"As you sow, so shall you reap"

It is said, “As you sow, so shall you reap”. This is the quality and secret of nature. Whether one denies or endorses, this truth does not change. Every human action is bound to have a consequence. As is the action, so is the result. As is the seed, so is the plant. If you sow one type of seed, a different type of tree will not grow. Man reaps the reaction and the result of his own actions. Everyone should, therefore, do good in order to have good results. Man today desires to have the results of all his good actions. But he does not step forward to do good actions. He forgets the consequences of sin. He steps forward to commit sinful acts. This is the level of ignorance in mankind. It is not merely the human tendency but also the quality of nature that surrounds him that leads him to commit such atrocities. People cry to God in a helpless nature saying, “Oh God, why do You put me to such suffering, anxiety and worry and test me like this?” God does not give us any pleasure or pain. Whatever you go through, pleasure or pain, it is by your own making. God is merely the witness. God is just the postman. He will hand over the covers that are addressed to you. He will deliver any card or money order that comes to you. Whatever effects the contents have on you does not have anything to do with the postman. In the same way, all that you experience is the result of your own actions. They are not given by God. However, here there is a special grace. When you pray with a pure and sacred heart selflessly, then God will take care that you get the deserved result. There is something fundamental behind pleasure and pain. Either in this life or in the previous one, based on our actions, God gives us what we deserve. 

God’s Grace Protected Draupadi

Krishna protects Draupadi

Few minutes earlier (referring to a student speaker) the 12th class boy said that Duryodhana was determined to humiliate Draupadi in an open court. At that time she started singing, “Keshava Madhava Deva Madhusudana” (Bhagavan sang these words). Draupadi cried out, “Keshava, Madhava, Narayana”. Who is Keshava? Ka + Aa + Isha = Keshava. ‘Ka’ is Brahma, ‘Aa’ is Vishnu and ‘Isha’ is Maheshwara. The One with this trinity is Keshava. God is in the form of this trinity. Parashara also stated this in a different way. Parashara said, “Ka + Isha + Va = Keshava”. Keshava is the One with the halo around the finger. Who is He? He is the form of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. Keshava has curly hair. So Draupadi prayed to Keshava. Krishna heard her prayer. He thought about how to respond to her prayer, thinking, “Has she done anything before praying?” He looked into the previous history of Draupadi. 

On one Sankranti day, all people were munching sugarcane. That evening all the Gopikas, Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jambavati, Draupadi and others were spending a joyous time with Krishna. But Krishna, in order to test them, pretended as if His finger was cut. God always tests His devotees. The test is nothing but a taste to God. If the devotee is successful in the test, he will be the recipient of the Lord's grace. He does not conduct the test as a sign of hatred or enmity. He does it out of intense love and compassion. 

Draupadi tying the piece
of her sari on Krishna's
injured finger

As His finger was bleeding, Satyabhama, Rukmini and Jambavati watched. Satyabhama asked the servant to go inside and get a piece of cloth to tie around the finger to stop the blood. Rukmini ran the distance herself. However, Draupadi saw this and tore a piece from her own sari and tied it around the wound as a bandage. It was the thumb of the right hand. As this happened, Satyabhama and Rukmini looked at each other. They realised that they did not have the amount of love for Krishna as Draupadi had. They felt ashamed. As Draupadi had done Him a favour at that time, He thought it befitting to repay it. In this world, to receive one thing, you need to give up another. When you want a handkerchief you have to give ₹ 10 to the shopkeeper and then only will he give it to you. Similar understanding is present between the devotee and God. If you offer a segment of devotion, then God will shower infinite amount of grace on you. Kuchela also offered a handful of beaten rice and received God’s grace in abundance. 

Krishna Tulabharam

When Satyabhama had put Krishna on sale, Rukmini brought Tulsi leaves and prayed, “One may offer a leaf, a flower, a fruit or at least water to God. If it is true that You come to the rescue of the person who has devotion for You, this leaf of Tulsi shall balance Your weight.” A leaf? What is this one? Deha (the body) is Patram (a leaf).The body is the leaf with the three attributes of Satva, Rajas and Tamas. Hrudaya (heart) is a Pushpam (a flower). This flower of the heart is pure and sacred.  The Manas (mind) is Phalam (a fruit). There is a sweet juice within the fruit. But the mind does not know the taste of the juice. The taste of the juice that is present in the fruit is not known to the tree. The nectar present in the flower is not experienced by the creeper. All the sacred things mentioned in the sacred texts are not known to the worldly people. Rukmini offered the Tulsi leaf with such devout feelings. Because she could offer the Tulsi leaf with such feelings, it could equal the weight of Krishna who is the very Lord of the Universe. Rukmini could do this with selfless devotion. 

Draupadi also sacrificed with all her selflessness and spirit. Draupadi prayed and closed her eyes. The strong and brave husbands, who were close by, could not prevent the situation. She prayed that only Krishna and none else could save her. Because of the sacrifice that she had made earlier, Krishna came and saved her. That small piece of cloth that she had tied as a bandage, had changed into an unending Sari. If we do a little help, then God will return it in an abundant infinite manner. The fruits of action are inevitable. One cannot escape them. However with God's grace it is possible to escape the consequences of one’s actions to a certain extent. But as per God's command, it is written clearly that the consequences of one’s actions are inescapable. You have to face the consequences of your actions.

Source: ‘As you sow, so shall you reap’, Discourse 3, My Dear Students Volume 3; Discourse delivered on June 30, 1996

Sai Mere Praana Sakha Bhagavan - By Hirak Doshi

The clarion call came from the Lord on 19th May, 2011, when He offered me a seat in His hallowed institution. My joy knew no bounds. I had fervently prayed to Him for this opportunity and He responded. Thus began my journey with Sai, a journey full of bliss, a journey towards self-realisation. Things started sinking in slowly as days passed, for the Lord had started chiselling to sculpt out the shining diamond as He wanted. Let me narrate one of my experiences to validate this statement. It was in my second year in Brindavan, that I injured my leg while playing basketball, barefoot. The injury was not that deep, but I was advised to take an anti-tetanus injection. Soon after that injection I contracted high fever. For the next two days I was completely down. It was the Third Year Students’ Day (a day when third students are anointed with their batch name). While all of the students in the Hostel went for the programme I was alone in the room. After the programme was over my room leader came back to the room. He touched my forehead and remarked, 

“Hirak, it’s burning hot”. I was anxious because I had already taken two tablets and I did not want to take the third one. I then went back to my sole refuge ‘The Chit Box’, picked up one chit and it read ‘Your actions in the past are responsible for this, Pray to Sai’. Immediately I started praying to Him to make things easier for me. I kept His photo in my pocket (one in which Swami was materializing the Hiranyagarbha Lingam). Believe it or not, the fever went down within 15 minutes and by night prayer I was almost normal.

Can I ever understand His ways? Can I ever comprehend the depth of His love and concern? I think I should not try doing something silly for it will be a futile attempt. I started experiencing Him more and more and started loving Him more and more. And the lessons learnt in my Bal Vikas days paved the way for His love and concern for me. I had a long-standing desire that Swami should speak to me in Bengali. I know this is something weird but the mind cannot be devoid of desires and I forgot about it. One night Swami appeared in my dream and the dream was as follows:

Sri Sathya Sai at Trayee Brindavan

I was hurrying for a ‘Trayee Session’ and on reaching Trayee gate I saw Swami pacing up and down the side room next to the main room. It was as if He was waiting for somebody. Later I realised that He was waiting for me. I hurriedly rushed to Him and without thinking anything asked, “Swami, Padanamaskar?” Then came the Divine Master stroke. Swami spoke in Bengali and told, “Nao” which in Bengali means ‘take’. The dream ended there and the next morning I got up ecstatic and overwhelmed. 

I only had his Darshan in the physical domain, but through this dream He gave me Sparshan (Touch) as well as Sambhashan (Conversation). He is the one who fulfills even the smallest of the wishes if it emerges from a yearning heart. Can I ever thank Swami for anything? Can I ever reciprocate even an iota of love as a gift to Him for this selfless love? Well, I do not know. My stay in Brindavan for three years was a turning point in my life. The amount of learning that took place is inexplicable. Every day ushered in something new, every Trayee visit was a feast for the soul and the mind. 

I remember Sri Sanjay Sahni, the Director of the campus addressing in Prayer Hall “The Nootan (present generation), in order to reach the Sanathan (eternity), needs the help of Puratan (scriptures, Vedas)”. Taking this as an inspiration from the very first day, I learnt Vedam, participated in Bhajans and tried to shorten my distance between me and Swami in every conceivable way. I remember once Sri Sanjay Sahni arranged for us an appointment with Dr. Mahesh, an adept at Nadi Vaidya (a natural and ayurvedic blend of healing technique just by touching the veins). I was not very comfortable with the climate at Brindavan and was prone to severe allergic sneezing. That day while treating me, Dr. Mahesh shared something very dramatic. Just the previous night, Swami came in His dream and told him, “Go to Brindavan, two boys are waiting for you”. That one statement from Swami made him drive 30 kilometers from Malleshwaram just to treat two unknown persons free of cost and that too, at a time as early as 8.30 am. This meant that he had to start as early as 6.30 am in the morning. Dr. Mahesh while sharing this incident made a remark which still rings in my ears. He told me, “Do you see Swami’s concern for His children? The very fact that He had told me to come to Brindavan today is an indication that you have to do a lot of work for Swami in future. That is why He wants you to stay fit”. What greater fortune do I need than this? Can there be a greater blessing than being an instrument in His Divine mission?

Many-a-time I have tried to understand His ways only to end up being baffled and dumbfounded. As Dr. T. Ravi Kumar, our warden, mentioned in a talk in the Prasanthi Vidwan Mahasabha 2014, He is the Divine Mother whose love and concern knows no bounds. It is not worth wasting time on finding the making of the sweet, instead of enjoying its taste and sweetness. Such is the case with our Lord. It is not at all necessary to understand Him because we simply cannot understand Him. Let us all immerse ourselves in that nectarine sweetness of His Divine Love.

At this point I am reminded of one more incident. This happened very recently. During the last winter vacation while returning home I had to board the connecting Jagannath Express from Bhubaneswar towards Kolkata. After boarding the train at 12 o’clock in the night and putting my luggage properly, I went to sleep. The next morning I got up just as the train was approaching the Howrah station. A vague perception of something disastrous swept across my mind when I touched my pocket. The keys were missing! After some time I realised that my luggage was all right and the amount of money that I was carrying was also intact. I heaved a sigh of relief, but I needed to find the keys. Otherwise I would not be able to open my luggage and my Hostel cupboard. I was tensed. I searched everywhere and even asked the attender of the coach and my co-passengers but none could help. By this time the train arrived at the Howrah station. After handing over my luggage to my parents I went back again to search in the same compartment looking for the keys. Suddenly feeling my pocket once again I came in contact with something metallic, realizing that they were the missing keys. I had not spared any pockets when I was frantically searching for the keys, and they were not there for sure. The Lord came to the rescue of His child in distress.

Most beloved Bhagavan! Can I ever fathom the depth of your love, I am ignorant. Why do I love You Lord? Should I love You because You cured my fever or because You got me back my lost keys in the train from nowhere. Or because You got my grandfather back from the clutches of death when he broke his shoulder? Those were Your visiting cards Swami, as You call them. There is something subtle and transcendental which encapsulates each of these events. That something is nothing but ‘Love’- unsullied, unconditional. It is an assurance that there is someone above me who looks after me, takes care of me and most important of all, He is my ‘Praana Sakha’ (Eternal Friend). Bhagavan! As a person of limited resources, allow me to summon up all that You have given me to offer to You, on this most awaited 90th Birthday Celebrations. Let me on this day offer myself to You completely.

- Hirak Doshi

Student (2011-2016); 
Currently, Doctoral Research Scholar
 Department of Mathematics & Computer Sciences

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning
Prasanthi Nilayam

Source: Sai Nandana 2015 (90th Birthday Offering)

"How is your health?"

June 28, 1997

This morning all the students had gone for morning Darshan. After the departure of the former Prime Minister, Swami called some devotees for an interview. Three students were fortunate to be in the group. While waiting for the parents of one of the students…

Swami : When is father coming?

Student : Swami, on July 2nd.

Swami : Why is he coming on July 2nd?

Student : To make some arrangements for the Youth Conference.

Swami : Not for arrangements, he is coming for Darshan. (To another student) How is your health?

Student  : Fine, Swami.  But nose block is still there.

Swami : Sinusitis ….

Student : Yes, Swami.  

Immediately Swami waved his hands and materialized a gold ring with ‘Omkara’ engraved on it. Swami slipped it onto one of his fingers and asked…

Swami : Correct size?

Student : Yes, Swami.

Swami : Perfect. Perfect, not Murphet. Who is Murphet? (There was no answer.) Howard Murphet. 

Howard Murphet with Sathya Sai Baba

(Howard Murphet is one of the seniormost foreign devotees of Bhagavan who wrote the world renowned book Sai Baba: Man of Miracles that was published by Macmillan and several other books on His experiences with Swami and His Divinity)

Swami mentioned about some of his books like ‘Man of Miracles’ etc. Swami then lifted the student’s hands up and showed the ring to the students around and commented…

Some of the books by Howard Murphet on Sathya Sai Baba

Swami : Even a great goldsmith cannot make such a nice ring with so many beautiful cuts. (To another student) Where do you come from??

Student : Satara

Swami : Near Aurangabad?

Student :  No, Swami, near Pune.

Swami : Near Pune? Haan… the Samadhi of Sant Ramdas?

Student : Yes, Swami 

Swami : I came to Satara during my Nasik tour.

Student : Swami, Swami stayed in Circuit House?

Swami : Haan…. Yes. (To one of the faculty members) Rash driving!! Rash driving!! Start Early, Drive slowly, Reach safely. Which subject do you teach?

The teacher informed Swami about his subject. Then Swami started enquiring about some students from the teacher. Showing a student to that teacher…

Swami : How is this boy? How does he study??

Teacher : Good , Swami .

Swami : No! No! How is this boy? (Swami asked about another student)

Teacher :  Good boy, Swami 

Swami : How are you?

Teacher :  I don’t know, Swami. Swami only should tell.

Swami smiled, blessed him, and moved forward. As Swami was going, he observed some cross marks ‘X’ painted on the floor. (They were marked to indicate the places where the roof was leaking). Swami said that the cross indicates the crossing of “I” which is the Ego.  

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

"You must have a stable mind."

June 25, 1997

Swami was speaking to some of the M.B.A faculty members…

Swami : You must have a stable mind.

Teacher : When we are aware of Divinity, do we not have a stable mind?

Swami : When you are aware of Divinity, you are in bliss. And in bliss, there is nothing like mind.

When a small boy was bending to hand over a letter to Swami, Swami immediately expressed concern and cautioned him.

Swami : Slow. ……Slow (Swami accepted the letter and enquired…) Which class?

Student : 9th class.

Swami : Ninth?

Swami : What is your age?

Student : Fourteen, Swami.

Swami : Twenty-one?

Student : No Swami , fourteen. 

When Swami was coming out to see the construction work near Hanuman statue, in front of the Sai Kulwant hall, one student knelt down and showed Him a small letter.

Student : Swami I have got appendicitis problem, my stomach is aching.

Swami : Did you tell to the doctors? (No reply from the student) Go and tell the them to cut and throw it (appendix) away.

The full story is narrated in another article. 

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

"What did you serve for lunch today?"

June 23, 1995

Bhagavan while speaking to the kitchen in charge…

Swami : Aaj lunch Ko Kya Diya?  (What did you serve for lunch today?)

K. Inch : Paratha, Bread….

Swami : Do they give bread slices for lunch?

K. Inch : No Swami I am telling the breakfast items.

Swami : (Repeating…) Parotha, bread, potato curry, Ragi and coffee. Breakfast is over what is for lunch?

K. Inch : Cabbage curry, Thotakura dal…. 

                  

Swami : More Thotakura and less dal. Have you given Ghee?

K. Inch : We gave, Swami.

Swami : How many spoons?

K. Inch : One spoon Swami

Swami : One spoon of ghee contains 100 calories. Did you use brinjal and potatoes?

K. Inch : Swami, tonight brinjal curry.

Swami smiled and went away.  I MBA and MFM (Masters of Financial Management) students were praying to Swami.

Students : Please talk to us, Swami.

Swami : Yes, I am talking to you

Students : Please talk to us, Swami!!

Swami : How are your subjects?

Students : Nice Swami 

Swami : Which subject?

Students : All subjects, Swami.

Swami : Talk, talk and talk…

Saying so He went inside the interview room. At about 5 pm Swami came out of the interview room and pointed at a welding work in progress and asked…

Swami : Is it laser.

Student : No Swami,

Swami : How can you tell that? Don’t look at it.

Student: Please talk to us Swami 

Swami  : What is your name?

Student: Siva Kumar Moorthy, Swami.

Swami : Where do you come from?

Student: Bombay, Swami.

Swami : What is your name?

Student: Vamsee Krishna

Swami : What is the meaning of Vamsee?

Student : Flute, Swami 

Swami : It is not flute. Vamsee means a bush of Bamboos. 

Swami walked past and returned after sometime. As Swami mentioned that Vamsee means a bush of bamboos the student had a doubt…

Student :  Swami Krishna is also called as Vamsee Dhara, which means a person with a flute.

Swami : What is the origin of the flute.

Student : Bamboo, Swami. 

Swami : That’s why Vamsee means bush of bamboos.

Student : Swami who is great, Prahlada or Kanappa?

Swami : Greatness can’t be measured.  Both are equally great.

Student : Who is a great devotee, Swami?

Swami : I told you earlier only that we cannot measure the greatness.  If asked who is great Rama or Krishna, can you tell?  Rama killed Ravana and Krishna killed Kamsa. Rama could not have killed Kamsa and Krishna could not have killed Ravana. Both are great in their own Yugas. Both are the forms of Narayana.

He walked a few steps and turned back and continued…

Swami : Prahalada had sacrificed his whole life.

Student : Kannappa also gave one eye of his, Swami.

Swami : Yes, but it is temporary. Anyways, nobody can measure the greatness.

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

Sri Sathya Sai: My Superhero – By Amruth Sundarkumar

The ‘Sun’ and ‘Heat’ are synonymous, the ‘Moon’ and ‘Coolness’ are synonymous, the ‘Stars’ and ‘Twinkling’ are synonymous and so are ‘Swami’ and ‘Love’. Swami and His Love are superhuman, transcending all limitations. There are several incidents in my life where our Lord has come to my rescue like the superheroes who come and save the people. The superheroes are not true but mere fictional characters and they dare not come to one’s rescue in reality in times of crisis or disaster. But our superhero, Lord Sri Sathya Sai, intervenes at the right moment and He knows when, how and where to rescue. The fictional superheroes are praised heavily by the people, media etc. and the whole world seems to know whom they rescued and how they did it. To top it all, they attract attention. But, our Swami does everything silently without any fanfare. Hardly does anyone know whom He has saved from the jaws of death or how many countless lives He has touched with His Love, Omniscience and Omnipotence. I will narrate an incident to substantiate this.

I was born on the 7th of November, 1992. The prequel to the incident of my birth is a long story by itself. To cut it short, the doctors said that I was expected to be born on the 23rd of November or maybe later, but not before the 23rd. My mother’s joy knew no bounds, but due to some family reasons, she fervently prayed to Swami that I should be born before the 15th. But, in her heart-of-hearts she craved and prayed to Swami that I should be born on the 23rd. Well, how could I be born twice? – Before the 15th and on the 23rd? This was the challenge thrown open to Swami and a problem to be resolved. Did He manage to do it? And if yes, how would have He managed to do it? The following events resolve the mystery. Firstly, to the doctors’ and family’s surprise I was born on the 7th of November. If you fast forward the date by 16 days, there came the 23rd of November, our dear Lord’s birthday. On this auspicious day, after Bhajans and Aarti in our home, my mother came up to the cradle where I was sleeping and to her utter dismay she noticed that my face was turning red. I was unable to breathe. I had to be quickly rushed to the hospital and to add to the existing situation, there was heavy downpour as if a waterfall itself was gushing down from the sky. To worsen the matters further, the nearest hospital was more than two kilometres away. After traversing through the muck and puddles, we finally reached the hospital. My face had changed its colour from ‘red’ to ‘dark blue’. A few minutes after landing on the hospital bed and through constant attention and effort by the doctor, the most dreaded declaration came from the doctor’s mouth with the grim, old, familiar face of a doctor who had given up – I was no more! My mother was totally confounded and unable to accept the fact that I was dead. She could not digest what was happening and was totally lost. My grandmother braved the situation and called upon Swami’s name with burning earnestness not losing hope (rather “Faith”), even after life had ebbed away. After her ardent prayers, she requested the doctor to do something to the child to revive him for the last time. The doctor ridiculed her unreasonable request and said that he could not do anything since the child had already passed away. But due to my grandmother’s continuous pestering, in total disbelief, the doctor disinterestedly knocked on my knee just as one would do on a door. Even before he even turned to my grandmother to prove his point, the baby started crying! He was absolutely dumb-founded and could not believe his eyes or his ears. My mother on hearing my cries ran to the spot. It was too good to be true. The doctor marvelled at the happenings and as the old tales go (but with a minor change in it) I am pulsating with life even today. 

Amruth receiving blessings from Sri Sathya Sai on his birthday in Sai Kulwant Hall - November, 2010

The Ultimate Superhero had come to save me that day. Who knows, He might have saved several other people who were in similar dire circumstances on His Birthday. 

I narrated this incident in front of Swami on the day of our Gratitude Programme in my 12th Class. Swami cried and I cried too! It seemed as though Swami was also recapitulating the entire incident on that day. There wouldn’t have been a better day and better time to narrate this incident than on a Gratitude Programme day. The word ‘Gratitude’ cannot amply convey my feelings for what He did for my family and me that day, nor will it sufficiently express whatever He has done for us and continues to do so. There are several other incidents where our dearest Swami has guided, protected, shielded and helped me. Swami has come to my rescue many a time besides in situations that are life-threatening. Let us remember that Swami not only rescues us, but even gives us a signal when we are heading towards a dangerous situation. He does not totally prevent us from getting into trouble because He knows that He has imparted in us a sense of discrimination and intellect. When things go out of hand, He makes us wait and tests our tolerance and patience. Only when we are at the edge of the cliff, just about to fall, He pulls us back from nowhere and when we look behind to see who rescued us, He disappears. We still know that He saved us, but sadly, we forget to thank Him. 

Amruth with Sri Sathya Sai

The ignorant may argue saying that we do not need to thank Him because we are His property and thus it is His duty to protect us. Well, He has done His duty. Have we done ours? The least and the most that we can do is to thank Him. We cannot comprehend what He has done for us and if we can, then we have realised the ultimate. The debt we owe Him has to be repaid in regular payments in the form of our ‘Gratitude’. He does not ask for our gratitude. He says, “I have separated Myself from Myself to love Myself”. Realising this supreme fact that we are part of His personality we must love Him truly and deeply from within, expressing our gratitude. Thank You Swami.

- Amruth Sundarkumar

Student (2010-2015), Department of Management and Commerce

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

Currently, Edelweiss Financial Service, Mumbai

Source: Sai Nandana 2015 (90th Birthday Offering)

Sri Sathya Sai On: How to become Best Sai Students?

Sri Sathya Sai with Students in the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus Hostel

Today without understanding what the class is, what the subject is, what you are going to study, the discipline you are specialising in, the manners that students should possess, students crave to endlessly study, get the degree anyway and secure ‘O’ grade (75% - 100%).

Today, not even one out of hundred students reads the text books

But yearns to pass the examinations

The modern system of education has verily become a sham!

Do we become students if we write the examination memorising a few things? Do we become learned then? What sort of help does the society beget with this education? There is no use of it to you. There is no use of it to the society. You forget all that you have studied in just one year’s time. There is no relation between what you study and your job. General knowledge and common sense are very important as far as life is concerned. All these are not present in the text books. To teach you the path of truth required in the daily life you should listen to all that I am saying. Study all your text books for the sake of employment and jobs. 

Students! You can enquire for yourself. You go to the laboratories and perform various experiments. According to the subjects like Physics, Chemistry or Biology and depending on the experiment, you memorise the quantity of chemicals, the sequence in which you have to mix them and how to arrive at the answer. You test whether this is right or wrong only in the laboratory. But in the day to day life how do you check if the way in which you are going is right or wrong? You are not trying to find this out. You believe that the worldly aspects are eternal. There is a lot of gap between the time when you are pursuing your education and the time when you will gain employment. 

Knowledge is of five types. Bookish knowledge is relevant only for today and tomorrow. Day after tomorrow it turns into ‘allergy’. You rely on this bookish knowledge and enter your professions with only superficial knowledge. Because of this superficial knowledge, general knowledge is becoming zero. When general knowledge is zero there is no discrimination knowledge. How can you attain practical knowledge if you have not got the discrimination knowledge? The world today needs practical knowledge. Water is formed from two parts of hydrogen and one part of oxygen. This is found only in the laboratory. But when you sit for lunch will you mix two parts of hydrogen and one part of oxygen? This is practical science. In your day-to-day life, you see if the water is pure or not, if its taste is good or not, and whether it has some impurities. Hence in the daily life our behaviour should not have any lapses. The life which is very enjoyable has to be experienced in the right way at the right time. 

Discipline is the Hallmark of Life

Consider a small example. You are about to have your food. You mixed Dal with rice. Dal is a little more salty. Just because the Dal is salty you waste it even though it takes only 2 hours for digestion. You express dissatisfaction over the Dal being salty. If you develop dissatisfaction over Dal that gets digested in just 2 hours, shouldn’t there be a little taste in life that spans over 80 or 90 or 100 years? Shouldn’t there be some value attached to it? Should you not give a serious thought to the fact that if you do not adhere to the discipline, the world is going to criticise you? You have to think of all this in the daily life. 

You think that the bus will arrive at 5 o’clock. It becomes six, seven, eight, nine and the bus does not arrive. What do you feel then? You start abusing the driver, the department, the government. You start to abuse that the schedules of buses are without discipline; buses, trains and planes do not turn up on time. If you abuse to such an extent a bus or a train which has no life in it when it does not turn up at the right time, will not this world abuse you as a conscious individual, when you do not adhere to your discipline, code of conduct and duty? If you do not follow the discipline, how do you have the right to abuse the buses and trains? Hence, first of all you should pass the test of discipline. You have to adhere to the disciplinary standards at the hostel and the college. At 5:30 am you should attend the Suprabhatam and Omkaram. If you don’t adhere to the discipline, yours will become a life without the life sustaining force (Prana). 

Become Best Students!

Students! Understand clearly. A machine when not working properly and left unused gets rusted. When a machine gets rusted when not being put to use, so will a body get rusted if not used properly. Where has the rust come from? All the dust has accumulated on the machine as it is not being used. This dust gets converted into rust. Because of this rust, the machine loses all its efficiency. Then it will have to be taken to the workshop for rest. In the workshop, during rest when it is overhauled, it turns out to be the best! When does it become the best? It becomes the best only when the dust and the rust on it are removed. Hence what should you do if you all want to become best students? The rust and dust in you which is the evil intentions and the wavering mind should be submitted to the Lord. That is the workshop. There is the real rest. If you take proper rest there, you will turn out to be a best student. Else you will become a worst student. You have to decide if you want to be best or worst. 

Students! We started this Sathya Sai Institute with the intention that the students passing out of this college should set examples in all walks of life. This is a Rishikula-Ashrama. These Rishikula-Ashramas existed in the erstwhile society also. But with the advent of modernisation the ‘r’ syllable was left and ‘Ishikula Ashramas’ came into picture. That Ishikulas have now become ‘schools’. We have to develop the legacy of the Rishis’ system of education. 

Knowledge + Action = True Education

Rutam means the truth at mental level. Nijam (fact) means the worldly truth, truth related to the body. Rutam is truth at the mental level. Today we have lost the truth at the mental level. We have to restore it. That is what we have to do. Students! I don’t tell you to completely neglect your subjects. You have to pass in your courses at the college also. You have to get good grades in those exams. But along with that, you have to essentially develop spiritual knowledge also. What is the use of all these fans and bulbs if there is no electricity? All your subjects are like fans and bulbs. Only when there is the electricity of spirituality, can these subjects find true use and application. Knowledge without action is foolish. Action without knowledge is useless. Hence you have to develop the relation between these two also.  Only when you develop the spiritual feelings, you find application of the knowledge in the worldly pursuits. If you see the world outside, you can really think how unrespectable the life has become. There is no humanness anywhere. Students! You should develop as human beings. You should enter the world outside and purify the impurity. You should jump into action with courage and bravery. You are admitted and trained here for this very purpose. Only when you are trained here today for that purpose can you go and work outside. Without this training what can you do outside? 

“Shreyohi Jnaanamabhyasaat, Jnanaat Dhyanam Vishishyate

Dhyanaat Karma Phala Tyagaha, Tyagaat Shantiranantaram”

(Better indeed is the knowledge than imperfect practice.

Better than knowledge is meditation on God.

But better than meditation is renunciation of the desire for the fruits of the actions; for, there follows peace immediately.)

The Importance of Practice and Discipline

There should be practice for everything. A person used to offer prayers to God in a temple. He used to offer Arati at the end of the prayer. He used to give Arati and simultaneously ring the bell. He got used to it. One day he passed away. The villagers appointed a new person to offer prayers. He was not used to the practice of giving Arati and ringing the bell simultaneously. When he was ringing the bell, he was not able to give Arati and when he was giving Arati, he was not able to ring the bell. A small thing like this requires so much practice. Imagine what amount of practice is required for illuminating a life full of Divinity. This training is available in our organisations and our University. Not anywhere else. You have to earn the value and deservedness. It is enough if you can maintain that fame. Nothing else is necessary. 

Today, there is no one to tell students what is right and what is not. At home, parents are diverting their children more into worldly education. In the classes the teachers themselves don’t know much. What can they tell the students? They are teaching them the respective subjects, but they are not teaching them the discipline, devotion, duty and behaviour. 

Suppose a student comes late to the class by 10 minutes, teachers allow him to sit in the class. They don’t ask him as to why he was late by 10 minutes. You are not day scholars. You are all coming from the hostel itself. All of you should come at the same time. Why should one student alone be late? You cannot have petty reasons for coming late like you missed the bus or the train. Teachers have to take this discipline as a part of the curriculum. This Institution has been established to impart spiritual education as a main component and the worldly education as a secondary one. Students! I expect you to think of this, practice this purity in letter and spirit and set an example to others. I bless you thus. 

Source: ‘Seek The Treasure Within’, Discourse 4, My Dear Students Volume 3, Discourse given on June 21, 1989 at Sri Sathya Sai Hostel for Senior Students, Prashanti Nilayam

Sri Sathya Sai reminisces Stories of Shirdi Sai Baba and His Devotees

June 18, 1992

Sri Sathya Sai in Trayee Brindavan

On the 18th of June, speaking to the students, Swami said that the senses are to be made proper use of. Making use of this opportunity, one of the teachers asked Swami what conquering of senses really meant. Swami gave the answer to this question in a discourse in Trayee Brindavan as follows…

"Each sense organ is covered by the same skin, but performs only a specific function. For example, the function of tasting is given only to the tongue. Making proper use of all these senses amounts to conquering the senses.

The conquering of senses in turn implies the conquering of the mind, which is the master of all senses. The senses cannot discharge their duties unless they are commanded by the mind. Hence if the mind is pure, all the senses through which duties are discharged will be pure.

Sai Baba of Shirdi explained the same to Nana, a great devotee. A newly married couple had come to seek Baba’s blessings. The woman had a veil over her face. When she uncovered it to take Baba’s Padanamaskar, Nana, who was seated at Baba’s feet, stared at her face. Baba silently observed it and later told Nana, “You have seen this now. But divert your intellect immediately away from your vision. Who is a Buddhi-Heena? (One who lacks intellect) He is one who allows his intellect to follow the objects seen. Conquer the mind hence. Everything is then conquered.” 

An ardent Shirdi Sai Devotee

All bodies have the same five common faculties (Shabda) sound, (Sparsha) touch, (Roopa) form, (Rasa) taste, and (Gandha) smell. Why should attachment be cultivated towards bodies then?  The same 5 elements are present in all. Then why desire the body? All the relations like mother, father, brother, sister, wife and husband etc., are based on bodily feelings. These relations are not Atmic. Truth is one; it is manifest in several ways. There is only one, not many. The Vedas taught these same noble truths.

In the town of Nanded there lived a beggar by the name Kaldas.  He was always in control of his mind and was often found talking and smiling to himself. In the same town lived a wealthy man called Wadia, who had no children. Due to this, he was always worrying about what would happen to his vast property and the large amount of wealth after his demise. One day, Wadia poured his heart out to Das Ganu and sought his advice. Das Ganu consoled him saying, “In the village of Shirdi, there is a person who can solve your problems and fulfill your wishes. His name is Sai Baba. At first sight He might look like a madman, but never forget that He is Divinity Himself. There is nothing in the world that He cannot do. Go and seek His advice and Grace.” Das Ganu advised Wadia to go to Shirdi on a Thursday.

Das Ganu Maharaj

A few days before the planned journey, Wadia called Kaldas to his house and gave him a sumptuous meal. The following Thursday, Wadia left for Shirdi. At Shirdi, Wadia propitiated Baba as his Guru and worshipped Him. This went on for 3 days. Then, Wadia wished to offer Guru Dakshina and prayed to Baba that He accept five rupees. Baba said, ‘‘ No, No, No! You have already paid me ₹ 3 and 14 annas. You can now give me the rest of it. That will be enough.’’ Wadia was taken aback. This was his first visit to Shirdi. Then how could he have already given ₹ 3 and 14 annas to Baba? However, he did not wish to argue with his Guru and so, quietly paid the balance amount of ₹ 1 and 2 annas as instructed by Baba.  Students must learn from this example.  Present-day students would have counter-argued, ‘‘What is this that Baba is talking? Doesn’t He know that I am coming for the first time?  Will He return the change if I give Him ……etc.’’ But Wadia obeyed implicitly.

After Wadia returned to Nanded, Das Ganu  enquired from him about his pilgrimage to Shirdi. Wadia narrated the incident and asked Das Ganu  if he could understand what Baba meant. Das Ganu  thought it over and then told Wadia, ‘‘All forms in this creation are Baba’s. Whatever you do to others reaches Baba. He exists in everyone. Before your journey, did you give any money to some needy person?’’  Wadia recalled that he had given a nice meal to Kaldas.

Now, Wadia being a businessman was very good at keeping accounts. He verified his accounts and found to his bewilderment that the amount spent on the meal for Kaldas amounted to exactly ₹ 3 and 14 annas. When this was discovered, Wadia realised that Baba was the Absolute Brahman.

There was one Tarkhad who used to work in the treasury. He was an active member of the Brahmo Samaj and did not believe in the Divine as one with names and forms. He had an only child, a son aged 17 years. Tarkhad’s son and wife were ardent devotees of Baba. He however did not object to their devotion though he continued on his own path. This was a good quality in him. Once every month, the mother and son would visit Shirdi. The son in particular had immense devotion for Baba and never cared for his studies. His time was spent in worshipping Baba. But, being the only son, Tarkhad  used to worry about this negligence of his son towards his studies.  His wife used to console him, ‘‘ He is getting joy in what he is doing now.  After all, he is doing nothing wrong in worshipping Baba, who is God himself.  We should worship God at all times.  Due to his good deeds in past lives, he has such devotion at this tender age.’’

The father (R.A. Tarkhad) and son Jyotindra Tarkhad

One month, the son did not mention anything about the trip. His mother enquired about the scheduled trip and the son replied, ‘‘Mother, I am already thinking about it. I am ready to come. But here, everyday after my Pooja, I make an offering (Naivedya) to Baba’s photograph. Baba never accepts it directly, but I can at least leave the Naivedya in front of his photograph.  If I go, who will continue to keep the sacred offering before Baba’s photograph? Father does not take any interest in such rituals. That is my worry.’’

When Tarkhad heard about this, out of immense love for his son, he assured him that although he did not have faith in these rituals, he would definitely place the offering before Baba’s photographs everyday without fail. But the son said, ‘‘If one is hungry, it can be satisfied only if he himself takes food, not someone else.  If I am diseased, I must take the medicines and not you. If someone is hurt, the bandage must be on the wound of that person and not on someone else’s. So, I will not go to Shirdi unless you agree to perform the Pooja everyday to Baba with full faith and feeling, as I do, and then place the offering. ’’

Tarkhad then gave a promise and felt proud of his son’s devotion and discipline at such a young age. This must be the quality of an ideal son. Usually, it is the father who is expected to mould the son, but nowadays they spoil their children. On the contrary, in this case the son changed the father! To get an opportunity to correct the father is a great boon for the son. On hearing Tarkhad ’s solemn words, the son gladly left for Shirdi along with his Mother.

Tarkhad  then faithfully woke up early, the next morning and took his bath. He got flowers for worship and offered sugar candy, as he had seen his son doing. Later on, he partook of the offering as Prasadam and only then had his breakfast.

Since, the father was attending to the rituals, the son stayed on happily at Shirdi for almost a month. Days passed this way. One full moon night, the mother and son sat on either side of Baba. Baba started speaking to the lady, ‘‘Mother, yesterday I was very hungry and went to your house. But I found that no food was offered there! So I had to return hungry.’’ The perturbed son asked, ‘‘Baba when we are here, why must you go there to our house?’’ Baba said, ‘‘Well, you were offering food to me everyday there. I got used to it and out of habit, went there again.’’ The son realised that his father would have forgotten to make the sacred offering the previous day. He at once dashed off a strongly worded letter to his father adding a note, ‘‘If you had not made the promise, I would not have come to Shirdi at all.’’

The father came back from office and saw the letter. He at once checked with his cook if he had placed the offering at the altar that day. The cook reminded Tarkhad that he was busy that day and had hence forgotten to make the offering. He had in fact closed the Pooja room itself and left for work. Thus reminded of his folly, Tarkhad  was very sad.

What you must all understand from this is that when something is done regularly and with devotion, it definitely reaches God. You chant Brahmarpanam only at Puttaparthi or Brindavan. But in the outside world, you do ‘Lokarpanam’ and ‘Swayarpanam’! When you feed a dog everyday at a time, after 90 days, it will come there and wait for you to feed it. When a dog can come in time, why wouldn’t God come?

After this experience, Tarkhad resented and left ‘Brahmo Samaj’ to join ‘Sahaj Samaj’. 

In particular, three people were close to Baba. They were Lakshmi Bai, Shyama and Bapusaheb Booty. Shyama always used to be at the feet of Baba. Booty was always at Baba’s side, with a fan in his hand.

Laxmibai Shinde (in her later years)

One day Baba told Lakshmi Bai, ‘‘Lakshmi Bai, I am feeling very very hungry.’’ She at once ran to her house, prepared a rice-dish, and served it on a clean plate. Covering the full thing with a plantain leaf, she approached Baba and prayed, ‘‘Baba, please eat this. You said that you were very hungry.’’ Baba showed her a spot on the ground and said, ‘‘Keep it there.’’ Lakshmi Bai did so and waited nearby.  Suddenly a black dog strolled in, caught sight of the dish and proceeded to finish it off!  The alarmed Lakshmi Bai hastened to drive away the dog, when Baba calmly said, ‘‘Don’t disturb the dog. Let him eat.’’ Lakshmi Bai felt very sad that she had not been blessed enough for Baba to partake of what she had cooked.  She thought she had erred somewhere.

Baba read her thoughts and lovingly told her, ‘‘Why are you feeling sad?  See, I ate your preparation - you can smell my hand.’’ The surprised lady did so and was astonished that Baba’s hand did smell of the rice she had made ‘‘How is this possible, Baba?’’, she asked. Baba smiled and told her, ‘‘Lakshmi Bai, understand this. Know the Truth - All forms are Mine.’’

Shirdi Sai Baba with devotees

One full moon night Nana performed worship and thereafter visited several Brahmins of the neighbourhood, along with several guests. It was lunchtime; the leaves for serving food were arranged. All of a sudden, a buffalo belonging to a neighbour caught sight of the leaves. It made a beeline to the laid out feast, and started devouring the leaves. Nana was horrified. He called out to some of his people. They came with sticks, beat the poor buffalo, and chased it away. They then proceeded to pick a quarrel with the neighbour regarding his buffalo’s intrusion, and extracted an apology. Nana succeeded in making his point with the neighbour, but he was somehow not too happy about this. A week later, Nana made a pilgrimage to Shirdi. There, he started to tell Baba, ‘‘Baba, on the Poornima (full-moon) night, I performed worship.  Many Brahmins and guests were served food. But I feel that I have still made a mistake somewhere.’’ Baba at once said, ‘‘Yes, Yes, I know, I know. They all did come. You invited me too. But when I came there, you chased me off.’’ Nana realised what Baba was saying. Baba then continued, ‘‘You must remember that when food is offered to God, He will come in any form and partake of it because all forms are His. Hence, if any being is ill treated, it is an ill treatment meted out to God Himself. (Sarva Jeeva Tiraskaram Keshavam Prati Gachhati). You must develop at a young age this feeling of Unity in Diversity, that, all are one. You must constantly contemplate on the truth, ‘Divinity is within me. My aim in life is to know Him.’’

It is for this reason that in the days of yore, great men always advised people who came to see them, ‘‘Find out who that I is?’’ Nowadays, if such a question is asked, people reply, ‘‘I am so and so. What is there to know in that?! ’’

You must first enquire, ‘‘Who named me? To whom is the name given? Who am I, then? I do not have birth or death.’’ All names are like passing clouds. The Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahamkara are all your instruments.  You make use of them. Without You there is no use for the existence of these instruments. So know thyself.  Know that you and God are one and the same. What is Vedanta?  The end of all names and forms is Vedanta.  Veda has a name and form.  Hence, the ending of this name and form is the Vedanta."

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