Kerala Must Preserve Its Spiritual Heritage

Animals live and die without change in their original nature. Man is different. By practice and discipline, man can change his nature - from bad to good or good to bad. All man's thoughts, feelings and actions are determined by habit and perseverance. Even a person who is creel in early years can turn into a votary of peace and love. Ratnakara, who was a highwayman, became the sage Valmiki.

Through association with good people, through good conduct and good thoughts, one can cultivate virtue and goodness. Above everything, man needs today Satsangam (the company of good). For physical health, one needs to get rid of impurities inside the body and. take in pure things. Likewise, for mental health, man needs to eliminate all impure thoughts and desires from the mind and acquire good thoughts and good feelings by association with good people. Everyone must send out a prayer: "Oh deities, come and dwell within me! Oh demons, flee from

me!"

Prahlada and Bali were great devotees

Prahlada was a great devotee of God. Hiranyakashyap did not believe in God. He asked his son, "Where is your Narayana?" Prahlada replied: "There is no place where He is not. You can find Him wherever you search for Him." Hiranyakashyap pointed to a pillar and asked Prahlada: "Is your God in this pillar?" Prahlada replied unhesitatingly: "Yes. He is in it." Hiranyakashyap shattered the pillar with a club. Immediately Lord Narasimha emerged from it. What is the inner meaning of this episode? Our body is like a pillar. It is only when delusion pertaining to the body is destroyed that the Divine will manifest Himself. Today, everyone is promoting the body consciousness by fostering the desires prompted by the senses.

Prahlada who was an ardent devotee of Hari, had a son, Virochana, who was an atheist. Virochana's son, the emperor Bali, was a great devotee of God. The Onam celebration is in commemoration of the greatness of Bali. Emperor Bali was a highly righteous ruler. A great devotee, he was dedicated to the welfare of his subjects. He identified the well-being of the people with his own good. This was the characteristic of rulers in ancient times. During Bali's rule the land was prosperous and the people lived happily and harmoniously. Bali was popular 'throughout the realm. When his fame and reputation were growing, Bali was affected by a tinge of ego. Egoism brings in its train the downfall of the individual.

King Bali was an ideal ruler

There is no real ground for any man to feel inflated about himself. When the Lord's feet, eyes, head and hands are everywhere and everything in the Cosmos is permeated by the Divine, how can any man feel proud about his possessions or achievements? He is only an instrument of the Divine. Man should strive to recognise the Unity that underlies the apparent diversity which he sees everywhere. Prahlada saw divinity in everything. 'He realised that the Divine pervades everything inside and outside.

The Onam celebration is an occasion for the people to remind themselves of the all-pervasive nature of the Divine. Onam is celebrated by Keralites by wearing new clothes after a ceremonial bath and partaking the delicacies prepared for the festival. But the Onam celebration should not be confined to these activities alone. It should be remembered that emperor Bali was an ideal ruler whose sole concern was the welfare and happiness of his subjects.

When Bali gave away his entire kingdom to Vamana as a gift, the people felt intensely unhappy over the absence of such a beloved ruler. It was to make them happy that Bali got permission from Vamana to return to the world once every year to see the people and rejoice in their happiness. Onam is the day when Bali is believed to honor his pledge to the people and when people show their love and reverence to a great, benevolent and righteous ruler.

Growth of selfishness among rulers and public

In ancient days, there was immense mutual love and regard between the rulers and the people. Today such relations do not exist. The people are wasting their lives in selfish pursuits. The rulers, for their part, are also occupied with their own selfish ambitions and desires and are

concerned only about. achieving or retaining power and position. Selfishness has grown extensively both among rulers and the public. Unless this process is reversed, man cannot find peace or happiness. There should be control over desires. Peace will grow in proportion to the limitation on desires. All man's worries, difficulties and problems increase with the growth of desires.

Man is the architect of his own happiness or misery. Only good actions can produce good results. When the individual is good, the family is good. When families are good, the society is reformed. When society improves, the nation improves. When the nations improve, the world is transformed. Hence, the transformation must begin with the individual. How can this transformation be brought about? There are two impurities in man which have to be cast out: Selfishness and Conceit. But that is not enough. Pure qualities like love, forbearance and compassion have to be imbibed. Life has to be divinised.

What is the kind of existence people lead today? They are engaged in talking ill of others. They indulge in carping criticism. They are filled with envy. They gloat over trivial achievements. They speak one thing and act in a contrary way. This type of behaviour dehumanises them. There should be unity in thought, word and deed.

We are witnessing today the unchecked growth of selfishness all around. This evil has struck deep roots, growing from generation to generation. There must be total eradication of this selfishness. Real peace can be secured only by renunciation and sacrifice. There is supreme joy in giving. In renunciation lies the elimination of fear. As long as desires remain, fear and insecurity will dog us. Enquire into the joy that is to be derived from sacrifice and the grief that is the ultimate outcome of sensuous pleasures.

Bali's example of the spirit of sacrifice

Whatever you enjoy through renunciation will become a kind of yoga. Self-conceit in the performance of actions and attachment to the fruits of one's actions have both to be given up. There should be no sense of egoism in doing one's work. "This is my work. I alone am entitled to its fruits" this attitude should be given up. If you plant a tree, what guarantee do you have that you will live to enjoy its fruits? Your progeny may enjoy the fruits. Your duty is to do your allotted work. Karthavyam yogam Uchyathe ("Doing one's duty is yoga").

Emperor Bali stands out as an example of purity and sacrifice. He rejected the advice of his preceptor, Shukracharya, when the latter opposed the grant of three feet of land to Vamana on the ground that Vamana was Lord Vishnu Himself and that offering the gift that He sought would result in the ruin of Bali. Bali declared: "When the Lord Himself has come seeking a gift from me, what greater good can happen to me than that of being the donor, with the Lord as the recipient?"

Realising that Bali would not heed his advice, Sukracharya resorted to a device to block the gift Bali was about to make, by turning into an insect and filling the mouth of the vessel through which water was to be poured by Bali while making the gift. Vamana, who was aware of this stratagem, cleared the block by pricking the mouth of the vessel with a poker. As a result Sukracharya lost one of his eyes.

One must be prepared to make any offering to God, including one's life itself. Such was the greatness of Emperor Bali. He was prepared to make any kind of sacrifice for God. He lacked nothing in the world - wealth, power, position. But all these he was ready to give up to honour his word. It is rare to find persons who have everything and still have the spirit of sacrifice. The affluent are seldom generous. Often they are mean and greedy.

Ideal relations between the ruler and people

Because Bali stood out as an ideal renunciant, he achieved undying fame. Prahlada and Bali belonged to the lineage of the Asuras. But both were great devotees of God. Their lives are an example to all mankind. There is a story to illustrate the ideal relations between the ruler and the ruled. There was a king who was being anointed by the queen before he took an oil bath. While the queen was applying oil to the king's head, the king noticed in the mirror that the queen was in tears. He asked her the reason for her shedding tears. The queen said that while applying oil she had noticed some grey hairs on the king's head and the thought that the king was getting old had made her sad.

That very moment the king also felt that he had enjoyed royal pleasures long enough and it was high time he retired to a forest to devote himself to the matters of the Spirit. The king and queen summoned the ministers, entrusted the reins of the government to them and betook themselves to a forest to lead the life of ascetics. When the people heard about the decision of the royal couple, they felt that they could not live away from such noble rulers and decided to go to the forest en masse.

They approached the king and prayed to him: “Why have you given up the kingdom? Is it because of any lapses on our part?" The king told them: "I have ruled the kingdom long enough. Now that I am old, I wish to devote the rest of my life to the thoughts of God." On hearing these words, the entire people wailed in anguish. They decided to perform penance in the forest.

Queen's selfless concern for the people

Brahma appeared before them and asked them what they wanted. As they were utterly unselfish, they prayed to Brahma to give their king a long life. Brahma granted their prayer. The people went in joy to the king and said that Brahma had granted him a long life and therefore he should return to the kingdom to rule over it for many years.

The king started to go back to the capital. But the queen declined to accompany him. She said she would continue to stay in the forest. The people mistook the reason for the queen's decision. They thought perhaps the queen was angry because they had prayed only for the long life of the king and not for the queen. The queen was cast in a different mould. She was not concerned about herself. She performed a severe penance. Brahma appeared before her and asked what she wanted. She asked: "Is it true that you have granted the king a long life? Of what use is it, if the king alone has a long life, while the subjects are short-lived? I pray you should grant a long life to the people also." Brahma was so pleased with her selfless concern for the people that he granted long life to the people and the queen also.

Kerala's spiritual heritage

Kerala is a very sacred region. It is a land of great natural beauty. Its luscious vegetation endows it with a charm all its own. This beauty is a divine gift. God is beauty. Beauty is God. Keralites must revere their land as one sanctified by three avatars - Narasimha, Vamana and Parashurama. Kerala has been known for its unbroken tradition of devotion to God. While the vicissitudes of politics may have caused some changes, essentially Keralites have been adhering to the spiritual way of life. Even those who appear externally to be atheists are believers of the Divine deep in their being. Keralites should try to preserve their spiritual heritage whatever the challenges they may have to face. This is a great treasure which they have to guard and cherish. They must live up to their ancient ideals and promote faith in them by precept and practice.

Source: Divine Discourse on Onam Day - September 5, 1987

This Really Is Heaven – By Dr. Jagadish Chandra

As a child I was always fascinated by the concept of heaven. The gods and the demigods with their supernatural powers, their grand thrones, their weapons and moreover the rich variety of food that they had in their golden plates, enthralled me. Thus heaven for me was a place of absolute happiness where all my fancies and desires seemed to meet their fulfillment. But then a few mythological stories dampened my enthusiasm as I saw Lord Indra’s throne perpetually threatened by the demons. Then the modern world brought forth many different kinds of heavens as well as hells. For example, the modern college student slept till 9 o’clock in the morning and the cozy comfort of the bed was heaven for him. Hell began the moment someone woke him up! A moment of hard work was hell and rest was heaven. To dream was heaven but to wake up into reality…definitely hell. So, the question still remained, what in fact is heaven or hell? For, one man’s heaven may be another man’s hell and vice-versa. I would be honest in admitting that this quest was not the sole aim of my life. It was only in circumstances of dejection or failure that I tended to be philosophical. Nevertheless God decided to quench this part-time philosophical thirst of mine and I was in the loving embrace of my Master, my Swami. I joined the Institute for my under-graduate program in science in the year 2000-01. Six years have passed; and I feel that I must share some feelings about something that has made me what I am today…The Hostel.

Sri Sathya Sai Hostel, Prasanthi Nilayam

Needless to say, there is a marked difference in what I see in the world outside and what I see in the world here. It is not the soil, the grass, the trees or the buildings, but something else. A quick glance at the hostel routine may give one an impression that the schedule is very tough and demanding. The Morning Prayer giving way to sports and physical fitness, the breakfast and then college; Coming back from the classes for lunch and then returning for the afternoon session of the college; Going to the Mandir after the college hours and then coming back to the hostel after Bhajans; Dinner at 7 p.m.; then study hours ending in the night prayer and finally retiring for the day - the schedule is very hectic indeed. But the experience of getting absorbed in the work is an indescribable joy. It does not allow one to unnecessarily ponder over the past or future but makes one live in the present. Tying up the mind, this schedule shows how one is absorbed in the being than getting lost in the becoming. The first bell that rings at 5 in the morning for Suprabhatham itself opens to me the first chapter of my learning. When more than half of the globe is lost in silent slumber, there is activity here! Hundreds of boys sitting together, singing praises of the Lord! To any other modern college boy the description of this sacred early morning routine would definitely spell hell but here is a different set of people who say, “This Is Heaven”. This silent sitting and remembering the Lord in the early hours makes the core of everyone’s life here. To get this same silence, people spend lavishly and join different groups, just to sit silently. Strange! Silence is very expensive but we have a free access to that Silence every morning.

Suprabhatam at the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus Hostel in early 2000s

This food for the soul is followed by physical fitness. A good jog in the morning and some games go a long way in making the mind and the body strong. Now one might ask how physical exercises make the mind strong. A simple answer - it takes a good body to jog around the ground but it requires a strong mind to pull us out of laziness and thrust ourselves onto the activity of the ground. That is the reason why sportsmen are mentally very tough. And Swami puts it in a wonderful way, “A healthy mind stays in a healthy body.” As a thirteen-year-old boy I had suffered one of the worst kinds of wrist dislocations that took twice the normal time to heal. Doctors doubted my lifting even a bucket of water but my Lord had some other plans. On 11th Jan 2003 I hung on that single hand at an altitude of 40 feet above the ground performing gymnastics for the Sports Meet. That was one of the most beautiful gifts from Bhagavan, He healed my body through my mind. That is the power of physical fitness.

Students of the Brindavan Campus performing aerial gymnastics on January 11, 2003

Many people ask how, Swami’s students, who are used to a closed and safe guarded environment, can cope with the extremities of the outside world. Well, I deem it to be a privilege to answer this question, not just me but every single student would consider so, for it takes him back to his beautiful hostel days. Unlike the modern hostels that provide the luxury of a single room to a student, we are groomed as a community. The reason is very simple: man ultimately has to live in the society. In the dormitory set-up, one learns to be more sympathetic and empathetic – attending to one’s own needs but at the same time keeping in mind others’ likes and dislikes.

There are innumerable occasions when somebody in the room falls sick and the roommates take care of him, right from administering the medication to catering the prescribed diet. And we seldom realize how beautifully the Sai hostel life inculcates the qualities of patience - standing in queue for the dining sessions, waiting for our turn at the washbasin or the bathroom, or perhaps for the chance to play shuttle or tennis - without a complaint or a grimace. Can we ever thank enough all those who give us every single ‘opportunity’ to wait?

Often one would have seen the boys of the maintenance department running around with hammers and testers to mend the cupboards or fix the tube lights of our rooms. Innumerable are the instances when the boys in the dietary department have to skip their own food while cooking for the sick boys. One would have seen the costumes department boys painting their own faces without even the slightest of hesitation to give the actors the best make-up…and the list goes on.

For the inmates of the hostel, all this is very common but we may just spare a moment and see the present world scenario. Strikes, violent acts, protests, have become the order of the day. Man does not know where he is heading. Chaos has become a part of his life and frustration his mentor. If I have to put all these in a single statement I would say that ‘Swami has made each of us a good human being’, for that is the scarcest entity on earth. Otherwise, why would anyone find an M.Tech. Computer science student cooking food for sick boys; an MBA student working in the audio visual imaging department; an M.Sc. student handling the accounts of the hostel stores; or a B.A. or an M.A. student working in the hostel dispensary? For any other person this might appear to be absolute lack of professionalism or competitiveness; for us, however, only one-thing matters – our beloved SWAMI. Things are done in the hostel not because we are experts in those fields but because we try to make our existence worthwhile by being of some help to at least a few people around us. That does not mean that there is a compromise on the quality of work and the spirit with which it is done. It does not matter what kind of work we do, but it definitely matters how we do it. Be it sweeping or mopping the room in which we live, or working in the prestigious altar department, we learn every moment and whatever we do we do for Swami.

Sri Sathya Sai Planetarium at Prasanthi Nilayam

Here I would like to mention the wonderful episode related to the Sri Sathya Sai Space Theater, commonly known as the ‘planetarium’. The inner dome of the planetarium is made up of many plates fixed together to act as a screen for projection. These plates were imported and engineers were called to fix these plates. Unfortunately the serial numbers behind these plates had got erased and it was a Herculean task to fix those plates without those numbers. The Mandir authorities had to hear bitter words from the engineers who had been flown in from the U.S. for this purpose. When Swami was told about all the happenings, He just said, “Take the hostel maintenance boys and ask them to fix those plates.” They went about the work as if they were solving a jigsaw puzzle and the job was perfectly accomplished. The planetarium stands testimony to the love between Swami and His students. The projections of the stars and planets onto that dome come and go but the fingerprints of those boys still remain, day in and day out trying to tell each and every spectator to look beyond the stars and the sky and find a power that is beyond description but yet so loving and simple. Those boys were neither planetarium experts, nor trained engineers but what puts them above these sets of famed professionals is that they believed in their Lord and did whatever He said without even an iota of doubt. If anyone doubts these words, let him try the same exercise outside. He will not even be able to dream of it! This love for God and faith in Him is the greatest gift that our hostel gives us. 

Sri Sathya Sai inaugurates the Planetarium in November 1984

The Grama Seva and the Annual Sports and Cultural Meet are two events that show the level of commitment and co-operation of the students. Intense hard work but smiling faces, exhausted bodies but indefatigable spirits; young hands but nerves of steel; boys of this very modern age, yet devoted to the Lord. This really is heaven!

Jagadish Chandra with Sri Sathya Sai at Chennai - January 2007

The secret of this heaven does not lie in the geographical location of the place, nor does it lie in a place where one finds luxuries and abundance of basic amenities. Heaven is a state of being. It is not a destination but the way we travel. Is there a greater heaven than contentment and happiness? A bliss greater than the smile on another’s face? Heaven lies within each one of us. For the Lord wants that the whole world must be happy and peaceful. He wants everyone to discover this heaven and carry it within himself wherever he goes and then attract everyone he comes across into that heaven. This is the secret of our hostel, ‘where each one lives for the other and all live for God’. This Really Is Heaven!

- Dr. S. Jagadish Chandra

Students and Research Scholar (2000-2010)

Department of Physics

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

Currently, Business Development Manager at Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, Singapore

Source: Sai Sparshan 2006 

Feedback on the MBA Day Drama

August 26, 2002 (Monday)

The drama being over, it was time for feedback session. Swami notices the minutest of the details.

Swami: (To the students) Yesterday, they did not put fire (in the drama during a scene where a Yajna (fire sacrifice) was being performed). The Pujaris (priests) simply sat there. They also did not satisfy with their work.

(To a student) Very good boy! He did the role of Hiranyakashyap very well. Very good acting! Where is Prahlada? (N. Sai Krishna, the student who acted as Prahlada came to the front.) Good boy! Yesterday, you did well.

NSK: Swami, it is all because of Your grace.

Swami: (To Prof. Anil Kumar) Yesterday, both of them did very well. Day before yesterday, it was not all that good. But yesterday, it turned out to be the best scene. (Pointing to another student) You too did very well. Ramakrishna’s role was the best. (Turning towards one teacher) You know very well, he acted exactly like Ramakrishna. (To Neelratna Chowbal, a student of the second year M.B.A. class) Are you Vibhishana?

Neel: Yes, Swami.

Swami: It was all fine, but there was no fire; and you should have sacred Mantras being chanted. All of you know that Pujaris just sitting there did not look good. At least, you should have put an artificial fire. If you put fire, whenever you pour ghee, that fire comes up. It will look natural and very nice. Pujaris should have lip movement.

Teacher: Swami’s ideas are very good.

Swami: Ideas are very good indeed, but they should be put into practice.

Teacher: Swami, it is our fate.

Swami: Not your fate. You should have cautioned them much before. The boy acting as Ramakrishna did very well.

Student: How was it, Swami?

Swami: You did very well, but they should have put fire.

Student: Swami, we did not get that idea.

Swami: I had in My mind to tell you before. But I thought that all M.B.A. and M.F.M. boys were matured. It should come about automatically. One problem was that Ramakrishna was fat. Actually he was very thin, and a very good actor too. (To the students) How was the drama?

Student: There is still scope for improvement.

Swami: But what is the use? The drama is already over.

Student: Swami, next time we will do better.

Sri Sathya Sai with MBA Students at the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus Auditorium - August 25, 2002

Swami: Not this drama, but some other drama. Hiranya looked very huge with those costumes. That scene came out very well. Even Prahlada acted very well. That style of walking, and everything about him was nice. 

(To Vijay, a student of the second M.B.A. class) What did you do?

Vijay : Swami, I acted as Hanuman.

Swami: You also acted very well.

Teacher: Swami could have spoken to us.

Swami: Boys had put on makeup. If I had spoken, all that makeup would have come out. So, I did not speak.

Student: Swami, You can speak on this Thursday. Swami, others also remarked that the drama was good.

Swami: There are no ‘others’. All belong to our University.

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (2001-2004)

Practices for the MBA Day Drama

August 24, 2002 (Saturday)

Swami came out towards the students who were going to act in the drama. 

Swami incessantly drives His beloved students to cross the limits of excellence in whatever they undertake, be it even putting up a small drama, as it is in this case. 

Swami has not physically been for their practise sessions, yet He comments on their efforts and corrects them, thereby revealing His omnipresence.

Swami: (To Srinath Srirangarajan, a student of the second year M.F.M. class acting in the drama as Hiranyakashyap) Your dialogue delivery is not good.

(To another student) Are you satisfied?

Student: Yes, Swami.

Swami: No, the Hiranyakashyap and Prahlada scene is not good. We will have the drama at 6.00 pm tomorrow, since 4.30 pm to 6.00 pm is Raahukaalam (the inauspicious time). All of you go at 4.00 pm and get ready with your make-up. I will come at 5.00 pm.

Student: Swami, all are praying that You should speak to us.

Swami: Tomorrow there is a drama; how can I speak?

Student: Swami, please speak before the drama.

Swami: How will I speak when all run around here and there for make-up?

Student: Swami, please come and speak in the morning.

Swami: I will see.

Student: Swami, we have improved the scenes. Both Vice-Chancellor and Anil Kumar sir came and saw.

Swami: They have not told Me anything. (To Prof. Anil Kumar) Have you told Me anything? (After a pause to the students) I know everything. I have seen it. Didn’t I tell you all that I would come and see?

Student: Swami, all the students have the faith that You would come and see.

Swami: Very happy. The Hanuman and Vibhishana scene is also not up to the mark. Rama is speaking as if he were speaking in the class! He is not acting well too.

Student: Swami, we improved it last night.

Swami: Where is Prahlada? (N. Sai Krishna, student of the first year M.B.A. class comes to the front.) There is no humility at all! You should act with lot of humility. (To Vijay, the student acting as Hanuman) Are you satisfied? Are you doing well? (The student nods his head positively.) You might be satisfied, but we are not.

Student: Swami, yesterday night, it was not done properly. But this afternoon, he practised and acted well.

Swami: Yes, he had done well in the afternoon, but he is yet to improve his facial expressions. (Then referring to Soumya Chakraborty, student of the second year M.B.A. class acting as Ramakrishna Paramahamsa) He has become fat eating a lot of Naivedyam (food offerings)!

(After a pause) Have the costumes come?

Student: They are coming, Swami.

Swami: Are they still coming?

Student: Swami, we have practised with a few costumes yesterday. The remaining costumes are coming today. We will practise at night with all the costumes.

Swami: The village scene is being acted very well. See, I know everything. Your lip movements are not matching with the songs that are being played.

Student: Swami, we are practising.

Swami: Practise well. (To Neelratna Chowbal, the student acting as Vibhishana) You are not acting very well. (Pointing to Jaipreet Singh, a student of the first year M.B.A. class) He is acting as a teacher very well. Practise well. Swami then went back, leaving behind an inspired lot of students.

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (2001-2004)

Planning for the MBA Day Drama

August 23, 2002 (Friday)

This evening, the conversation revolved around a drama entitled “Desha Bhakti-Daiva Bhakti”, to be put up by students in the Institute Auditorium on the occasion of M.B.A. day.

Swami: This evening, Vice-Chancellor will come and see the drama practice. (Turning to Prof. Anil Kumar) Did you see their practice?

Prof. A. K.: No, Swami. 

Student: He did not come, Swami.

Swami: It will be nice if you go and see the drama practice.

Student: Swami, practice is already over.

Swami: Did you practice with costumes?

Student: No, Swami. 

Swami: First, you have to practice with costumes.

(To a student) You are acting as Hiranyakashyap, isn’t it?

Student: Yes, Swami.

Swami: Who is acting as Prahlada? (N. Sai Krishna, students of the first year M.B.A. class acting as Prahalada gets up. Taking a letter from Neelratna Chowbal, student of the second year M.B.A. class) What is your role in the drama?

Student: Swami, Vibhishana.

Swami: Where is Hanuman? (Vijay, student of the second year M.B.A. class acting as Hanuman goes to Swami. Swami takes his letter and shows him a word in the letter) What is this?

Vijay : Swami, it is ‘me’.

Swami: It is not looking like ‘me’; it looks like ‘ne’. Improve your handwriting. In the drama, you are supposed to give a discourse to Vibhishana. When Hanuman goes to Lanka and meets him, Vibhishana tells him that he was very lucky as he was able to have Rama’s Darshan every day, whereas, he was not that fortunate. Then Hanuman tells him that if he wanted to have Rama’s Darshan, he should engage himself in “Ramakaarya” (the Divine work of Rama). Mother Sita was in Lanka for a long time. Hanuman asks him whether he had gone and consoled her anytime. 

Vijay : Swami, that time, my dialogue is “Man Mein Ram, Haath Mein Kaam, Jai Sri Ram” (with Rama in my mind, the work of Rama in my hands, glory to Lord Rama).

Swami: It should be “Dil Mein Ram, Man Se Kaam, Jai Sri Ram” (with Rama in my heart, the work of Rama with all my mind, glory to Lord Rama). The thought of working that has originated from the mind should get translated into action through the hands. (Swami takes another students’ letter who was holding the card and points out a grammatical mistake) What is this? ‘Nee Vaadu’ Badalu ‘Nee Paadu’ Ani Rasavu (Instead of writing ‘Nee Vaadu’ you have written ‘Nee Paadu’). You can put up the drama in the Poornachandra Auditorium on Sunday.

(To another student) When are your parents leaving?

Student: Swami, they are leaving on Sunday. 

Swami: Tell them to book tickets on Monday. They can see the drama and then leave.

Student: Yes, Swami.

Swami then returned to the interview room. After a while, He called one of the drama students and told him that it would be difficult to arrange the sets within a short span of time in the Poornachandra Auditorium. Hence, the drama could be put up in the Institute auditorium itself.

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (2001-2004)

Why do Bharatiyas worship Ganesha?

All the sacred festivals celebrated by the Bharatiyas are full of significance spiritually and socially. Every festival is regarded as a holy event surcharged with divinity. On such a holy day, each house is cleaned up, everybody takes a sacred bath to purify the body, special pujas are performed, coconut is offered to the deity and prayers are offered during the day. 

The significance of today's festival (Vinayaka Chaturthi) is explained by different persons in different ways. Is it possible to transplant an elephant's head on a human body? The esoteric significance of the Ganesha image is: Ganapati has been given the head of an elephant because he is known for his extraordinary intelligence. 

The elephant is symbolic of extreme intelligence. In common parlance reference is made to the elephant's intelligence. "Gaja Thelivi" (The elephant is a highly intelligent animal). Ganapathi is described as "Buddhi Vinayaka" and "Siddhi Vinayaka" (Vinayaka the Wise and Vinayaka the Accomplished). Vinayaka itself means an unexcelled leader. 

Exceptional; Nayaka - leader. For whom is he the leader? He is the chief of the ganas (Divine spirits) and hence is known as Ganapati. He is the chief of Rudra Ganas, Bhadra Ganas and other Ganas. 

Vinayaka acted as a scribe to Vyasa

Vinayaka is the embodiment of intelligence. When Vyasa wanted to write the Mahabharata he prayed to Vinayaka for help. Vinayaka agreed to act as scribe on one condition: While dictating his verses, Vyasa should not pause at any stage. As Vyasa was reciting the verses, Ganesa was inscribing them on the palm leaf at a great speed. There was a race, as it were, between the two as to how fast Vyasa could dictate the stanzas and how quickly Ganapati could inscribe them. 

Ganesha writing the Mahabharata and Maharishi Ved Vyas narrating it

When the Mahabharata was completed, it ran into 100 crores of verses. It was a colossal compendium of all knowledge and ranked as the fifth Veda. It contained countless subtle truths. Human beings, the Devas (celestials) and the Asuras (demons), all three groups desired to have a share in the sacred work and prayed to Vyasa. When the 100 crores of verses were divided equally among the three claimants, one stanza of thirty-two syllables remained. How were they to be distributed? After distributing ten syllables to each of the three, two syllables remained. How were they to be distributed? Ganapati said these two syllables should be given to the world in the names of Hari, Hara, Rama, Krishna, Sai - all the phonetic two-letter names of the Lord. 

Vighneshwara is the remover of obstacles 

What is the significance of Ganesha worship? Man is confronted with many Vighnas (obstacles) in the journey of life. Prayers are offered to Ganapati - who is better known as Vighneshwara - for removing such obstacles and minimising impediments. Ganapati is an important deity for people of all sects. He is the deity to whom worship is offered first in any ritual. Why is the preeminence accorded to Ganapati? 

Once upon a time Parvati (Divine Mother) and Parmeshwara (Divine Father) wanted to decide between Vinayaka and Subrahmanya (their two sons) who was superior. They called the two lads and set them a task. They were told they should go round the cosmos. Whoever came first would be entrusted with a high office. Subrahmanya immediately got onto the back of his peacock and started flying on its wings. But Ganapati stayed put. Parvati and Parmeshwara thought Ganapati was out of the race. But on seeing Subrahmanya at a distance, Ganapati got up, circumambulated his parents and sat down. Ganapati claimed that he had won the race. When Parmeshwara questioned him, Ganapati replied: "The whole cosmos is a projection of the Lord. The Lord is immanent in the universe. When I have gone round my Divine parents, I have gone round the universe." Ganapati also asked them: "Show me any place where you are not present. You are omnipresent. You are in everything." Because of the acute intelligence he displayed, Vinayaka was made the head of the Ganas by Parmeshwara. 

There is thus an inner significance for every name and form. Normally an elephant's head on a human body should present an ugly image. But anyone can see that Ganesha's elephant head has an attraction all its own. There is no trace of ugliness in it. It is symbolic of extraordinary intelligence and intellectual ability.

To Unity through Love 

We celebrate festivals like the Ganesha Chaturthi as holidays. But they are not holidays but holy days. It is not easy for anyone to recognise the truth about the Divine. His Leelas (miraculous sportive activities) are beyond the grasp of the mind and speech. Hence, one should make the best use of whatever one is able to get from the Divine. One should avoid getting into unnecessary and purposeless controversies, which may cause more confusion. 

Love is the most important element in everything. Through love alone you can unify the world. It is the absence of love that is the cause of hatred. It is this hatred that is undermining human nature. Despite the fact that it is difficult to nourish hatred, while it is easy to foster love, men are engaged in doing what is difficult. 

Truth is beyond Time and Space 

Uttering the truth is easy. But indulging in falsehood is a tortuous process. One has to take a lot of trouble to cover up one lie with more lies. That is why it has been said: "Satyam Bruyat; Priyam Bruyat; Na Bruyat Satyam Apriyam" (Speak the truth, speak what is pleasing. Do not utter truth that is unpleasant). God is the embodiment of truth. Truth is the foundation of the universe. This truth transcends the mind and speech and is beyond the categories of Time and Space. Vedanta has described it as Ritam. It is also called Transcendental Truth. Truth is that which remains unchanged over time. You must live up to this truth. You must realise that the Divine is present in everything. Only when you can recognise the omnipresence of the Divine will you be able to experience the Divine. 

Develop faith in God. All names are His - Rama, Krishna, Christ or any other name. Every man is the embodiment of the Divine. True human relations can grow only when this truth is recognised. The first stage is where you recognise "I am in the Light." Next when you realise, "The Light is in me," and finally you realise, "I am the Light." "I" represents love and light represents Jnana (Supreme Wisdom). When love and light become one, there is Realisation. The Bhakti Marga (path of devotion) is easier than Jnana Marga (the path of knowledge). The Gita has extolled the Bhakti Marga. Love should come from within, not enforced from outside. You should develop disinterested and spontaneous love. The attitude of petitioning to God for favours should be given up. Love of God should not be based on quid pro quo, seeking favours in exchange for prayers and offerings to God. The object of celebrating holy festivals is to devote the day to meditation on God. 

From today give up Swaartha (selfishness), turn your mind towards the Paraartha (Supreme), lead a life of Yathaartha (Truth) and sanctify your lives. Place your faith in God and do your duty to the best of your ability. Saturate yourself with love and share it with all. If you earn the love of God even to the slightest extent, you will experience infinite joy.

Source: Divine Discourse on Ganesh Chaturthi Festival at Prasanthi Nilayam – September 15, 1988

Sri Sathya Sai: The Divine Manager - By Sri V. Srinivasan

Sri V. Srinivasan and Family with Sri Sathya Sai when Swami visited their home in Chennai in 1980s

I have had the good fortune to be a devotee of Bhagavan for the last twenty years. During this period, I have experienced and observed the many miracles that the Lord performs at all in almost every sphere of life. Every devotee gets the feeling that Bhagavan looks after him or her every minute in every matter, however mundane it might be. Bhagavan verily “manages” the Cosmos — every event taking place within the galaxies is as per His Will and Direction. He is truly the Centre of the Universe.

Bhagavan’s Leelas and philosophies are being very succinctly recorded by devotees for more competent than I. However, I felt I would contribute my experiences and beliefs of Bhagavan as the Supreme Manager.

Bhagavan has been counselling and guiding His devotees since His advent in many matters concerning their Work, Careers, and livelihood. What to do or what not to do in a particular situation — Bhagavan’s directions are always for the good of His devotees. What the devotee cannot comprehend or foresee, the Lord clarifies and unravels. Whether to expand a business, to open a new line of activity, to rationalise operations — Bhagavan gives what in modem business parlance would be called “Strategic Policy Directions”. Not even a Management Consultant par excellence could hope to comprehend even a fraction of all the aspects of a situation as seen by Bhagavan.

Since the last few years. He has started M.B.A. Programme at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. This programme is truly unique. Not only do the students learn the 3 R’s Modern Management but they learn their significance and application at Bhagavan’s Lotus Feet. Such a blend of Esoterism and Modern Education cannot be obtained nor even conceived anywhere else. Even in this implementation of His Divine Will, Bhagavan has demonstrated that He is the Supreme Manager, full of concern for society. The Alumni of this MBA Programme have already started to give a new purpose and meaning to the various organisations they have joined. These fortunate business will indirectly benefit from Bhagavan’s guidance and teachings through the students of the Institute.

Bhagavan has given His own interpretation to many of the concepts of Management. One day He asked many of the MBA students and others present as to what they felt was the meaning of the word 'Communication' as applied to Management. So much is said about the need for effective communication within Business Organisations. Many explanations were volunteered, but I was thrilled to hear Bhagavan define Communication as Understanding. In that one stroke Management Theory seemed to acquire a new dimension. An understanding which renders superfluous all mundane attempts at communication-one based on Love and mutual respect — A Communication which is dynamic rather than static.

Right from His early days, Bhagavan has underlined the need for sacrifice and sharing. He has made clear to humanity that desire leads to perdition — the fulfillment of one desire only leads to the sprouting of a hundred others. It is clear from modern Economics that it is physically impossible to satisfy the increasing material needs of a burgeoining human race. Nations make ambitious plans to meet the material needs of their citizens, and at best achieve partial success in these efforts. Similarly Companies plan to motivate their employees only through material rewards and at best achieve a temporary and limited result. Bhagavan counsels that these should be superimposed by Love and a Human concern. Only then is there a lasting commitment which alone can contribute to the success of the Organisation.

Bhagavan is a stern taskmaster, wedded to perfection. He tolerates no slackness. He does not spare Himself in any respect. He also expects total commitment to the task from those to whom he entrusts any work He is indeed a true Leader who sets an example by doing rather than only preaching. Any leader or Chief Executive of an Organisation has to imbibe this lesson first, if he is to merit the position that he holds.

All of us have observed Bhagavan’s meticulous attention to every fine detail. He inquires about every aspect of any task, however minor it may seem. In the process, he generates enthusiasm and alertness among those engaged in its performance, and the confidence that Bhagavan is there to help them at every instant. Management Science has chronicled the difficulties that Organisations have run into, when their leaders distanced themselves totally from the daily operations. Intelligent delegation and monitoring of performance is an art by itself, but one which Bhagavan teaches continuously.

Bhagavan’s projects are all on a Grand Divine Scale. One cannot conceive of them of this magnitude anywhere else in such variety and diversity. Their cost runs into very large amounts. Bhagavan manages their planning, implementation and performance in His own inimitable fashion. And yet He pays attention to every rupee that is spent He cannot tolerate waste which He says is a sin. He is ready to spend crores of rupees on useful project, but He is unhappy if even one rupee is wasted. How many organisations lose their bearings and multiply their overheads needlessly and then get into difficulties, when costs go out of control. Bhagavan always cautions us not to waste Energy, not to waste Money, not to waste Food, not to waste Time. What can be more appropriate for Business to function profitably?

Whoever has had the privilege of carrying out any of the Divine Commands, would have noticed that usually Bhagavan gives him (or her) a task ¡n an area where the person thought himself unqualified. It ¡s normally never in a field where the person feels that he has great experience and expertise. While the Esoteric significance of this is to reduce one’s ego and make that person realise that he is only an instrument of the Divine Will, one has to consider this also ¡n the Management context. What better form of Job rotation can there be than this. What better form of skills acquisition than to perform tasks under the watchful eye of the Supreme trainer. Here is Human Resources Management in action. Everything that one cannot be taught at Harvard!

The essence of Management Science was postulated by Bhagavan in His Valedictory Address to the participants of the Management Seminar for MBA students at Madras in March 1990. He covered every aspect of operation of an enterprise. The depth of His coverage and His astute awareness of the complexities of today’s business simply overwhelmed the Captains of Industry who were privileged to attend this discourse. Apart from business counsel, this was a message of hope and an exhortation to engage in business activities in the right spirit of Nishkama Karma. 

The functions organised at Prasanthi Nilayam are themselves examples of organisational efficiency. Where else for every one of His devotees, Bhagavan is God and at the same time, friend, counsel and philosopher. He prepares everyone of us for “Retirement” — when we close one chapter of our existence and begin another, a more rewarding one. In all our tasks, He is always with us, ready to step in when the situation warrants, just as any competent Manager plunges in to help his team. His small examples — “Chinna Uthaharanam” — are each a complete case study, suffused with inner significance and guidance.

Late Sri V Srinivasan with Sri Sathya Sai at the Hill Top Bungalow, Kodaikanal - May 12, 2007

It can truly be said that there need be no further “Search for Excellence”. That search has ended at Prasanthi Nilayam. But here Excellence has a new dimension. It is constantly uplifted by Divinity to bring out all that is best in Humanity. Every excellence ¡s excelled constantly under the guidance and Grace of the Avatar — the Divine Manager.

- Late V. Srinivasan

National President, Confederation of Indian Industry (1990-91)

All India President, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations (1999-2015)

Former Member, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust

Source: Sai Vandana 1990 (65th Birthday Offering)