In this episode of Video Satsang, Navinchandra Patel, an alumnus of Sri Sathya Sai College at Brindavan from the 1970s, and currently serving the Sathya Sai International Organisations in the United Kingdom, shares his experience of how in the mid-1970s, Swami revealed His Virata Swaroopa to His student.
Conversations with Sri Sathya Sai on Princess Diana and His Visit to Badrinath
September 1, 1997
Swami : (About to say something to a teacher, then withdraws) Chhodo (leave it). Again after a moment, Tumhara system Kharab Hai (there is a defect in your system). Boys Ko exam Ke Baad Thoda Time Do (after exams give some time to boys). Ekdam classes Shuru Karta Hai (You start the classes immediately). Half an hour time Do. Boys Ko discuss Karna Hai, question paper Mein Kya Aaya Hai (Boys need to discuss about the question paper). Main Professor Hota To Aisa Nahi Karta, Nahi, Nahi (If I would have been the Professor, I would have never done like that). Principal Ko Bolo. (Repeating again) Main Aisa Nahi Karta. Boys Ko time Do exam Ke Baad. Ekdam class Mein boys Kuch Nahi Sunta, Tum Kuchh Bhi Bolo
(Immediately after the exam, boys don't listen to anything in the class, whatever you may teach).
Boy : Swami, sister (had an) accident.
Swami : What? (The boy repeated and Swami repeated ‘What?’)
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| Princess Diana (1961-1997) |
Swami : Ha! Tumhara Ek Aur sister Ka Accident Hua. Malum second sister, Queen Elizabeth Ka daughter-in-law. What is her name? (Another sister of yours also had an accident. Do you know who is the second sister? She is the daughter-in-law of Queen Elizabeth)
Another boy: Swami, Diana.
Swami : Ha!
Boy : (Repeating again) Swami, Diana.
Swami : (Punning on the words - Jokingly) Ha! Dionil, Medicine for Diabetes?
(Swami repeated the name of the medicine to that teacher, and the teacher agreed with Swami.)
Student : Swami, sister and brother-in-law Aaya (Sister and brother-in-law have come). (Swami created Vibhuti for the student.) Swami, please talk to them.
Swami : Recommendation Kyun (Why do you need to give recommendation?)! Relation with Swami is heart-to-heart, love-to-love, no recommendation.
Swami pointed to a student and told that his grandfather had come for the first time to the old Mandir. “Ye construction Nahi Hua Tha.” (The present Mandir was not constructed) (To that student) Abhi Kahaan Hai? (Where is he now?).
Student : Swami, Kasauli.
Swami : Ha?
Student : Swami, Kasauli. Himachal Pradesh.
Swami : Malum Hai? (Do you know?) Shimla Gaya, Badrinath Bhi Gaya. 25 miles up walk Kiya. Abhi Bhi Walk Kar Sakta Hai Par Jagah Nahi Hai. Rishikesh Bhi Gaya. (I have gone to Shimla and Badrinath. I walked up the hill. Now also I can walk, but no place. I have gone to Rishikesh also.)
Teacher : Swami, Upar horse Bhi Jata Hai. (Horse also goes up).
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| Sri Sathya Sai en route to Badrinath with Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, Governor of Uttar Pradesh |
Swami : Nahi. Vahan horse Nahi Hota. (There are no horses there.) Big donkeys. Donkeys Bhi Nahi, horse Bhi Nahi, Usko Kya Bolta Hai? (It’s neither a horse nor a donkey, what do you call it?). (To students) What is it called?
Student : Swami, mule.
Swami : Nahi,Nahi.
Student : Swami, pony.
Swami : No pony, no Puri. Kuch Aur Bolta Hai. (They call it something else) Unko Thoda opium Deta Hai. (They give it some opium).
(Swami then imitated the addicted state of the animal. In the course of the conversation, Swami said) Marriage is mirage. Paani Dikhta Hai, Sukh-Sukh-Sukh Ke Liye Jata Hai, Par till last moment no Sukh (It is all illusory, man goes in search of happiness, but till last moment, no happiness). (To a student) What are you studying?
Student : MFM.
Swami : What is MFM? What is the meaning of finance?
Student : Swami, money.
Swami : What is the meaning of money?
Student : Swami, Maya.
Swami : Maya! Maya Hai To Usko touch Mat Karo. (If it is illusory, do not touch it). Everything is wealth. Health is wealth. Happiness is wealth. Thinking is wealth. Everything is wealth. But no use of wealth without discrimination - Medha Shakti.
Student : Swami, mind power.
Swami : Yes, brain power. What do you mean by ‘Free Will’?
Student : Swami, only Your will is Free Will.
Swami : Yes, nobody has Free Will, only God has Free Will, only God. No doubt, never doubt, only God has Free Will.
From Mountain Top to Board Room - By Dr. Jack Hawley
“To transform the world there is no need for a new social system. What is essential is a group of men and women with social ideals. But such persons can survive only in a society [a culture] where there is purity of mind and good character. For those two qualities to flourish the basis is spirituality.”
— Sathya Sai Baba
It’s a long way, spiritually and morally, from the Avatar’s mountain top in Southern India to an executive board room in Southern California. Or perhaps it is not so far.
The motor trip to Kodaikanal lifts us from the stifling, searing heat of the plains first through rolling foothills. The world outside the car windows gradually transforms from dusty, dry browns to green. Then the road narrows and becomes a winding mountain road climbing steeply through dense forests. Arriving finally at the top, hours later, we first notice the fresh cool air washing this little resort community.
At daybreak in the quiet, almost chilly morning air, Baba’s devotees from all over the world stream out from their guest houses in all parts of this small town, towards Baba’s residence for Darshan. Even the mist rising from the cool mountain lake seems to move silently toward the driveway of Bhagavan’s bungalow, as though joining the people to catch a glimpse of the Avatar.
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| Sri Sathya Sai Darshan at Kodaikanal |
I stood to one side, looked at the students, uttered a quick “0m Sai Ram” under my breath, and began. “Bhagavan directed me to write a book on Dharmic Management,” I said. “At first, I thought writing it would be a simple task because I have over thirty years experience as a management consultant in ‘organization transformation’—which is the infusion of new energy, heart, and spirit into human organizations. But when I dove into the vast idea of Dharma I found myself occupied not only with the knotty problems of people in modern organizations but in the most profound spiritual questions and moral dilemmas facing people down through the ages.
This is beyond my capacity, I thought, but Baba, as though reading my mind, called me to Him and reassured me, ‘You have everything you need to write this book. I will help you.’ And later He told me, ‘Don’t worry whether your writing fits with My teachings. Write from the heart; your inner voice is Me.’ Even with those calming words I found myself constantly turning inward to call on Baba for help.”
“Not only was I trying to deal with some of the most profound queries of mankind (basic questions of values, purpose, spirit, and happiness),” I continued, “but I knew that most prospective readers would not be Sai devotees or even spiritual people. To grab and hold their interest the book had to respond to their problems and concerns. So I began to look closely at the eight or nine issues of most concern to management people (profitability, marketing, finance, motivation, and so forth) intending to answer those questions from a human values and spiritual perspective.”
“Over the following months, as I delved into these diverse questions, the answers began to sound strangely alike. My local mind rebelled, ‘How can answers to such dissimilar questions be so similar?’ I returned to the issues and dived even further into each, as though spiraling deeper and deeper, eventually into the very centre of them. When I reached this core level I found that the answers were not merely similar, they were exactly the same. Each of these issues required precisely the same remedy. At this profound level there is but one answer for all these questions!”
The boys were leaning forward not to miss this curious answer, ‘And that one solution can be summarized in one word,” I said. They leaned closer, ‘And that one word is … Love.”
“Yesss!” Baba immediately chimed in, startling everybody. All the boys’ heads snapped at once toward their beloved Bhagavan. Baba then spoke three words, nodding slightly to lend emphasis to each word. “Love ... is ... God:’ He said, and sat back.
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| Sri Sathya Sai at the Sai Sruthi Mandir Kodaikanal |
This essential spiritual Truth sounds perfectly local in that sacred environment there on the mountain top in the presence of the Avatar of this age. But what happens when one comes down from the cool freshness of that place to the heat of the so-called real world of business? It seems a long, long way from up there to down here in most organizations that I work with.
After returning to the USA, I found myself in the board room of a new client company talking to the top management team about “personality patterns” that develop in organizations. It was an interesting company, founded by a goodhearted Hollywood movie star to create jobs for needy people from the ghettos and barrios of Los Angeles. But the company was in a hard-fought, competitive, industry, and had found itself in business trouble. Reacting to the trouble, the company was beginning to tighten up and thus lose its kindness, which was its soul. I was standing at the front of the room reaching to make a point.
I drew a horizontal line on the chalkboard, planning to use it to show a range of behaviors toward employees. “To help us understand an organization’s basic ‘personality,’ let’s use a reverence continuum,” I said. I was a little surprised when the word reverence popped out of me and noticed several brows wrinkling and some quizzical looks. “Oh-oh, I’m in trouble,” I said to myself again, and breathed an ‘0m Sai Ram.’
But I had seen those kinds of brows before and, believing that my little prayer would work, I trusted that this session would turn out okay. So I moved ahead, explaining that an organization’s characteristic pattern of behavior could be plotted somewhere along this chalk line, depending on the quality of human relationships within the organization.
Then I drew two short vertical strokes about a third of the way along the line. “This represents the dividing plane between basically ‘uncivilized’ and basically ‘civilized’ organizations. To the left of this plane are the mean spirited, indifferent, and apathetic organizations. Unfortunately, there are too many of them nowadays. Disregard those bad companies for now” I X’d that segment. “Let’s only consider companies to the right of the plane, organizations that are basically civil.”
I then divided this civilized portion of the line into four segments. “There are gradations of civility,” I said, pointing to the first segment. “The most elementary ‘civilized’ organization personality is the Polite organization.” I labeled the segment P.
“People in these Polite companies,” I continued, “are at least minimally considerate of and attentive toward one another. These are organizations with ‘manners;’ there’s a whiff of common courtesy in the air of them.” I searched my mind for an example. “The English as a nation are generally good at this. Even if they don’t like you, they will at least act politely toward you most of the time. It may be rather thinly veiled, but they seldom let themselves dip below a basic minimum level of civility.”
“But these Polite organizations better be careful,” I said half-jokingly, “because if they persist in this politeness it will grow, and they will slip over the line into real Caring. I scratched a C in the next segment of the continuum.
“The Caring organization is the Polite organization, but even more so. In the Caring organization members are more attentive, more thoughtful and more interested in people — and they’re more concerned about the company and the quality of their product. In this organization you see them watching out for one another and for customers.”
I gave an example, an incident in a particular high-production pharmacy unit in a huge medical center. “The unit operates as a human prescription-filling machine,” I said. “You walk into that workplace and all heads are down, churning out thousands upon thousands of medical “scrips” under great pressure each day. There’s a whole squad of professional pharmacists behind a long glass partition busily filling prescriptions, and there’s a score of clerks working the front end of this huge human apparatus, pecking at computer terminals and dealing with the throngs of patients that constantly stream up to the many windows at a very long counter. One day an old man shuffled slowly up to one of the windows and asked in a weak, shaky voice for diabetes medicine. Every head in the unit, whether pharmacist or clerk, looked up to make sure the patient wasn’t ‘in trouble.”
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| The Book on Dharmic Management |
With this example the wrinkled brows in the group smoothed out some as these ideas were beginning to make sense. I continued, feeling a bit lighter, “But even Caring organizations better watch out because those behaviors, too, become a habit. If they aren’t careful, their caring expands into respect.” I labeled the third segment R.
“Respect! Imagine an organization culture (or a society) saturated in respect. Respect is one of those qualities we all know when we feel it, and are especially aware of when it’s missing. And yet, basic human respect is not thought about or talked about much in the business environment.”
I then asked, “What are the important human interactions and feelings that make up a respectful organization?” ‘The group helped build a list: being considerate toward one another, holding others in esteem, admiration, kindness, and so forth. It was a good list. “That’s the kind of organization I hear people all over yearning for,” I said. Their body language told me they agreed.
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| Dr. Jack Hawley |
- Dr. Jack Hawley
Management Consultant and Former Visiting Faculty
Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning
Source: Sai Vandana 1990
How to cultivate Friendship with God?
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| Sri Sathya Sai in the Brindavan Campus Hostel |
Friendship ought to be a spiritual bond, a heart to heart kinship based on full understanding of and pure dedication of one to another. Students should be vigilant against false and fleeting friendships and not be simply led away by hellos and handshakes. Do not cultivate close friendship with anybody unless you know that the motives on the other side are pure, unselfish and spiritual.
Unique friendship between Krishna and Arjuna
Genuine friendship can only be possible between one Atma and another, that is to say, between two persons who have each realized that Atma is the core of their being. Nowhere on the mundane plane can you get the genuine Sneha which is declared as the penultimate stage to Sharanagati or Atma Nivedana (total surrender and dedication to God), among the trivial, transitory friendships of worldlings.
Krishna's assurance to all who offer their self
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was fascinated by the Sneha that was exemplified by the Krishna- Arjuna relationship. He learned from the Bhagavata and the Bhagavad Geeta how the Sadhaka (spiritual aspirant) can go through all the nine stages of Bhakti (devotion). He was also determined to emulate the Gopis (cowherd girls) and earn for himself the Viraha (passionate) type of Bhakti, Madhura Bhakti (sweet devotion), that the Gopis had. When he read the Ramayana, he decided to emulate Hanuman and practise his Dasa Bhakti (devotion of servitude). Of all the Shlokas (verses) in the Bhagavad Geeta, Ramakrishna was especially impressed by the one that emphasised the attitude of Atma Nivedana or Sharanagati.
One day, while Ramakrishna was going to Kamarpukur, night overtook him and he was caught in heavy rain right in the centre of a burial ground. Of course he was in such an ecstatic mood that the time, place or weather mattered little to him. When he awoke, Ramakrishna called upon God by various names - Rama, Shiva, Krishna, Kaali, Hanuman. Then he suddenly realised that the names all referred to the One, and he repeated within himself the verse from the Geetha that reminded him of Sharanagati (absolute surrender) to the One.
Surrender absolutely to God to get peace
If only you surrender your wish and will, your fancies and fantasies to God, He will lead you aright and give you peace and joy. You must not run after diverse ends and flitting pleasures. Leave everything to God; accept whatever happens, as His Will. Ambareesha was a King who stuck to all the Vedic injunctions and observed all the rites and rituals laid down in these texts. He was noble, sincere and very devoted to Vishnu, the Form that embodies the fostering and sustaining aspect of God.
True devotion of King Ambareesha
Fasting on Ekadashi day and breaking the fast as-soon as Dwaadashi came in, was one of the important rites that Ambareesha observed meticulously every fortnight. Ekadashi is the eleventh day of the Moon and Dwaadashi, the twelfth day. The fast has to be broken with prayers to Vishnu and the partaking of the offering made to Him as soon as, according to the lunar calendar, the twelfth lunar day has started. On one occasion, a few hours before the approach of Dwaadashi, the great sage Durvasa, reputed for his frequent fits of fury and burst of uncontrollable temper, arrived at the palace of Ambareesha. He was heartily welcomed by the King. Ambareesha pleaded with him to proceed to the Ganges, finish his ablutions and return in time for the breaking of the Ekadashi fast. But the sage took his own time and was nowhere evident when the crucial moment arrived.
Ambareesha was in a fix. He consulted his preceptor who advised him to sip a few drops of sanctified water, since that could be considered breaking of the fast. On Ekadashi day, even water is taboo during the period of fasting. He said that Durvasa had no reason to get angry, since the drops of water were taken by him only as a token to keep the vow. But when the sage came and learnt about it all, he became so wild that he cursed Ambareesha for having broken the fast in his absence and started the meal. As the curse took form, the Chakra (discus) of Vishnu appeared on the scene and confronted Durvasa.
A devotee takes the curse as a gift from God
Ambareesha took the curse as a gift from God; he submitted himself to it in the spirit of a Sharanagati, for he had no will of his own. Thus, God came to his rescue. Ambareesha did not call upon Vishnu and pray that he may be saved from. the anger of Durvasa. He accepted that too as the Will of Vishnu. The Chakra pursued the terrified sage over all the three worlds, and when Durvasa fell at the feet of Vishnu, He directed him to approach Ambareesha himself to pardon. The attitude of surrender or Atma Nivedana (offering the self to God) makes a person dedicate his entire personality at the Feet of the Lord.
Rama told the wounded frog, "Poor thing! Why did you not cry out when you were hit?" The frog replied, "Whenever in trouble, I cry out to you Rama. But, when Rama Himself inflicts pain, whom am I to cry out to? I accepted it as His Grace." Bheeshma adored Krishna even when He was rushing towards him with His Chakra to take his life. His sense of Sharanagati (total surrender to Divinity) did not desert him at the point of death at the hands of the very Person whom he revered as God: "Kill me or save me, I shall not falter in my loyalty," he said.
See God in every being, Sneha will blossom
The Sneha (friendship) stage of Arjuna is the stage when all distinctions between the devotee and God disappear and the two friends are One. When this stage of utter trust, unshakeable faith, and complete absence of doubt, fear and anxiety is reached, the next stage of Atma Nivedan is natural and easy to cover. This is real friendship to which the youth must aspire. See God in every being and then true Sneha will blossom, This type of true Sneha can come only when you follow the advice of Krishna. ‘He who has no trace of hatred towards any creature, who is friendly and compassionate towards all, who is free from the bondage of 'I' and 'mine,' who takes pain and pleasure as equally welcome and who is forbearing in spite of provocation...’
Develop these qualities in you, for they are the signs of true Sneha, for it is only when you are proceeding on the Godward journey along the nine stages of Bhakti (devotion) that you can attain this Divine ideal of true friendship.
Source: Divine Discourse on August 20, 1978 at the Sri Sathya Sai Hostel, Brindavan
Sri Sathya Sai On: What is True Independence? (Video Discourse)
Independence Day, 15th of August, holds a special importance for the citizens of India. It is a day that reminds us of the sacrifices made by freedom fighters. It instills us with a feeling of patriotism and infuses us with the zest to do something for their country.
In this video excerpt, we have our Most Beloved Master explaining to us: What is True Independence?
"Study properly and get good marks, that is enough..."
Wednesday, August 16, 2000
Today, Swami sent the Research Scholars to Poornachandra Auditorium to get clothes for the mass marriage. Swami came once again at 4.10 pm and was talking to one of the guests who was sitting in the inner portico and suddenly His attention turned to a School student who wanted to show Swami something he had written. Swami saw his attempt and called him to the front and saw the poem that the student had written and also the designs made by the him. Swami even read out some poems aloud and asked him what he wanted. The student asked for Padanamaskar.
Swami : See, they come for one thing and take two things and go. (Swami materialised Vibhuti and gave to that student and said) Try to get these things from heart and not from art. (To a Primary School student) Where are you from?
Student : Swami, I came from Your Lotus Feet.
Swami : How is it possible? You are so big and My feet are so small!
(Then Swami lovingly pulled his nose and patted his cheek. Then, one more student was ready with one more piece of poem that he had written. To him)
First you study well. You can write poems later. Study properly and get good marks, that is enough.
(To waiting students) What is this poem-madness?
(Then Swami came to Ganesh portico.)
Who spoke yesterday morning? (Recalling the students’ speech in the morning prayer session, Swami spoke about the incident when Rama says to His brother Lakshmana, “Janani Janmabhoomischa, Swargadapi Gareeyasi” – ‘Mother and Motherland are greater than Heaven’.)
Prof. A. K. : (Referring to the preparations for the mass marriages for the socially disadvantaged) Swami, so much work may be there.
Swami : For each one, Kanchi Pattu sari (exquisite and expensive silk saris with golden thread work from Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu) is costing ₹4,000.
Prof. A. K. : Jeera- jaggery mixture is also needed.
Swami : You remember that which was used during your marriage.
Prof. A. K. : I feel they would have kept it.
Swami : Your marriage was 35 years back?
Prof. A. K. : Around 35-36 years back.
Swami : (Smiling) You remember your marriage which was 35 years back. But you can’t remember what happened last year!
Conversations with Sri Sathya Sai on Healthy Food
Thursday, June 29, 2000
In the morning, Swami took some alumni who are going to Delhi for an interview. They also took photographs with Swami. In the evening Darshan, to a teacher…
Swami : (Pointing out at the leg of Prof. Radhaswamy, Associate Dean, School of Business Management at Swami’s University) What happened to your leg?
Teacher : Swami, everything is the fruit of bad Karma (actions).
Swami : Everything is Vedantam! (Jokingly) Did your wife nicely hit you?
(Calling the kitchen in-charge, Sri K. Venkatachalam) What’s the breakfast?
Sri K. V. : Uttapam, Swami.
Swami : (Swami asked the same to another student and punned with the word ‘Uttapam’ by splitting it as ‘Utta’ and ‘Appam’, which meant spoiled dosa. To Prof. Radhaswamy)
- Green leafy vegetables are good for heart. So are brinjal, drumsticks and bitter-gourd.
- And groundnuts have cholestrol and groundnut oil should be avoided. In general, vegetable oil is better than Dalda ghee, as it has less cholesterol.
- Milk should be mixed with water, one is to three.
- Soyabean sprouts are good, but they should be Indian soya and not imported variety.
- Drumsticks should be boiled properly, then alone its beneficial properties will be transferred from the skin to the pulp.
- One should do some exercise daily, at least walking.
(After the interview, Swami walked towards the Delhi-going students and gestured) Packing… Over? Ready…
Student : Yes, Swami.
Swami : Baga Teluskoni Randi (Learn properly and come). Van will come at 8.30 pm. Go in it. (Inside the Bhajan Hall, looking at the wall clock) Five minutes more (referring to the Bhajans).
Bhajans were from 5.30 pm to 5.55 pm and were sung by U.K. devotees. While going back, Swami waved His hand to the students who were going to Delhi that night.
Tryst with Sri Sathya Sai – By K. Janardanan
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is an ocean of selfless love, where His Leelas galore is a shoreless ocean. We, the devotees derive limitless joy, experiencing His Leelas. Miracles are the cornerstones of the mansion of faith in the world of Sai. The Sathya Sai phenomenon has wonderfully propelled the mass of humanity in the world from darkness into light, ignorance into Divine consciousness, blind faith into blissful awareness of the source and sustenance of creation, i.e. God. All of Swami’s miracles are indeed the props for uplifting the individual to the Divine consciousness and to develop closer kinship with the source, God. The following is an instance of such a Divine miracle, an instance of uplifting a common man into a staunch devotee.
In the early 1970s, a 20 year old youth, from a government school at Chennai, was without any merit for getting any job to support his family. He was whiling away his youthful time, wandering in the streets of Chennai, day after day, without any employment.
In the early 1970s, a 20 year old youth, from a government school at Chennai, was without any merit for getting any job to support his family. He was whiling away his youthful time, wandering in the streets of Chennai, day after day, without any employment.
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| Sri Sathya Sai in Chennai |
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| Sundaram - The majestic Sathya Sai Ashram at Chennai |
Years passed without any change in his life as he waited with unshakeable faith in Bhagavan. But how long could he bear the brunt of his family everyday as he returned home after doing Samiti activities as a Seva Dal? One day the breakeven point for his mental torture reached, when he felt that Swami had totally ignored all his prayers and devotion. That day was the most auspicious day of Shivaratri when he got the opportunity for the first time to perform the night–vigil-duty around Swami’s Mandir at Prasanthi Nilayam. While Akhanda Bhajan was going on in the Mandir all through the night, his mind was tormented by the thought of the unpleasant scene that waited when he would return home at Chennai without any job or employment. Finally in the early hours of the morning he broke down crying for Swami’s grace. It was almost time for the daybreak, when Swami was expected to bless the devotees with Darshan. He prayed fervently asking three boons from Swami. The first boon was that he should not have any more rebirths. The second one was that an employment should be waiting for him at his home in Chennai, on his return home from Prasanthi Nilayam. The third one was that the members of his family should develop devotion and faith in Swami.
Thus he poured out the agony of his heart right at the door step of the ever loving and most compassionate Bhagavan. As he did not have any other refuge, he waited patiently with a crying heart for some favourable answers to his prayers which he firmly believed that Swami would definitely respond one day at the most opportune time. Soon he noticed that the attention of all the devotees in Mandir was drawn towards the silver door. Suddenly the door swung open and Bhagavan emerged giving His most captivating Darshan. During the brief moment of the blissful Darshan, he observed, to his utter joy, that Swami was looking at him with a bewitching smile, blessing him with his, Abhayahasta.
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| Sri Sathya Sai with Lingam |
Though one of his boons was miraculously granted by Bhagavan, he wondered whether Swami would grant him the other boons also and free him from the mental torture that he faced daily at home. Soon the thought of unpleasant experiences he had every time when he returned from Prasanthi Nilayam, gripped him and plunged him in gloom. His heart became heavy, brooding over his unsuccessful past and the dark uncertain future.
He was thoroughly exhausted when reached Chennai about 5.00 a.m. He could hardly walk but managed to drag his feet on the deserted roads leading to his house. He finally approached the lane where his house was at a short distance. As he turned to proceed in that lane, he noticed something unusual and surprising. His nine year old niece who till then never showed any regard for him, ran down the steps of his house and rushed towards him with a smile, saying, “Uncle, there is a brown cover lying on the table for you from the Department of Electricity”. He was very much thrilled and excited to find the envelope lying on the table, uncared for. In a moment, he grabbed it, immediately left the house and headed straight to the Shirdi Sai temple where he used to spend most of his time doing selfless service. He placed the letter at the altar and offered his gratitude as he was quite confident that Bhagavan finally responded to his prayers and thus granting him his second boon. No doubt, it was truly an appointment order for him from the Electricity Board for a competitive post to which he had applied some months ago and lost all the hope of getting any reply.
Having been blessed with the two unbelievable boons that were bestowed on him by Bhagavan, he was very confident that the attitude of all the members of the family would totally change for the better in course of time. Indeed, his family felt very remorseful for their irresponsible and callous behaviour toward him. It was not long before a very cordial atmosphere developed in his family and all the members in the family started believing in Swami.
- K. Janardanan
Warden (1996-2016),
Sri Sathya Sai Junior Boys Hostel
Prasanthi Nilayam
"For every confusion, the hands of politicians will be there!"
Tuesday, June 27, 2000
Morning
After morning interview, Swami went out in His car for overseeing the construction of the Music College. On the way, He saw one Research Scholar and asked him for a letter that he was holding during Darshan on the previous day. The Research Scholar informed Swami that he was not having the letter at present. Swami told him to go and get the letter from the Hostel and took the same on His way back to Mandir.
Evening
The evening Darshans started at 3.07 pm. The former Union Home Minister, Sri SB Chavan was present today. After the interview, Swami gave some (health-related) books to the students newly selected for the Whitefield Hospital. After some time, Swami came to the Ganesh portico.
Swami : (To a student) How is your mother?
Student : Swami, happy.
Swami : Khush Hai? (Happy?)
Student : Very happy.
Swami : Only very happy. Not very, very, very happy. (Pointing to a group of boys) All these are M.B.A. boys. How many M.B.A. boys?
Students : Swami, 27.
Swami : M.F.M.
Students : Swami, 27.
Swami : II M.B.A.
Students : 26, Swami.
Swami : Final year boys. Going off… Very happy.
Students : No, Swami.
Swami : (Observing many with letters) I am not your postman that you are giving Me letters. (He went near Prof. Anil Kumar and saw him holding a book in his hands.) What is the book that you are reading?
Prof. A. K. : Swami, on Shankara.
Swami : (Swami took the book and flipped through few pages.) This is on Adi Shankara and not Shankara (Swami meant not the current Shankaracharya). How are the boys studying?
Prof. A. K. : Swami, they are studying well.
Swami : (Pointing to a School student) How is this boy studying?
Prof. A. K. : Swami, he is not studying in the Institute.
Swami : Then how did you say that he is studying well.
Prof. A. K. : Swami, I hear them studying while in Institute.
Swami : Your mind will then be there only. (Swami called the Institute Warden, Dr. Siva Sankara Sai) What are boys doing in the Hostel?
Warden : Swami, this morning, we did Laksharchana (literally meaning one lakh offerings, it is a ritual consisting of chanting the name of God while offering rice grains on His image/photo) in the Hostel.
Prof. A. K. : (Showing a pocket-size photo to Swami which was given to the students in the Hostel for Laksharchana) They gave this photo also.
Swami : (After having a look at the photo, Swami saw the back side of the photo, which had a picture of Mother Easwaramma. After observing it for a while) This is an old photo. In this photo, she is not looking very old.
(Swami pointed at a student to Prof. Anil Kumar and asked him if he knew him. Prof. Anil Kumar could not make out who that student was.) He acted in ‘Shirdi Sai-Parthi Sai’ tele-serial. Don’t you know him? Sai Baba…
(The student had acted in the Telugu serial made on Swami’s life by Smt. Anjali Devi as young Sathya.)
Teacher : Swami, he has become popular all over the state. Swami, they are creating a lot of confusion in Guntur in the name of religion. (Recently, in Guntur town there was lot of communal violence.) There is curfew for the last few days. The politicians are spoiling the name of religion.
Swami : For every confusion, the hands of politicians will be there!
Students : Swami, talk to us. (The students meant that Swami should come to the Institute.)
Swami : Talk! How are you? What is the breakfast? How is your health? See, I have talked. (Then Swami gave a mischievous smile.)
Students : Swami, come to the Institute.
Swami : How is your Vice-Chancellor? How is Registrar? (Again, He gave a mischievous smile.)
Students : Swami, please come to the Institute.
Swami : Your Vice-Chancellor is not asking Me. Only you are asking. (One student tried to call the Vice-Chancellor, Sri SV Giri) Dunnapotha. You should not signal to the Vice-Chancellor like that.
Sri Sathya Sai Addresses Spiritual Education Orientation Course at Brindavan
Tuesday, July 25, 1978 to
Thursday, August 3, 1978
Thursday, August 3, 1978
A ten day orientation course on spiritual education at Brindavan was inaugurated by Swami on 25th July 1978. Over 600 teachers from the Elementary Schools of Andhra Pradesh participated. C. Gopinatha Rao, Joint Director of Public Instructions, Andhra Pradesh and Sri Venkatarama Reddy, Minister for Education, Andhra Pradesh addressed the delegates. Swami then blessed the delegates with His Inaugural Discourse. Excerpts included below:
"Education has the responsibility of rendering every field of life fruitful and beneficial. It has a duty to the nation to make people skillful and upright. Unfortunately the educational institutions of today are following a contrary path. Man alone, among living beings, has the capacity to recognise the Divinity in himself and in all else, the sacredness of his mission and the capacity to realise his manhood, which implies detachment, renunciation, virtuous conduct and disciplined behaviour. But these qualities are not developed to any significant extent by our education today.
We now believe that the acquisition of knowledge is for the acquisition of wealth. But this is not right. True education is really related to the very consummation of life. It has to do with the goal of life more than the means of living. It is only through education and more education that we can instil into the mind of man the sacred ideals of human life.
Education is intended for the fulfillment of life
The cow yields milk only for feeding its calf. The calf after having its full, jumps about in joy and feels strong and happy. But we take hold of the milk intended for the calf and sustain ourselves with the strength it gives. So, also, education which is intended for the fulfilment of life is misused by us for the 'fill-fillment' of comfortable living. What we should do is to consider 'fill-fillment' as secondary and fulfilment as the primary purpose of education.
What we are today teaching and learning in schools cannot be considered Bharatiya education. Though our present system of education, is extolled as national education, it is in fact anti-national. It sometimes leads to the impoverishment of families because they have to sell even their properly to meet the expenses of the children. And what is the net gain? By education a young man gains a degree which is only another name for the bowl used for begging for jobs! Indian education should ideally emphasize self-reliance and independent living. It should confer on the student the courage to stand up against injustice, indiscipline, immorality and falsehood. It should grant steady faith in the Atman (Divinity) as the reality of man. These principles which should underlie Indian education are, to speak the truth, being gravely neglected by us.
Our ancient education gave scope for the exercise of the Divine qualities in man. India became celebrated for her culture because in the Gurukulas (hermitages) of ancient times, great teachers taught these ideals to their pupils, having already realised them in their own lives. Today much of the reform in our educational system is going to bring down the quality of the teachers.
Teachers must make efforts to live uprightly
The profession of a teacher is the most responsible one in every country. If the teacher strays from the path of truth, the entire society will suffer. So you must make every effort to live your life uprightly. You have in your charge, looking up to you for guidance, children so innocent that they have no knowledge yet of the world and its ways. It is only when the teacher himself is wedded to discipline and observes good habits that his pupils will be able to shape themselves into ideal individuals and citizens.
When the teacher falls a victim to bad habits, undesirable manners, bad company and evil behaviour, the children too will naturally be drawn into evil ways. Thus the teacher has to bear the responsibility of promoting the welfare of the world or bringing the world down to disaster. Of course even today there are some teachers who follow the ancient ideals. Indian culture is, even today, flesh and green only because there are in the country some teachers filled with holy feelings and sacred ideals.
In truth, teachers who got the chance to attend this camp are fortunate. From the vast expanse of Andhra Pradesh where we have thousands of teachers working in schools, you alone - about 600 of you have been selected to attend this camp. And you have been assigned the duty of moulding the children of your schools into ideal pupils.
Rishikuls have disappeared today
Every village school is to be transformed into a Gurukula and every teacher into a Rishi (sage) who will lead the children along the material, moral, ethical and spiritual paths, until they become ideal citizens of India. You too belong to the line of the ancient Rishis, because you have been chosen for this task. What has happened today is the disappearance of the Rishi from the Rishikul (abode of sage), so that it has become the miserable 'shkul' or school!
You should not give room for any doubt and discussion on religious matters. You must recognize the truth that can reconcile and bring together all religions without distinction. Teach the children this truth and instill love and harmony in the tender minds of boys and girls. They are now lovely creepers who depend on you and your care for their proper growth and blossoming.
The holy undertaking has been started by the Chief Minister and the Minister for Education. They have planted the sapling. Your teachers are entrusted with the duty of tending it and making it grow into a fine tree which will offer its flowers and fruits to the world. You must help the flower of peace to blossom and the fruit of spiritual equanimity to be shared by all mankind. In fact you are not merely teachers at your own schools, but are teachers of the human race.
Therefore, you have to cultivate in your own heart the spirit of sacrifice, the virtues of charity and the awareness of Divinity. Then only do you become entitled to cultivate these in the hearts of the children. But unfortunately, these principles of Indian education are absent in schools today. You must try your best to reshape the system and make it really Indian. Of course in the initial stages you will find this task very difficult and exhausting, but be assured that as you proceed you will find your task more and more easy.
Students must lead lives of service & sacrifice
In the coming days we will take up each subject and the possibilities and implications of teaching it. Out of these discussions will emerge resolutions and programmes which we can all consider later. During these ten days, each day will be devoted to the consideration of one aspect of spiritual and cultural education: How to develop the attitude of love among the children? How to make them recognise the kinship that unites all mankind? How to implant in their minds feelings against caste distinctions, regional differences and religious prejudices? How to bring out the Splendour of Divinity that is the core of humanity?These topics have to be given special attention.
Among the students of today there is little trace of moral and spiritual consciousness and the desire to judge what is right and what is wrong, India is an ancient nursery of yoga and home of renunciation. The students of this land should not waste their lives in seeking material comfort. They must lead lives of service and sacrifice. We must resolve to guide the students in this direction. It is indeed a matter of pride that for the first time such an attempt on such a large scale is being made in Andhra Pradesh, through an institution established under the auspices of the Government. Remember that mere attendance at this camp cannot bring much profit. Your teachers have to play a really diligent role in making this experiment a success.
Today humanness in man is absent
In schools we have teachers who teach history or geography or mathematics. The geography teacher opens out a map and points to some country and explains how people live there. The mathematics teacher writes on the black board: 13+3+3-9. The history teacher relates the story of a kingdom. But the drill teacher has to stand before the lined-up pupils and himself demonstrate what they should do while he counts one, two, three, four, etc. Every teacher, like the drill teacher, has to do what he says. He must demonstrate in his own life, the truth and validity of what he advises the pupils to do.
For example, he punishes them for smoking, beedis and cigarettes. But when he is himself addicted to smoking, what authority has he to advise others against it? By this type of hypocrisy the teacher loses all respect in the eyes of his pupils. If, however, you observe the rules you impose and then try to put them in practise, your advise is certain to be followed. When can you reach this stage? It is possible only when you become at least embodiments of humanness and when you recognise what the essential human qualities are.
The thought that arises in the mind, the word that is formed on the tongue and the act performed by the hand when these three form stages of the same process, they indicate humanness. Nowadays man appears to be man, but his humanness is absent, partly because he thinks one way, speaks another way and acts a third way. Speak what you think, do what you speak; that is the sign of true manhood. So you first act according to your own advice. Bring about consonance between your thought, word and deed, and then guide the children. Otherwise you, as teachers, cannot cut much ice with them.
Pupils in schools must have a strong foundation
Through the centuries India has nursed many religions, creeds and sects. But the essence of all Shastras (spiritual sciences) is that in every being there exists the Divine. The teaching of this essence is very necessary today. As the Minister for Education said just now, the foundation of an edifice has to be very strong. Even a small house requires a foundation. For a tree to grow, the roots have to be strong indeed. Without roots the tree will collapse with the first gust of wind. A house without a foundation will also fall down in a heap. Similarly, pupils in schools must have, for their satisfactory progress in life, a strong foundation. And what is a strong foundation? Moral, ethical and spiritual knowledge and experience are the best foundation.
But there is no use simply talking about foundation. When are we to build on it? We are all the time discussing only the plan. This present movement for Abhyudayas (Progressive Primary Schools) is only the foundation. High schools would be the walls, and colleges the roof. All the three have to be planned at the same time. They are going to complement one another. Today we are laying the foundation, but that is not the end. The building has to be erected. The sapling is planted but it still has to be watered, manured and carefully tended.
To be born as a human is the highest fortune of Jeeva (individual being). So you must make the best use of this rare chance. You must practise in daily life what the Atman (inner conscience) urges you to do. When this is done, the villagers will also be charged with spiritual adventure through their children, and the entire Andhra Pradesh will vibrate with a new enthusiasm. I desire that you should make all efforts in this direction. I wish you would take a vow in this regard for, believe Me, there is no sacrifice higher than this, no yoga nobler than this, no offering holier to God than this…”