Sri Sathya Sai Explains The Concept of MANAGER

August 19, 1997

The Management students asked Swami to come for the drama to be staged on the 21st. 

Swami : What is the name of the drama? Management?

Students : ‘Manager’, Swami. It is based on what You have told about the ideal manager. Please Swami, come for the drama.

Swami : Kaise Aa Sakta Hai? (How can I come for your drama?) 

(Pointing to a student) You all are good actors… perfect. Hostel mein actor, Institute mein actor, eating action, talking action. 

(To another student) What is the name of the drama?

Student : MANAGER, Swami.

Swami : What is ‘M’ in the word MANAGER?

Student : Mind of Man.

Swami : There are five koshas - Annamaya Kosha (food sheath), Pranamaya Kosha (breath sheath), Manomaya Kosha (mind sheath), Vijnanamaya Kosha (intellect sheath) and Anandamaya Kosha (bliss sheath). After thousands of years, scientists have realised the first three Koshas. But the progress has stopped here. It is only when you reach the Vijnanamaya Kosha that you can experience Ananda or bliss. Vijnana here does not refer to ordinary scientific knowledge. 

(The conversation then shifted to Raksha Bandhan–The previous day being Rakhi pournami. Bhagavan disclosed that the practice had started during the Mahabharata war.)

One day, as Lord Krishna was about to leave for the battlefield, His sister, Subhadra came and asked, if she could tie a Rakhi to His hand, and Lord Krishna agreed. 

Teacher :  Swami, there is a temple of Lord Krishna in Baroda.

Swami : No, it is 15 kms away from Baroda. Where is the temple? Heart is the temple. Meera said “Hamara Dil Tumhara Mandir” (My heart is Your temple) In Somnath, there was a lot of gold on the Gopuram, which was taken away. I created the Jyotir Lingam and asked them to install it there and worship it. There are three meanings of the word Krishna: 

1.Krishiti Iti Krishna (The one who cultivates the field of the heart)

2.Karshati Iti Krishna (The one who attracts).

3.Khushiti Iti Krishna (The one who bestows Ananda)

(Pointing to one of the teachers) What is the meaning of A in the word  ‘Manager’?

Teacher : Awareness of Atma.

Swami : Where is Atma?

Teacher : Atma is everywhere.

Swami : Who is speaking now?

Teacher : Atma is speaking, Swami. Atma is speaking through me, Swami

Swami : Then, who are you? Body is an instrument. Body is also Atma. You speak of atoms. It is not to be pronounced as ‘Yatom’ or ‘Aatom’. It is Atom. Everything is made of atoms. Even the body is made of atoms.

Swami : (To a student) Are you studying MBA?

Student : Yes, Swami.

Swami : Where do you come from?

Student : From You Swami.

Swami : Jhootha Vedanta Mat Bolo (Don’t speak false Vedanta.) Speak ‘Real’ Vedanta.

Student : Orissa, Swami.

Student : Swami, mind is giving problems. I am getting bad thoughts.

Swami : Not only you, all people get bad thoughts. The only difference is that you are telling it while the others are remaining quiet. Thoughts come and go, sometimes-good thoughts… sometimes-bad thoughts, isn’t it? Say goodbye to bad thoughts and welcome good thoughts.

Student : I am finding difficulty in controlling the mind.

Swami : Mind control is very easy. If a train is going, even a thousand men cannot hold it, but if you remove one pin in the engine, the train will stop. Mind, body, and thoughts are all temporary. Don’t worry about bad thoughts. They come and go like passing clouds. That is their nature. Jaa-Ga, coming and going. But do not put your bad thoughts in action. Use your Buddhi (Intellect) and associate only with that which is permanent. Yad Bhavam Tad Bhavati. (As you think, so you become). There is nothing like good or bad in this world, everything is good. Connection should not be through the mind, since it is temporary. It should be through the conscience, which is part of consciousness. Being conscious is the function of the senses. You are born with every inhalation and die with every exhalation. This occurs 21,600 times a day. The conscience is permanent. The spiritual heart is the conscience. It is the ‘company’ that is important. Dust has no wings, but when it associates with the wind, it goes up. Dust also has no legs, but when it associates with water, it comes down. Everything is transient. You take a 100-rupee note in your hand and say, “It is mine.” In turn, the 100-rupee note laughs at you because tomorrow it will be with someone else. Satyagraha is Satya+Agraha. Where there is truth, there is no anger and where there is anger, there is no truth. Swatantra is Swaa + Tantram. Swa is Atma; Tantra is heart. Then Swatantra is turning your heart into a spiritual one. (Then Swami again turned to one of the teachers and asked…) What is ‘N’ in the word ‘Manager’?

Teacher : Nature of Nations.

Swami : What is Nature? Nature is the best teacher and the best preacher. Nation is the student. (To another teacher) What do you teach?

Teacher : Finance, Swami.

Swami : How is Finance in India?

Teacher : Very bad, Swami.

Swami : No, not very bad.

Teacher : Swami methods are very bad.

Swami : No, methods are not bad. Connection is bad. Direction is bad, but collection is good. Ganga and Jamuna flow above the ground, but river Saraswati flows underground (It is Antarvahini). In our nation, collection and connection of money is there, but direction is below, like the river Saraswati. Everywhere, you have to pay underneath. Even when someone is born, to register it, money has to be paid. 

(In the mean time, the Principal informed Swami that one of the teachers was suffering from Asthma, and had been admitted to the Super Speciality Hospital.) 

According to Me, it is not Asthma… it is Eosinophilia. What is Eosinophilia? It is due to the mixture of white and red blood corpuscles. Attacks occur during early morning. You should take Tetracycline for a week in such cases. (Turning to the students) I am not a doctor!!

After this Bhagavan went inside the Bhajan hall and came out after some time. As He approached the students, one of the teachers got up on his knees to get the sacred thread blessed…

Swami : (Turning to another teacher) Are you a Brahmin?

Teacher : Yes, Swami.

Swami : Do you eat non-vegetarian food?

Teacher : No, Swami. I do not even eat eggs.

Swami : Sterile eggs are also like vegetables! In hostel, you use so many vegetables, tomato, potato etc… egg is white potato (Jokingly). Vegetables also have life, but they have no senses. During the course of the conversation, the boys, the faculty members and the Principal requested Bhagavan to come to the Institute, on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of the M. B. A. Programme. Bhagavan graciously agreed to come. Thus ended a very interesting and rewarding session.

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (1991-2000)