridiculing Me, he was not doing it to Me; it was only towards My body.
Warden : Swami, everything is God’s creation. But still we perceive good and bad separately. Is that also God’s play or Leela?
Swami : Perceiving good and bad separately depends on your vision and the evolution of the mind. Meeku Brahma Sutram Ante Telusa? (Do you know what Brahma Sutram is?) (The students gave different answers to which Swami did not agree. Then one student confessed that he did not know.) If you do not know, tell that you do not know. It is, "Ekam Eva Advitiyam Brahma" (It is the only One without the second).
(Swami narrated another story from the Mahabharata.) After the war, when Lord Krishna advised Dharmaraja to become the king, he refused. Seeing this, Lord Krishna took him to Bhishma. Bhishma then told him that they (the Pandavas) were with Lord Krishna playing with Him, talking to Him, etc. It was due to Him that they fought the war and won it. And now it was His will that he become the king. Dharmaraja then obeyed Bhishma’s command.
Here Swami pointed out that even though Dharmaraja was there with Lord Krishna in very close proximity almost throughout his life, He was deluded for that moment and thought that the command of Bhishma was more important as he had brought them up during their childhood.
Another student…
Student : Swami, please come to Hostel.
Swami : Your Hostel owner (Warden) himself has not asked, why are you asking.
Students : Swami, now only few students are getting chances of Divine proximity. But if You come to hostel, all students will get chances.
Swami : Manchidi (Good).
Another student…
Student : Swami, how is Your health? You had fever few days ago.
Swami : All those who tell like this are only not well.
At this point of time, Swami created a diamond…
Student : Swami, Kohinoor?
Swami : No. It is more valuable than Kohinoor also.
Student : Swami, is it possible to make such cuts as they are on the diamond?
Swami : If you try making such cuts, your hand will only get cut! Diamond - Die Mind.
Student : Swami, please kill our mind.
Swami : Yes, you give it to Me, I will surely kill it. But you do not give it to Me.
Student : Swami, please make us shine like this diamond.
Swami : What is this in My hand? (Pointing to the diamond) It is only a stone. It came to My hand and became a diamond. Same way if you give yourself to Me, I can make you diamonds which the whole world will admire. But what to do, you are not willing to come into My hand. You give your life to Me; I will make sure that you will shine more than this diamond also. Emi Mysore? (What Mysore? – referring to Shashi Kiran, a student from first year M.Sc. (Mathematics) class who hailed from the city of Mysore.) Are you able to understand?
Student : Little, little Swami.
Swami : Showing the diamond) Do you want?
Student : No, Swami. You are there. That is enough.
Swami : Aa, Adi Chalu (That is enough).
Swami then signalled to get Vibhuti bag and distributed the Prasadam to all.Then students requested Swami for photographs. Swami agreed to that. Initially Swami took photo by sitting on the chair and the students standing around Him.
Swami : If you all stand up, I won’t come in the photo.
Then Swami stood up and took another photo.
Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (2001-2004)
Swami : Without difficulties, you cannot get happiness. You do not get happiness from happiness. Pray for difficulties every time. Difficulties are like exams. You can go to higher classes only if you pass in the exams.
You know what Kunti prayed for?
Students : She prayed for difficulties, Swami.
Swami : When everything was well, she did not think of Krishna. But when the Pandavas were in difficulties, she thought of Krishna every minute. When Krishna asked Kunti to wish for something, she asked only for difficulties. You should also wish for difficulties only. Difficulty is the real friend. Not happiness. Sukham does not help.
Student : Swami, please talk to us.
Swami : (Looking sternly) Talk!
Student : Swami please speak to us. All are waiting for You.
Swami : I am also waiting.
Another student…
Student : Swami, the Orchestra competition in the College was performed very well. The moods during 1857-1947 were depicted. Tears came in some people’s eyes.
Swami : Tears came in eyes!
Student : Yes Swami. One more was the Rama Katha Rasavahini. In that, they depicted Rama’s birth, His marriage to Sita, coming to Ayodhya, going to the forest, going to Lanka for Sita and killing Ravana, and returning to Ayodhya, with music alone.
Swami : Chaala Santosham (Very happy).
Student : Swami, the other boys are also doing Sports Meet items for Your sake. Swami, if You look at them also, they will feel very happy.
Another student…
Student : The band students are also practicing very hard for Christmas.
Swami : Giving recommendation? No need. I will see the January programme only.
Students : They are practicing for Sports Meet only, Swami. You should come and see.
Swami : They are still planning!)
Students : No, Swami. They are practicing. Rope Stunts, Crystal Medley and other nice items are being done.
Swami : Avuna? (Is it?) (After a pause) Warden Ni Piluvu Okkasaari (Call the Warden once).
When Warden – Dr. Siva Sankara Sai, came inside the interview room…
Swami : What items are the boys doing?
Warden : Swami, boys are planning for items like Crystal Medley, Trail Blazers, stunt items. After they are ready, we pray that Swami come and see those items also. They are doing for Swami.
Swami : Are they doing for the sake of Swami? Good. Practice well. It is all in the initial stages. Isn’t it? But do not do anything risky.
Warden : Yes, Swami.
Swami : (To Arvind, a student of the first year M.Sc. (Physics) class) Where do you come from?
Student : Swami, Rajahmundry.
Swami : Have you not studied in Rajahmundry school?
Student : Yes, Swami. I studied in Rajahmundry school.
Swami : After Rajahmundry school, you have joined here. What did you learn?
Student : Swami, duty and devotion.
Swami : What is devotion or Bhakti? (The student answered, but not to the satisfaction of Swami.) Bhakti is love for God. Love towards child is Vatsalyam, towards wife is Moham, towards relatives is Anubandham, and towards God is Bhakti. Love towards God should be completely selfless, without expecting anything in return. There should not be any trace of selfishness. If it is selfish, he expects something in return. Self lives by getting and forgetting, but love lives by giving and forgiving. (After a minute’s silence…) Aa, Inka Emi? (What else?)
Student : Swami, You brought us so near to You and are giving so many chances. Is it because of Bhakti or Praapti (devotion or destiny)?
Swami : Bangaaru, it is Praapti. It is the due to the Punyam (merit) that is done by your forefathers and parents accumulated from Janmas and Janmas (births and births) that you all are getting these chances. Same way if you do Punyam (meritorious acts) your successors will reap the benefit. But then, now you must make sure that you do not loose what you have got.
Student : Swami, where does selfless love or Bhakti come into play?
Swami : Selfless Love for God is there with all. Even the devotees sitting outside have selfless love. You should have Self-confidence (Swami often refers to Self-confidence as confidence in one’s higher ‘Self’).
Student : For spiritual practices, we need grace, isn’t it Swami?
Swami : Correct.
Student : Then for Self-confidence, is it not the grace that is important?
Swami : Grace is not getting and giving. It is already there on all. But what is important is Self-confidence, which is your effort. Self-confidence can be developed by practice alone. It is the constant thinking that you are not the body, but the Self. You say my hand, leg, head, and pen. But who am I? Have confidence in that Self. Along with grace, Self-confidence is also important.
Student : Swami, You told that people who stay far from You, love You more.
And those who stay near are in the darkness, like the darkness just below the candle. But Swami, is it not natural for a dark circle to be there beneth the lamp? Then how will we be ever in light?
Swami : True, I told this as an example. Far away people are like bees and people near are like frogs. But some of these people (those who are near) are also like bees. But I am not suggesting that all those who are here are like frogs. There are many people here too who are pining for Swami’s love, who are like bees. But you tell me, does Swami differentiate between near and far, day and night? Eswaramma used to always ask, “Why Swami You do not sleep at all in the night?” Understand carefully. (Swami turned to rest of the group) When do you call it a day or night? When the Sun raises from the East you call it a day and when the Sun goes down in the West you call it a night. Day and night happen because of Earth’s movement around the Sun. But does the very Sun itself (Swami pointed to Himself) has got any day or night differentiation? Same way Swami too does not have any difference between day and night, near and far.
Student : Swami, when everything is God’s will, where is our self-effort useful?
Swami : When you go for bath, and if your clothes get wet, you take the clothes to the Sun and dry them. This action of drying is self-effort. When this self-effort is put, the objective is achieved. But if you have the real faith that everything is God’s will then there is no need of self-effort. Suppose you see a snake and get scared. Then you are having the Dwaita Bhavam (the feeling of duality). Then you do not have the faith that everything is God.
Raghavendra Prasad, a student from first year M.A. (Economics) programme…
Student : Swami, last year from beginning of June till the end of February, we prayed to You to introduce M.A. (Economics) in our Institute, by writing letters and making cards. But since Swami did not respond, we accepted it as Swami’s will. And thus, we left that topic. Then in March, Swami sent word for M.A. (Economics) to be introduced. What is the reason for this?
Swami : Till you hold onto it, I cannot give it to you. Leave everything to Swami, and then you will get everything. Adugakuve O’Manasa… (Do not ask oh mind). (Swami sang the poem and then translated it.) When Shabari left everything to the Lord, she got the Lord Himself. When Jatayu also left everything to Rama, he had the privilege of his last rites being performed by Rama Himself, which even Rama’s father did not have.
Another student…
Student : Swami, we all are Your children and You are our Mother. So we have full right on You.
Swami : I am not only Your mother. But I am ‘Vishwa-Mata’ (Universal Mother). Suppose there is a child who is sixteen years old. And he has a mother. The mother dies after sometime and the child starts crying. But why is the child crying? Isn’t the body of the mother there? Then what is he crying for?
He is crying for the life in that body. So, similarly when you say you love Me, do not love this body, but love the life in this body.
Student : Swami, Swami, can I ask You one boon?
Swami : Aa, Adugu (Yes, ask).
Student : Swami, please give us that Pure Love which You have, so that we can love all selflessly as You do.
Swami : Follow My life, My life is My message. If you follow, it will come. There is no use just speaking; you should follow it.
Warden : Swami, ‘Shiksha is Raksha’ (Punishment is for Protection). When people go through Shiksha (punishment), people find it difficult to bear it. Why Swami?
Swami : It is the mind, which is responsible. Even though it is good for you, it goes only after pleasures. Controlling the mind is important. It can lead you to any heights. (Swami then narrated the story of Shishupala…) When in the assembly great people like Bhishma and others had assembled, Shishupala asked Yudhishthira for the person to be chosen as the Sabhapati. Yudhishthira suggested the name of Lord Krishna. Hearing this Shishupala got very angry. He shouted, “How can you make Him, who has stolen butter from the houses, who has taken away the clothes of the Gopikas when they were bathing? How can we make Him, when the Acharyas themselves are present here? I will cut Him into 1,000 pieces.” Hearing all this, Yudhishthira felt very bad. However, Lord Krishna was made the Sabhapati by making an offering in a plate to Him. Krishna then took this plate and hurled it at Shishupala. The plate became the Chakra (discuss) and Shishupala was killed. The blood of Shishupala fell at Krishna’s feet. A puzzled Yudhishthira asked the Lord for an explanation. Lord Krishna told that the Atma in the person who was scolding was the same as that in the person who was receiving the scolding. So who is ridiculing, and who is getting ridiculed? It is the same Atma. When he was ridiculing Me, he was not doing it to Me; it was only towards My body.
Swami : Perceiving good and bad separately depends on your vision and the evolution of the mind. Meeku Brahma Sutram Ante Telusa? (Do you know what Brahma Sutram is?) (The students gave different answers to which Swami did not agree. Then one student confessed that he did not know.) If you do not know, tell that you do not know. It is, "Ekam Eva Advitiyam Brahma" (It is the only One without the second).
(Swami narrated another story from the Mahabharata.) After the war, when Lord Krishna advised Dharmaraja to become the king, he refused. Seeing this, Lord Krishna took him to Bhishma. Bhishma then told him that they (the Pandavas) were with Lord Krishna playing with Him, talking to Him, etc. It was due to Him that they fought the war and won it. And now it was His will that he become the king. Dharmaraja then obeyed Bhishma’s command.
Here Swami pointed out that even though Dharmaraja was there with Lord Krishna in very close proximity almost throughout his life, He was deluded for that moment and thought that the command of Bhishma was more important as he had brought them up during their childhood.
Another student…
Student : Swami, please come to Hostel.
Swami : Your Hostel owner (Warden) himself has not asked, why are you asking.
Students : Swami, now only few students are getting chances of Divine proximity. But if You come to hostel, all students will get chances.
Swami : Manchidi (Good).
Another student…
Student : Swami, how is Your health? You had fever few days ago.
Swami : All those who tell like this are only not well.
At this point of time, Swami created a diamond…
Student : Swami, Kohinoor?
Swami : No. It is more valuable than Kohinoor also.
Student : Swami, is it possible to make such cuts as they are on the diamond?
Swami : If you try making such cuts, your hand will only get cut! Diamond - Die Mind.
Student : Swami, please kill our mind.
Swami : Yes, you give it to Me, I will surely kill it. But you do not give it to Me.
Student : Swami, please make us shine like this diamond.
Swami : What is this in My hand? (Pointing to the diamond) It is only a stone. It came to My hand and became a diamond. Same way if you give yourself to Me, I can make you diamonds which the whole world will admire. But what to do, you are not willing to come into My hand. You give your life to Me; I will make sure that you will shine more than this diamond also. Emi Mysore? (What Mysore? – referring to Shashi Kiran, a student from first year M.Sc. (Mathematics) class who hailed from the city of Mysore.) Are you able to understand?
Student : Little, little Swami.
Swami : Showing the diamond) Do you want?
Student : No, Swami. You are there. That is enough.
Swami : Aa, Adi Chalu (That is enough).
Swami then signalled to get Vibhuti bag and distributed the Prasadam to all.Then students requested Swami for photographs. Swami agreed to that. Initially Swami took photo by sitting on the chair and the students standing around Him.
Swami : If you all stand up, I won’t come in the photo.
Then Swami stood up and took another photo.
 |
| Sri Sathya Sai with Lion Dance Students in the Interview Room That Day |
Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (2001-2004)
Aum sri sai ram,
ReplyDeleteReally blessed from GOD's each & every patham...
Jai sai ram.