ADVAITA 1.8.56. We know that the shadow and its experiences are not eternal or true, similarly you must get convinced that `you' are but the shadow of the Absolute and you are essentially not this `you' but the absolute itself. That is the remedy for sorrow, travail and pain. 4. 57 The mission on which every individual has come is to merge the individuality in the Universal. AKHANDA BHAJAN 14. 11. 76 This programme of bhajan continuously done for 24 hours all round the world in all lands, has therefore and spread the message of love through the Names of Embodiment of Universal Love. It has saturated the atmosphere with thoughts of God and of the peace and joy that He showers. The bhajan that you have done here has affected not only this particular area and its environment, but it will transmute the entire atmosphere. Continue this attitude of devotion and humility of service and tolerance, and the atmosphere will not be polluted by hatred. Do not contaminate the air by voices of acrimony, scandal, insult or slender. Keep silent when you feel like expressing such ideas; that itself is a service to you and to others. Singing this intense yearning for God and enjoying the experience of adoring Him, helps to purify the atmosphere. Man is forced today to breathe the air polluted by sounds that denote violence, hatred, cruelty and wickedness. Therefore he is fast losing the high attainments that are in store for him. The vibrations of the namasankeerthans (heart-felt recitation and Lord’s name) can cleanse the atmosphere and render it pure, calm and ennobling. It is with this high purpose in view that this programme of global samkeerthan was designed. No man can escape the influence of the pollution of the air he breathes. The sounds that we produce, with good intent or bad, spread throughout the air around us. This is our daily experience. The sounds produced at radio stations pass through the atmosphere and reach our homes when we tune in. The vibrations travel vast distances and affect the nature of those who inhale them. The atmosphere affects also the food man consumes. The pollution in the atmosphere is imbibed by the plants, the plants supply the grain, the grain is the basis of the meal and the meal shapes the character and behaviour of the person who consumes it. When the environment is clean and free from evil vibrations, the food too, is pure, and the person develops a tendency to be loving and simple. It is to ensure such an atmosphere that this Sadhana (spiritual effort) is initiated the world over. When we fill the atmosphere with hatred, we, too, have perforce to breathe the air, and are hated in turn. When we saturate the air with sounds full of reverence, humility, love, courage, self-confidence and tolerance, we benefit from those qualities ourselves. ANGER 2. 9. 58 The body is the temple of the Lord; keep it in good and strong condition. It is damaged by food and drink of the Raajasik behaviour and Thaamasik types and also by Raajasik (like anger, hatred, greed etc), and Thaamasik behaviour (like sloth, sleep and inactivity). When you get violent and angry with any one, quietly repeat the name of the Lord to overcome it or drink a glass of cold water or spread your bed and lie down until the fit of fury passes. While angry, you abuse another and he does the same; and tempers rise, heat is generated and lasting injury is done. Five minutes of anger damages the relationship for five generations, remember.

9. 9. 59 Anger wastes time, health and character. Do not allow it free play. Do some inner ‘cultivation’ too, as you are now doing external cultivation in these fields. That has to be done in the field of ‘feelings, motives, desires and promptings. 14. 1. 65 When you get angry, you act as if you are possessed by an evil spirit; your face becomes ugly and frightful. As a matter of fact, like the red bulb winking when danger is approaching, the eyes and face become red as a warning. Heed that signal and betake yourself to a quiet lonely spot; do not give free vent to wicked vocabulary. 29. 3. 65 This human birth is a rare chance! Use it for spreading joy, not grief. Of course, it is natural for man to resent, to grow away. But you should not allow anger free and furious scope. The raging floods in the Godaavari have to be restrained by bunds, anicuts and dams, so that the water may reach the sea, without scouring the fields on either bank. You too must set limits to your own anger and hate, and honour those limbs. 4. 66 Lust and anger are the two arch enemies of man which undermine his divine nature and drag him down into the mire. The Raamayana story is woven round the anger of Manthara and the lust of Surpanakha. The Raamayana of each individual too is woven round these two elemental passions. When the first intimations of these evil influences threaten to invade your mind, stop and inquire cooly into the nature of the urge, the manner of the promptings, the type of the consequences for you and others. Reason out these things, in silence and solitude. 23. 11. 66 Hate and envy distort man’s true charm. Anger is the fuel for all varieties of sin. Just look at yourself in a mirror, when you are attacked by anger, and you will discover that you are akin to Surpanakha or Lankini of ancient times. The Rajo guna that is over-powering you then is the Raakshasa trait you must learn to avoid. 13. 10. 67 Intolerance is the product of anger, hate and envy. Try your best to suppress the first appearance of anger. It does not come upon you unawares. The body becomes warm, that lips twitch, the eyes redden- so, when you get the intimation, drink a cup of cold water, sip it slowly, close the door and lie in bed until the seizure passes away, and you laugh at your own jolly. This may appear difficult but have to practise it. For the consequences of your yielding to anger will be so disastrous that you will have to repent long for them. 11. 7. 75 A man consumed by anger can never be free from misery. Anger carries with it a blazing fire. Anger is also described as Krodhaagni, the fire of anger. As long as one is consumed by the fire, he cannot have happiness. To get freedom from misery, man has to get rid of anger. Anger is also the cause of depravity in man. It ruins him in various ways. It alienates him from his kith and kin. For the decline in human qualities today, pride and anger are primarily responsible. 26. 10. 81 Anger is debilitating in its effect. The names become weak; blood is rendered warmer; its composition changes. A simple burst of fury consumes the strength gained from food during three months! Anger drastically reduces one's stamina. 30. 9. 81 Anger is an enemy of health. It injects poison into the blood stream and brings about profound transformation which damages it.

20. 5. 82 Frenzy, fanaticism and gusts of anger have to be controlled, for they lead to disasters whose range is beyond calculation. By constant practice, these can also resort to the view of silence. The mind too must desists from wandering, when the tongue is desisting from talking. Otherwise, the vow cannot be fruitful. 22. 3. 85 When you find anger rising within you, you may withdraw from the place to provide time for cooling your emotions. Or you may drink a glass of cool water and sit quietly in a place. Or, take a brisk walk for a mile to get over your anger. Or, stand before a mirror and look at your face. By anyone of these methods, your anger will gradually come down. Do not, however, stay near the person who have provoked your anger, because there is no limit to what anger may lead you to. Owing to anger and agitation the blood gets heated up. It takes three months, for the blood to cool down. Within that period the nerves become weaker and even the blood cells get destroyed. Weakness is aggravated and the memory power is reduced. Old age sets in prematurely. When love is developed, anger automatically ceases. When you feel angry, sit down with a hearty laugh. Limit your speech. Too much talk leads to heated exchange of words. 26. 2. 92 Anger can seize the treasure chest of wisdom from your grasp and break it to smithereens. It is usually compared with fire which literally means ‘not enough’. It always relishes more and more fuel to feed its limitless hunger. 21. 1. 93 One may get angry He should plunge into action immediately. If he does so his hasty action will be fraught with undesirable consequences. "Haste means waste: waste means worry. " He should think whether it is right or wrong before plunging into action to hurt the other man towards whom he is angry. Slowly as his temper comes down he will change his mind and desist from hasty action. This is practical way of controlling oneself in daily life. 11. 7. 95 A man consumed by anger can never be free from misery. Anger carries with it a blazing fire. Anger is also described as 'krodhaagni', the fire of anger. As long as one is consumed by the fire, he cannot have happiness. To get freedom from misery, man has to get rid of anger. Anger is also the cause of depravity in man. It ruins him in various ways. It alienates him from his kith and kin. For the decline in human qualities today, pride and anger are primarily responsible. ASTROLOGY 17. 3. 61 Take things as and when they come. Do not try to peep too far into the future with the help of astrologers. They are mostly wrong, and the data you supply them are mostly unreliable. Take care of the Panchaangams (the five - limbed almanacs) within you; that is more vital. The Panchaangams within you are the five senses; educate the mind to hold them in check - then you can have peace of mind, whatever the rise in the market rates or the quantity of rain. 22. 3. 85 In the Hindu Almanac there is a cycle of sixty years starting with Prabhava and ending with Akshaya. For each year there is a presiding ruler, a minister and a team of nine officers. Together they have powerful influence over the course of human affairs during that year. Among the nine officers, five are malefic and the other four are not so well disposed.

15. 1. 96 The sun moves into a house of the zodiac every month. In a year he goes round the twelve houses of the zodiac. Of these, the main houses are four. The first is Makara Sankramana (the zodiac sign of Capricorn) The second is Karkataka (or Cancer) The third is Thula (Libra) The fourth is Mesha (Aries) Of these four, the most important is Makara. The entry of the sun into Capricorn has physical, ethical, social and moral significance. In the movement of the sun from house to house in the Zodiac, the entry into Capricorn is most important. Capricorn is a sign of peace and contentment. According to the Gregorian calendar, Sankranthi begins on January 13 or 14. This confers a kind of mental and physical peace. ATMA (Aathma) 2. 2. 58 First be fixed in the consciousness that your self is the immortal Atma, which is indestructible, which is holy, pure and divine. That will give you unshakeable courage and strength. 23. 2. 58 The greatest defect today is the absence of Atma Vichaara ( the inquiry into the nature of the self). That is the root cause of all this ashaanthi (restlessness). If you are eager to know the truth about yourself, then even if you do not believe in God, you will not go astray. 25. 7. 58 The first step in Atma Vichaara (enquiry about the self) is the practice of the truth that whatever gives you pain gives pain to others and whatever gives you joy, gives joy to others. So do unto others as you would like them to do unto you; desist from any act in relation to others which if done by them will give you pain; Thus, a kind of reciprocal relationship will grow between you and others and gradually you reach the stage when your heart thrills with joy when others are joyful and stutters in pain when others are sad. 10. 7. 59 The jeevi (individual soul) has come to this birth in order to reveal the splendour of the spirit of Godhead which it is. The body is the wick of the lamp, yearning for God, is the ghee which feeds the flame. But like the rat which, attracted by the strong smelling cheap stuff inside the trap, neglects all other articles of food in the granary and falls a prey to its foolishness, man too neglects his real sustenance and wastes his life in pursuits of mortal riches. 21. 9. 60 You have been born because you did not pass in certain subjects; there is some balance of experience which you must acquire to complete the course. If you get convinced that your true nature is the Atma, then you have finished the course and ‘passed’. The Atma is Omnipresent; do not think it is found only in persons belonging to certain castes or colours or creeds; or that it is of a big size in fat people or of a brilliant nature in rich people. It is consistently sath, chith and Aanandha (Being, Awareness, Bliss Absolute) in every being. Saadhana has to go a long way to win this outlook. 27. 9. 60 The baby weeps as soon as it is born because the Jeevi (individual being) has no desire to get entangled in Prakriti (objective world) once again. It is unwilling to come into Maya (veil of delusion). Science describes it as the process of breathing for the first time and the clearing of the air passage; but why should

it weep ? The process can be started some other way, say, shaking or shivering, is it not ? The weeping child must later leave this world laughing, the worth of life is to be judged by the end. Atma is the ocean, nature is just a wave of that vast ageless, boundless ocean and the jeevi is just a drop of that wave. You cannot give up the wave or the sea. You can only merge the name and form of the drop. Once you enter the depths of the sea, it is all calm, it is all peace; agitation, noise, confusion, all are only on the outer layers. So also in the innermost recesses of the heart, there is a reservoir of Peace where you must take refuge. Examine everyday what you do and with what motive; then you can yourself pronounce judgement on your progress. Select only pure motives, pure deeds. You forgot that you are the Atma and now you remember that you are the Atma ! That is all the progress you have to achieve; it all looks so easy, but it is one of the hardest of assignments, the ear is so near to the eye; but it can never see it direct ! Increase faith, walk in the path of Dharma, get rid of delusion and ignorance, cleanse the agitation of the mind, and know that He is the Atma and that you too are the Atma. 23. 11. 60 The ‘I’ in you is Paramaathma (Supreme Being) Himself. ‘I’ is the tiny wavelet that plays with the wind for a moment, over the deep waters of the sea. The wave gives you the impression that it is separate from the azure and timeless ocean below. But it is just an appearance, a creation of the two ideas - Name and Form. Get rid of the two ideas and the wave disappears in the sea; its reality flashed upon you and you know. 26. 2. 61 Five sheaths encase the Aatma and hide its splendour from revealing itself. Make all these pure and shining. The Annamaya Kosha (physical sheath) must be purified by God, Clean, pure food; the Praanamaya Kosha (vital sheath) by calm steady breathing and an equanimous temper; the Manomaya Kosha (mental sheath) by holy thoughts and emotions, untouched by attachment to senses or unaffected by joy or grief; the Vijnaamaya Kosha (wisdom sheath) purified by contemplation of the reality and the Aanandhamaya Kosha (bliss sheath) by getting immersed in the ecstasy of God realisation. 27. 2. 61 Develop faith in the Atma and in the Shaasthras - they are the two eyes which will help you to gain the Vision. 17. 6. 61 Like the Ganga rushing towards the sea from where its waters are derived, the Jeeva ( individual soul) must hurry towards Brahman (Supreme Spirit) from which it has separated. The Ganga does not allow any obstacle to stop its course. You too should proceed laughing, rolling, tripping over rock and boulder towards the Goal. 18. 7. 61 To remove dirt from a white cloth, the dhoby soaks it in water, puts in soap flakes, warms the water and beats it on a stone. He does not make it white; it is white. He only removes the non-whiteness by a certain process. So too, the jeeva (individual soul) is pure; but it has got soiled. It has to be soaked in Good conduct and Pure character; soaped with the Meditation on Godhead; warmed in discriminatory wisdom helped by reason; and beaten on the slab of renunciation. 21. 10. 61 Let the mind die, let the buddhi (intellect) be destroyed, let the body disintegrate, remember nothing can harm you, the indestructible Atma.

Use a little common sense and you will know that the body is not your own Self; it is liable to decline and death; that is the first step for Nara (man) to become Naraayana (God). The ‘I’ to which reference is made is not the body, it is the Paramaathma (Supreme Self); trying to realise this is thapas (penance) 2. 12. 61 There is only one Sun, but he is reflected in a million tanks and wells and pots. Paramaathma (God) is one and His reflections are the Jeevis (individuals), each with the Atma (soul) apparent therein. 1. 1. 64 The soul is the motive force of all the senses; the eye is but a window through which the soul peeps out at the external world. Of what use is the eye, when the vision is not correct? That is to say, when you have no Samadhrishti Samam means Brahman, the Absolute Reality. Samadhrishti means, seeing only Brahman, the One, in all things at all times. This oneness is the basic truth. The minute hand of the clock is the individual soul. It goes round and round but, the hour hand moves silently and slowly, with a certain dignity. The hour hand can be said to be the Supreme soul. Once an hour the two meet, but, the individual soul does not get that consummation fixed for ever. It loses the precious chance and so has to go round and round again. Liberation is when the two merge, and only one remains. 19. 2. 64 The universal Atma (Self) is the basis of all being. The sky was there before houses were built under it; it penetrated and pervaded them for sometime; then, the houses crumbled and became heaps and mounds; but, the sky was not affected at all. So too, the Atma pervades the body and subsists even when the body is reduced to dust. Live in the consuming conviction that you are the Atman. That is the hard core of the Eternal Teaching. The Atma it is that sees through the eyes, hears through the ears, handles through the fingers, moves through the feet. That is the basic ‘you’. That ‘you’ is not elated by praise or deflated by blame. When someone carps at you, reason out thus within yourself. Is he casting aspersions on my body? well, why should I be worried? He is doing just what I should myself do, casting out the attachment to the flesh, to this paltry prison. 24. 2. 64 The Atma alone is the source of inner strength, it is the fountain-spring of Joy - joy unaffected by reverses or victories. 13. 3. 64 Sath, Chith, Aanandha are the attributes of the Atma (self) and you are the Self, not the body. 16. 10. 64 Just as underground water is the sustenance of all trees, the Atma is the underlying source of all the aanandha that the jeevi experiences. 25. 11. 64 The real you is the Atma. This can be learnt only by constant meditation, by moving in good company, by listening to the talks of realised men, by following some prescribed course of discipline. That is why I lay so much emphasis on discipline. 26. 11. 64 Give your heart over to the Lord and move in society as a dedicated being; then, no harm can come to you. As a jeeva, you may be an individual; but, as Atma, you are Vaasudheva, the Samashti (path of the Universal whole) 4. 12. 64

The body is worn by the jeeva in order to realise God, the source from which the jeeva came. That is why it is said that it is very lucky for living being to get equipped with the human physique. To be endowed with a desire for things of the spirit is the height of fortune. 13. 12. 64 Sit quiet for just a moment and inquire within yourself what is it that stays and what is it that does not. You try to know the news of the world, the changing fortunes of men and movements, in all the countries of the world; but you have no thirst to know about the conditions and conflicts of your own inner world happening against the permanent backdrop of the unchanging Atman, which is your innermost core. Know that and everything becomes known; act and no other act is needed; possess that and all things are possessed by you! 13. 1. 65 Everything that is born must die; everything that is constructed will disintegrate. But you can escape death, by not being born again. When you know that you are the limitless Atman, then you are no longer subjected to the limitation of birth. That is the secret. How to know that? It is the result of a long process of sharpening the intellect and purifying the emotions and the impulses. You may do the most rigorous japa or practise the direst of austerities, but if you are not virtuous, all of it is sheer waste. 30. 1. 65 Winnow the real from the apparent. Look inside event, for the kernel, the meaning. Dwell over on your Aathmic reality; you are pure, you are indestructible; you are unaffected by the ups and downs of life; you are the true, the eternal, the unchanging Brahman, the entity which is all this. A mere five minute enquiry will convince you that you are not the body, or the sense, the mind or the intelligence, the name or the form, but that you are the Atma Itself, the same Atma that appears as all this variety. Once you get a glimpse of this truth, hold on to it; do not allow it to slip. Make it your permanent possession. 20. 2. 65 The best way to get rid of weakness is to strike at the very taproot of the tree - the mistake that you are the body, with this name and this form, these senses, this intelligence and this mind. These are all the luggage you carry. Don’t you say, my nose, my mind, my hand, my reason, just as you say, my mook, my umbrella? Who is this ‘I’ that calls all these ‘mine’? That is the real ‘you’. It was there when you were sleeping forgetful of all else, forgetful even of your body with all its equipment, internal and external. That ‘I’ cannot be harmed , it does not change, it knows no death or birth. Learn the discipline that makes you aware of this Truth and you will be aware of this Truth and you will be ever free and bold. 26. 3. 65 The teaching of all the scriptures and of all the sages and saints is to recognise the Atma within and to build life upon that bedrock. 31. 3. 65 The Truth that is in all beings is also in you. Search for that; discover that unity; that source of courage, of love, of wisdom. 6. 4. 65 Discover the immortal ‘I’ and know that it is the spark of God in you; live in the companionship of the vast measureless Supreme and you will be rendered vast and measureless. You say ‘I was awake’, ‘I dreamt’, ‘I slept soundly! Now who is this ‘I’? Who is this ‘I’ that has none of the three stages, that persists from birth to death, that deals with the body and all the organs and senses, all the various feelings, impulses and experiences as ‘its possessions’, ‘its instruments’? That ‘I’ is the thing to be known and once known, you must not allow your mind stray away from it. 28. 9. 65

The Atma is the Sun in the firmament of the Heart. Now the light of the Sun is obstructed by the thick clouds of desire for sense objects and objective pleasure; let the strong wind of repentance and resolution scatter the clouds, so that the Atma may shine forth brilliantly. 14. 11. 65 Instead of scattering attention in many direction, man must endeavour to attain that Aathmic joy while here, with body. The moon that shines in the waters of a million lakes is one; the shine in the lakes is due to the reflections; look up and know the truth. Do not be deluded that inside each lake, there is a distinct moon. The bodies are many but God is reflected in every one of them. Establish contact with that Almighty Power, that Omniscience, that Omnipresent Entity and all things will be added unto you - power, wisdom, vision, liberation. 27. 11. 65 Develop character as well as intelligence and health. The most reliable source of strength is in you, not in money, or kinsmen, or physical acumen, but, in yourself, the Atman. Know it; delve into it; draw sustenance from it; see it in all; save it in all. 16. 3. 66 The Atma is the source and spring of all joy and peace; this has to be cognised and dwelt upon. Without this cognition, human life is an opportunity that is lost. One has to come into this wilderness again and again in order to learn the way out. The quantities of food consumed, the hours of sleep spent in bed, the riches earned and enjoyed add up to a colossal waste, if the main purpose of life is neglected. 3. 8. 66 When you dream, the dream is real; when you wake, the waking experience is a real as the dream was. The fact that is, it is all a dream, a creation of the mind when the Atma (the true self) is reflected in it. Remove the mink, here nothing on which the Atma reflects and then the Atma shines in its own splendour in its own solitariness. 8. 3. 67 You may ask,’ Swami! when you find a person behaving wrongly, viciously, how can we love him? How can we revere him, as you want us to? In such a situation consider one thing: who is it who committed that wrong? what is it that prompted the act? Who did the deed? The body did it. What prompted the body? The mind. Why was he forced to do it? Through the influence of his karma, the cumulative effect of his activities and attitudes through many lives in the past. The Atma in him is unattached, to any deed or motive. That Atma is Divine; love that, revere that. That is my answer. Revere the Atma in everyone; it is the God residing in each. Why should you pay attention to his wrong and vices? Your duty is to serve, not search for faults. Serve with all your heart, serve with pure undefied love. under my unseen supervision and guidance you have to serve them and relieve their pains and troubles. 6. 11. 67 He who knows Brahman becomes Brahman; the river that enters the sea becomes the sea. 22. 11. 67 Believe that God resides in everyone as the Atma, which illumines his senses and the vision. Then, the darkness will disappear and light will prevail. Learning the process of getting fixed in that faith is the genuine education. 4. 7. 68 Your reality is the Atma, a wave of the Paramathma (Supreme Self). The one object of this human existence is to visualise that reality, that Atma, that relationship between the wave and the sea. All other activities are trivial.

30. 9. 68 When you are asked 'who are you?' each one of you gives out the name some one gave you years ago, or which you gave yourself. You do not give the name that has been with you life after life, that has survived many deaths and births, the Atma that you really are. That name you have forgotten; it has been enveloped by three thick veils - mala, vikshepa and aavarana. Mala is the dirt of vice, wickedness and passion. Vikshepa is the veil of ignorance which hides the truth and makes falsehood attractive and desirable. Aavarana is super-imposition on the eternal of the transitory, on the universal of the boundaries of individuality. The soap of penitence and the water of cognition will remove all taint of mala. The wavering mind that causes the frantic search for happiness from sense objects and external appentenances will be transformed by upasana (steady application in worship) and adoration of the source and sustenance of all. The Aavarana veil can be torn off by the acquisition of jnaana which reveals the Aathmic essence of man, Aathmic unity of all creation. Mala is therefore removable by Karma, vikshepa by devotion and aavarana by jnaana. 2. 10. 68 Believe that you are the imperishable pure Atma. Then, no gain or loss can affect you; no sense of humiliation or despair can torment you. 13. 1. 69 You yearn to escape the consequences of birth and the aftermath of death. You desire peace and joy; for this you have to cleanse the mind so effectively that it is well-nigh eliminated. This is possible only when you identify yourself with the Atma, rather than with the body, which is the casket of the Atma, earned as a reward for one’s activities of mind and body. When you live in the consciousness of the omnipresent Atma, you live in love, love flowing and flooding in and through you, and all else. 22. 11. 69 In a household when wife is a shrew, there can be no joy or peace, or, if the husband is a drunkard and a cruel tyrant, the atmosphere is charged with hatred and grief. So too, in the body, when the mind is a shrew or when the intelligence is a tyrant, there can be no peace. The master of the household is the Atma who is seldom recognised or identified as such. When the Atma is discovered as the master, and recognised as such, joy reigns undisturbed in the home. Now, there is a certain ‘I’ used in speech and thought as possessing the body and the limbs, the senses and the mind and the reasoning faculty, but there is no attempt to probe into the idea of the ‘I’ and no keenness to spat out its whereabouts and characteristics. This is what is called Atma-vichaara (deliberation on the self); every unit must encourage its member to develop this Atma-vichaara. . This search for the Atma will be facilitated by a study of the upanishadhs and the Bhagawadgeetha, which is but the essence of upanishadhic teachings. 21. 5. 70 In ordinary day-to-day arithmetic, three minus one is equal to two; but in the arithmetic of the AAtma the three (Ishwara) for, when the mirror (the Prakrithi) goes, the image (Jeeva) also disappears! When the mirror is eliminated, two entities disappear, the mirror and the reflection it can cast. And you merge in the Divine! 18. 7. 70 The Atma, when it is believed is in the core of every one, will produce sympathetic vibrations in you, so that when the other is happy, you are happy and when he is in misery, you feel it to the same extent. That is love at its highest and sincerest. Pray to the God within you, the Maheshwara, the Vishnu, the Brahma or Parabrahma Principle to reveal Itself. Accept that as the Guru and you will be illumined. July. 70

The Bliss that you hope to derive from kith and kin, from wealth and worldly fame, is but a pale shadow of the Aanandha that resides in the spring of your heart, when God dwells. Try to contact that spring; go to the very source; be centred in the Atma or God within. 5. 10. 70 There are three desires which every ‘I’ cannot escape from. I must live, is the first. The will to live is overpowering and paramount. This is the urge for immortality. The desire to know is the second. This too is an unquenchable thirst and is an indication of the Omniscience of which the I is the inheritor. The desire for joy is the third, prompting man behind the senses into the outer world, for pleasures. This evidence shows that deep in the core of the I, there is a spring of Aananda which seeks its mate and its fulfilment. Individuals are measured and weighed according to the approximation of each to the standard of the Universal I. 8. 10. 70 The Atma (the Divine) is the cell, in this torch (body), wherein the eye is the bulb and the intellect, the switch. 9. 10. 70 Do not have low desires and seek low deities that cater to the fulfilment of these. Yearn for the highest wisdom, the highest Bliss, the highest Power, the Atma. Yearn for nothing less than the Highest; pray to the Sovereign Giver. 29. 10. 70 The I that live within the body is like a lion in a cave. It is the monarch of the forest; but it limits itself to the few square feet of rocky floor. Let it come out, renouncing the petty possession. So long as you crib yourselves into the body-consciousness (I am the body), you are the lion moping in the musty cave! Do not feel Dhehoasmi (I am the body). Roar Brahmaasmi (I am Brahman) - and littleness, time, space, ego, all will flea from your heart! You will be Love, Love, Love and nought else. That is to say, you will be Divine, one with the One. 20. 11. 70 The world can be saved only by the power of the Atma, inherent in everyone, this has to be tapped by individual sadhana , and by the grace of God which can be won only through Love, Purity and Service. if these two are absent, devastation or pralaya is certain ,it is inevitable. 21. 11. 70 As soon as you wake up from sleep, when you look at your watch to know the time, remember what watch, the word "Watch" directing you to watch! The letter W is asking you to watch your words, the letter A to watch your action, the letter T to watch your thoughts, the letter C to watch your character and the letter H to watch your heart! The watch on your wrist may go fast or slow, it may have to be repaired often, but this "other watch that directs you and guide you will never fail you or mislead you. It will help you from sliding into the level of animal. The Atma, the formless absolute, when it is reflected through the sathvic (pure, unagitated) medium, reveals itself as Ishwara or God. When it is revealed in a Rajasic (active, passionate) medium, it is Jiva or the Individual person. When it is revealed in a Thamasic (dull, inert) medium it is matter. All is Atma - only cognised through different media. The Atma is the only reality, the Adhwaitha, the one without a second. 22. 11. 70 TAT TWAM ASI - (Thou are that) Ayam Atma Brahmen -This I is that Prajananam Brahma - Wisdom is that, Aham Brahmasuri - I am that

The realisation that you are the Atman & that there is nothing except the Atman anywhere at any time - this is self realisation. The green fruit is sour or even bitter, but as it ripens, the sourness or the bitterness is transmuted into sweetness. The attachment to the senses and to the sensory world must be transmulated in to attachment to the Atma, to the Lord, so that it may confer on you the sweetness of Bliss. Once you are in that Bliss, you will see, taste, hear, experience only Bliss. All this is God. The realisation that you are the Atman and that there is nothing except the Atman anywhere at anytime - this is Self-realisation. The Sun produces light, as well as the cloud that hides it from view! The eye that sees produces the cataract which clouds and often closes that vision. From the same Aathmic principle which illumines and vitalises is born the maaya (illusion) that hides and confuse! The fire from the embers creates ashes which cover up the embers. But we can blow off the ashes and reveal the cinders, the cataract can be removed; clouds are wafted away by winds. So too, saadhana can remove the veil of illusion which hides the inner ‘I’ from consciousness, the Atma from our awareness. 16. 3. 73 The life of man should not be wasteful round of eating, drinking and sleeping, man has the Atma (Soul) as his reality and so, he must learn to become aware of that unfailing source of Bliss. By the proper use of his intelligence, man can tap that spring and be supremely blissful. Happiness can be won only by proceeding towards God, not by following the urges of the senses. 4. 4. 73 Every individual is a spark of the effulgence of God, God is dancing in every cell of every being. Do not doubt this, or ignore this, or dispute this. This is the Truth; this is the entire Truth; this is the only Truth. The universe is God. All this is He, His body. 28. 4. 75 The human body is a temple of chariot; the Atma (divinity) is installed therein; and it is dragged by emotions, impulses, passions and urges along the streets of desire. Success and failure, joy and grief, gain and loss, are the dancers who accompany this procession of life. Here, too, many pour their attention only on the chariot, its height, its decoration and its progress. Many others are concerned with the dance of duality, the pain-pleasure duet, that is part of the procession. Few pay attention to the Atma, the crown and consummation of human existence. 23. 11. 75 Your Atma, which you mistake to be your body, your senses, your mind, your intellect etc. , can have no sorrow or joy. It has no death no birth. It is eternal and unchanging. What you judge as joy or sorrow is only like a passing cloud which cannot affect the splendour of the Sun or Moon. Know that such emotions follow one another when the wheel of life turns round from moment to moment. The sea has water that cannot quench thirst, but it has also pearl and coral. You have to get toughened by hammer strokes of joy and sorrow until you are unaffected by the vicissitudes of fortune. 1. 10. 76 The holy duty of man is to be ever aware of the Atma(Divine Spirit) that is installed in every living being. This will make him conscious of the kinship he has with all. This is the basis of the brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of god. 6. 6. 78 Man is Atma (soul), lives an Atman(divine self) and merges in Atman (infinite self). Anything conceived besides Atman is false. 25. 7. 78

Whatever one learns or does not learn, one must, after being born as man, learn about the Atman (divinity), for that alone can confer bliss and immortality. Whether you get or do not get the comforts you desire, you should pay attention to the task for which you have come and cultivate the means of realising the Atman. 9. 7. 79 When space is enclosed in a pot, it appears limited and small. But once released from the container, it again merges in the infinite sky. The sky is not reduced or transformed in shape or quality by being held in the container. So, too, the One Atma that is pervading the bodies and lives of billions of beings does not get affected by the living being to which it adhere for some time Earn the vision that sees the Divine inherent in all. 14. 8. 79 The Atma has no birth, and so, no death. It is ever-existing never disappearing. It has no beginning and no finish. It does not die; nor does it kill, nor can it be pronounced inert. It is the witness in each and all. 15. 7. 80 In the box called the body is treasured the Atma. The sea keeps its valuable pearls deep down, near the bed. It scatters cheap shells on the shore, where people can pick them. So, to perceive the Atma, you have to turn your inquiry inwards. 21. 9. 80 Man does not live by food alone. In fact he lives by the power of the Atma. So you must use your strength of body and mind, wealth and education with intelligence, in order to realise the power of the soul. 1981 Nothing pleases man more than his Atma, which is an eternal unfailing source of joy. One must prefer the awareness of the Atma and the bliss that the awareness confers, to all other minor momentary joys. The Upanishad says ‘By renunciation alone can the Bliss of Immortality be won. ’ The selfishness fouling our love is veiling divinity from over vision. What is the reason for the selfishness which is veiling Divinity from us ? It is simply our attachment to the body; it is the weakness of our mind and our enslavement to our senses. What is the way to overcome or sublimate this selfishness ? For this, first, we should have a proper evaluation, a proper understanding of our body, senses, mind, etc. They are not ourselves. In ignorance we identify ourselves with them. They are our vestines, they are like the dress we wear. The body is not we, the sensory organs are not we; the mind is not we, they are merely our vestines. That is why we say ‘this is my body, etc. ’ We never say ‘I am the body. ’ We should therefore try to realise that we are really apart. The self that is apart from these is the real entity in us, and we are that. The physical body is constituted of the five elements, which are material in nature, and it has therefore to fall off and disintegrate one day or other. The one that survives and abides eternally is only the resident (dehi) in the body. The resident of the body has neither birth nor death. He is the Atman and is an aspect and form of God Himself. The body is first an Upaadhi, a vestune of the Atman. For everything we see there has to be a base which we do not see. For the car that is moving, there is the road, which is the stationary ground for the car to move on. The car may swerve but the road does not swerve. If the road also moves, what journey can the car make and where to ? So also, the Atman is the basis for the functioning of the mind and the senses and body. Atman is their sole support and basis. 5. 2. 81 Man has achieved immeasurable progress in science and technology. But, in the field of morals, he is still unable to rid himself of narrow cynicism, limited outlook, and the demonic hold of selfishness, pride, envy

and other evil traits. When we examine the basic cause for this state of affairs, we discover that it is the consequence of egoism that has struck deep roots in the heart of man. It has reduced man to the status of a puppet. It pollutes his thoughts, words and deeds. It directs him to gather and hoard materials riches. It does not allow the Atma to shine forth. When the veil of egoism is set aside, the Aathmic Essence, and with it aanandha and jnaana will be revealed. 1. 3. 81 We generally consider direct perception as the most important type of evidence. We are able to see our body. We are able to see how many hands we have, how many legs we have, how many eyes, and so on. That is not all. We boil milk and add some curd to it at night and next morning find that the milk has turned into curd. For the conversion of milk to curd, our own action provides the direct proof. The evidence of our own eyes is enough to convince us about how the change from milk to curd has occurred. We do not need anyone else's authority for that. But our mind is not visible. We cannot understand what is meant by Atma. . . . We believe in existence of the Atma on the strength of the statements made by the great sages who have had the experience and who have conveyed the teaching. Aug 81 Men have forgotten their essential divine nature and have even failed to observe those basic human qualities which raise them above the level of animals. In the ceaseless pursuit of material acquisitions and sensuous pleasures, they have forgotten that the real source of happiness and bliss is the discovery of the Atma that is in each of them. 30. 8. 81 The rays of the Sun fall upon things, both clean and dirty; they illumine good things and bad. But they are not affected by them in the least. So too, the ‘Truth’ is unaffected by the consequences of Karma or the ups and downs of life. It is the serene witness of the Vishaya, the observer of objective nature. Truth is Atma. 3. 10. 81 When I speak, you hear the speech via the microphone through the loudspeakers. You listen to the instrument, the loudspeaker, but I am the speaker. So, too, when your tongue utters the words, it is the Atma that prompts and speaks the words. The owner sits in the car and travels. The car, your body, has four wheels on the ground - the four human goals virtue, prosperity, desire fulfilment and liberation and they are filled with air, Faith is the air which makes you travel smooth. It has to be uniform in all the four wheels. The steering wheel inside the car directs the outer wheels. The wheel is the ‘mind’. The food and drink you take is the petrol for the car and its ‘horn’ is the tongue. You are journeying along the road of ups and downs in this car. Recognise that God is the person at the wheel. He will take you happily to the destination. Have faith in him and be free from fear, anxiety and agitation. Surrender to him. His grace can save you, His wisdom can enlighten you, His power can overcome all your obstacles. 7. 10. 81 The individual is the Be coming of the Being. The individual consciousness is the projection of the same. Universal Consciousness and both are complete in themselves. Even after the body decays and disintegrates, the individual consciousness remains unaffected; it is as full as ever. The Vedhas declare; this is Full. When the Full has projected the Full, the Fullness remains Full ! 8. 10. 81 ‘The body is a composite of the five elements; it cannot avoid disintegration, but the dweller within the body has no birth or death, no desire or despair, no attachment or bondage. In truth, that dweller is the God of Gods who resides as Atma in you. ’ This is what the seers have experienced. 26. 10. 81 Lamps are many but light is ONE. Every patch of water on earth has the reflection of the sun but the original sun is ONE. Just as the one sun is seen in a million pots or lakes, or wells or cisterns, the one Paramjyothi shines as wisdom in a million hearts, whether noticed or unnoticed. When the water in the pot

or other receptacle evaporates, the image too disappears. But the Sun is not affected in the least. So too, the Atma appears in the body (the pot) which contains desires (water). When identification with the body is given up and when, in consequence, desires dry up, the image Atma merges in the genuine Atma. This is the eternal consummation. 23. 11. 81 Sparks emanating from fire are neither different from it, nor identical with it. So, too the Jeeva (individualised being) is neither different from Brahman, nor identical with it. Jeeva and Brahman become identical only when liberation is achieved. Until the sea is reached the river remains as river. It has a different name and a distinct form. So too, the Jeeva so long as it is involved with the physical case, the senses, the mind and the instruments of consciousness, it does not merge in God. It remains apart. The Atma is ever self-contained, self-sufficient. The material world exists on account of the other. The Atma is the basic unity which assumes the appearance of diversity, the world. Its immanence is the unifying Truth, evident as the Divine in all beings. It is the duty of everyone to live in the awareness of this Truth. The Atma illumines all objects; it needs no other source of illumination to shine. It is the seer of the Universe. For the Atma, the entire Cosmos is an object that is seen, even the eye that sees without the mind caring to see. And even the mind is an object, for the mind has to be prompted and kept alert by something else that wills and resolves. The warp and woof the mind consists of ‘wills and wants’, of ‘reaching out and drawing back. ’ The reasoning faculty is itself a tool of the mind. The Atma has, as its apparent apparel, the body, the mind, reason, intellect and the inner tools of perception. Though it seems to be the centre of all activities and agitation the Atma is unaffected. It is consciousness, pure and unsullied. The body and its accessories and equipment have birth and death, they develop and decline. But the Atma is free from change. The Eternal, with no birth and death, No beginning, no middle nor end; It does not die, it is not born, It can never be destroyed; It is the Witness, the Self, the Atma. The man who strives to attain the awareness of this Atma has indeed fulfilled the destiny of man. The One Sun, from where it is, spreads His splendour in all directions. The lamp through on one spot, sheds lights on the entire home. The Atma, likewise, is only ONE; but it awakens all by light of wisdom. Subtler than the subtle anu (atom), Vaster than the vastest, Witnessing all everywhere, Atma is Brahma, Brahma is Atma. The body is composed of many substances but every substances is essentially anu(atom) in structure, Appearance and nomenclature may change through childhood, boyhood, adolescence, youth, middle age and senescence, but the Atma, the Brahmic - reality shines in native splendour without being affected in the least. Ignoring is the one Reality, the Truth, than is fully involved in illusory tangles. Since the Atma is the anu (atom) form in the body, body consciousness is termed dehatma consciousness. Jeevathma activities by its presence the individual consciousness. The paramathma is the base on which everything rests. But, man believes he is the body and ignores the dehatma. He thinks he is a jeeva but ignores the jeevathma; he concludes that as an individual, he is separate; he ignores the paramathma.

Unite in the One. That is your mission, your destiny. Do not isolate yourself. ‘ I for me’. ‘He for him’. If you hope to be happy while isolated, take it from me, it is a frail dream. Know that you are the Atma, just as everything else is. The Atma is self-luminous; you do not need be a lighted lamp to discover a lighted lamp! You need no candle or lantern to see the moon. You can see the moon through its own rays. The Atma shines in all; you have only to open your eyes and know it. 25. 5. 82 The Atma, everyone is, vast and expansive. We fancy that the Atma is in us, in each of us. We are in the Atma, we are all in the Atma. The Atma is not in us! All beings are alive and active, moving and resting in the all-pervading Atma. We are all in this hall; the hall is not in us. To say, ‘the Atma in me and the Atma in you’ is to declare your ignorance of the Truth. 21. 10. 82 God or the Absolute is the very nature of the Self. The individual is the indivisible God. Even when enmeshed in this world of conflict and confrontation, the self is God, in reality. Deluding himself as the body in which he lives and attaching himself to the charm and challenge of Nature, he imposes self-hood on himself and suffers from that limitation. The selves that have assumed human forms and that are designated by separate names emerge from the same source and merge in the Universal form which they particularised. The individual self is the role; the reality is God. The Vedhas invite you to realise that everything - living and non-living - every quality and characteristic of everything, is only an aspect of the one Atma. The source and substance of all. The Aham or Ego is an appearance on the Atma as the foam on the edge of the wave, which is but the ocean itself. The Atma can well be devoid of Ego, but the Ego cannot exist without the Atma as the reality underneath. However, man validates the Ego (Athma), giving it a form full of attributes and so, it gets polluted as Egoism. Some years ago, a rich Zaminder played the role of a washerman in a village drama and won the appreciation of the vast gathering. He spoke and gesticulated, argued and bargained as vociferously as any washerman. But, that did not affect or tarnish his genuine zamindarhood in any way. So too, the body-mind - complex may have many forms and names or roles, but the Atma, the witness, has none. 25. 12. 82 A man may travel on business through many lands and stay in several towns in great comfort, but he does get rest and peace only when he reaches home. The earthly career is but a stage in his long journey, where he has camped for a while. The camp is not to be confused with the home, but many do and refuse to remember the home. All that concerns the Atma is delight; all that concerns the self is misery. This is the Upanishadic declaration - Man loses himself in fights and factions, greed and gain, and ignores the source, the substance which He is. 30. 12. 82 A heart that has no illumination derived from the Aathmic reality will be infested by the vices mentioned above. Not being aware of the Atma is the source of darkness, the thickest of ignorance’s. The thought of God, the contemplation of God, the grace of God - these alone can confer the purity we need. 23. 3. 84 The Atma is the Truth of Truths. When one achieves its awareness, all knowledge is added unto him. Imagine a coconut tree with a headload of nuts. It casts a long shadow on the ground and the shadow fruits are equally plentiful. When one climbs the tree and plucks the fruit, he can also be seen moving along the shadow tree and plucking the shadow fruit. So too, when one seeks to know the Atma and succeeds, he can at the same time progress along the 'world' and gain the shadow fruit. 6. 9. 84

The Over-Soul is subtle and all-pervading. Its effulgence is everywhere. It is not embodied in any particular object. It shines everywhere. There is light in this hall. What is the source of this light? It is the lamp that is burning somewhere. The flame of the lamp has a form. But the light emanating from it has no form. The Atma has effulgence but has no form or name. It can assume any name or form. Forms and names are sustained by the Atma. The Atma principle demonstrates its oneness in all the myriad entities in which it assumes various forms and names. Just as there are bulbs with varying wattage and serving different purposes, there are differences among living beings. But the current running through all the different bulbs is the same. The variations in the amount of light that comes from them are due to difference in the capacity of the bulbs. Likewise one who is filled with love shines radiantly. One lacking in love resembles a dim light. To get more light the bulb has to be changed, not the current. 23. 11. 84 The shadows are many and varied, though the light is One. When the One is reflected in the many, in the multitude of Jeevas, it appears as the Self in each, which watches unaffected as the Witness. The Self (Atma) is Eternal. The Self is Truth. However, since It is enclosed in flesh, bone and skin, man deludes himself into believing that the outer covering and not the inner core is the source of bliss. The foremost duty of man to himself is, therefore, to penetrate through these sheaths and imbibe the higher bliss which his Atmic core alone can confer. Everyone must, in his own best interests, strive to attain that unifying principle that is his inner treasure. Of all the spiritual exercises this is the most pertinent - the process of achieving this closeness. Activities that are devoid of Truth do not deserve to be known as Sadhana. The Atma is the Universal Eternal Truth and therefore, it cannot be gained by search in the particularised and the temporary world. The Divine shines in your heart and can be won only therein. The Atma is Eternal; It manifests Truth, which is Eternal, and beyond the limits of Space, Time and casualty. Truth is not affected by the passage of Time from the past through the present into the future. Wisdom too is not modified or clarified by the passage of Time. In fact, Wisdom is Truth; Truth is Wisdom. So, you should direct your best effort to experience the unity of Speech, Wisdom and Atma. 17. 2. 85 Only when we get rid of action, we will be free from the delusion that the world is real. When we are rid of delusion, then we will also be free from the illusion of Maya. And only then will we be free from sorrow and will finally be able to reach the transcendent principle. This may also be described as Paramatma, the transcendent principle within us. As long as we have the mind and the tendencies we can only be described as Jivatma. Jivatma and Paramatma are not two different entities. The characteristic of Jivatma is the waste the entire life in worldly things and associate the mind with this phenomenal world. This is the externalised vision, which is full of illusion and delusion. If you turn your minds inwards, it will be free from delusion. When it is associated with delusion, it is Jiva Tatva. When it is free from delusion and illusion, then it is one with the principle of Paramatma. 20. 5. 85 To illumine a lighted lamp, you don’t need another lamp. Likewise, it is foolish to try to illumine the effulgent Atma by the light of any other knowledge. It is a sign of ignorance to embark on a search for the Atma principle which is all-pervading, effulgent and unchanging. No individual tries to search himself in the world outside. Similarly, is it not sheer ignorance to search for the Atma when he himself is the Atma? 23. 11. 86 Man is essentially divine in nature. Owing to various factors man tends to forget his inherent divinity. The veil of ignorance which conceals the divinity in him cannot be removed easily. Neither wealth,

position nor scholarship can rid of this malaise. Atmajnana(knowledge of the self) alone can provide the remedy. The Atma represents the pure, effulgent eternal and unchanging Consciousness. It shines within man as illuminating flame. The shastras have characterised it as Divine. 4. 93 Just as a dhoby removes the dirt in a clothe and restores its original whiteness by washing with soap and beating it on stone, man should try to regain his vision of the pure effulgent Athma by washing his heart in the water of love with the soap of sraddha (earnestness)on the stone of Thyaaga (sacrifice). This is the way to realise one's Inner Reality, which is Sathyam, Jnaanam, Anantham and Brahma. 20. 5. 93 One who recognises that the Atma is distinct from the body will not be a prey to any troubles. The Atma or Conscience is the source of all your strength. . To see the lamp that gives light, you don't need another lamp. So also no other means of cognition is needed to realise the self-effulgent Atma or Self. The power of the intellect is only a reflection of Atma chaithanya or the effulgence of the Atma. Man passes through many bodies, but there is no change in the Atma. Human lives will continue to be generated like the waves of the ocean. But the ocean of Cosmic Consciousness remains unchanged. The body comes and goes but the Atma is eternal. Have faith in Atma alone. The body, mind and intellect are all like the dresses you wear. Do you cry when you change your old clothes to new? Death is a change of dress. Because of the long association you have established with the body, you cry at the time of death. If you consider the relationship as temporary, you won't cry. You must attach yourself only to God and not to anyone or anything in the world. God is the permanent friend. After death, where does the Atma go? This is the question on many people's minds. What happens to the Atma after the body is cast off and how long does it take to be re-born. These are ridiculous questions. This can be explained by an example. If you put on the switch, the bulb burns because of the electric energy flowing through it. When the bulb is removed, nothing happens to the energy which is still there, though bulb is gone. Similarly, the body comes and goes but the Atma is eternal. All worldly things are like passing clouds. There is only one that is permanent and changeless. That is Brahmathathiva. It should be realised through the path of pure Love. 15. 8. 93 Today people are oblivious to the Atmic power. Relying on the strength of the physical and material world, men are forgetting the boundless power of the Atma. The physical body is perishable. Only the indwelling Spirit is Divine. 10. 93 As long as one is puffed up with the pride of education, wealth, status and position one cannot comprehend the Atma. You must turn your mind away from all these transient mundane pursuits and redirect it towards the Inner Self to realise the Atmabhaava, which is eternal and changeless. The Isaavasya Upanishad stresses the unity in diversity. It teaches that the mind and the body will change but the Atma is the unifying, changeless and permanent entity. Man, in his ignorance, considers all changing objects as true and does not look into the common basis which is changeless. The Kenopanishad proclaims that the basis of every action should be Truth which is Divine.

24. 10. 93 The knowledge that transcends all controversies and is related to the external verities is the Knowledge of the Self (Atma Jnaanam). It is for acquiring this supreme knowledge that the ancient Rishis performed yagnas and yagas. 14. 1. 94 Just as the power of sight is present in the eye, the power of hearing in the ear, the sense of taste in the tongue, Divinity is present in a subtle form as consciousness. Remaining invisible in the visible phenomenal world, the consciousness that shines in the cosmos is the form of the Supreme Self (Atma), which sustains everything, like the thread in a garland of gems. 6. 5. 94 The Atma is like a flame in the body. When it is covered by the ten senses, its light filters through ten holes, as it were. And when it is covered, in addition, with the blanket of Abhmana (attachment to worldly objects), the effulgence of the Atma is not visible. When attachment is given up and the body consciousness goes, the Self is revealed in all its brightness. 13. 5. 94 You are the "seer. " Everything that you see is the "seen. " When the vision is concentrated on the Atma within, both are one. When you get the feeling "I am you" there is no scope for any worry. This is the easiest royal path to comprehend the Reality. Without understanding this, people waste their lives in the process of meditation and other futile pursuits. 5. 6. 94 Everyone is proud about the body, the mind and the intellect, forgetting the indwelling Atma, which is the basis for all of them. The Atma has no birth or death. It is like the root of a tree, which sustains the branches, the leaves, flowers and fruits. It is the basis on which the super structure of life rests. 30. 8. 94 Do not follow the body. Follow the mind and the Atma. The one who follows the Atma is the real spiritual seeker. 23. 11. 94 More effulgent than the Sun, Purer and whiter than snow, Subtler than space (Aakaasa), The Supreme Self pervades everything, From the minutest particle, Holding everything within Him, Illumining everything By His Consciousness The Divine (Brahman) is in you And you are in the Brahman There is no difference Between you and Brahman. What greater truth can I convey To all of you assembled here? 6. 5. 95 People think that the world is separate from them. The entire universe is in the heart of each individual. 'Viswam Vishnuswarupam'. The Universe is but a manifestation of the Divine, which is within the heart of every individual. Vishnu is the cause and the universe is the effect. 18. 8. 95 'I am the Atma. That is my true Self'. That is the truth. But people identify themselves with their names, professions and nationality and do not base their lives on the Atma. No driver of a car identifies himself with the car. Likewise, the body is a car and the Atma is the driver. Forgetting one's true role as a driver, one is identifying one's self with the body, which is only a vehicle. 18. 12. 95

Every human being is endowed with a divine energy, which has to be used for proper purposes. It has to be used righteously according to the dictates of one’s conscience. When the conscience is satisfied the energy gets sanctified. Man today misuses the Divine energy for selfish purposes. 1. 1. 96 The sun has two qualities: One is shedding light; the other is transmitting heat. Likewise, the Atma has two qualities. One is ‘Prabhaava’ or effulgence. The other is spreading the light all around. You have the example of a lamp in your home. The lamp is one, but its light illumines the whole house. Likewise, the Spirit (Atma) is one only in its form. It is eternal and unchanging. The smritu described it as Sathyam, Jnaanam, Anantham Brahma (The Supreme Self is Truth, wisdom and infinite). It is the nature of the Self to spread Jnaana (wisdom) everywhere. All of you are embodiments of the Divine. All of you are embodiments of love and peace. you are the Divine in human form. Develop that conviction. Immerse yourselves in Divine love. Offer that love to the Divine. Thereby you will have love for all. It is only when you develop this love principle you will be realising the meaning of festivals like these. Stand up for your belief in God, even as you stand up for your father or mother. 18. 1. 96 To differentiate God from yourself is ignorance. All are fragments of the Divine, Spark from the same flame. When the sparks are near the fire, they retain their heat and light. But when they are away, they turn into charcoal. Likewise, when one is near God, Sath-Chith-Ananda will be in him. When he is remote from God, he will lose the attribute of the Divine. He will be immersed in ignorance. It is not mastery of books and scholarship which makes a person a Jnani. To perceive the One without a second is knowledge. ATTACHMENT 1. 8. 56 Every one has to make his exit someday; that moment should not be a moment of anguish; one should depart gracefully, with a smile and a bow. In order to do that, a lot of preparation is necessary. To depart, leaving all that has been accumulated during a long life time, is a hard task; so prepare for it by discarding attachment to one thing after another from now on. You see many things in dreams and many things are acquired by you during dreams: power, self, status, reputation. But when you are awake, you do not weep over the loss, even though for the duration of the dream all that was very real and give you real satisfaction and joy. That was a ‘dream’ you tell yourself; what prevents you from treating with similar nonchalance the possessions gathered during the waking stage of your life? Cultivate that attitude and you can depart with a smile whenever the curtain falls on this dream lead stage. 2. 2. 58 Attachment to nature has limits, but the attachment to the Lord that you develop when the Inner Eye opens has no limit. Enjoy that Reality, not this false picture. People suffer because they have all kinds of unreasonable desires and they pine to fulfil them and they fail. They attach too much value to the objective world. It is only when attachment increases that you suffer pain and grief. If you look upon nature and all created objects with the insight derived from the Inner Vision, then attachment will slide away, though effort will remain; you will also see everything much clearer and with a glory suffused with Divinity and splendour. Close these eyes and open those inner eyes and what a grand picture of essential Unity you get! 10. 7. 59

You must liberate yourself from attachment to fleeting things and grow strong and be above temptation. 23. 11. 60 You suffer now because all your attachment is towards Nature, and all your non-attachment is towards God! This has to be reversed! You must cultivate non-attachment towards Nature and attachment to the Lord. 24. 10. 61 Non-attachment born out of wisdom and fostered by the Grace of the Lord, that is the precious capital for spiritual advance 6. 3. 62 Non-attachment alone can grant Prashanthi. Sathsang (company of pious) and the visit to holy places and holy men promote that attitude and habit. 5. 4. 62 Attachment to sensory pleasure has to be discarded in preference to the more lasting joy of inner contemplation. 24. 5. 62 Whatever happens to you, take it as a lesson to harden your character and toughen your nerves and heighten your viraagya (non-attachment). That will give Peace and Joy. 21. 11. 62 Attachment can be used to fix your heart on the Lord; be fascinated by the overwhelming beauty of His Form reflected in all the loveliness of nature. 26. 11. 62 Take the troubles that come to you as tests and opportunities to learn non-attachment. It is the hot summer that sends you to air-conditioning. Grief sends you to God. 29. 1. 65 Discriminate before you develop attachment. If you have attachment towards wife and children, land and buildings, bank accounts and balances and when these decline, you will come to grief. Develop attachment towards the Universal and too will grow in love and splendour. 2. 3. 65 No one can liberate you, for no one has bound you. You hold on to the nettle of worldly pleasure and you weep for pain. The kite is pursued by crows so long as it carries the fish in its beak; it twists and turns in the sky trying to dodge the crows who seek to snatch the fish; tired at last, it drops the fish. That moment it is free. So give up the attachment to the senses, then grief and worry can harass you no more. The kite sits on a tree, preening its wings, enjoying its happiness. You too can be so happy, provided you drop the fish you have in your beak. 31. 3. 65 Grief is caused, as joy is caused, by the attachment of the senses to objects; once you know that you are not the senses or the mind, but He, who operates the senses and wields the mind, you cross the bounds of pleasure and pain. 1. 4. 65 You might ask, ‘How is it, then, that, while in this life, we do not remember any single event that happened to us in previous lives?’ It is something like a man knowing too many languages; when he speaks in Tamil, no Telugu word will come to his mind; when he speaks in English, his thoughts will be framed in that language only. If you forget this birth, and concentrate on the other, then you can know. But, you seldom give up the attachment to this life!

2. 10. 65 Attachment, affection, interest - these will create prejudice, partiality, illusion; they hide the Truth; they dull the intelligence. Attachment is a disease, so far as the enquirer is concerned. One does not become a yogi to have affection; he must be free from favourite, fancies and fondness. Once you attach yourself to some person or habit or mannerism, it will be difficult for you to shake them off. 17. 10. 66 A green gourd sinks in water; but a dry one floats. Become dry, rid yourself of attachments, desires, avoid anxieties, worries. Then you can float unaffected on the waters of change and chance. Even water, when it becomes steam, can rise into the sky. Become light, lose weight, bale out so that you may rise higher and higher. 28. 3. 67 There are many doors to His mansion. The main entrance is, however, the overcoming of attachment. 23. 5. 67 If you have attachment to sense-objects you can never be free from desires. Renunciation alone can ensure true joy. This does not mean that you can flee from the world; you can never do that. The world will always be with you. While in this world of turmoil and agitation you must win the highest type of equanimity. To help you in this process, and to make you aware of the distance you have traversed, tests may be held by the Lord; you must welcome them, as chances to demonstrate your accomplishments and to win credit and appreciation. Do not develop contrary reaction. 13. 5. 68 Attachment results in bondage; detachment leads to liberation. It is the ego, the I consciousness which tells you that you are the body, with its pack of senses that drives you into attachment. Be vigilant that it does not lead you unto desires that are harmful Attachment makes you burdened and bound. 15. 5. 69 Attachment brings sorrow in its wake; at last, when death demands that everything be left behind and everybody be deserted, you are overpowered with grief! Be like the lotus on water; on it, not in it. Water is necessary for the lotus to grow; but it will not allow even a drop to wet it. The objective world is the arena of virtue and the gymnasium for the spirit. But, use it only for that purpose; do not raise it to a higher status and adore it as all-important 19. 7. 70 Do not cultivate too much attachment to things of the world, which appeal to cancel desires and sensual thirsts. A moment comes when you have to depart empty handed, leaving all that you have laboriously collected and proudly called your own. 15. 8. 70 You should not burden yourself with attachment towards property, power or authority. You may have them, on trust, as a sacred responsibility, as a temporary keeper, but, don’t get attached to them, wailing when they melt or hailing when they grow!. 22. 11. 70 The green fruit is sour or even bitter, but as it ripens, the sourness or bitterness is transmuted into sweetness. The attachment to the senses and to the sensory world must be transmuted into attachment to the Atma, to the Lord, so that it may confer on you the sweetness of Bliss. Once you are in that Bliss, you will see, taste, hear, experience only Bliss. All this is God. 14. 7. 82

Do not entangle yourself in kinship that lasts only for a day or too, a span of months or years. Attach yourselves to God who is your closest kin, today, tomorrow and always. Where exactly are you now? Reflect on that. Each one will secure only what is proportionate to what one has rumoured, however long or however near you might be. 12. 8. 82 Ignorance is caused by attachment. Attachment results in identification of the I with the body, senses, mind etc. Attachment leads to desire; desire results in anger; anger blinds reason and promotes ignorance; ignorance breeds duality of mine and thine, good and bad, etc. These lead to activities to make gains and avoid losses, etc; these produce consequences of merit and demerit; they have to be consumed in this life or future lives; so one has to go through suffering. Suffering is caused by life which presupposes suffering. Karma is due to belief in duality. Duality is the result of ignorance, the product of anger. Anger is the child of affection and attachment is the parent of affection. 5. 9. 84 Attachments pollute the heart. Without cleansing the heart of these impurities it is not possible to fill it with holy feelings. April 86 It is the attachment to property or position born out of the sense of possessiveness that is the cause of man’s sorrow and unhappiness. Man must strive to get rid of this feeling of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ to experience enduring happiness. When everything appears to be going well, man forgets everything including himself. His ego gets inflated as a result of his achievements and acquisitions. He should realise that he is only a temporary beneficiary of what he possesses and has no permanent title of any of them. He should regard power or position as a moral assignment carrying the obligation to discharge the duties relating to it. It is only when all actions are done in this spirit of moral imperative that man can experience genuine happiness and satisfaction. 23. 11. 86 Man’s thoughts are filled with various types of attachments and aversions. Attachment and hatred are dominant qualities in man. They are the evil plants that bedevil man’s life. 19. 2. 93. Attachment is the feeling that one develops when he considers that something other than himself can give him satisfaction and joy. This sense of separateness should go. The consciousness that the same constituents are present in one & all should be realised. Then there will be no room for differentiation & alienation. The sense of oneness will be experienced. When there is attachment, there is hatred, which is a reflection of "rages" Fear is born out of attachment. The fear of loosing what one has. Attachment & fear breed hatred. These three lead man to stray from his adherence to earnestness and faith. Hence, these three have to be brought under control. 10. 93 You should give up attachment to worldly things and direct you attachment to the divine only. Love your children but do not get excessively attached to them. You must make use of the body for doing your duty, but do not get too much attached to it. Every person in any field has to uphold certain values appropriate to the role he has taken up. When I say devotees should render selfless service to humanity as a way of serving God, it is only in your interest and for your spiritual uplift. 14. 10. 94 What is "Moha"? There are three kinds of acquisitions. Wealth, wife and progeny, which serve to promote "Moha" (delusion). When attachment to these triple possessions is given up, "Moha" will go and liberation (Mukthi) will be easily secured.

12. 7. 95 Develop the spirit of sacrifice and get rid of attachment and possessiveness. Then the yearning for God grows. 14. 10. 95 Every spiritual seeker has to get rid of attachment to the body. But, that is not enough. The egoistic feeling should be totally eliminated. The sense of possessiveness should be expelled. Only then can one realise Divinity. AVATAR 2. 55 In this Avatar the wicked will not be destroyed; they will be corrected and reformed and educated and led back to the path from which they have strayed. 1. 8. 56 When man loses his way and strays into the wilderness, believing that he is the body or gunas or the object, then the Avatar comes to warn and guide. 10. 61 You can see the Lord only through His wonders. His laws are unique and mysterious; there is no use arguing about them, for experience is the only proof of their reality. You taste them, therefore they are real. Do not spend your intelligence in devising crooked queries. the mystery of Avatar is beyond the reach of intelligence. It can be grasped only by means of genuine faith. The Kaliyuga is, in reality, very holy; you too are very fortunate. You have the chance to see, touch and converse with , the Avatar of the Lord. The Avatars are not ten; there are very many in number. You must distinguish between those who are born as part of Divinity, as inclined with the Divine Essence as messengers of Divine Mission, as instruments of Divine wills and Purpose, and Avatars. (Parasuraman is not an Avatar in the real sense) The Avatars that have come and gone have all cut down trees because they are white and infested; but this Avatar is different and unique. Now, the white-ants are removed, the tree is saved, protected, fostered and re-shapes broken ornaments. Rama came as the embodiment of Sathya, Dharma and Shanthi( truth, virtue and peace); Krishna came as the personification of Prema (love); now, the Embodiment of all the Four is needed, for, at the present time, knowledge has increased beyond the capacity of character. 24. 11. 61 You can get the feeling for the Divine only if you have a taste of the Prema of the Divine. That is why the Avatar has come to give you a taste of that Prema, so that the yearning for the Lord will be planted in your heart. Mastery over mountains of information has been attained by man now; but wisdom has lagged behind. Hence, man’s capacity to probe and progress into the realm of the Universal and the Absolute has to be developed. 14. 1. 62 The Avatar comes when there is yet a remnant of good man, yet a trace of Dharma; for what is the use of doctor when the patient has collapsed? When a large number of good men are afflicted with the fear for the survival of goodness, then the Lord incarnate to feed their drooping spirits and revive faith and courage. 23. 11. 64 To know the truth of the Avatar, the Saadhaka must culture the mind, as the ry does the field. He has to clear the field of thorny undergrowth, wild creepers and tenuous roots. He has to plough the land, water it

and sow the seeds well. He has to guard the seedlings and tender plants from insects, pests as well as from the depredation of goats and cattle; he has to put up a fence all round. So too, egoism, pride and greed have to be removed from the heart. Sathya, japa, dhyana (truth, repetition of the Lord’s name and meditation), form the ploughing and levelling; prema is the water that has to soak into the field and make it soft and rich; naama is the seed and bhakthi is the sprout; kaama and krodha are the cattle and the fence is discipline; aanandha is the harvest. Of the Avatars, some are for a definite limited purpose like Vaamana or Narasimha. They are just manifestations to counter some particular evils. They are not full-fledged, long lasting, expansive, like Raama and Krishna. The Lord has no hate in His composition; He is all mercy. That is why Krishna proceeded to the Kaurava court, as a messenger of peace, with compromise proposals. He showed man how patient he should be in spite of provocation, how self-control wins in the end. 31. 3. 65 Usually, when the Lord appears with Form, man is pestered by doubts and he actually loses the precious chance. He asks himself and all those whom he meets 'Is it true? Can it be true?' and before his doubts are removed, he deserts the quest and wanders into the wilderness. Of course, steady inquiry is essential; do not be led by others; awaken your own reason, assess your own experience and, decide for yourself your own path. Then only can you get joy in treading it; if you are forced to take a part by others or persuaded into it by some one else, then, when the first obstacle turns up, you will get disappointed and turn back. 19. 8. 65 God takes human form when the Godliness that is inherent in man is submerged, when the moral code and the spiritual discipline that have been prescribed by the experience of godly seekers are neglected, when man slide into beast from which he rose and becomes a terror to fellow man. When Avatars come, they choose the time and place, clan and the family and they decide and bring the comrades and the co-workers. The Lord is devoid of attachment or hatred. He comes on a Mission and is best only on that task. It is His nature to support the right and admonish the wrong. His task is to restore vision to man, to turn his footsteps along the path of morality and self control so that he may achieve self-knowledge. 30. 9. 65 No Avatar has done like this before, going among the people, the masses, the millions, and counselling them, guiding them, consoling them, uplifting them, directing them along the path of Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi and Prema. 1. 10. 65 Raama is described as more tender than the petal of a rose, but, at the same time, harder than diamond. He pined for Seetha with extreme tenderness; he sent her to the forest as an exile, with a hardness of heart that shocked even Lakshmana. The nature of every Avatara is such. 22. 10. 66 When men degrade themselves and behave worse than the beasts for which those rose, the Avatar takes place and God moves among man, warning, exhorting, revealing, encouraging, inspiring, illumining and leading man towards his destiny. He served as the charioteer for Arjuna, for the Avatar utilises every chance to uplift man and teach him the mastery of his impulses and instincts and even of his intelligence. 26. 2. 68 The way in which the Avatar has to be used for one's liberation and uplift is: watch His every step, observe His actions and activities, follow the guiding principle of which His life is an elaboration. Mark His Love, His Compassion, His Wisdom, try to bring them into your own life.

God incarnate for revival of Dharma (righteousness) which includes morality, truth, virtue, love and a host of other qualities that uphold the communities of man as well as the individual. The other purposes usually given, such as serving the devoted, destroy the wicked, re-establishing the sacred tradition - these are all secondary. For, he who is righteous will be guarded from harm by righteousness itself; he who is unrighteous will fall into disaster through the evil that he perpetrates. The one task includes all else. 18. 5. 68 Man must earn equanimity; he must be firmly established in truth and love. That will make his heart reflect the lord within. When the road laid down for man's uplift is overgrown with thorny bushes and becomes unrecognisable, the Lord Himself takes human form and marks it out again. 18. 8. 68 In each Yoga, the Divine has incorporated itself as an Avatar for some particular task. This Incarnation is different in that It has to deal with the crisis which is world-wide and world-shaking. Intellectual conceit has grown so wild that men have to become foolish enough to ask, ‘What and where is God?’ Immortality has put on the garb of morality and is enticing man into the morass of sin. Truth is condemned as a trap; justice is jeered at; saints are harassed as social enemies. Hence the Incarnation has come to uphold the True and suppress the False. I behave like you, moving, singing, laughing, journeying, but watch out for the blow I inflict of a sudden, to chastise and to warn. I shall scorch the wrong-doer for his wrong and soothe the virtuous for his righteousness. Justice shall be meted out to all. 4. 10. 70 The Avatar is a Child to the children, a Boy to the boys, a Man among men, a Woman among women, so that the Avatar’s message might reach each heart and receive enthusiastic response, as bliss. It is the compassion of the Avatar that prompts His every activity. Birds, beasts and trees have not deviated from their Nature; they are still holding it valid. Man alone has disfigured it, in his crude attempt to improve upon it. So the Avatar has to come as man among men, and move as friend, well-wisher, kinsman, guide, teacher, healer and participant among men. He has come to restore Dharma and so when man follows Dharma, He is pleased and content. Act so that your career as a man is not degraded, desecrated. With hands on chest, assert, ‘I am man; I am human; I am saturated with shining humanity, humanness. 9. 10. 70 You have a tiny spark of fire at the end of the incense stick that you burn in the shrine; you have slightly more fire at the tip of your cigarette; the stove over which you cook is a bigger fire; the forest fire is also flame. But, the incense stick will be scotched even if by accident it touches the wall. The fire will go out. The forest fire can reduce to ashes the greenest of trees, for its heat is beyond calculation. So too the Divine, in the Incarnation, is inexplicable, incredible, impenetrable. It is the fire of Love plus the Fire of Enlightenment, the Fire of Cosmic Creation as well as the Fire of Cosmic Destruction. Nov 70 I have often told you that My life is My message. Avatars proclaim so and demonstrate their Divinity that way. They are children among children, men among men, women among women, so that they may respond to their joy and sorrow and console them and infuse confidence and courage into their drooping hearts. The Avatars appear among humans since birds, beasts, trees and the like have not slid into the unnatural and the strange. It is only man, who is pursuing the will_to_the wip of the worldly happiness and sensual pleasure, has forgotten the task for which he has come to earth. Since God assumes human form in order to restore Dharma and lead man back into the path of virtue and wisdom, nothing can please God more than rigorous adherence to Dharma. One can stick to the path of Dharma if one is conscious of the Divine in every thing that he sees or hears, touches or tastes. That will fill every moment of his life with the thrill of self-realisation. 24. 12. 80

The meaning of Avatar (Divine Incarnation) is this: to save mankind God out of His love, affection and compassion, comes down to the level of man and arouses the Divine Consciousness in man. He makes man aware of Him in him, when He finds him desperately searching outside of himself for Him who is his very core. 1981 The fame of divine personalities grows with every word they speak and every deed they are condensed to enact. Raama’s glory shines brilliantly even after all these centuries. It will shine as resplendently for ages to come. Rama means He who pleases. 12. 8. 82 The Avatar appears as any other human being, equipped with body, senses, mind, etc. But, consider the vast difference in thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc - The Avatar is the total, the all-comprehensive, the Poorna (Full). The human is partial, narrow, negative. But, in the human, the Divine exists are the core and can manifest as Bliss. We pay all attention to the external trappings of knowledge; we do not transform the deeper instincts and impulses inherited from animal ancestors. Once it was a monkey; now it is a man. And as man through many lives, crookedness and cruelty have struck deep roots. These cannot be destroyed soon. It is a very difficult task indeed. This is the reason why God assumes the Avatar form and decides to award mankind the power to discriminate between right and wrong, between truth and falsehood. The Avatar does it through precept and example. The scriptures teach that life is unfortunately short. So, the Geetha advises man to appreciate three facts: 1) To be born as a human being is a precious opportunity; 2) To yearn to realise God is another precious piece of good luck; 3) The greatest good fortune is the chance to be born in the presence of God, to be immersed in the service of God and to be engaged in fulfilling Divine commands. Every Avatar seeks to raise humanity to the level of Divinity by laying down such paths of devotion and holding forth such examples of surrender. ‘I do not know anything other than you’. ‘You are the one and only’. When one has this faith, why allow desire to creep in? Why ask for this or that? Have faith in God, the giver of All, the only Treasure you need; He will fill you with contentment. 1. 9. 82 So long as man is bound to the body, his God too has to be in a body like his own. It is often said despairingly that God is conceived as having eyes, nose, tongue and limbs. When the person who worships has these, the worshipped too must have them, in order to make the worship meaningful. Only when one is unaware of his ‘form’ can he adore the Formless! it is indeed surprising that those who laugh at God being pictured as having a body, do not laugh at their being enclosed in a body! When man has to be corrected and liberated, God has to come as Man, as Naarayana had to do to save Mahabali. 23. 11. 82 Scientists announce that the Cosmos is composed of atoms. Spiritual seers announce that God is the minutest of atoms and the vastest among the vast. Sea water yields salt crystals. Similarly, the all-pervading Divinity crystallises as Avatara (incarnations). The crystal is the build-up of many atoms; the Avatar principle is the build-up of many divine attributes. The two sciences - physical and spiritual - can never clash; one complements the other, for the sciences related to Nature have bounds which they cannot cross. They can study only the created; the Creator is the special field of study for religion. One is a scientist; the other is a saint. The saint probes the root; the scientist peers into the tree above ground. 13. 7. 84 Everyone should set himself certain resolutions. Without these he can make no progress. Even Avatars make their advent with certain resolves. They also set certain limits to their roles. Krishna incarnated with three resolves. 1)’ Dharma samsthaa panaa thaarya sambha vaami yuge yuge’ (I incarnate from age to age to establish Dharma). 2) Yogakshamam Vahaamyahem (‘I shall promote the well-being of my devotees’). 3) Mokshayishyaami maa suchah (‘ I shall liberate those who take refuge in Me’). Rama also had 3

resolves : One word one arrow, one life. Rama declared that whoever sought asylum from him, would be totally protected. Similarly all divine personalities make their advent for some definite purposes. They will not deviate from them in any circumstance. Swami’s Premathathwa is of the same character. Swami’s Prema has no trace of self-interest in it. It is absolutely pure. Swami knows only how to give, not how to receive. Swami’s hand is held above for conferring something, not stretched for seeking anything. Moreover, once Swami has declared, ‘You are mine’, whatever wrong ways they may pursue, Swami will not abandon them. It may be asked why anyone who has been accepted by Swami as ‘you are mine’, should be subjected to hardships and troubles. These troubles are the consequences of their own karma (actions). They have to see that their conduct is right. When I have given a word to anyone, even if they turn against me I will not bear any ill-will towards them. Even if they revile me, I shall continue to love them. I will stand up to my pledge right up to the end. Someday they will return to the right path. Owing to the compulsion of circumstances some changes may take place. They are not permanent. I will not change my course because of such happenings. This is my second resolve. This is my 3rd resolve: when I undertake anything because I feel it is for the welfare of all and that it is good for society as a whole, I will not give it up, come what may. Even if the whole world is against me, I will not turn back, I will only go forward. These are my three resolves: The foot that is put forward will not retreat. I will not go back on the word I have given I only give and do not receive. 29. 9. 84 The Divine has to incarnate in human form to establish Dharma in the world by teaching humanity the omnipresence of Divinity. Assuming the human form does not, however detract in anyway from the plenary puissance of the Universal Consciousness. 1. 10. 84 The difference between Divinity (as Universal Consciousness) and the Avatar (the Divine in human form) should be understood. The Para-Brahman (the Omni-Self) is not subject to change. The Avatar has name and form and is liable to change by its own will. The Omni-Self has no name or form. The difference between the two can be illustrated by the example of the Sun and the rays coming from the Sun. There is no difference in substance between the sun and the sun’s rays. They are one. Whatever the situation in which the Avatar appears, there is no limitation on the Avatar’s omnipresence. Name and form do not circumscribe the Total fullness of the Divinity the Avatar manifests. Name and form are the self-chosen attributes of the infinity, eternal, ever-pure, Universal consciousness. 25. 12. 85 In the Treta Yuga, Sri Rama came to establish the reign of Truth and Righteousness. In the Dwapara Yuga, Sri Krishna came with the mission to promote Love and Peace. In the Kali Yuga, Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi and Prema are the purposes of the Divine Mission. Hence you must make these four the guiding principles of your life. When you adhere to these four principles, Ahimsa (non-violence) issues as a natural result. 3. 9. 88 It is to show to humanity how human life can be divined that Avatars come from time to time. . It is to teach humanity , the way of love that Avatars come in the world. The world displays the diversity that has emanated from the one . The Divine demonstrates the unity that subsumes the diversity. Recognition of this " Unity in diversity" can be learnt only from the Divine. For Divine incarnations Karma is not the cause. The evil deeds of the wicked and the good deeds and yearnings of the righteous are responsible for the advent of the Avatars. God comes down from His high level to give joy to the devotees

23. 11. 88 God assumes the human form to make His advent in the world, teach humanity the path to Divinity and shower His grace on them. Jan 89 There is a reason for anyone coming in the human form. This may not be known to all. Only the divine knows the real purpose. Everyone should regard himself as the Messenger of God and try to lead an idle life. This means that one has to give up selfishness and self-interest. This may not be easy. but with God’s grace, it should be possible to progress towards Self-realisation gradually. 14. 4. 89 Every Avatar has six types of powers: all-encompassing Prosperity, Righteousness, Fame, Wealth, Wisdom and Renunciation. God is the possessor of these six attributes. Every Avatar of God in every age and every place has these six attributes. 25. 12. 89 There is a reason for anyone coming in the human form. This may not be known to all. Only the Divine knows the real purpose. Everyone should regard himself as a messenger of God. ) God comes down from His high level to give joy to the devotees. 18. 8. 95 Every Avatar comes to uphold or testify to a certain ideal or purpose. Avatars come for establishing ‘Dharma in the world’ What is Dharma? There are various Dharmas relating to celibates, house holders, renunciants and others. These ‘Dharmas’ are related to one’s stage in life. True Dharma is that which sustains one. 1996 Avatars seldom give advice directly. Whatever they wish to communicate, they convey more often by way of indirect suggestions and only rarely by the direct method of instruction. The reason for this is there is divinity inherent in every human being, which he can manifest spontaneously, if favourable conditions are provided, just as a viable seed will germinate and grow into a tree because of its inherent nature, if only suitable facilities are provided for the manifestation of its potentiality. Man should be enabled to correct himself by his own efforts, by merely giving timely suggestions, rather than by stultifying his freedom and dignity through directives imposed from without. In short, the best maxim for helping people either in worldly matter or in the spiritual field is; Help them to help themselves or self-help is the best help BABA 1953 My life is my message and my message is love. The incarnation comes to warn, to guide, to awaken, to lay down the path and shed the light of love on it. But, man has to listen, learn and obey with hope and faith. 2. 55 As Baba looks at people, He sees the past, the present , and the future, everywhere in every direction. Bring what you have, namely your sorrows and grief, worries and anxieties, and take from Me joy and peace, courage and confidence. In this Avatar, the wicked will not be destroyed, they will be corrected and reformed and educated and led back to the path from which they have strayed. The white-ant infested tree will not be cut; it will be saved.

Again this Avatar will not select some place other than the place where the Nativity took place for the centre of its Leelas, Mahimas and Upadesa. This tree shall not be transplanted; it will grow where it first rose from the earth, Another speciality is this: the Avatar has no affinity of attachment in Its career to members of the Family wherein it appeared. Unlike the appearances as Rama, Krishna etc. , where the life was played out mostly among and for the family members, this Avatar is for the Bhakthas, the aspirants, the Sadhus and the Sadhakas only. Bring ‘Bhakthi’ and lay it here and take from here spiritual strength! The more such business is done, the more pleased am I. 2. 2. 58 Do not simply say, Sai Baba spoke well, or Sai Baba writes well; respect Sai Baba only if He does as well as He speaks and writes. 23. 2. 58 I am the truth of truth, I guide towards truth, I manifest truth and when men realise truth, they realise Me. You might have heard some people say that I became Sai Baba when a scorpion stung Me! Well, I challenge anyone of you to get stung by scorpions and transform yourself into Sai Baba. No, the scorpion had nothing to do with it! In fact, there was no scorpion at all! I came in response to the prayers of sages, saints and sadhakas for the restoration of Dharma. 24. 3. 58 God takes human form, in order to fill man with gratitude and joy; man sees the power, the beauty, and the wisdom of God, the Sathyam, Sivam and Sundaram and the vision gives him a tormenting thirst for truth, beauty and goodness. I am like a shop-keeper whose shop is stocked with all things man needs. But like the man behind the counter, I give you only what you ask for; if the customer asks for a towel, how can I give him a dhotti? But these material things are not important at all. Ask for devotion and spiritual wisdom and I shall be happy. Many do not crave for such things now; it is their misfortune. They are merely wasting their precious chance. 25. 3. 58 Even in my case, do not be attracted simply by stories of what I 'create' by a wave of the hand; watch, study and weigh. Never yield to anyone unless you feel the inner satisfaction that you are on the right path. When Divinity takes on the human form as described in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavatha, one has to interpret the actions as providing examples and lessons, and not as human stories enacted for entertainment. "While in the company of men I am a man. In the company of women, I am a woman. In the midst of children, I am a child. When I am alone, I am God. " 1. 9. 58 I do not want nor do I appreciate anyone bringing flowers and fruits into My presence. Bring Me the fragrant flower of a pure heart and the fruit of a Saadhana-mellowed mind. That is what I like most, not these things available outside yourselves for so much of cash, without any effort that elevates the mind. Give me something that is yours, something which is clean and fragrant with the perfume of virtue and innocence, and washed in the tears of repentance. 9. 9. 59 I am Prema and I want to see Prema progress in all places and affairs. 22. 1. 60

Let me tell you that you cannot understand Me and My secret without first understanding yourselves. For, if you are too weak to grasp your own Reality, how can you hope to fathom the much grander Reality of My advent? To grasp My meaning, you have to tear into tatters the doubts and theories you now have and cultivate Prema, for the embodiment of Prema can be understood only through Prema. 27. 9. 60 I must tell you that you are luckier than men of previous generations. the accumulated merit of many previous births must have granted you this luck. You have got Me and it is your duty now to develop this relationship that you have achieved by sheer good fortune. 29. 9. 60 I have come to set the world right and so I have to collect all those who are ill and treat them in My ‘Hospital’ and restore them to sanity, strength and wisdom and send them back to their stations in life. I must intensify your bhakthi, reinforce your faith and rebuild the foundations of your moral nature, so that you can counter temptations with greater confidence. I have been repeating every time the same advice to you; and sometimes you may even get the feeling that I have only a few things to say! Well, a mother has to repeat the same directions to the child again and again until the child learns and behaves accordingly. Mother of Vedhas and Geetha repeat the same truths again and again, in different contexts and imagenes. That is the sign of all mothers, an overwhelming desire to reform the children and to direct them along the path of progress. Do not count and calculate what the Puttaparthi Sai Baba gives. I do not give in order to attract you to Me; I give only to fill you with Aanandha. Showering Aanandha, that is My task. I do not want you to extol Me; I shall be satisfied if you rely on Me. The mysterious indescribable Super-power has come within reach. It will never engage Itself in any task without fruit. I bring tears and I wipe tears, some one sung. Yes, I bring tears of joy into your eyes and I wipe the tears of grief. I am said to make people mad and also to cure madness. Yes, I make them mad about God and about the Saadhana needed for that. I cure the madness which makes people run frantically after fleeting pleasures and fall into fits of joy and grief. You are my treasure, even if you deny Me. I am your treasure, even if you say No. I shall be affectionate to you and attach Myself to you; I shall take all the trouble to keep My property safe in My custody! That is to say, in the custody of the Lord, by whichever name you may be calling upon Him. All the powers I have are for you. I am just the store, keeping them ready to be given to you, whenever you ask for them. I shall give Prema even if you do not ask, for it is your right to share in it. Some complain that I did not give them this or that, but that is because their vision is limited to the immediate future or the present; whereas I know what is in store and so I have to safeguard them from greater grief. They even blame Me and heap abuses but I will not give them up. I am not influenced by anybody, remember! There is no one who can change My course or affect My conduct to the slightest extent. I am the Master over all. I speak harsh words and ‘punish’ some persons because I have prema towards them and I am eager to correct them and make them better instruments. If they were not Mine, I would have given them up and not cared to take any notice of their lapses. I have a right to chastise those who I feel are Mine. I also know that they still value My Word and that they will feel sad at My being displeased with them. It is due to your wayward mind that you are easily wafted away from Me by some ‘silly persons’ irresponsible words. I sometimes act as if I keep you at a distance; that is done to reform you quicker. When a stretch of road is being repaired, I go by another road and I do not use that bit of road for sometime. The purpose is to let the repair works proceed more quickly so that I may use that road again. 30. 9. 60

Bhagavan has seven chief characteristics : Prosperity, glory, wisdom, non-attachment, creation, preservation and dissolution. Whoever who has these seven, can be considered as having Divinity in Him. These seven are the unfailing characteristics of Avatars, the Supreme Power which persists fully when it has apparently modified itself with deluding power. Wherever these are found, you can identify the Godhead. 14. 2. 61 There is no one in this world who does not belong to Me; all are Mine. They may not call out My Name or any Name, but, still they are Mine. 26. 2. 61 What exactly is the meaning of Sai Baba? Sai means Saharapadhma, (thousand lotuses) Saakshaathkaara (realisation), etc. Ayi means Mother and Baba means Father, it means He who is both Father and Mother, and the Goal of all Yogic endeavour the ever-merciful Mother. The All-wise Father and the Goal of spiritual efforts. The whole world is My Mansion; it has many rooms, each State being just one in that Mansion of Mine. 23. 4. 61 Attach yourself to Me and the current will flow through you and get things done for your good. The light you get from the current that flows all the time along the copper wire depends on the power of the bulb you fix; increase the candle power and you get stronger light. It rests with you how you make use of Me. The rain falls of its own accord uniformly on the land; the lands bring forth the fruit according to the quality of soil and seed. 10. 61 When the Lord appears in person, even then, doubt assails. It is of the very nature of things! I utter no meaningless word, I do no purposeless deed. I plan no insignificant action, I never engage in unholy activities. There is nothing that I need. My joy consists in fulfilling your aims, in making you reach the goal. The onething that I ask for is the Love filled Heart. You cannot realise how much the Lord feels for your sake. His concern is over your wanton-ness and wilful disregard of His words, for He is interested in keeping your hearts pure and unblemished. I am very anxious to make you all reach the goal. My task is to purify your hearts. If you engage yourself in the constant meditation of the Name of the Lord, with devotion, humility and faith, the Lord will stand at the door of your pooja room, awaiting your wish. Only, you should not allow your mind to waver. Genuine yearning will make your heart pure. Do not come to Me with your hands full of trash, for how can I fill them with Grace, when they are already full? Come with empty hands and carry away My treasure, My Prema. 17. 10. 61 Do not allow your faith to falter. Do not become a slave to others; no, not even to God. Test, examine, experience and then, when you find God, demand as of right. But before you get that right, you should appear for the examination and pass, is it not? I set tests not as a punishment or because I enjoy putting you into trouble, but just to give you the joy of passing! 21. 10. 61 I have no hate or anger in My composition; My Life blood is prema, I am the repository of dhaya (compassion). Understand Me and My Nature. Is there any end to the list of worldly goods that you crave for? When you secure one, another starts tantalising you. If you do not get that, very often, your hold on the Lord too loosens. If something is lost or stolen from you, you loose faith in Me. I have not come to guard your jewels and your valuables. I have come to guard your virtue and holiness and guide you to the Goal.

The time will soon come when this huge building or even vaster ones will be too small for the gatherings of those who are called to this place. The sky itself will have to be the roof of the Auditorium of the future; I will have to forego the car and even the aeroplane when I move from place to place, for the crowds pressing around them will be too huge; I will have to move across the sky; yes, that too will happen, believe Me. Demand from Me as of right, the removal of your sufferings. Give me your heart and ask for My Heart; if you give Me only your word, you will get only a word in return. I give you just what you ask for, remember! 28. 4. 62 You have the chance to see, experience and be sanctified by the Incarnation of the Lord; this chance you have got as a result of the accumulation on merit in many previous lives. That merit has brought you here, when I have come down. For this chance, Rishis (sages) and Dhevas (demi-Gods) have prayed long in the past. Having won this chance, strive to taste the sweetness and achieve the Bliss of Merging without wasting even a single moment. The rays that emanate from Me are of three grades: the sthuula (physical, gloss), filling this Prashanthi Nilayam; the Suukshama (the subtle), pervading the earth; and the Kaarana (causel) covering the entire Universe. The people who have the privilege of living in this Nilayam are indeed lucky, for they are nearest to the Karana (rays). The Sthuulakirana makes man a Saadhaka; the Suukshma makes him a Mahaathma (Great Soul) and the Kaarana converts him into a Paramahamsa (ascetic of the highest order) 21. 11. 62 I never deviate from Truth. Since I recline on Truth, I am called Sathya Sai; Saayi ( as in Seshashaayi) means reclining. The name is very appropriate, let me assure you. It is only those who fail to follow my instructions and who deviate from the path I have laid down, that fail to get what I hold out before them. Follow my instructions and become soldiers in My army; I will lead you onto victory. When someone asks you, in great earnestness, where the Lord is to be found, do not try to dodge the question. Give them the answer that rises up to your tongue from your heart. Direct them. He is here in the Prashanthi Nilayam. 23. 11. 62 I have to come for the sake of Dharma. And, how is the Avatar to guard Dharma? Well Vedhokhilo Dharma Moolam - ‘The Vedas are the root of Dharma! When the Vedhas remain unharmed, that is to say, when the Vedhic scholars are unharmed, the Vedha will remain ever-green in the heart of man. That is the real Dharma-sthaapana. My prema towards the Vedha is equalled only by My prema towards Humanity. My Mission, remember, is just fourfold: Vedha poshana, Vidwath poshana (fostering the Vedhas and Vedhic scholars), Dharma rakshana and Bhaktha rakshana (Protection of virtue and devotees). Spreading My Grace and My Power along these four directions, I establish Myself in the Centre. 14. 1. 64 The very first lesson I gave when I declared My Identity at Uravakonda was: ‘Maanasa bhajare Gurucharanam, Dusthara bhava saagara tharanam’. That is to say: First know that you are in the cycle of birth and death, the ocean of worldly life (bhavasaagaram); then, resolve on crossing it (tharanam); then fix on a Guru or the Name and Form of God which appeals to you; lastly dwell on His Glory, do bhajan but do it with all your mind. 3. 2. 64 I am not attracted by learning or scholarship, which does not lead anywhere except towards egoism and pride. I am drawn only by devotion. Bring to Me whatever troubles you have; I shall take them on and give you Aanandha. 11. 2. 64

I have come to give you the courage to conceive yourself as the Supreme Truth (Paramathma) you really are; to give you the intellectual power (dhaashakth) to grasp the reality. That alone can destroy the delusion born of ignorance. Whenever I appear to be angry, remember, it is only love in another form. For, I have not even an atom of anger in me; I just evince My disappointment that you do not shape as I direct. When I direct you along a line of action, reflect on My advice; you have full liberty to do so; in fact, I shall be happy if you do so; I do not like slavish obedience. If you feel that it will help you to reach the goal, follow it; if not, go to some other place; but, let Me tell you one thing; wherever you go, you meet only Me. I am everywhere. 20. 2. 64 You are as distant from the Lord as you think you are, as near Him as you feel you are. Well, let Me tell you this. The distance from Me to you is the same as the distance from you to Me, is it not? But, you complain that I am far far from you, though you are approaching nearer and nearer. How can that be? I am as near you as you are near Me. 24. 2. 64 I do not call upon you to cultivate faith in Me or to worship Me. I want only that you should cultivate faith in yourselves, and worship the Lord who is utilising you as His instrument. 10. 10. 64 Do not think that I do not care for you or that I do not know you. I may not talk to you, but do not be under the impression that I have no prema. As a matter of fact, it is to give you the chance of dharshan that I move along the veranda from this room to that. Whatever I do, it is for you, not for Me. For, what is it that can be called Mine? Only you. When I am defamed, I never get incensed, for it is only the tree full of edible fruits that is attacked with sticks and stones. Moreover, without scorn and contempt greatness will not shine and spread. It has always been so, whenever Avatars have come. 15. 10. 64 I come only where sincerity, faith and surrender are valued. So spend the silent hours in meditation and naamasmarana in your own homes and deepen faith. 26. 11. 64 Some of you may imagine that it is a source of joy for the Lord to take a human form. If you are in this state, you will not feel so. I am always aware of the future, the past as well as the present of every one of you. So, I am not moved so much by pity. Not that I am hard-hearted, or that I have no dhaya(pity). If you bolt the doors fast, how can the rays of My Grace be available to you? ‘Swami’, you cry, ‘I have no eyes; I am yearning to see you. Won’t your heart melt at my plight? Of course, this pitiable condition melts your hearts, will it not melt Mine? But, since I know the past, the background, My reaction is different. It is the consequence of evil, deliberately done in previous births, and so, I have to allow the suffering to continue, modified, often by some little compensation. I do not cause either joy or grief; you are the designer of both the chains that bind you. 3. 3. 65 Many of you have come with problems of health or mental worry of some sort or other. They are mere baits by which you have been brought here, so that you may contact the Grace and strengthen your faith in the Divine. Problems and worry are really to be welcomed as they teach you the lessons of humility and reverence. 27. 3. 65 I do not accept from you flowers that fade, fruits that rot, coins that have no value beyond the national boundary. Give Me the lotus that blooms in your Maanasa Sarovara - the clear pellucid waters of the lake - of your inner consciousness; give Me the fruits of holiness and steady discipline.

29. 3. 65 I know the agitation of your heart and its aspirations, but you do not know My Heart. I react to the pain that you undergo, to the joy you feel; for, I am in every heart. I am the dweller in that temple. You must know Me better, for how can a telegram sent in Morse code can be understood by the receiving office when the receiver does not Morse? The prema(love) that you give is of the same Morse code, as the aanandha (bliss) I give you. Along the lines already familiar to you, continue the worship of the God of your choice; then you will find that you are coming nearer and nearer to Me; for, all Names are Mine and all Forms are Mine. There is no need to change, after you have seen Me and heard Me. 31. 3. 65 I am in every one who does good, speaks good, and thinks good. 1. 10. 65 I seek the gifts of truth, virtue, peace and love . I draw you to me and then re-form and reshape you. I am a kind of smith who repairs broken, leaky damaged hardware. I repair broken hearts and fragile minds, warped intellects, feeble resolutions and fading faith. 22. 11. 65 Observe Me; what benefit can I derive from all My activity, I who assign all benefits to all activities according to what they deserve? But yet; you will find Me busy from dawn to dusk, from dusk to dawn. I finish My lunch or dinner within minutes so that I can teach you the value of time; I attend to the smallest detail of all the various items of work, for I try to set an example for you, in meticulous attention to, and careful anticipation of, all contingencies. I know many of you odle away hours on end, wasting precious hours in idle gossip, purposeless talk and debate. When you practise the attitude that God is everywhere as the witness of every act of yours, that God is in every being you meet and serve, then, you will certainly be rewarded by a vision of the Lord. When you have the brilliant chance, do not let it go, through ignorance or negligence; grasp the opportunity and advance! The best way to win Grace is to obey instructions, to follow the advice, and to submit to the control exercised with lot of Love. I am worried that people are not benefiting from Me as much as I would like to confer. In the lotus pond there are many frogs; the bees that come from afar are not able to convince the frogs of the nectar in the lotus bloom. 20. 10. 66 Eyes made of earthly material, intelligence shaped out of incompetent senses - with these you cannot comprehend Me. The eye of pure wisdom, alone can see the Lord and all His Glory. That eye is won by listening, reflecting and meditating. Listen with faith, reflect with discrimination; meditate with one-pointed devotion. Then the truth will be revealed and doubts will disappear. 22. 1. 67 In every being there is Sai, so do not hate any one; do not be harsh towards anyone. 28. 3. 67 ‘Whenever there is a languishing of Dharma or righteousness and an upheaval of unrighteousness, I create Myself, for it is part of primal resolution or Sankalpa to protect the spiritual structure of the universe. I lay aside My formless essence and assume a name and a form suited to the purpose for which I come. Whenever evil threatens to vanquish good, I have to come and save it from decline. ’ 17. 5. 68 I may turn the sky into earth, or earth into sky; but that is not the sign of Divine might. It is the prema, the sahana, effective universal, ever-present, that is the unique sign.

4. 7. 68 I have come to light the lamp of love in your hearts, to see that it shines day by day with added lustre. I have not come to speak on behalf of any particular dharma, like the Hindu Dharma. I have not come on any mission of publicity for any sect or creed or cause; nor have I come to collect flowers or devotees into My fold or any fold. I have come to tell you of this Universal unitary faith, this Aathmic principle, this path of love, this dharma of prema, this duty of love, this obligation to love. 22. 9. 68 Command is all-important; when I ask you to do a thing, it must be instantly and willingly obeyed. You can give the go-bye to dhyaanam or japam; it does not matter. The fruit of obedience is more valuable than those disciplines. Take this instance: you are in dhyaanam; some one near you is groaning in pain, you hear it and automatically anger rises in your mind, since he is disturbing your concentration. Do not develop anger or disgust - rise and rescue him, take him to a place where he can get medical attention. Then, you secure by that act all the benefit you could earn by the dhyaanam and japam you missed, and even more. 29. 9. 68 Unless you know yourself, you cannot know Me. When you see a plane above, you know that it must have a pilot; but, if you want to see him, you have to get into it and be in the plane, after purchasing the requisite ticket. Earn the qualification; win the visualisation. 19. 7. 70 I ask only for purity of hearts, to shower Grace. Do not posit distance between you and Me; do not interpose the formalities of the Guru - sishya (Preceptor- disciple) relationship or even the altitudinal distinctions of the God - Devotees relationship, between you and Me. I am neither Guru nor God; I am you; you are I; that is the Truth. There is no distinction. That it appears so is the delusion. You are the waves; I am the Ocean, know this and be free, be Divine. 4. 10. 70 You love Me and adore Me, don’t you? Well; see Me in all beings, for I am there, in all beings. Like the current that illumines every bulb, however weak or strong, your God is in every living being. Win Grace by worshipping Me who is moving in and through them. 9. 10. 70 Preserve the purity of your hearts, so that Sai may reside therein 10. 10. 70 I act as you do, move about as you do, talk in your language, and behave as you can recognise and understand, for Your sake - not for My sake, I turn you towards the Divine, winning your confidence, your love, your submission by being among you as one of yourselves, one whom you can see, listen to, speak to, touch and treat with reverence and devotion. My plan is to transmute you into seekers of Truth. I am present everywhere, at all times; My Will must prevail over every obstacle; I am aware of the past, present and future, of your innermost thought and carefully guarded secrets. I am Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. Nevertheless, I do not manifest these powers in any capricious manner or merely for display. For I am an example and an inspiration for whatever I do or omit to do. My life is a commentary on My message. You must have noticed that I never call woman, alone for the ‘interview’. I call women only in groups of ten or fifteen. I want that you should note this and infer that one has to be extremely cautious in dealing with the other sex, for, though I am above and beyond the Gunas, since this body is obviously masculine, I want to show both men and women how they have to regulate their social behaviour and be above the slightest tinge of suspicion, or of small talk.

I am active and busy all the twenty four hours of the day. Every day, the mail brings me thousands of letters, and you hand over to me personally hundreds more. Yet, I do not take the help of any one else, even to open the envelopes. For, you write to Me intimate details of your personal problems, believing that I alone will read them and having implicit confidence in me. Each one of you write only a single letter; that makes for Me a huge bundle a day; and I have to go through all of them. You may ask, how I manage it? Well, I do not waste a single moment. 25. 12. 70 God can do anything; He has all the power in the palm of His Hand! My powers do not abide in Me a while and then, fade away! All this is apparent manipulation by Divine Will. My Body, like all other bodies, is a temporary habitation; but My power is eternal, all-pervasive, everlasting! This body has been assumed, to serve a purpose, the establishment of Dharma and teaching of Dharma. When that purpose is over, this Body will disappear, like the bubble on the waters. 24. 3. 73 I am like the electric fan; switch it on, it gives cool breeze. Switch it off, it allows you to swelter in the heat. I have no likes or dislikes. Those who talk ill of Me are also remembering My name and deriving joy therefrom and perhaps earning a few paise thereby. They are happy when they write falsehood; you are happy singing the truth. I am unconcerned with either, I have come on a task which I imposed on Myself. That task will go on, from victory to victory, irrespective of praise or blame. It can neither be halted or hindered. 3. 1. 74 Everyone must learn the secret of happiness which consists in refusing to shed tears for anything less than God. You have won this human body, this human life, as the reward for many lives spent in acquiring merit. You have won this chance, this unique good fortune of being able to get Dharsan of Sai. Plunging deep into the waters of this tumultuous ocean of Samsaara (worldly life), you have heroically emerged from its depths, with this rare Pearl in your hands - the Grace of Sai. Do not allow it to slip from your clasp and fall into the depths again. Hold on firmly to it. Pray that you may have It for ever and be filled with the joy that It confers. That is the way by which you can render this life fruitful. 19. 6. 74 My Grace is ever available to devotees who have steady Love and Faith. Do not crave from Me trivial material objects; but, crave for Me, and you would be rewarded. I shall tell you why I give these rings, talismans, rosaries etc. It is to signalise the bond between Me and those to whom They are given. When calamity befalls them, the article comes to Me in a flash and returns in a flash taking from Me the remedial Grace of protection. That Grace is available to all who call on Me in any Name or Form, not merely to those who wear these gifts. Love is the bond that wins Grace. This Sai has come in order to achieve the supreme task of uniting the entire mankind, as one family through the bond of brotherhood, of affirming and illumining the Aathmic Reality of each being in order to reveal the Divine which is the basis on which the entire Cosmos rests, and of instructing all to recognise the common Divine Heritage that binds man to man, so that man can rid himself of the animal and rise into the Divine which is his goal. 23. 11. 74 I need nothing, however great or small, in this universe. At no moment has desire affected me for any thing or activity. I am the person come to give, not to receive. And, what you can offer Me is just this; pure, unadulterated love. When you offer Me that, I derive Aanandha. 28. 4. 75 Love - Love - Love . . . First. . Love, as long as life lasts. For myself, I can say, I shower more blessings on those who decry or defame Me than those who worship and adore Me! For, those who spread

falsehoods about Me derive joy therefrom; I am happy that I am the cause for their exaltation and joy. You too must accept this line of argument and be very happy when someone derives joy by defaming you. Do not respond by defaming that person; then the chain of hatred will bind both and drag both down. Life will become a tragedy. Conquer anger by means of fortitude; conquer hatred by love. Do not feed anger with retaliation; do not feed hatred with fury. 23. 11. 78 The same Divine Compassion that blessed Dhruva, saved Gajendra, restored Kuchela and stood by Prahaladha, has come to the earth as the refuge of the refugeless, as the Lord of peace, harmony and righteousness, as the Lord of all the worlds, as the Sath-chith- Aanandha murthi, as the Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Sath-Chakravarthi - the king of kings. 22. 11. 79 Adoration is rising on one side of Me like the Himalayas, denigration is accumulating on the other side as another Himalayan range. I am, however, unaffected by both. Upon both these peaks I place My hands, showering My Blessings equally on the opposing responses. 25. 3. 80 After the long pilgrimage to the shrines and holy spots of Bhaaratha, Rama had a few years, until he was aged fourteen, of apparent introspection and solitude. He disliked food and regal apparel. He was not interested in materials and men. He waved his fingers and palms for no clear reason; he wrote on the air only He knew what. He laughed without reason. In short, His actions and movements were exactly the same as when I was in my early teens. Vashistha attempted to bring His mind back to normality, but that was only a stage which all Avatars are in, before they enter upon the task for which they have come down. Those years, the Avatar was designing His Master plan. 24. 11. 80 God is Omnipresent. So, do not act differently when you are away from My presence. be vigilant, even while engaged in little tasks. Maintain silence, in the recesses of the heart, as well as outside. The Geetha says, God’s hands and feet are everywhere. You can hear his footfall only when no other sound hinders. 23. 11. 81 The Divine has no special day, earmarked as Birthday. The day when you cultivate holy thoughts, attitudes and modes of behaviour in your hearts, the day when you decide upon some activity of pure unselfish service, that is the Day of Birth of the Divine for you. From that day, you can celebrate the Birthday as a festival. 23. 11. 82 Whatever Sai does, whatever Sai thinks, whatever Sai says, whatever Sai observes, it is all for your sake, not for Sai’s sake. My only desire is your joy, aanandha. Your aanandha is My aanandha. I have no aanandha apart from yours. You might infer, ‘Swami is doing this - is doing that! But it is not for my sake; it is for your sake. For my sake I do not spend even a naya paisa. Whatever I do, I do for the society only. Though 56 years have passed, I have not got even one shirt or gown stitched for Me. I am now wearing what is given by a student. Whatever thoughts arise in Me are only for the peace and welfare of the world, for the progress of youth, and for transforming boys and girls who will lead others along the path. 13. 7. 84 “Like Rama and Krishna in earlier yugas, I have come to carry out three promises. Once Swami has accepted a devotee as ‘You are mine’. He will not abandon him, whatever happens. Swami has come to give, not to receive. When I undertake anything for the good of the world I will not give it up, come what may”. 25. 12. 84

You may believe in it or not. I must tell you that total adherence to truth, absolute selflessness, universality and spontaneous outpouring of love are to be seen only in Sai and nowhere else. Sai has not an iota of self-interest. Sai is motiveless. Sai deals with sadhakas according to their desires. Sai will continue to love even those who revile him. Sai will not forget anyone, even if he forgets Sai. But occasionally Sai will appear to ignore those who may have forgotten Sai, acted against his injunctions, set at naught Sai ideals or traduced Sai. From this, some persons may imagine that Swami is angry with some persons or dissatisfied with some others. It is not without reason that Sai avoids meeting or talking to some persons. I do not wish to speak to those who have no regard for my words. That does not mean I have no love towards them. 2. 7. 85 I shall indicate to you today, four directives for sanctifying your lives and purifying your mind, so that you can contact the God within you. 1) Give up the company of the wicked. 2) Welcome the chance to be among the Good. 3) Do good deeds both day and night 4) Remember which is lasting, which is not. When one does not attempt to transform himself thus, he is apt to blame God for his sorrows, instead of blaming his unsteady faith! He blames God because he announces himself as a devotee too soon, and expects plentiful grace. Grace cannot be claimed by such; God must accept the devotee as his own. One has to use his talent of discrimination to sift the trash and discard it in preference to the valuable. Doing good deeds means doing selfless service to others. One has to flee from bad persons to search for and win the friendship of the good, who can cleanse us and heal us. 18. 9. 85 No one knows all that has to be known. There is none who knows nothing of anything. Many there are, knowing something of something; Sai alone knows everything of all things. 23. 11. 85 As part of the sixtieth Birthday Celebrations, I am prescribing a test, which you have to accept. When you undergo it and emerge victorious, you can be pronounced as real humans. The farmer ploughs the field, sows the seed and watches the crop grow, until the grains is harvested. The next process is winnowing. The light chaff will then be carried away by the wind and the hard grain will stay. I shall start winnowing from now; the test will remove the chaff. 11. 10. 86 Some may say, ‘We shall worship Swami wherever we may be’. Do they have the spiritual competence to make such a claim? If they are true to their claim, they will have no desires of any kind. Till they have reached that state of desireless devotion, they have to follow some kind of spiritual discipline. 23. 11. 88 Embodiments of the Divine Atma, you may not be able to see it, but it is clear before My eyes. As days pass, even those who are now not able to recognise the truth of Swami will have to approach with tears of repentance and experience Me. Very soon, this will be world-wide. Swami is now restraining this development. When once it is allowed to manifest, the whole world will be transformed into Prashanthi Nilayam. So, come forward, all of you, who are determined to practice daily the ideals laid before you. In the coming years, you may not get the chances you are having now. You will not have the opportunity to be so near. Millions will rush to this place and gather here. This will happen soon and so, earn the compassion of Swami and His Love through seva activities and fill your lives with meaning. 23. 11. 94 Even though the Divine has come down as an actor on the world stage, He is biding for the proper time to play His full role.

15. 5. 95 If you ascend ten steps, I shall help you to climb a hundred steps. You should move in the right direction, not the wrong one. To the extent you yearn and pine for God, God will pine for you a thousandfold. You can have no conception of God’s concern (Taapm). Your pining is ‘Thamas’, God’s pining is thapas(penance). The difference between the two should be understood. 17. 11. 95 This body (of Swami) will enter its seventieth year on the 23rd. As far a I can remember, I have not done all these years any harm to anyone in any form. Even the idea of causing harm to anyone has never entered my mind. Because of this in spite of my seventy years, I appear like a small boy. As I don’t find the time or the opportunity, I don’t run, but I can do so. Wherefrom has this strength come? There are three factors responsible: three P’s. First P, Purity. Second P, Patience. Third P, perseverance. If you develop these three qualities, you can also acquire the same strength. Today, most people lack purity. Whether you believe it or not, I must tell you that there is no trace of self-interest in me. I am keen to do something or other for this or that person, but I have no concern about myself. Develop this attitude and you will experience your Divinity. So far, I have not stretched my hand to seek anything form anyone. I ask for only one thing: pure love. That is God. Only the love of God is true love. All others are merely different forms of attachment. There is no greater achievement or ideal than love of God. Dedicate every action to God. Work will be transformed into worship. 14. 1. 96 I have only one property, my most valuable property. My students are my only property. It is enough for me if my students conduct themselves well. BAAL VIKAS 16. 5. 69 You are members of Sathya Sai Baal Vikas. You must shine as fine example to other boys and girls. When you are at home and when some friends of your father come in, you must rise from your seat, talk politely and clearly, receive them gladly, and be nice towards them. When you have to talk over the phone, don’t shout rudely, ‘Hello, Hello’, to everyone. Elders must not be addressed so lightly. Hello! Hello! is not polite; it is used only among chums. I would like you to say, Om. Then, even your parents and elders will learn to say, Om, form you. I want each one of you to grow into strong, steady, straight persons. Your eyes should not seek evil sights; your ears should not seek evil tales; your tongue should not seek evil speech; your hands should not seek evil acts; your minds should not seek evil thoughts. Be pure, be full of love. Help those who are in worse condition, serve those who need your help. Then you shall be worthy members of the Sathya Sai Baal Vikas. 6. 6. 78 The Baal Vikas is the primary basis of the great movement to restore dharma (righteousness) in the world. The ideal of the Baal Vikas is to raise a generation of boys and girls who have a clean and clear conscience. The Baal Vikas pupils follow Baal Vikas discipline and curriculum only for one day in the week and attend their usual schools on the other days. So the impact of the Guru has got to be extra strong if it has to act as a catalyst in the process of modification of the behaviour patterns of these pupils.

The homes in which the Baal Vikas children grow, as indeed all homes, have to be clean and with vibrations free from hatred, envy, greed, spite and hypocrisy. The food that the child takes in has to be Sathwic (pure) Workers, office - bearers, Gurus and Seva Dal members of the Sathya Sai Organisation all over the world, must remember that they are subject to the scrutiny of the public, wherever they are and whatever they do. They must be free from the habits and practices which they recommend others to give up. The Gurus should not leave their own children out of the Baal Vikas class; they should not lose their temper; they should keep their emotions under control and not exhibit depression, dejection or a wavering will. The quality of work is more important than the quantity, so they should not undertake to do more than what they can render satisfactorily. The Baal Vikas is devised not merely for the education of the children but also for the Gurus. The Baal Vikas chores are bound to elevate and sublimate the thoughts and emotion of the Gurus far better than any other sadhana can. Remember that as Gurus, you too have a Guru guiding you and overseeing your seva. So you too are pupils, and you too learn the lessons of equality, equanimity and selfless love while serving as Gurus. The Guru must be equipped with Sahana (tolerance) and a calm and quiet temper. You must equip yourself for this task of seva by some individual Sadhana done daily with sincerity and regularity. The Pranava (primeval sound OM) recital is one form of such spiritual effort. 25. 7. 78 The children you claim to be yours are Kaamaputhras (born out of lust), but the children who come to you for education are premaputhras (drawn to you by your love). In truth, more than your own children, these children have a right to your love. So decide to make sacrifices for their sake. Gurus (teachers/preceptors) have to be examples which can inspire the pupils. They must practise what they preach. As the teacher, so the pupil. When the tap is turned, water flows down from the overhead tank. The quality of the tapwater is the same as that of the water in the tank. When the heart of the Guru is full of goodness, selflessness, and love, the pupils will express these virtues in every act of theirs. A bad pupil causes harm only to himself, but a bad teacher can ruin thousands of lives. Be steady and stable in your efforts. A guide-post which changes direction with every gust of wind only adds confusion for the confounded traveller. You have also to cultivate prema and expand your desire to do seva. More than all, fill your mind with God and transmit God to the children Look forward to no remuneration or reward, except the joy on the faces of the children. You who have dedicated yourselves as Gurus to lead the children into light, must practise the discipline and dhyana at least one session a day in order to earn this bliss and equanimity. Those who have earned the gift of aanandha alone, can confer aanandha on others. How can a mendicant support another mendicant? No beggar can make another beggar rich. A person rich in aanandha can share aanandha with those around him. Therefore your duty as Gurus is firstly to earn and secondly to offer aanandha. A life of saadhana is a must to every Guru. 21. 11. 79 The ideals of the Baal Vikas movement are the highest. The task of fulfilling them is the holiest of tasks. Knowing this and yet not doing one’s best, is indeed treason to one self. Do not instruct or instil in children magnificent ideas and colossal thoughts. Teach them small, practical ideas and simple modes of behaviour through your own example

Our Baal Vikas Gurus should not indulge in jealousy or fault finding. They can undertake the task of teaching only after they rid themselves of such traits. If Gurus talk ill of other Gurus and promote mis-understanding and factionalism, the children can never improve. So resolve now to adhere to the right path. If two Gurus quarrel or become unfriendly, both will be moved. No inquiry is necessary; we condemn both for having been involved. Lead the children along the joyous path of truth. Let your faces ever shower smiles, springing from the bliss you earn from seeing the happy faces of children. Do not fall into the traps of anger jealousy and pride. You can avoid this through steady and sincere attention to the task you have undertaken. The Guru should not give room to conceit in his heart. As the indispensable teacher of innocent illiterate and half-blinded children, the Guru should not occupy a chair off authority. Egoism is the throne which is proudly appropriated by authority. Be humble before the children and renounce the tone of power. This is the Saadhana for you. Revere the role of a Guru as a blessing of God. This attitude alone can ensure the success of the journey for the individual, the society and the world. 31. 12. 84 You are entering upon the sacred task of guiding and training teachers who will inculcate human values in the hearts of children. Do not treat ‘Human Values’ as a separate curricular assignment. Then, it will become dry and uninspiring. It must transform the way of life and should not stop with imparting information. It must be imparted more through example and practice rather than by books and formal teaching. Emphasise the importance of physical cleanliness simple sathwick food and group activities involving mutual help. Service is Divine. Be examples of humility so that the children may learn its value and validity. Humility promotes charity and purity. Also, exert yourselves to implant in the children self-reliance by encouraging them to believe in themselves. Let them not develop a desire for imitating the vanity of others. Appreciate good thoughts, sweet speech and selfless deeds and denounce bad thoughts, words and deeds as soon as they emerge.

BHAJAN (See also `Akhanda bhajan') 10. 7. 59 Never be ashamed to sing the name of God or to do Bhajana. be proud that you get the chance, be glad that your tongue is put to the best use. 29. 9. 60 Some people may laugh at all this Bhajana and call it mere show and exhibition and recommend instead quiet meditation in the silent recess of the shrine room. But coming out in company and doing bhajana like this helps in removing egoism; one is not afraid nor ashamed to call out the Name of the Lord. One gets inspired by the devotion of others; the company of men with kindred sentiments helps to foster the tiny seedling from being scorched by the heat of division. A person will sweep the floor of his room with a broom when nobody is looking on; but to do the same act, considered below his dignity, when people are looking on, requires some mastery over the ego. Nov. 66 Birds that perch on a tree fly away when you clap your hands and shout. So too, to drive away the birds of lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and hate that perch on the tree of yourself, beat time with both palms and shout, O Rama! O Krishna! - that is enough, that saves the time needed to cleanse the mind. 26. 3. 68

Note down all the things for which you have cried so far. You will find that you have craved only for paltry things, for momentary distinctions, for fleeting fame; you should cry only for God, for your own cleansing and consummation. You should weep, wailing for the six cobras that have sheltered themselves in your mind, poisoning it with their venom: Lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and malice. Quieten them as the snake charmer does with his swaying flute. The music that can tame them is the singing aloud of the Name of God. And when they are too intoxicated to move and harm, catch them by the neck and pull out their fangs as the charmer does. Thereafter they can be your playthings; you can handle them as you please. 8. 7. 68 Sing aloud the glory of God and charge the atmosphere with Divine adoration; the clouds will pour and sanctify through rain on the fields; the crops will feed on it and sanctify, fortify the food; the food will induce Divine urges in man. This is the chain of progress. This is the reason why I insist on group singing of the Names of the Lord. 18. 8. 68 Sing the glory of God when you are afflicted by grief or distress; for, it is at such times that you need Him most. It is when fever is on, that the tablets have to be taken at shorter intervals or in larger numbers. 6. 10. 70 Sing from the heart, conscious of the layers of meaning that each word has. You can have God installed in your hearts. 24. 11. 74 Bhajans have to be sung and offered to God in an attitude of utter humility; they are not to be taken as exercises in an exhibition of talents and as competitions for mastery of music skills Bhajans, where you quarrel and compete, and revel in putting down others and raising yourselves, might give you satisfaction; but, let Me announce here; they do not please Me at all. I am pleased only when love is the keynote, when the feeling of Unity prevails, when the melody comes from a cleansed God loving heart. 1. 4. 75 Congregational prayers (bhajans) is a joint, convicted and mutually helpful effort of saadhana to overcome the six internal foes of man - Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment, Conceit and Hatred. These nocturnal birds infest the tree of life and foul the heart where they build their nests. When we sing aloud the Glory of God, the heart is illumined and they cannot bear the light. Besides the voice that rises from many throats frightens them and they fly away. 8. 10. 86 Bhajans should not be treated as one way of spending time. They are intended to harmonise the feelings, the singing, and the rhythmic beats of the participants so that they experience in unison the oneness of the Divine. Such bhajans are considered spiritually efficacious. Bhakthi should be given pride of place in bhajans. They should be surcharged with Love. The feelings expressed in the bhajans should melt the hearts of the participants and move them to their depths. 8. 11. 86 When the chanting of the Name is done in community singing, it should be in a form in which the entire group can participate easily. The tune, the rhythm, etc should be such that all can follow the bhajan. If the lead singer takes up a song that is not familiar to others, the response from the group will be poor. There will be no enthusiasm or genuine participation. Their minds will be distracted. When all the devotees participate in the bhajan, the vibrations that are produced will generate joy and harmony.

The bhajans that are sung penetrate the ether in the form of sound waves and fill the entire atmosphere. Thereby the whole environment gets purified. Breathing in this purified atmosphere, our hearts get purified. Reciting the Lord’s name is a process of give and take. Singing the Lord’s name should become an exercise in mutual sharing of joy and holiness. It should be remembered that the sounds we produce reverberate in the atmosphere. They remain permanently in the ether as waves and outlast the individual uttering the sounds. Community bhajans should not be treated as a pastime. When thousands of persons join in singing bhajans, they should be fully absorbed in the devotional process and the ecstasy of that experience. The singing should be vibrant and soulful and not mechanical or drowsy or uninspiring. It should combine feeling, melody and rhythm. What delight can be experienced when all sing in chorus, with the same feeling, in the same tune and to the same timing! When there is such unity the Divine can be experienced. In Community singing, the participant should sing with full-throated joy and deep feeling. he should not bother about his voice or his musical ability. Purity of feeling will make up for everything. Picture the Lord in your heart and utter the Name then you will feel the joy of singing the Name. You will also evoke joy in others. 24. 3. 89 Bhajan must spread good-will, love, ecstasy; it must cleanse the polluted atmosphere; it must invite all to share in the joy and peace. Bhajans and all forms of worship are only good actions, but are spiritually not important. 18. 2. 94 During community singing divine vibrations emerge sanctifying the whole atmosphere. The same result cannot be expected when one sings alone. community singing promotes unity which leads to purity or divinity. What mankind needs today is unity based on the spiritual oneness of humanity. 23. 10. 94 Krishna declared that He is present wherever His devotees sing His glories. The singing must not be merely a musical exercise but express genuine devotion. The heart is moved only when the words of the poem or song are rendered melodiously. By devotional singing one cannot get merged in the Divine. That is the reason why the Lord is described as ‘Ganalola’ or ‘Gaanapriya’ (lover of song, one who is charmed by music). It will be befitting if a devotee combines the reciting of the Lord’s name with singing and praying for merger with the Divine. 23. 10. 94 If you can sing alone in your shrine, the vibrations returns to you as reaction. But in community singing, what you have is not a reaction but a wave of vibrations. They enter into the atmosphere and purify the polluted air. The atmosphere today is polluted by bad thoughts and feelings. When you sing the glory of God, the bad germs in the air are destroyed and the air gets purified by a treatment with antibiotics as it were.

BHAKTHI (see also Devotion) 2. 55

Sharanaagathi (total surrender), leaving everything to His Will, is the highest form of Bhakthi. When Bhakthi is just emerging as a sapling, a fence is needed to protect the tender plant; that fence is Sanathana Dharma and its rules, regulations and restrictions, directions and commands. When the fruit is green, it will not fall even when the gale is furious; but when it is fully ripe, it drops to the ground even in the silence of the night. 24. 3. 58 Allow the love to flow single pointedly to the ocean of the Lord's Grace; this is the sadhana called bhakthi. `Bhakthi' means love of God. You cannot love God without loving the living and the non-living. . God is more than a billion suns, but, if you are far away from Him, you cannot have the light of His Grace. One has to endear himself to God. This is the process of bhakthi. Prema [Love] directed to the Lord is called Bhakthi and it is the easiest of all the paths to realise the Goal. The Lord is understood only by Bhaktha; the bhaktha is understood only by the Lord. Others cannot understand them. So, do not discuss matters relating to the Lord with those who have no Bhakthi. On account of such discussions your devotion will diminish So long as man is capable of prema, dharma will exist, do not doubt it. When that prema is fixed on the Lord, your mental make-up will slowly and steadily undergo a revolutionary change; then, man will share in the sorrows and joys of his fellow-beings; thereafter, he contacts the very source of the bliss that is beyond the temporary gains and losses of this world. 25. 7. 58 Devotion leads to power and power will grant skill. The skill will help you to fix your attachment on the proper objects and your devotion thus promoted finally results in liberation. 10. 7. 59 Bhakthi has to be developed by several means or indeed by all means. The mind and the intellect have to be trained and controlled, that is the aim. The chief means are sravanam, keerthnam, smaranam, paadha sevenam, vandanam, dhaasyam, srehem and Atma nivedhanam (hearing, singing, remembering Lord’s name, prostration, salutation, servitude, friendship and self-offering) 4. 7. 61 Bhakthi is no sign of weakness, it is a sign of courage, of wisdom, of discrimination; it alone can give soukhyam and Shaanthi (happiness and peace). 21. 10. 61 The Lord cares only for those whose heart is mortgaged to Him. He cares for Bhakthi, not Bhakthas. 23. 10. 61 Just as fish which can live only when it is immersed in water, when it feels the element all around it, so too man is an animal that can live only when immersed in aanandha (bliss); he must have aanandha not only at home, in society and in the world but, more than all, in the heart. As a matter of fact, the aanandha in the heart produces aanandha everywhere; the heart is the spring of joy. That spring has to be touched by constant meditation, recitation and the intermittent dwelling on the Glory, the grace and the inexhaustible manifestations of the Lord. Smarana, chinthana and manana. Hold fast to the goal; the Bhaktha (devotee) should never turn back. Never give way to doubt or despair. 25. 2. 64 Bhakthi purifies the heart, elevates the feelings and universalises the vision. It also brings down the Grace of God; for, the clouds have to come over the fields and pour rain; the plants cannot rise up to drink the life-

giving fluid. The mother has to bend to the cradle to fondle the child. Bhakthi has that power, to bring the Lord down. 13. 4. 64 Bhakthi - directed education must take precedence over the Bhukthi-directed (enjoyment - directed) schooling that prevails today in most countries of the world. Bhakthi is the Aashakthi or yearning which goads you on to the spiritual discipline which will endow you with that Jnaana. Have both faith and steadiness - and you will win. 14. 10. 64 Bhakthi is really unswerving loyalty to God with form and attributes and a name. 15. 10. 64 A bhaktha must be full of joy, whatever may happen,, for he knows it is the will of the Lord that is being worked out. 4. 12. 64 Bhakthi is not simply the worship of the Lord; it is much more than that. Primarily it is the control of senses; for, when life is offered as worship, the senses do not run after transient things. They can be thus controlled, for man is not a weak animal; he is endowed with mighty spiritual power and he can learn to use it; he can tap this power through prayer, which brings down Grace to fill the reservoir of his heart. 29. 9. 65 There is no one higher than a bhaktha whose mind is fixed in the Truth. He is more than an emperor. So far as I am concerned, I give consideration to the bhaktha. 25. 10. 65 Bhakthi or devotion to God is not to be judged or measured by rosaries or candles, daubing on the forehead or matted hair or jingles on the ankles; purity of motives and intentions is essential, so that prema which is the one component of bhakthi does not leak out of the heart. The genuine outer signs of bhakthi are three: faith , humility and apprehension. Faith is the ultimate victory of truth and love; humility before elders and the wise; apprehension in the presence of evil, fear to mix with bad company, to enter into evil designs, to act errata to the whispering of conscience.

BODY 31. 3. 65 The body is but an instrument for a high purpose, the realisation of the Glory that fills the Universe, of which you are a fraction! 6. 4. 65 The body is but a tent. Don’t fondle that delusion; pant for the indweller, He who resides therein and makes it active, makes it ponder and conclude an act. 26. 9. 65 The body is the vehicle which you have to use for attaining the state of bliss and so, it has to be kept safe and strong for that high purpose. It is an instrument for spiritual effort, which has been earned by the merit of previous births. Every moment, it is proceeding towards dissolution and so time should not be wasted in vain pursuits. It is even better to think of the body as mean and low, rather than raise it to the level of the be-all and end-all of life. Treat it as a wound, which has to be covered by bandage (clothes), treated with drugs (food) and washed (drink); you can get rid of this inordinate attachment, only by that method.

You can get real urge and inspiration to serve others only when you got rid of the identification with the body. When a man suffers from acute stomach pain, his eyes water. Why? Because, the various organs - eye, stomach, etc - are all of the same body. So too, when one man suffers, your eyes must shed tears and you must be urged to alleviate it. This will happen if you know that you and he are limbs of the self-same Divine body. The idea of difference arise on account of the ignorance of the Truth. The same current activates all. To realise this and to merge in that Unity is the purpose of this life in the human body. 23. 11. 66 Inside the room called Body, in the strong box called Heart, the precious gem of jnaana exists; four wily thieves - lust, anger, greed and envy - are lying in wait to rob it. Awaken to the danger before it is too late; reinforce yourself with the support of the universal Guardian the Lord, and keep the gem intact. That will make you rich in prema, rich in shanthi. 22. 1. 67 This body is like the earthen lamp, in which the impulses inherited from previous births are the oil and the ego is the wick. when Jnana lights it up, the oil is consumed more and more quickly and the lamp burns brighter and brighter. Finally, when all the oil is exhausted, the wick too is burnt out. The earthen lamp is then thrown away and becomes dust. 3. 4. 67 The principle that food is only a drug to cure hunger is ignored and man is enslaved to the tongue. All twenty-four hours are spent in attending to the care of the body, the prevention of disease, the promotion of health, the development of muscle, etc. No time is spent on the God - resident in this physical tabernacle, who has to be recognised and revered. The weighing machine on which you stand and read your weight with pride, laughs at you for the silly exaltation. It sneers at your conceit over physical victories; it warns you against too much concern over paltry gains. It knows that death is lying in wait to snatch you away, however heavy you may grow. Develop vision, not body. Concentrate on the Maker, not the ‘made’!. 21. 12. 67 Health is preserved and promoted by attention to three humours: Wind (Vaatha), bile (Pittha) and phlegm (Kapha). Thri-dosha has to be avoided, that is to say, the three humours must not get vitiated or unbalanced. A healthy body is the best container for a healthy mind; illness makes the mind agitated and anxious. The material and the spiritual are the two pans in the balance; they have to be attended to, in equal measure at least until a certain stage of progress is attained in spiritual development. 4. 7. 68 The human body, so filled with skills, so capable of great adventures, is a gift from God to each of you. It has to be used as a raft, on which you can cross this never calm sea of Samsaara (change) that lies between birth and death, bondage and liberation. Awaken to this primal duty even when your physical and mental faculties are keen; awaken even while your power of discrimination is sleep. Do not postpone the launching of the raft for it may become unserviceable soon. It may be burdened with illness so that all your attention will have to be spent on its upkeep. Think of the incomparable joy that will surge within you, when you approach the shore of liberation. 11. 10. 69 The deha (body) is the temple of God; the desha (nation) is the body of God. The body is composed of the five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Sky. The care of the country is as important as the care of the body. For, happiness and misery, health and disease, pleasure and pain, anxiety and peace are dependant on the health and disease of the nation. 12. 10. 69 A house cluttered with lumber will be dark, dusty and without free movement of fresh air, it will be stuffy and suffocating. The human body too is a house; do not allow it to cluttered with curious, trinkets, trash

and superfluous furnishings. Let the breeze of holiness blow as it wills through it; let not the darkness of blind ignorance desecrate it. 21. 10. 69 Your bodies have been acquired for realising God, and dedicating them for searching the Divine, serving the Divine and sustaining the Divine - that alone can satisfy your innermost craving and remove the gnawing discontent. 1. 6. 70 The body is the torch, which contains the cells (mind) and when the bulb (eye) is fixed and the switch (intelligence) is on, then the object is illumined and becomes cognised. The cells are activated by the reflection of (the energy of) the Atma. 4. 10. 70 The body is but a lamp of clay we carry about with us, between birth and death. We were Atma before birth and we shall be Atma again, after this sojourn on earth. Devote the body while you have it, with all its furnishing of intellect and imagination, skill and knowledge, for the purposes I indicate and win Grace. 6. 3. 77 Use the body as a chariot for reaching Liberation through truth. It is your duty to see that on the four wheels of Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi and Prema (Truth, Righteousness, peace and love) the chariot moves along the road to the goal. it will move on that road only if it has ‘less luggage’ viz., less desires, less worries and less fear. The body is a Temple of God and has been organised for the sake of the God who decided to install Himself therein. Until man realises the God within, and thus comes to understand that He is the ‘mystery’ that was evading him while he wandered about in the wilderness of the world, he has to attend assiduously to the up keep of the body. 1981 The body is described in the Upanishads as a chariot, the rein is the mind, the sense are the horses, the intellect is the charioteer and the Atma, the Lord, is seated inside. This body is not gifted to you so that you hate and nurture jealousy against others and live selfishly, worse than an animal. You should devote this precious gift of the body in selfless and loving service always. 5. 2. 81 The human body is spoken of as a temple where the individual jeeva is installed. I would prefer to describe it as a house taken on rent by you. God is the master, the owner. The jeevi (tenant) has taken it on rent and is occupying it. The rent has to be paid in the form of good deeds, good thoughts, good speech and good conduct. But, the tenant ignores the owner and does not pay the rent. So, the Master has to compel the man to vacate. He sends ‘notices’ reminding him of the need to vacate, unless he pays the rent, ‘Grey hairs are the first intimation; the tenant dyes his hair and pays no heed to the warning. ‘The teeth fall out; that is the 2nd warning. The tenant gets a denture fixed and ignores this reminder too. Cataract in the eye is the next warning of the need to leave the house; an operation helps to pass it by. Glasses restore his sight. Man hides the signal with the help of cosmetics. So, the owner has to send his emissaries - a few fatal illnesses - and force him to clear out of the house. 22. 1. 82 The scriptures declare that the Body is the Temple and the I is the God installed therein. Or, you may take it that the body is a vessel for cooking food given on loan to us for use, while hosting a festival. Can we return it to God, who has loaned it, in a worse condition? Should we not scrub it and clean it and return it bright and free from rust and dust? When the festival of life began and we received the body from Him, it was innocent of evil. It was pure, fresh and bright. Using it we have inflicted dents, leeks and other signs

of damage, through lust, greed, anger and envy. Only the lowest would offer it back in that condition. Offer it as pure as He gave it; you can then be most worthy of Grace. 28. 5. 82 The Puraanas speak of fourteen lokas (seven higher and seven lower regions). People have adopted the superficial meaning of the names given to these and they classify them as ‘sacred’ lokas and ‘condemned’ lokas - Deva lokas and Paathala lokas. But all these lokas do exist in our own bodies, seven in the upper part and seven in the lower part. Which is the upper part of the human body? It is the head, the Thrikulita Peak, the crown, the higher region. Seven lokas are situated therein. They are the Garuda loka, the Gandharva loka, the Yaksha loka, the Kinnara loka and the Kimpurusha loka. They are all situated in the head. The Garuda loka is the nose, the seat of inhalation and exhalation. The Gandharava loka is in the eye The Yaksha loka is the tongue Kinnara loka is the ear and the Kimpurusha, on the skin, seat of the sense of touch. Though the names of the lokas are five, there are seven regions to which the name applies. The nose is the first, the eyes are the second and the third, the tongue is the forth, the ears are the fifth and the sixth and the skin is the seventh. These are the upper lokas. Those who sanctify these lokas by recognising the respective organs as instruments for higher ideals can be deemed worthy of human existence. That is to say, inhaling unpolluted air, seeing auspicious sights, hearing heartening sounds, etc. These lokas when properly cultivated, can make man divine. Therefore, the seven higher lokas have to be utilised for Divine ends. When that is done, one becomes divined, one is liberated. The rest of the lokas are intended for the maintenance of the physical frame in which we are enclosed. The stomach, so to say, is the petrol tank. When that is filled, every limb and cell of the body is supplied with energy and activated, to execute the beneficial duties assigned to each. With the two hands and the two legs, these make five lokas. The two others are the anal and the urinal parts. These seven lower lokas maintain the physical body. We have to cast our looks at sacred sights. We must visualise in every one only the good and the godly. That is the purpose for which God has equipped us with eyes. He has not gifted them to us to observe and judge others, to follow people into the bazaar or to see unsightly films. The prime purpose of the tongue is not to enable us to swallow our meals. The object is to utter holy words. Now, when some one is narrating some good incidents, the ears show no inclination to listen. But when one whispers something confidential to another, the ears jointly seek to overhear. Is it for this that God has blessed us with ears? 14. 7. 84 The body must be regarded as the base for spiritual activity. With it as the basis, you must engage yourself in spiritual activity. You must not regard the body as an end in itself, which has to be pampered and kept in comfort. All out mental and other abilities should not be used only for worldly achievements. Only by seeking the higher knowledge (Jnana) can man rise above the level of the animal. 5. 9. 84 Our body itself may be called a Dharmakshetra. For, when a child is born, it is pure and without blemish. It is not a victim yet of any of the six ‘enemies of man’ - anger, greed, lust, egoism, pride and jealousy. It is always happy. It cries only when hungry. Whoever fondles it, king or commoner, saint or thief, the child is happy. The child’s body is not affected by any of the three ‘gunas’ (qualities) and is a ‘Dharmakshetra’. As the body grows, it begins collecting qualities such as jealousy, hatred and attachment. When these evil tendencies develop the body becomes a Kurukshetra. 10. 9. 84 The body is gifted with all its inherent excellence and defects so that it can be used, every moment of life, for purposes that can sanctify time through service, sacrifice and love.

17. 2. 85 So long as there is birth for the body, death has to follow. What is it that has taken birth? Is it the Aatma? No. It is only the body which has taken birth. You are Atma. You are the permanent entity. We consider this body as inert. Even is the physical matter making up this body there is the Divine Consciousness. 13. 5. 85 The body is the Temple of God. He resides therein; the intellect, the mind and the senses which constitute the Temple are His, not ours to be handled as our whims dictate. They are His instruments, to be used by Him, for Him. 17. 11. 85 The body is verily the temple of God. The eternal Self resides in this temple of the body as the Divine that sustains the individual jiva. Forgetting this truth, men beautify only the temple and are concerned only about its external appearance. They do not consider the basic Divine indweller who sustains everything. 11. 12. 85 Everyone should realise that the body has been given to us for performing selfless service. It should also be realised that nothing in creation is intended for the exclusive use of any one person. We should therefore discard the feeling: ‘These things have been given for my exclusive use, they are my own’. 9. 3. 86 Knowledge and skill are required for doing anything. The body has to be kept in a fit condition for the purpose. All parts of the body, from head to foot, are equally important and have to be cared for with love and regard. Love should become the ruling principle of our life. Only then can we sanctify it. 18. 4. 86 Man has been blessed with the body in order that he may realise the purpose of life, revering elders, serving parents, and loving God. The body has to be sanctified by the study of scriptural texts and the lives of holy personages; further, it is rendered pure and sacred by engaging in the promotion of the happiness of others and earning affection and appreciation of all. 21. 8. 86 Every man has three bodies - the gross ( the physical), the subtle (Sukshuma) and the causel (kaarana). When the physical body is rendered pure by taking pure food, the subtle body consisting of the mind is purified by pure desires, and the causal body represented by the conscience is sanctified by sacred thoughts, the inherent divinity in man can be manifested and fullness in life achieved. 5. 90 As long as you sail in this river of life, you must see to it that the boat of your body does not develop holes or leaks thereby preventing water from entering into the boat. The boat may be in water, but there should be no water in the boat. Remain in the world and attend to your duties, but don't allow worries to enter your mind and make your body susceptible to all kinds of diseases. Consider the body as only an instrument. The body is like a water bubble, which emerges from water, stays on water for a while, and merges back in water. So also the bubble called "Nara" (man) has emerged from the water called "Narayana" (God) and merges back in Him. Only when we recognise this Divine origin of the human being, will we take care to maintain and use the human body in an appropriate manner. Our life can be compared to a business enterprise. The body's normal temperature is 98o F, if the temperature goes up to even 99oF, it is a symptom of disease. Our blood pressure too is 120/80 mm, if it becomes more or less it is considered as disease. Even our eyeball can see light only within a particular range. Any deviation from the range will result in damage to the retina. Similarly our ears can hear sound

within a given range; beyond that limit, the ear drums will be damaged. Thus our body may be called a limited company. Hence we should observe these limits while making use of the body. Whether in the food we eat, or water we drink, or the words we speak and hear, in fact in all our living habits, moderation should be observed as the key-note. Just as you take care of the iron safe for the sake of the valuable jewels inside, so too you should take care of your body for the sake of the precious Atma in it. You should eat to live but not live to eat. 23. 10. 94 The body is intended for rendering help to others and not for self-enjoyment. Unfortunately because of the perversions of the mind, man loses himself in worldly pleasures. He is a slave to the vagaries of the mind and ignores the counsel of the intellect. 14. 4. 95 Consider the relationship between the body and God. The hands, the eyes, the ears, the mouth and the nose are organs in the body; all these are limbs of the body. The body is a limb of Society. Society is a limb of humanity. Humanity is a limb of Nature. Nature is a limb of the Divine. This is the integral relationship between the human body and God. The indweller in the body and God are one. The body is a moving temple. Without the indwelling spirit, the body is only a corpse fit to be burnt or buried. 1. 10. 95 The body is essential for living. Without it man cannot accomplish anything. Human life is a composite of body, mind and spirit. But man today ignores the mind and spirit and wastes his life by preoccupation with the body alone. Man can achieve what he desires, only if all the limbs in the body are in good shape. Man should make good use of all his organs to lead an ideal life. Every living being has come into existence for a purpose. Hence everyone should strive to use his body for the purpose for which he has been endowed with it. Through the body alone can Dharma be achieved, declares the scripture. The body is given to man to carry out his duties in life (Dharma). Men today tend to use the body for eating and sleeping, without recognising the duties they have to perform. Should one live like beasts and birds, with no higher aims than eating, mating and sleeping? There is in man an immortal spirit, whose presence should be realised. Whatever pilgrimages one may perform, whatever yagas and japas one may do, without using the body in the service of others no one can achieve liberation. Everyone should be prepared to serve and be served. This body has been given so that one may serve others and not lord it over them. 22. 10. 95 What is the significance of the flute? It symbolises the human body. The flute has nine holes. The human body has nine openings. The body should be considered as the flute of God. It should be rendered completely hollow, so that the Divine may blow through it. Today the body is anything but hollow. It is filled with all kinds of desires. Only when the desires are removed, the body will be a fit instrument for the Divine to fill it with nectarine music. This is the process of surrender to the Divine. Then one gets intoxicated with the music of the Divine. 18. 11. 95 The body is constituted of the five elements, the five sheaths, the five life-breaths and the five senses. Up to one’s fiftieth year, one may be described as experiencing youth. Youthhood should be dedicated to purposeful activities. Youth is not related to age. Bhishma, who was 112 years old, was the commander - in -chief of the Kaurava forces. It is will power that determines one’s age. When one reaches sixty, it is a Bharatiya custom to perform ‘Santhi puja’ for the purpose of subduing the six internal enemies (lust, pride etc). On reaching seventy, a person attains the state of the seven sages, the

seven oceans, the seven musical notes, the seven colours. The seven colours come from the sun’s rays. The sun’s rays are eternal. The 70th year symbolises the attainment of the saintliness of the Seven Sages (saptarishis who constitute the constellation of Ursa Major, the Great Bear). On attaining the 80th year, you must become one of the eight planets (Ashtagraha). On reaching the 90th year, you have to acquire the strength of one of the nine planets 9 Navagrahas). On reaching the 100th year one should merge in the ten indriyas (organs of sense and action) and get rid of the body consciousness. 18. 1. 96 The body is like a radio set, when you do not tune in properly by concentration you will not get the right station. Concentration is essential for every kind of activity in life. 18. 2. 96 All organs in the human body should be kept functioning properly. Only then it would be possible to rise from the human to the divine level. How is this to be accomplished? By dedicating every action to the Lord. When every action is done with the consciousness that it is done for the pleasure of the Lord, life gets divined. There is no need for anyone to give up any of his duties or actions in daily life. All that is needed is to perform everyone of them in a spirit of dedication to the Lord.

CEILING ON DESIRES 14. 7. 84 The object of ceiling on Desires programme is to prevent waste of money, time, food or other resources and to use all these for the welfare of the people. Do not waste time. Time wasted is life wasted. Time is God. Sanctify all the time at your disposal by undertaking seva activities in a pure and unselfish spirit. Today we waste time on unnecessary and unwanted things, in indulging in unnecessary talk and doing meaningless actions. In all these actions we are sacrificing the body to time. Instead we should try to make time our servant. It means spending our time in good thoughts and good deeds. Every second of your daily existence you must ask these questions - ‘How am I utilising time? Is it for a good or bad purpose?’ Likewise, with regard to food you must ask: ‘Am I just eating what I need or more? Am I wasting food?’ So also with regard to money: ‘Am I using this money for my own selfish needs or for boosting my name and fame, or to satisfy my ego and vanity?’ Once you start seeking answers to these questions, there is no greater sadhana. May 90 The programme of "Ceiling on Desires" has four important components. : 1) The first one is "Don’t waste food". Why? Because food is God. Food is indispensable for human life, since the body cannot survive without food. 2) The second one is "Don't waste money". The misuse of money is an evil. To-days youth especially are wasting money in a number of ways. This will lead to bad habits, loss of peace of mind and to the ruining of life itself. 3) The third one is "Don't waste energy". Every action involve the use of energy. If the energy in the body is properly utilised, then balance will be maintained and the body will be in good shape. 4) The fourth dictum of the Ceiling of desires is "Don't waste time". Man's life is wasted in brooding over the past and worrying about the future. The result of the past and the result of the future are both present in the present. You are reaping in the present what you had sown in the past. And what you are sowing in the present, you will reap in future. Thus both the past and the future are contained in the present only. So, make the best use of the present. Give

up all sorts of wrong and lead ideal lives leading to immortality and fulfilment of the purpose of human life. 6. 2. 93 The use of money should be properly regulated. When one does not observe restraint in daily life, he is a prey to disease. The body is governed by limits and controls. The temperature should be 98. 4o F, neither more nor less, the blood pressure should be 80 - 120. Any increase or decrease spells illness. 21. 7. 94 Ceiling on desires is a must for leading a peaceful and meaningful life, you must club the desire to seek more and more wealth and turn your effort to realise the reality within. In pursuing this effort you must avoid waste of food, money, time, energy and knowledge as all these are forms of God. Unnecessary talk should be avoided as this result in waste of energy and reduction of meaning power. CHARACTER (see also right conduct) 24. 3. 58 Good and bad conduct are present among men, but will not be apparent to others. The results of each one's good and bad deeds, however, will be reflected in each one's future life. It is humanity to feel that the trouble is ours when we see others being put to some trouble. (Knowledge without character is a powerful evil - Gandhi) Learn to lead a life of virtue, without virtue life has no meaning at all. Money comes and goes. Morality comes and grows. People celebrate the birth of children. But the real celebration should be only when children have earned a good name and brought credit to their parents. The present is the product of the past and the future is the result of the present. Both the past and the future are contained in the present. Hence live in the present with good thoughts and good actions. Watch for the lie that lurks on the tongue, the violence that lurks behind the fist, the ego that lurks behind the deed. Restrain them before they grow into habits and settle down as character to warp your destiny. Whether one is good or bad should be judged by his qualities and not by his family affinities or form. 10. 10. 64 A characterless man is like a pot with many holes, useless for carrying water, or storing it. Renounce and win peace, have peace and win troubles. 23. 11. 65 The fate of the country will depend on the character of its people and character is elevated and purified by saadhana, the hard way of regulation of behaviour and the control of desire. God is the guardian, and as guardian, He has to warn and punish to wean people away from harmful habits. If it is necessary, the guardian will resort to the influction of pain too, as a curative and corrective treatment. 21. 3. 67 A virtuous character is the lamp which illumines the path to peace and joy. 23. 7. 70

Character is the most precious gift of education. I consider gratitude as the chief component; gratitude above all to the parents, for this gift of life. Revere the parents, who are sacrificing their comforts in order to give you this College education. 1. 8. 76 The readiness to renounce one’s pleasure in order to relieve the burden of another is a prime virtue of character. 30. 7. 77 You do not lose much if a finger is so damaged that it needs to be cut off. The body can still function and be a fit instrument. Even if you lose a limb, you can function and benefit with the help of your faculties. But if you lose your character, then everything is lost! 29. 8. 81 Character is the best qualification. 19. 11. 81 The character of each individual member determines the peace and prosperity of the family; the character of each family is the basic factor that decides the happiness and joy of the village or the community. And, the nations progress is based on the strength and happiness of the communities which are its components. So, for the welfare of the country and of the entire world, the spirit of service, vital enthusiasm, constructive imagination, pure motivation, and unselfish alertness are all urgently needed. 22. 1. 82 Character is power. Nothing can be more powerful on earth than character. Riches, scholarship, status, authority are all frail and flimsy before it. A strong virtuous character cannot be earned from guide books; it is earned only through intimate involvement with society. 22. 5. 82 A life without character is as barren as a temple without a lamp, a coin that is counterfeit, a kite whose string has snapped. 11. 12. 85 A good character is the greatest wealth you can acquire. 20. 1. 86 Education is of no value at all without character. Apr. 86 Character should be the primary purpose of education. An educated person should be respected for his conduct and qualities. 21. 9. 87 A life without good character is a shrine without light, a coin that is counterfeit, a kite with the string broken. Character is life. Character is power. Character is true holiness. Without transforming character packing the brain with information can only result in damaging it. Character is power. Even the acquisition of knowledge demands a good character. Without character wealth, education, social status, all these are of no avail. Among the qualities that make up a flawless character love, patience, forbearance, steadfastness, charity, these are the highest, these have to be revered. So everyone must yearn to attain flawless character without any trace of evil. Character is the best qualification.

Character is the hall-mark of man. Everyone should understand how he should conduct himself in daily life, what he should do and what he should avoid and try to live accordingly. 23. 11. 91 Whatever one's wealth, his knowledge or position, the most essential quality is character. 21. 1. 93 For the hand, Charity lends beauty. For speech, it is truth that lends beauty. For ears, wisdom lends beauty. What more beauty do you need than these? For life, service to humanity is beauty. CHARITY 29. 3. 79 The man who gives, receives even while he gives, more than what he gives. Do not strive for your own happiness but strive for the happiness of all; then you can derive greater happiness, with additional joy of having added to the happiness to others. 14. 5. 84 Even in practising charity, limits should be observed. One’s gifts should not exceed one’s financial capacity. Nor should they be below one’s capacity. In the former case, one will face financial troubles. In the latter, one will be withholding from those in need what is due to them. Charity is not limited to money alone. One must share one’s physical, mental and spiritual resources with those in need in society. It is through such sharing and sacrifice that the awareness of the spirit is achieved. Charity should not be indiscriminate. Help should be rendered according to the needs of the case. The hungry must be fed, the naked must be clothed. 11. 12. 85 You must cultivate charity. Which does not mean giving some money to a person in need or to an organisation. Charity calls for the removal of all evil thoughts that are within you and development of a largeness of spirit. Charity will confer Purity and through Purity, Unity will be achieved. Once you have Purity and Unity, you can realise Divinity. CHILDREN 9. 9. 58 Children should not enjoy the infliction of pain or be allowed to suffer physical pain or mental anguish. They must have a sense of responsibility at least for the safe custody and proper upkeep of their books. They must not take delight in showing off their dress or ornaments or status or wealth before less fortunate children of the school. They have to be taught sensible habits of personal cleanliness and more important than all, the habit of prayer at regular hours. The children may be encouraged to go to bed regularly everyday at 9 pm and wake up at 5 am and after washing the face and cleaning the eyes and teeth, they may be induced to pray or even to meditate. Do not think that there is time enough for prayer later on in life, during old age perhaps. The time to lay the foundation for the habit is now.

25. 11. 59 Do not do anything which brings tears into the eyes of your parents. Honour them and obey them. Do not condemn them as old-fashioned. ‘Old is Gold. ’ They speak out of a longer experience of the world and its tricks. 29. 9. 60 Learn form childhood the recitation of the Name and prayer and the practice of silence. Let children contemplate the beauties and the magnificence of God’s handiwork and be filled with mystery and awe. 19. 5. 62 Children have unselfish love; they are innocent onlookers; they observe the action of the elders and they learn their lessons from the home much earlier than from school. So, parents have to be very careful in their behaviour with the children and between themselves. Children should have the love of parents. The child should grow with the mother for the first five years of life. The mother should not hand over her responsibility during those years to someone else and be called simply ‘Mummy’ as if she is some doll with which the child likes to play. When a boy is five years old, the father has to take up the task of bringing him up. Then, he must be entrusted to a Guru; the Guru must teach him a standard of value with which to deal with the family, the village, the country and mankind. Children are like fresh cloth; they can be given any colour you like. Just dip them in that colour, that is enough. Adults are like old clothes that will not imbibe colour so easily and well. Hearts that are green and soft will learn habits and disciplines quicker. For learning good habits and manners, age is no bar; training will make even children learn them. The childhood stage is the pure Sath stage and if you only manage to live on with that innocence as Sage Sukha did you can achieve merger quite naturally. The sun’s rays wait outside your closed door, silently and patiently. Open it to the width of a chink - and it gladly rushes in through that chink. Open it wider; it bathes you in light and warmth. Children’s minds are always open; they have no closed doors, which bring in the darkness. That is why their smile is like sunlight in a grief-stricken home. Sow the seeds of the harmonious qualities, joy, mutual harmony, unison and love, even while your children are young; that is the richest inheritance you can give them. The most useful insurance against the attack of despair, despondency and discontent. When boys play cricket or football or tennis, if they become eager to defeat the opponent they start committing faults or fouls. Then, even if they score a goal, it will be declared not a goal; it may well be offside or out. But if they stick to the game and play it well, unaffected by the atmosphere of revelry and lust for victory at all costs, they are bound to win. In a race, it is better to let the horse go along gathering its own speed, do not compare and compete; that will cause a fall or a slip. This lesson has also to be taught to children; that competition has to be healthy, subordinated to the proper rules of the game and free from hatred and malice. Realise that children are precious treasures; yours is the great task of rearing them up to become devoted servants of God and sincere saadhakas on the spiritual path. 18. 4. 66 The character of the children must be made strong and pure. Give them all the confidence and courage they need to become good, self-reliant children. It is not enough if they learn something by which they can make a living; the manner of living is more important than the standard of living. The children must also have reverence towards their religion, their culture, their educational attainments and their country.

The human heart when young is very soft; it responds to grief and pain in fellow-man. It is the example of elders, the lessons they receive from parents, the company they get into and the training they get in school and society that harden these hearts into stone. Keep those hearts soft; do not get jealous when others are happier or when others win prizes or credits in examinations. Emulate their industry, pray for a higher share of intelligence or a sharper memory, but do not give room in your hearts to envy and malice. 3. 4. 67 Children should grow in the awareness of the brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of God. Children should be taught to live like lotuses in the lake of worldly life ( samsaara), being in water but unaffected by it. Lotuses cannot live when out of water; yet, they will not allow water to enter! Be in samsaara but see that samsaara is not in you. That is the secret of successful living which they do not teach the young. 23. 5. 67 When children grow older, egoism, pride, envy, malice, anger begin to enslave them and they are overcome by anxiety and fear. So, one must recapture the years of childhood, to be in Prashanthi (tranquillity). 19. 1. 69 The mother and father must bear a major share of the responsibility for the proper upbringing of children. The earliest years of life are the most crucial. The skills, the attitudes, the emotions, the impulses that make or mar the future are built into the Foundation of Life in those years. The parents can help or hinder the making of that foundation, strong and straight. Children must grow up in homes, where their parents honour their parents, in their turn, and are happy when they serve their elders. Then only will children revere their parents! This must be taught to them by example, rather than by precept! Schooling is a waste, if children do not learn lasting virtues, do not develop strength of character, as a result of the process. They must learn reverence for parents, teachers and elders. Now, they learn a number of copy book maxims; but, they do not put a single one into practice in daily life. For, practice is present nowhere. Even as children, they must learn the Glory of God who is their inner Reality; they must understand that they are not the body, but, they are the one indweller (dehi), who is the dehi in all. through bhajan and through shravana (listening to tales of God’s Glory), these elevating truths can be handed over to them by teachers and parents who are themselves aware of these and practising them in daily life. Plant in those tender hearts the seeds of love, sympathy, truth, justice, charity, compassion, repentance and self-control. That is the prime duty of all who deal with children. when the father asks the child to tell some one at the door that he is not at home, or when he asks his brother to reply to a phone call, that he has gone out, the vice of dishonesty is implanted in the child. Do not burden the tender brains with all kinds of lumber, information that can never be put to use, facts that warp and twist truth etc. Teach them only as much as they can use beneficially and as much as can be of direct help to them in their lives. Train character more than brains. The parents first and for most, the teachers next, the comrades, playmates and companions next, and the various levels of society later, these shape the character of the children, and the destiny of the country. 12. 5. 69 A child in its heart only Dharmakshethra, for, it has not yet developed sensual desires. It accepts whatever is offered. Its ego is not yet ramified into the objective world of multiplicity. But, later, when it grows branches and foliage, the Dharmakshatra takes the shape of kaukshetra - the battlefield where the mind

struggles between hope, despair; and is compelled to consume the diverse fruits, sweet and bitter, of ones acts. 26. 7. 69 Let the children, even grown-up boys and girls, touch the feet of the father and mother every morning, before the daily tasks are started; it will generate a reverential atmosphere in the home. Five minutes in the shrine room and the namaskaaram (prostration) for parents - let this be the daily routine. The Upanishadhs recommend this as the basic requirements of our culture. 2. 3. 70 Regulate the food habits of the children; food determines to a large extent health and intelligence, emotion and impulse. Set limits to the quality and quantity of food, as well as to the number of times it is consumed and the timings. Recreation too has to be moral and elevating, in the company of the righteous and God - fearing Do not keep the young idle and unoccupied. Every second is a precious gift. Time well used is like food well digested. It sustains and strengthens. 1. 6. 70 The hearts of children are unsullied by sensual desires. Teachers and parents, comrades and elders, spoil them by their conduct and example. They tarnish their immaculate nature. If only they are allowed to grow in the proper spiritual atmosphere, if they are allowed to approach God, then, they become good, just, humble and pure. That does not mean they will be weak; they will be strong, with all the strength of Truth. Then they will be invaluable assets to the nation. 4. 73 I like children, I take great care of them; I pay them great attention. I give, and advise parents to give them, proper advice at the proper time. I insist on discipline, on reverent obedience to parents, on regulated food and play, on rigorous allocation of time for study, bhajan, meditation etc. I also recommend some items of service, like nursing the sick. I condemn frivolous talk, luxurious living, deleterious habits, addiction to films, horror comics, pen-friends, exotic dress, outlandish coiffure designed to draw attention to oneself etc. By these means, boys and girls are slowly drawn into un- righteous and immoral ways. Children have to revere their parents, that is their duty. 6. 1. 75 Every child of this land has four debts to discharge - reverence to mother, respect to the father, obedience to the teacher, and adoration to God. Besides these, every child must learn to live in peace and love with other children and other families. the idea that one can live for oneself and that one need not worry about the wants and weakness of others has to be removed quite early in life, by the Bala Vikas Gurus. Encourage the child to cultivate the pleasure of ‘togetherness’. They will enjoy it; and, you will be sowing the seed of social peace. The seeds will grow into Universal Peace and Universal bliss. Life is like a train journey. You, young children have a long way to go; but the elders have to alight from the train pretty soon. You must learn to make your journey comfortable and happy. Do not carry heavy unwanted luggage with you. That will make the journey miserable. Do not indulge in fault finding and in picking quarrels with others. Don’t desire to have the best things for yourselves only. Share with others around you the good things you are given. Anger, hatred, envy, jealousy, these are the heavy luggage I asked you to avoid taking with you in the journey. Children! Learn the best teaching of all faiths, put them into practice, chant the Name of God with your whole being. Imbibe the noble qualities that those Names represent. Purify yourselves and purify the world. That is my blessing. 19. 11. 75

Children today do not relish edifying words like the Ramayana, the Mahabharatha and the Bhagavatha. They wastes their time on reading trash. Parents should see that children do not read bad books. 6. 6. 78 Between the age of two and five the child’s mind is profoundly affected by the behaviour of those nearest it, so the parents must take care to set a good example. Let the children realise that prayer is universal and that prayer in any language addressed to any Name reaches the same God. Apr 79 We have to inspire and instruct the children to become Karma veeras (heroes of action), whose lives are dedicated to work as worship of the one God who resides in all. They must be trained to take part gladly and intelligently in ‘activity programmes’ filled with the spirit of service. 20. 11. 79 Selfishness, envy and egoistic pride are the three tendencies and attitudes that should not take root in tender hearts. Therefore prompt the children in your care to engage themselves in acts of service to others. 30. 12. 83 Truth is adherence to what is true in thought, word and deed. Often many untoward situations arise which render such adherence difficult. Children, for instance, out of fear of punishment or scolding by parents or teachers indulge in prevarication or falsehood and avoid admitting the truth. This tendency results in due cause in initiating their entire life by making them lead double lives. Having regard, therefore, to their future, they should learn from their boyhood to admit their mistakes and speak the truth. There is nothing wrong if they are punished by their parents or teachers for their misdeeds. Through such corrective measures, they will learn to behave properly in their later years. If from the beginning you learn to speak the truth, you will find it easy. But once to take to lying, to return to the ways of truth is very difficult. Hence when you are still young and your minds and hearts are pure and untainted, you must cultivate the habit of sticking to truth. By speaking the truth always, your minds will be filled with good thoughts. Truth, equanimity, absence of conceit and freedom from envy are noble qualities which have to be cultivated from childhood. Suffusing them all is the feeling of love. Children in the Sai fold must develop these qualities and become the moulders of the future of the world. You, children of the Eternal! You are not lumps of flesh. You are embodiments of the Eternal. You are repositories of Bliss. Your hearts are shrines of the Divine. The whole of Nature is your playground; all the things in it are your play things. Regard yourselves as masters of the universe and not its bond-slaves. The boys and girls of today should realise this basic truth. They represent the future of humanity. They are the guardians of the nations culture. The greatness and prosperity of the country depend on them. The nation’s future will be determined by how the lives of the young children are shaped. Today the world is plunged in chaos, violence and wickedness. It is for the young people to see that these demonical forces are routed. Every person should possess four important qualities: Peace, Truth, absence of Egoism (Nirahankara) and absence of envy (Asuya). These four are essential. Suffusing all the four is Love. These qualities are not got through studies or from a teacher or as a gift from someone. They can be acquired only by one’s own effort. These noble qualities have to be developed from childhood itself. Only then will they stand in good stead in later years. Without discipline, your life will be beset with pitfalls. Children of Sathya Sai educational institutions must set an example in discipline. In big gatherings, they should observe silence and order and restrain their enthusiasm. If children who have gone through the Bal Vikas course indulge in chatter and frequent clapping of hands, they bring discredit to the movement. Whatever the situation, you should observe strict

discipline and obey the orders of your teachers or elders. You should also learn to make sacrifices for the sake of others in need. Sacrifice means going to the help of others to the extent of your capacity. If you are not in a position to help others, you must at least refrain from doing any harm. Even that is a form of sacrifice. It is highly important to take care of the health of children. Good health is the basis of everything else in life. 20. 1. 86 From the most impressionable years the children should be taught to cultivate love for all. Love leads to unity. Unity promotes Purity. Purity leads to Divinity. 9. 3. 86 Excessive use of computers and calculators is fraught with dangers. They make the students abjectly dependent on the machine, without relying on their abilities. It must be realised that the human brain is the foremost computer. We must train our children to make proper and good use of their brains. It is not enough to acquire expensive, sophisticated equipment for education. We must know hoe to make full and effective use of them. Only then will the money spent on them be rewarding and justified. 6. 5. 95 At all times, the parents are there looking after you. You have to worship them . The mother can be compared to the earth and the father to the seed. Unless the seed is sown in the earth the plant will not sprout. You cannot ignore the father and mother who are responsible for your birth and growth. Even if you become the Prime Minister you must remember you owe your birth in the world to your mother. You must develop humility and discrimination as a mark of education. You should not discard love of God at any time. If you forget God, you are not human but demonic. Money, beauty and youth will not last long.

COMPANY 30. 9. 60 The company of good men leads you on to the Lord while the company of evil men leads you on to the mire of objective world. How to judge good men form bad? Those engaged in Japam, Dhyaanam, Yoga and Archana (penance, meditation, communion and worship) are good persons; those who do not like these are to be avoided by aspirants who seek wisdom. Spend your time in the company of good people. Brush up your brains by the brush of Viveka (discrimination). I will not ask you to give up your critical faculty; evaluate, discriminate, experience and analyse your experience; and then, if convinced, accept. 30. 1. 65 For all types of spiritual discipline, congenial company is very necessary. Man is shaped by the company he keeps; so be ever vigilant of the air you breathe; it is fouled by the foul thoughts of the men among whom you move. The pure water that falls as rain from the sky is changed into a hundred tastes and colours by the soil on which it falls. But, even the slimy slush of the gutter has some hope of turning into pure water again; for, when the sun shines, it can rise as vapour into the clouds and regain its pristine nature. 27. 9. 65 A man is made or marred by the company he keeps. A bad fellow who falls into good company is able to shed his evil quickly and shine forth in virtue. A good man falling into evil company is overcome by the subtle influence and he slides down into evil. The lesser is overpowered by the greater. A drop of sour curd transforms milk, curdling it and separating the butter, turns it into whey. 25. 10. 65

You are moulded by the company you relish. When you make friends with the blacksmith, you are bound to collect black dust on your clothes and skin. That is why sangam (association) is held to be so crucial in spiritual life. 14. 11. 76 Seeking good company and spending all available time in that comradeship called Sathsang (holy company), will help the aspirant a great deal. You are shaped by the company you keep, a piece of iron turns into rust if it seeks the company of the soil. It glows, it softens and takes on useful shapes if it enjoys the company of fire. Dust can fly if it chooses the wind as its friend; it has to end as slime in a pit if it prefers water. It has neither wing nor foot, yet it can either fly or walk, rise or fall, according to the friend it selects. 17. 8. 77 The company one keeps determines the character; a person tries to join the group where he can freely express his innate nature. So Sathsang (holy company) is a very important requisite for moral and spiritual advancement. 30. 12. 77 Attitudes of tolerance and reverence can be cultivated only along the spiritual path. That is the one path for attaining peace and harmony in this world of ceaseless striving and never ending despair. The Sathsang, the gathering of Godward bound seekers, is a must for the sprouting of spiritual desire and its fulfilment. Even the tardy will soon develop a keen enthusiasm for the spirit through the influence of Sathsang. 19. 11. 80 The evil traits that have grown through many lives and generations cannot be wiped away in an instant. So, mix in Godly groups, cultivate good habits and attitudes, and involve yourselves in good activities. 22. 11. 81 Evil company is easily secured; good company has to be sought and struggled for. To fake is quite easy; to climb requires strength of will. Therefore, man is tempted to choose the easier path. 26. 5. 85 Whatever qualities a man may possess, he cannot make proper use of them if he lacks the company of good people. Through the company of good persons one can develop good qualities, good thoughts, good feelings and do good deeds and thereby transform his human nature into divine nature. This, in fact, is the primary duty of every individual. 25. 12. 85 Association with the evil-minded can lead to endless troubles. Pay any price to avoid the company of the bad. Pay any price to acquire the company of the good. The company of the good takes you near to God. 10. 7. 86 Intentions can all be beneficial, when the person persists in good company of course. One cannot gain them from without; they have to grow from within, form the heart, freed from the weeds of pride and greed. Good company helps to purify the heart. Cultivate good thoughts by seeking out and sheltering in good company. Planting poisonous seeds, people hope to get nutritious fruits! Why blame God when bitter seeds do not yield sweet fruits! 5. 90 You should eschew all bad company, because your thoughts are influenced by the company you keep. 4. 3. 93 A snake may bite a person once in a way but a bad man infect others with poison all the time. A bad man is one who is filled with bad thoughts, speaks bad words and does bad deeds.

Evil thoughts, evil deeds, evil conduct and attachment to the evil-minded , these are the four bad qualities. 14. 4. 93 We use old newspapers generally to wrap different types of articles purchased in a shop. If jasmine is wrapped in the paper the paper smells sweet like jasmine. Another person may wrap some edible like pakoda and the paper gives that smell. If dry fish is wrapped, the paper emits the smell of dry fish. Though the paper has no smell of its own it takes the smell of the thing with which it is associated. In the same way our mind, too, gets polluted because of the illusion of body consciousness and attachment. When you think of a material object, it gets object oriented but if you turn the mind towards the Life Principle it makes the life sacred. 22. 5. 93 You must cultivate good company. How do you decide who is good and who is bad? Think over the matter deeply. The one who sees the bad in what is good is a bad man. The one who sees good even in what is bad is a good man. Therefore seek the company of the good alone.

COMPASSION 4. 10. 70 God likes to be worshipped with the flower of Compassion. 14. 1. 73 The heart full of compassion is the altar of God. 25. 10. 74 Compassion towards all creatures is the greatest virtue, wilful injury to any creature is the worst vice. Have full faith in this; spread love and joy, through compassion, and be full of joy and peace, yourself. 23. 3. 75 The heart soaked in compassion is verily the Altar of God. 14. 8. 79 You may not be rewarded materially by compassionate acts but the highest reward is the joy that you derive and the joy that you confer. The body with all the precious and unique qualities which are its equipment has been given to you in order that you may ‘will’ so, ‘know’ how and ‘act’ thus. A block of ‘time’ has been allotted to you so that you may benefit by using it profitably for these holy sanctifying purposes. 25. 12. 86 The heart full of compassion is the temple of God. Jesus pleaded for compassion. Compassion was His message. Develop compassion - Live in Love. Be good; do good and see good. This is the way to God. 10. 93 Days or compassion is inherent in every human being. But few are prepared to share this with their fellow-beings. Man is deluded by the trivial pleasures from mundane things and is filled with greed and lust. this is the main obstacle in the spiritual path. It is unnatural for man to behave like animals with selfishness, anger and jealousy. A compassionate heart is nature’s gift to man. It is a pity that man does not make any effort to realise that the divine is closer to him than his own parents. One should search within and not in the external for God.

Love, compassion, self-confidence and sacrifice are the real human qualities. 23. 11. 93 When the heart is filled with compassion, the hands are dedicated to the service of others, the body is engaged in constant help to others, the life of such a person is sacred, purposeful and noble. 14. 4. 94 . Only when one has ‘daya’ or compassion to others, can he be deemed fit to be called a human being. 20. 5. 95 There is nothing greater than love. God is Love. Love is God. Live in Love. Develop Love. It has to emanate from the heart. It expresses itself as kindness and compassion. Today people behave without compassion. 18. 8. 95 Compassion is the highest dharma. A heart filled with compassion is the temple of the Divine. Every man should have a compassion - filled heart.

CONFIDENCE 23. 11. 74 Only those who know themselves and have confidence in themselves can acquire knowledge of God and confidence in God. Know thyself, first; then, your attempt to know the world will be rendered simple. 8. 3. 86 Where there is confidence, there is love; where there is love, there is peace, where there is peace, there is truth; where there is truth, there is bliss; where there is bliss, there is God. If you want to realise God, you must be immersed in Bliss. To experience Bliss, you have to follow Truth. To pursue Truth, you have to install Peace in your heart. To achieve Peace, you have to cultivate Love. It is confidence that begets Love. 23. 11. 91 Self-confidence is essential because it is the source of all prosperity and accomplishment. 11. 4. 94. Confidence is the basis for love and steadiness of mind CONSCIENCE & CONSCIOUSNESS 6. 4. 65 Even if you have no steady faith in God or in any particular Name or Form of that Immanent Power, start by controlling the vagaries of the mind, the pulls of the ego, the attractions of sense-attachment. be helpful to others; then your conscience itself will appreciate you and keep you happy and content, though others may not thank you. 8. 3. 67 Life is short, it is liable to be cut short any moment. The body may fall and release you, without notice. So while you can, you must dedicate the heart to Him who gave it to you. Your heart is your witness;

question it whether you have obeyed the directions of the Lord. A thousand persons may swear that you have not, but if your conscience affirms that you have, you need not fear. 30. 7. 67 The journey into the inner consciousness to calm the storms that rage there is more important than journey to the Moon or Mars. The latter may be more speculative, but, the former is the more beneficial. Life without goodness, good thoughts, good actions, good words is like sky in the night, without the moon and stars. It is like a wheel without hub or spokes! No one can push a boulder away while standing on it; you cannot be free from anxiety, while all the entrances through which it sneaks in are open. Stop catering to the senses, and feeding the desires that haunt you. 20. 12. 67 There is a conscience in man, whispering right advice, restraining unjust hands, which man has almost succeeded in silencing; but, it is the voice of God; it can never be made dumb. 5. 9. 68 The God who dwells in the dewdrop and the star, in the scientist as well as the atom he studies, can be visualised only by a purified inner consciousness. The tongue alone can taste sweetness, and that too, when it is healthy. So too, only a pure consciousness can recognise the grandeur and glory of God. Purify this through the constant repetition of the idea of Soham (He is I, I am He), so that He and I will merge and only He remains. 22. 11. 69 The Divine is the inner core of all beings, near and far, big and small. Expand your consciousness to its uttermost limits. Really speaking, it has no limits at all. This cannot be done on an instalment plan, or on a cash-down basis! No. It is possible only through an inner transformation, through dhyaana, japa or Namasmarana in the constant contemplation of the supreme majesty that is in you. The Divine sprouts in the heart, grows in the Consciousness and blooms in all the mental and physical activities of man. Now the Divine Principle is beyond your experience, because you are not ready to give your best to others, who also contain the self-same Principle. When you are ready to give, you are entitled to take; not until then. 13. 5. 70 Make your conscience the Ruler, do not depend on the external Ruler. 28. 6. 89 You should follow the dictates of your conscience and act according to the promptings of the Atma (the Indwelling Spirit). You are filled with fear when you do something against the injunctions of your conscience. To get rid of fear, you have to perform all actions in a spirit of dedication to the Divine. 21. 1. 93 One should be careful about conscience which will always spell the truth. It will never lead you on the wrong path. 23. 5. 93 As long as man sees only with his external vision, he can experience only the external. When man develops the internal vision and experiences the Divinity within, the cosmos will appear as a reflection of the Divine. This is called Realisation of the Cosmic Divine. The individual Self and the Omni-Self (Paramatma) are one like the rind of a fruit and the juice inside. 21. 7. 93

Act according to the promptings of your conscience. That will lead you to Divinity. 15. 8. 93 All functions of the mind are related to the Conscience. All that is done through the Buddhi (the intellect) is related to Consciousness. The Consciousness that is all pervading is present in the human body from top to toe. In spite of the presence of this Consciousness, men are misusing it or making no use of it. Just as barely 2% of the energy coming from the sun is used by the world, hardly a minute fraction of the power of the Divine Consciousness in man is being properly used. Make use of it to help society. Do not live only for your own sake. When you use your energies in the service of society, the Divine power in you gets surcharged. 30. 8. 93 Don't rely on the body. It is a water bubble. Don't rely on the mind, which is like a mad monkey. Follow the conscience. When you follow the conscience with full self-confidence, you can accomplish anything. 14. 4. 95 To experience the Divine, one has to perform good deeds. The Divine is present in every being as consciousness. The source of enduring bliss is within you. There is no meaning in searching for it elsewhere. Turn your external vision inwards. Close your eyes and try to see within. In this process, bliss will emerge from within you. 6. 5. 95 There are three states of consciousness in man - the waking state, the dream state and the deep sleep state. All the three states are in every individual. The three governing powers in these states are Viswa, Thejasa and Prajna respectively. The Gayathiri Manthra OM Bhur Bhuwas - Suvah is related to these three. We think that Bhuloka is the world that we live in, Bhuvaloka is Swarga and Suvarloka is beyond that. This is not correct. All the three worlds are in our heart only. The outside world we see is the material world formed of inert matter. The world that you see is ‘Bhu’ and the power that causes the movement in ‘Bhuvah’ or Praanasakthi (life force) which can be termed as ‘Vibration’. The Life Force or ‘Praana’ is Bhuvah. Because of ‘Prajnana’, which is inside, the Life Force is able to cause the vibration and activate the limbs. The source of ‘Prajna’ is Suvaha, or Radiation. When you analyse in this manner, it will be seen that ‘Bhu - Bhuvas - Suvah’ represent the forces of radiation, vibration and Materialisation. 17. 11. 95 Do not follow the body, which is perishable, or the mind, which is like a mad monkey. Follow your conscience. CONTENTMENT 4. 11. 65 Shanthi comes from within; contentment is a mental condition. Do not feed the roots of attachment to worldly comforts more than is absolutely necessary. They lead only to anxiety and fear; they can never satisfy the innermost craving of man. Lead them into the path of devotion and dedication; for them that will be the path of contentment and joy. 12. 10. 69 Contentment is the best tonic; why inflict on yourself the disease of greed and consume tonics to get strength, and to hanker further? Use the body as a boat to cross the ocean of life, with devotion and detachment as the two oars. 25. 12. 79

Contentment is the most precious wealth; greed brings misery in its train. Contentment alone can lead man to the goal of life, the attainment of Divinity. 3. 9. 89 Contentment can come only from a spiritual outlook. Greed yields only sorrow, contentment is best. There is no happiness greater than contentment. Man can experience joy and happiness only when he has contentment. As desires grow, discontent grows and worries multiply. You must learn to be content with your condition. He who has got much satisfaction is the richest man. 7. 10. 89 You must be content with what you have. Even a loss of something must be considered a form of sacrifice. Rejoice in what you have, make good use of that and develop faith in God. Contentment is an elevating quality; permit the mind’s attention to travel towards God, who alone grants peace. I shall be with you, wherever you are, guarding you and guiding you. March on, have no fear. Desire is the fire in your frame. It reduces you to ashes. Contentment is the effective drug to destroy it. Dedicate all to the Lord - that is genuine contentment. COURAGE 2. 2. 58 First be fixed in the consciousness that your self is the immortal Atma, which is indestructible, which is holy, pure and divine. That will give you unshakeable courage and strength. 3. 3. 58 Courage is the fertiliser which will make the plant of scholarship grow. 13. 4. 64 Calamities must deepen your courage, enlarge your faith; your spiritual practise must be intensified just when the weather is inclement. In fair weather, a care-free attitude is pardonable, but, in foul weather, every precaution is of value. CREATION 7. 10. 81 There can be no ‘This’ without the ‘That’; no creation without the Creator. You are now attempting to possess the Creation, with no faith in the Creator. You are not even aware of the Creator. 27. 8. 86 The tree of creation comes into existence when the Paramatma (the Omniwell) and the Jivatma (the individual soul) come together. Without God, there can be no devotee. Without devotee, there is no God. Even as God creates devotees, devotees also ‘create’ God. This is known as Dhyana (meditation). Meditating on the name and form of God constantly, the devotee strives to have the vision of God in the chosen form. Man alone is endowed with this capacity to give a name and form to God and to realise it.

12. 7. 88 The cosmos is the magnificent manifestation of the Divine. When you direct your vision on this vast creation you are filled with awe and wonder. True education consists in understanding the inner meaning of this creation. CRITICISM 19. 1. 89 Criticism of others is a very great sin. Criticism of others is like an incurable disease. Do not criticise, comment or make remarks about others at any time. Keep a strict watch over what you say. If the foot slips you may suffer a fall and sustain a temporary injury. But a slip of the tongue may cause lasting harm. Never go about criticising others. When you point to the mote in an other’s eye, you are forgetting the beam in your own eye. With plenty of faults in yourself, you have no right to point out the faults in others. It is a grievous sin to indulge in such fault-finding. He alone is wise who is conscious of his defects. The one who is looking out for the faults in others will acquire those faults himself by a process of reflex action. Seek your faults and others' merits. Seeking others' faults is dire sin. You should avoid unpleasant speech and use only words that are true, comforting and good. Harshness in speech should be avoided. Only when the tongue is used in this way can it become pure and sacred. When your speech is sanctified, your life itself becomes sanctified. You should free yourselves from criticising, harming or hurting others. You can never escape the fruits of criticising others. CULTURE 20. 2. 64 The special feature of Indian Culture is that hear the dress and demeanour, the language and literature, the manner and mode of living, the ideals and institutions are all attained to the spiritual progress of man, emphasising as they do the superiority of the spirit over the body, the subtle over the gross. Everything is subordinated to that supreme task. The body should be fed and kept free from disease. Why? so that it may be fit for spiritual discipline. Spiritual discipline for what? For the realisation of the truth about oneself. The subtle is the basis for the gross; the Divine is the basis for the Human. Indian Culture turns your eye to the basis, not to what is built upon it. 26. 3. 65 There is no higher duty than truth, no higher wealth than shanthi. Give up the senseless pursuit of western fashions and western moral codes that are demeaning the Divinity of man. Cultivate the virtues of reverence and humility. 1. 4. 65 The three cardinal principles of the Hindu faith are: Belief in a series of births; belief in Avatars of the Lord for the re-establishment of Dharma and the transformation of those who have strayed from it; and belief in Karma, the fact of every activity having its inevitable consequence and of human destiny being shaped by cumulative effect of all these consequences. 24. 10. 65 The three basic beliefs of Sanaathana Dharma are:

1) the inevitability of Karma in life; 2) the fact of re-birth and 3) Divine Incarnation If one has no faith in all these three, he cannot claim to be a Hindu; whoever believes in them can be reckoned as a Bhaaratheeya, child of Bhaarath. 1966 Hindu culture is the pillar and support of the nation; it is the backbone of the spiritually adventurous; it grants both this world and the next to all beings. It is really world culture, the culture that the world need. Other cultures assume various forms in various climes. But, the culture of Bhaarath has asserted eternal values, values for all times and all climes like compassion, virtue and self-control. It has not bent before the pressure of patronage or persecution. The cultural person is the person who has cultured the spirit, not the person who caters to the senses and enslaves himself to their attractions. 14. 1. 70 India has the Himaalaya as her shield, as her armour as her crows. The range is the sign of majesty, of calm, of cool exhilaration, the call to the heights which man must climb. From the Himalayas have flowed over the land the Gangi, Yamuna and Saraswathi, the trinity of 1) Spiritual search (Ganga) 2) mental purification (Yamuna) and 3) intellectual clarity (Saraswathi). The Ganga never runs dry; it is pure, full, capable of destroying all the bacteria that bring disease. Indian culture will be alive and active, so long as the Ganga flows over the land; it can never run dry. It will slake the thirst of generations; it will confer the boon of immortality on those who crave for it. Indian culture has laid down many limitations on conduct, many channels through which passion has to be directed, emotion to be diverted, impulses to be held in check. These serve to intensify the personality and free it from the slough of the senses. They regulate food, sleep, recreation, dress, conversation and the company one should seek. They ramify into every aspect of life, every stage of life and every group of human society. The purpose is to broaden, enlarge and deepen sympathy until one’s love reaches the outermost bounds of creation. 13. 5. 70 Indian culture is the very basis of human progress. It will uplift humanity by promoting brotherhood, upholding righteousness and saturating every thought, word and act with reverence and humility. 23. 7. 70 Bhaaratheeya culture will remain strong and sustaining so long as the Ganga flows. Even if the Ganga dries, the culture will remain fresh and fulfilling. For, the world needs it and it is changed with eternal values. The Himalayas, which form the bastion of Bhaarath, are symbols of its might and majesty; they remind us of the purity that we should develop in ourselves; they teach us that we should be as firm, as unshaken as the snow-clad peaks, as unaffected by the noise and turmoil of the bazaars of mankind. The Ganga that originates from these ranges is the symbol of the rectitude that is the basis of Indian culture. The Yamuna, which also rises in the Himalayas, is the symbol for the senses of justice, that is a valuable element in its make-up; the Saraswathi is the symbol of the sincerity that is the very basis of spiritual discipline, recommended in the scriptures. The Saraswathi is the subterranean river that joins the Ganga and Yamuna at Prayaag. 23. 3. 84 Health is very important for a fully disciplined life. Health means wholeness, fullness. The senses and the mind have to be controlled and regulated, so that man can win the battle of life. Self-control is sense - control, mind control. This is otherwise called ‘culture’ culture must be evident in every respect of life - while studying, eating, sleeping, playing games. Culture expresses itself as discipline.

22. 11. 88 Culture refines the human spirit and makes one a complete human being. Culture seeks to integrate the various aspects of daily life and develop a unified outlook. It should enable one to transcend the division of caste, creed and community and realise the divine unity that underlies the apparent diversity.

DEATH 27. 9. 60 Prema is the seed, Bhakthi is the seedling, the sapling. Faith is the manure, Sathsanga (holy company) is the rain, offering of the Self is the flower and merging together the fruit. With that, one must throw off this coil and become free. 8. 10. 64 Even the best of doctors will not be able to save a man when death calls. Men have to respond to that call, whether they are on a pilgrimage to Kedhara or before the ritual fire. Death brooks no delay; death accepts no excuse. Tears do not move His heart, nor can threats keep Him away. 2. 3. 65 When you know that thieves have broken into your neighbour’s house, you become extra cautious and every night, before you retire, you examine every lock and bolt in the house. When you know that death has carried away a victim from the house next door, why do you not examine yourselves, whether you are equipped to meet it when it comes for you? Why do you immerse yourselves in distractions like building houses, piling bank-balances, celebrating picnics, contesting elections? Engage yourselves rather in things that will make you immortal, save your best interests by service to the world. Seek your own reality? That is what a wise man should do. 25. 3. 65 Use the moment while it is available, for the best of uses, the awareness of the Divine in all. When you die, you must die not like a tree or a beast or a worm, but, like a Man who has realised that he is God. That is the consummation of all the years you spend in the human frame. 30. 3. 65 The God of Death is called Kaala, Time. Time is God of Death; time knows no mercy; when the time is over, you have to leave; each day, your span is shortened by 24 hours. He is as omnipresent and omnipotent as Time. He does not run a rope factory to drag into his home all the millions who die. The dying person has the rope already spun and twisted round his neck. he has only to come and pull! He spins the rope by every act of his, during all the years of his life, now or in the past. All acts done with egoism, self interest, an eye on the beneficial consequences, the fruits, give a little more length, a stronger twist, to that rope. 20. 2. 66 There must be a sense of urgency in you when you take to the spiritual path. For, death is lying in wait to snatch you off. 23. 3. 66 Death is pictured by some as a terror-striking God who rides a monster-buffalo, and pounces on you with a noose. No, the noose is of your own making. He does not pounce; he gives advance notice of his arrival to take you - notice in the form of intimation like grey hair, falling teeth, failing vision, deafness of hearing, folding of the skin, etc. He does not ride any beast; he is only another name for Time. It is Time that

creeps steadily towards you and sheers the cord of life. So, utilise the capacity of Karma (action) with which you are endowed, and liberate yourself from the clutches of Time. 15. 10. 66 Death is not a deplorable event; it is the journeys end, the owner getting out of the car when the time is out and the goal is reached. It is a consummation, a happy conclusion, or at least it ought to be, if only all are wise enough to treat it as such and be prepared for it. 9. 3. 67 It is the height of foolishness to lose faith in God when some one you cared for dies. The sentence that he earned is over and he is released. No one is born and allowed to live for the sake of another. Do not therefore allow any circumstance to affect your faith in God, who is your strength and solace. 29. 3. 68 The tiger lies in wait in a bush by the jungle track; it pounces on its prey and drags it to its lair. So too, death lies in wait for man. It trails behind him with silent pause and when the hour strikes, it leaps and shapes the thread of life. Flowers fade, fruit rot, and trees wither. Rely on the Shiva (God) in you, not on the corpse that the body is, without Him. With every breath, draw His Glory in; with every breath, exhale all that reduces His Glory. Saturate your thoughts, word and deed with Divinity. Then, you can conquer death, and become immortal. Recite the name of Shiva and save yourself. 18. 8. 68 Death is not the merciless foe he is made out to be, he is the friend and companion, the teacher, the kindly kisman who takes you into his fold and clothes you with the halo of remembrance. 23. 9. 68 Death stalks its prey everywhere, at all times with relentless determination. It pursues its victims into hospitals, hill stations, theatres, aeroplanes, submarines, in fact, no one can escape it or take refuge from its grasp. God alone is the giver of life, the guardian of life and the goal of life. Do not contemplate on Death; it is just an incident in life; contemplate on God, who is the master of all life - God who is the Indweller in this physical frame. Beware of Him all through life and offer all your activity - breathing, talking, walking, earning and spending - to Him, for it was by Him and through Him that you were able to do all these things. You go to bed on a certain date and day; you awake to find that the date and the day have changed! You have grown a day older; death has come a step nearer. Much water has flowed under the bridge. Similarly, when you go into sleep (death), great changes happen. ; you awake to a new date and a new day, with old tendencies and traits still affecting the new embodiment. Life is one long ordeal; know this even when things seems to be quite exhilarating. Any moment the road may turn into a morass, the sky may darken, fortune may turn away. 23. 11. 68 Birth and death are inevitable incidents in the careers of physical sheaths. Worth is judged by what happens in the interval. That is what one has to be jubilant over. Utilise that period for the progress of the spirit. 12. 10. 69 All have to die, sooner or later. No one will be anxious to have the same dress on for years and years. Death is but the casting off of old clothes. When even Avatars leave the body after the task is fulfilled, how can man be saved from inevitable dissolution. ? 9. 6. 70

It is said in the Geetha that when the word for Brahman, namely Om, is spelt by the dying with the last breath, he attains Brahman. But, you can spelt it then, only when you have been dwelling upon Om all through the years of life. Mere ejaculation of Om at the point of departure will not save; the final Om must be the flower blossoming on the creeper of life, that has twined itself on God all one’s life. 18. 7. 70 The contemplation of death is the very foundation of spiritual discipline. Without it, man is certain to fall into falsehood, pursuing the objects of the sense - pleasure, and trying to accumulate material, worldly riches. Death is no ominous calamity; it is a step into the auspicious brightness beyond. It is inescapable; it cannot be bribed away adjourned by certificates of good conduct or testimonials from the great. Once born, death is inevitable end. But, it is possible to escape birth and thereby, escape death. For, birth is the consequence of karma. Do karma which breeds no consequence, no after-effects which have to be lived through - and you need not be born again. Engage in activity, as duty; or engage in activity, as ‘offering of worship to God’ - then, such activity will breed no after-effects. This problem of escaping death, achieving immortality is the very core of inquiry. 24. 3. 74 Do not attach yourselves too much with the world, for, it is ever changing fast and furiously. Be ever ready to fall into the hands of Death, gladly and gracefully, with gratitude for the chances afforded while alive. Never grieve, for God is resident in you as your Truth. 5. 2. 81 Death is always waving its sharp sword over the head but, unmindful of this imminent and inescapable fate, many are lost in plans to build rich, prosperous and lavarious lives for themselves. They live in hope and dreams of better days. The Fire of Wisdom alone is capable of reducing these plans and hopes into ash. 26. 10. 81 Death is an inescapable fact of life. So, be warned. While life lasts, busy yourselves in activity; cross the lake while the boat is intact. Fill the reservoir when it rains, so that in times of drought, you can feed the fields. Do intense sadhana now, when you are young and strong so that you can be in peace and joy all your life. Many postpone spiritual exercises until old age, when they hope to retire from their professional activities. But, once you retire, every limbs of yours will be too tired to work effectively. 10. 8. 93 There is no escape for anyone from the consequences of his actions. Death may come at any time, in any place, in any form. No one can tell the time or manner of anyone's death. It is pre-ordained. Death is born together with birth. And death must come in the way it is bound to come. The Lord, however, is a witness to all happenings. In some instances, He gives prior indications and warnings. When these are heeded, the person concerned gets sanctified when one disregards them, he forfeits his sanctity. One, therefore, should do his duty.

DEDICATION 14. 10. 64 It is dedication to the Lord that sanctifies all activities. He is the ralso d’etre for activity. He is the prompter, the executor, the giver of the required strength and skill, the enjoyer of the fruit thereof. So, dedication must come naturally to you, for, all is His and nothing yours! Your duty is to believe He is the impeller of your activities, and draw strength from the belief. Until the wound heals and the new skin hardens, the bandage must protect the place. So too, until Reality is realised, the balm of faith, of holy company, and holy thoughts must be applied to the ego - affected mind. 2. 4. 65

You must develop this attitude of ‘merging’ with the divine in all that you do, This attitude of dedication, of surrender to His Will. This is the best means of realising Him. 15. 10. 69 Dedication is to be carried out in various ways. Take the food that we consume. Offer it to God, before you partake of it. Then it is rendered pure and potent. Any act done for the glorification of God is thereby rendered pure and potent. It is incapable of harming the doer, the beneficiary, or society, for, it is saturated with Love, which is God.

DESIRE 14. 12. 58 Man always seeks happiness by trying to satisfy his desires and if a desire is fulfilled, he feels joy and when it is not, he feels grief. But the trouble is, desire is a bonfire that burns with great fury, asking for more fuel. One desire leads to ten; and man exhausts himself in trying to exhaust the demands of desire. He has to be turned back from this path of never-ending desire to the path of inner content and joy. 12. 4. 59 Do not engage yourself in the cultivation of or the promotion of wants and desires. That is never-ending process of sowing and reaping; you will never reach contentment. One desire when satisfied will fan the thirst for ten more. Do not run after devious desires or crooked satisfactions. All roads leading to the realm of the senses are tortuous and blind; only the road that leads to God is straight. Cultivate the path of straightforwardness in everything. That will reveal the Atma. 26. 10. 61 Reduce your wants; minimise your desires. All these material knick - knacks are short-lived. when death deprives you of resistance, your kith and kin take off the nose-stud and in their haste they may even cut the nose to retrieve it! If you go on heaping desire upon desire, it will be impossible to depart gladly when the call comes. Become rich rather in virtue, in the spirit of service, in devotion to the High Power. That is what pleases Me and saves you. 4. 10. 62 Take everything as it comes; cultivate contentment; do not multiply your wants and foster greed and despair. You take off your warm clothing when you start feeling warm yourself. The coat of desire has to be taken off when the warmth of bhakthi increases. Strive to secure Grace, do not strive to secure any lesser fruit. 21. 11. 62 Desire (kaama) is not a vice, for it is given the status of one of the goals of human endeavour (Prushaartha). Develop desire, but not for the material, the momentary. Desire for the deathless, the indestructible. Desire for the steady development of faith in the Holy Scriptures (Shaasthras) as a means to this. 26. 11. 62 If you must be happy, one of two things must happen. All your desires must be fulfilled, or you should not have any desire. Of these, the reduction of desire is the easier path. 19. 2. 64 Kaama (desire) has a two-headed son, Krodha - lobha by name, the twin-headed monster anger-greed. Through the malignant designs of these three, you are robbed of lasting happiness. 15. 8. 64

Kaama is the three-headed demon; when you win your desire, you develop lobha (miserly greed), to retain the gain and see that it multiplies; when you are defeated in desire, you develop Krodha (resentment, anger); even thapas (penance) might not transmute such a character, as seen in the case of Bhasmaasura, who sought to destroy the very Lord who granted him the boon he was after! Kaama, lobha and krodha (desire, greed and anger) are all forms of rajoguna(quality of passion and activity), the feverish activity that ignores the ‘means’ while concentrating on the ‘end’. Rajoguna pursues the goal, but is not particular about the correctness of the path. 14. 1. 65 What is the root of worry? Wants; and the efforts to fulfil them; and the fear of not succeeding to the extent desired. Reduce wants and you reduce worry. 2. 10. 65 Of course, man can have some desires, some eagerness to achieve comfort, some attempt to earn content - but, it must be like the diseased man craving for medicine. 3. 10. 65 When worship is rendered with a view to fulfil desires and realise wishes, the precious prize will be lost. Worship must cleanse the heart, so that the indwelling God may shine in all His Glory; but desires tarnish, instead of cleansing. 5. 10. 65 The petty craving for wealth and fame multiply hate and envy; the paltry desire for sensual pleasure produces a harvest of factions. They reduce man to the level of beasts and even worse. 17. 3. 66 Speaking of the Raamayana, you will notice that there are two little incidents, centred round two minor characters, which sparked off the entire epic; the resentment of Manthara and the lust of Suurpanakha - Krodha and Kaama. In the life - epic of each of you, beware of these two, Kodha (anger) and Kaama (desire); a tiny spark of each is enough to destroy peace and joy. Weed them out, before they destroy you. 27. 3. 66 Man has to diminish desire to become free from delusion; desire comes of attachment; deliverance comes from detachment. 8. 9. 66 Cleanse the heart with the water of prema and the detergents prayer and condition, so that the stains of desire might be removed. Then God will pour His Grace into it. You should give up attachment to the external world and to the body, if you yearn for God. There is no use trying to have one foot in one boat and the other foot in another boat. 17. 10. 66 Be free from desires that drag you down; have only yearning to come face to face with the Truth. That Truth is shining inside you, waiting to be discovered. 4. 10. 67 Man is burdened with desires; he plans to brighten the future, and wipe out the past. The tiny seed of desire grows soon into a mighty tree; so you have to fry the seed in the fire of penance (thapas), so that it may not sprout. The fire of detachment will fry the seed of desire, down to the last trace of life in it. 8. 10. 67 The fundamental factor in spiritual life is the suppression of desire; the surrender of the individual will to the Divine Will, which will elevate thoughts, words and deeds into act of worship.

The magnifying glass draws the rays of the sun on a single point and can set fire to paper or grass. So too, concentration of attention can destroy the seeds of wanton desire. that is why I advise a few minutes of Dhyaana every day, both in the early morning hours and in the evening after dusk. 22. 11. 67 Wishes can never win peace; a wish is tiny seed from out of which a huge tree emanates, the tree in its turn scatters a crore of seeds, which sprout into crores of trees. Fry the seed and it will not sprout again. When wishes multiply quick and fast, concentration is impossible; when water is poured on a height, it flows along the inclines, down into the hollows. Concentration is the reverse process; rolling a rock uphill. this requires unintermittent effort, unbroken attention, and ceaseless striving. Allow confidence to slacken but a moment - the rock will come rolling down. 13. 5. 68 The mind is the source of all desire; so, try to acquire, not diamond, but, ‘die-mind’,. Let all desires for sense objects die, or, concentrate all desires on God. Surrender all desires to Him. Surrender all instincts, impulses, attachments to Him. 24. 9. 68 Ideals must become higher and grander. Desires must become more and more selfless and sublime. Attachment must be transmuted into nobler and subtler emotions. 15. 5. 69 Every one is eager to be happy; every one wants to work less and gain more, give little and get amply, but no one experiments with the other method, that is, wanting less and giving more. Every want is a shackle that hinders movement, that is a drag on the foot. A young college student can roam free on his two legs; when he marries, he becomes four - footed! A child makes him six - footed; the range of his movements is restricted. The more the feet, the less the speed. , the tighter his grip on the ground; the centipede has to crawl. More things, more hurdles, more handicaps. Accumulation of sofas and chairs, cots and tables, shelves and curious clutter the hall and render movements slow and risky. Reduce wants, live simply, that is the way to happiness Desire discolours the intelligence; it prevents judgement; it sharpens the appetites of the senses. It lends a false lure to the objective world. When desire disappears or is concentrated on God, Intelligence is self-luminous, it shines in its pristine splendour and that splendour reveals the God within and without. That is the real Atma Saakshaathkaara (Realisation of the Self) 29. 7. 69 Seetha was the daughter of the greatest jnaani and philosopher of the age, Janaka. She was the consort of the Lord; her father-in-law the mighty emperor Dasharatha. Nevertheless, when her Lord was exiled and sent into the forest for 14 years, she gave up all the luxuries to which she had become accustomed, and insisted on being taken by Him into the same forest, as His companion. What tremendous detachment. What admirable adherence to the dictates of morality! But, when she saw in the woods, a ‘golden deer’ , desire entered her head; as a result she had to suffer the agony of separation from the Lord. That is the tragedy of desire, arising from the senses and the mind. He who instructs you to give up desire is the real Guru. 3. 9. 69 A rolling stone, it is said, gathers no moss; the stone that stays put is encrusted with moss. The mind that rolls from book to book, that delineates the charm of Divinity, cannot get encrusted with moss is material desire. 4. 10. 70 The mind is first a pattern of desires, a composite of the warp and worf of plans and resolutions. It has immense potentiality to create manifold images, and so is also called imagination. Imagination hides the Truth. It fogs the intellect, perverts the vision, deviates the straight path of the aspirant. Desire creates a

mirage where there was none before. Desire emposes beauty where there was none before; it clothes things with desirability. To escape from the clutches of desire, which gives birth to the brood of anger, hatred, malice, greed, envy, faction, falsehood etc. , one has to cleanse his consciousness by prayer and Sath Karma (good activity, selfless, desireless activity). 20. 11. 70 Each one is saturated today from head to foot, with desires of one kind or another - for wealth, for social status, for fame, for luxurious life etc. Sundry cravings assail man from all sides at all times. They go on growing in number and force incessantly. The embankments of discipline, and duty are swept away by flood of desire. So, you should cultivate detachment, develop renunciation & keep desire in check. The end of human life is not wealth or vanity, gold or worldly fame. Be moral, be virtuous. Be sincere in thought deed & word. Be honest to yourself. Money comes & goes! But, morality comes and grows! So man has to give up the yearning for money and yearn for more and more morality. Man can liberate himself from the cycle of birth and death through detachment from the senses and attachment to the inquiry into his real nature. You may know a person who are friends or foes today and who may turn out to be foes or friends tomorrow. But, of this be certain: Desire is a perpetual foe. The more we yield to this foe, the more dominant it becomes, the more you are enthralled and enslaved. 21. 11. 70 The morning shadow moves in front of you when you go West, however fast you run you cannot catch it, on plain or mountain, or the shadow may pursue you and you cannot escape from it. This is the nature of desire. You may pursue it or it may pursue you - but you cannot overcome it or catch it. Desire is an insubstantial shadow, but, turn desire inward, towards spiritual treasure, then, it yields substantial results. Desire is an insubstantial shadow. But, turn desire inward, towards spiritual treasure; then, it yields substantial results. When you are engaged in the various activities of this Organisation, dedicate all desires to God, do everything as the command of the God, whom you have installed in your hearts. 30. 3. 73 Desire leads to anger, when it is foiled; and anger weakens the body. It impairs the digestive system and chases him fast into old age. 23. 11. 73 When one is sunk in the silence of ‘desire’ one cannot distinguish with clarity between ‘good’ and ‘bad’. In order to achieve this, the intellect has to be pure and clear, sharp and straight. There should not be the slightest trace of egoism, envy or greed In the make-up of man; for these will drag the arguments at a tangent. Vacillating minds, wandering eyes - these cannot help the intellect to decide correctly. 20. 2. 74 When there is no desire to warp the mind, Love could be true and full. 1. 3. 74 Desire involves seeking beyond the limits of possibility. What has to be done is, to pluck out desire by the roots; man must give up the desire for objective pleasure based on the illusion that the world is many, manifold, multi-coloured etc. and not on the Truth that the world, nature, all creation is ONE. When one is conscious only of the ONE, who desires which? what can be acquired and enjoyed by the second person? The Aathmic Vision destroys the desire for objective joys, for, there is no object distinct from the subject. 23. 11. 74 Desire can be killed, only when faith in the Atma as the very core of being is firmly established. Since all efforts are not directed to the accumulation of material goods and the satisfaction of sensual desires, man is tossed about on the waves of fight and faction, falsehood and greed. The individual is intimately related to society and so, his restlessness affects society too. 1. 4. 75

Desires when fulfilled breed further desires; when unfulfilled, they lead to further instalments of life on earth, in order to calm the urge. The only method by which the delusion of desire can be destroyed is to dedicate all activities to God and engage in them in a spirit of worship, leaving the consequences to Him and ceasing to attach yourselves to them. 29. 3. 76 Man is afflicted by money since he is caught in the coils of never-ending desire and all consuming greed. Casting off these trammels, man has to march on towards the goal of realising God which is his innermost Truth. 1. 8. 76 Desire is the worst enemy and it has to be canalised and reduced with determination until it ceases to bother you. Besides desire, anger and greed also have to be discarded, for they are present whenever there is desire. Desire is bad even if it is for fame and authority. It is the avance for power and pelf that ruins many a human life. 29. 3. 79 It is only when the individual is prepared to sacrifice his selfish desires and toil for the welfare of society - that the nation will prosper. Then only will the world have peace. 23. 11. 80 The tree originates from the seed. Desire is the seed from which man appears on earth. If man has no desire and no resolution to satisfy then man need not be born, to realise the unfulfilled desire. And he need not dies. So, man has to minimise desires and give up seeking the fulfilment of desire. Desire is what makes man feeble and fearful. He cannot rise to his full of stature when burdened with desire. 5. 2. 81 Prices of articles have risen sky-high today, mostly because the desires of man have increased wildly. Limit desires, decrease the demand and the prices will have to come down. Develop Vairaagya as Vedhantha instructs. Vairaagya means ‘renunciation’ - not renouncing property and family ties, but renouncing the hold that the mind, and the desire it breeds have on you. Burn all traces of envy, pride and greed. Fill your hearts with selfless Love. 3. 10. 81 When each desire is fulfilled God is loved, adored and thanked. When no desire is fulfilled, God is denied, discarded and dismissed! Desire involves seeking beyond the limits of possibility. What has to be done is to pluck out the desires their roots. When the desire is limited to God and concentrated on God, success is assured and each step contributes its Ananda. Once you collect desires, you become their slave; you will find no end to them. When they are attained, others assail you and still leave you discontented. Be aware of your innate Divinity and show these recurring desires their due place. The Atma in you is unaffected by desire or defeat or victory. They are passing clouds. The Sun is not concerned with their comings and goings. 27. 10. 82

Man is activated by desire; he plans and designs to win what he desires. Human life is a process where man awaits the harvest of the desires he sows. The desire has to be not for self-advancement but for peace, happiness and prosperity for all. Only then can the Vedhic prayer mentioned above be realised. 14. 5. 84 It is natural for men not to be content with what they have, but to desire for more and more goods and more and more comforts. But is seeking fulfilment of such desires, one should take care not to cause any harm or suffering to others. Man thinks that the more he has of worldly goods the happier he would be. But, as desires grow, disappointments and troubles also increase. There should be a limit to our desires, attachments and ambitions. The world is suffering from numerous troubles because people set no limits on their desires. Nature has prescribed limits for everything - for the temperature of the body, the capacity of the eye to tolerate light or for the ear to listen to sound. When these limits are crossed, harm is caused to the organs concerned. When desires are controlled genuine happiness is experienced. 14. 7. 84 Desires continually crop up in man. He is always wanting something. He yearns for various things. But this yearning for material things cannot be regarded as love. This may be called apeksha (fascination for worldly objects). When the yearning is turned towards God and becomes an intense longing for spiritual attainments, it is called Prema. Prema (love) is not related to the mind. It springs from the heart. That is why, divinity can be realised only through the heart. 23. 11. 84 Curbing desire is the only means to achieve mental peace. 18. 8. 85 ‘There is no worse disease than desire’. Contemporary man is afflicted by endless desires. These desires are the cause of innumerable diseases. There must be a limit to desires. Today desires grow limitlessly. Consequently, diseases also increases limitlessly. Owing to endless desires, man is affected mentally and this gives rise to many bodily ailments. Hence everyone should try as far as possible to keep a check on desires. 23. 11. 85 When the spirit of inquiry gets sharper and deeper, it leads man beyond realms of the senses and even the feeble faculty of reason, beyond the stars and space, and helps him to dive into the boundless ocean of Bliss. Instead, if Kama gets bogged down in the distracting objective world, it plungers man in misery. When kama is directed towards spiritual progress, it rewards man, filling his heart with Divine Delight. For, the Divine is free from mental modes or physical forms; it has no likes or dislikes; it is not bound by time or space. It is ever pure, ever conscious; it is free from the blemish of duality. only persons endowed with unruffled serenity can have a Vision of the Divine, and achieve the heroic victory. April 86 A bird swaying on the branch of a tree has no fear because it relies for its safety not on the branch but on its wings. Man, on the contrary, has no confidence in his own inner Self. He is dependent on others. He is ready to abase himself for the sake of position or office. The basic reason for this lamentable predicament is the ill-concerned craving for undesirable things. Man’s desires are limitless. Man is attached to things none of which will accompany him when he dies. He should realise that there is greater joy in giving, than in possession and accumulation. Renouncing is as essential as acquiring. If there is no exhalation of breath in the wake of inhalation, man will not be able to survive.

27. 9. 87 Man today is prey to endless desires. They do not confer happiness, because desires multiply even as they are satisfied. Far from bringing happiness, desires only lead to misery and frustration. Desires are born out of delusion. It is only when the delusion is destroyed that the self can be realised. 10. 88 If you can conquer desire, the world becomes a mere play. Desire is storm, Greed is whirlpool, Pride is precipice, Attachment is avalanche, Ego is volcano, Discard desire and you are liberalised. Desire deprives one of the power to discriminate between right and wrong action. One loses the capacity to judge the consequences of one's actions. Desire is the destroyer of Karma (action) Anger " " " wisdom Greed " " " devotion. Who is the richest man in the world? Not the millionaire or the billionaire. It is the man who is fully satisfied with what he has. He who is filled with desires is the poorest man in the world. One who wishes to realise the Divine should cultivate contentment. 21. 5. 92 When a child is born, he is innocent of all desires. As he grows older, desires multiply. These desires have to be kept within limits. Life is a long journey and the less luggage you carry, the greater the comfort. Reducing desires is the true mark of civilisation. Only when desires are reduced will peace be secured. As desires grow, peace is lost. 1. 1. 93 All actions which are performed with the feeling that they are intended as offerings to please the Divine, do not lead to bondage. They become "desireless" actions. 24. 3. 93. It is not practicable to give up all desires totally. But limit your desires to essential minimum. Do not cherish excessive or endless desires in respect of wealth or other possessions. Promote the sense of contentment. The discontented man loses everything. Only the contended man can experience real joy. The man with endless desires is the poorest man. The man with no desires is the richest man. The rich man can have no sleep. You must no doubt earn enough to meet your reasonable needs. But excessive wealth is undesirable. 6. 4. 93. Desire is all right as long as it is within reasonable limits. 7. 4. 93 One should reduce desires to progress in spiritual sadhana. 20. 5. 93 The body is just an instrument. We eat to sustain the body. We need food for the protection of the body and cloths for protection from cold & heat. The body is a source of all diseases arising out of desire. Desire gives rise to attachment and hatred. There is nothing wrong in having desires for food, shelter & clothing. It is excessive desire that causes attachment and disappointment. Desire should be within limits. It should not become a hidden sickness. The desire to hoard is not there in buds and beasts, but it is rampant only among human beings. Man loses his human quality because of his greed for hoarding for selfish purposes.

30. 8. 93 The Lord is one who from within makes a person act, speak, listen, see and do many other actions. If a person performs all actions with the conviction that the indwelling Lord is the real doer, then his actions become "desireless". 10. 93 The pleasure derived by the senses from worldly objects are transient, while real happiness lies in experiencing the bliss from the Inner Self. People are unhappy because of ‘Thrishra’, or the insatiable thirst for worldly pleasures. Desires are always multiplying endlessly. The only way to overcome misery or grief is to put curb on desires. 7. 10. 93 Control of the senses (and the desires arising from them) is almost impossible. What can be done, however is to turn all the desire towards the divine. What can be done 18. 10. 93 Desire is the main cause of grief. Desire will go on multiplying as and when one is fulfilled, it gives rise to another and this goes on endlessly. True bliss consists in controlling desires. 14. 10. 94 The veil of Maaya (illusion) envelops man and makes him go astray. What is this Maaya? It is the combined expression of the three gunas - satwa, Rajas and Thamas (the pure, the emotional and the lethargic). The Vedas have declared that it is only when man overcomes the three gunas that he would be able to get rid of Maaya (the illusion) which makes one see the unreal as real. There are four kinds of tendencies in man: the animal, the demonic, the human and the Divine. Of the three constituents of man - the body, the mind and the Atma - when man ignores the mind and the Atma and identifies himself with the body, he manifests only his animal qualities. When the body and the Atma are forgotten and only the mind alone is predominant, one becomes demonic. When the body and the mind are forgotten and one is immersed in the Atmic Consciousness, one becomes Divine. 23. 11. 94 What one gets in life is dependent partly on what he has earned by his actions. This is called 'Praa rabbdham. ' This is by its nature temporary. What is got as the fruit of a past action will not last long. Forgetting this fact and forgetting also his true nature ('Swabhavam') man is carried away by the transient and acts according to his whims. People in the world today are taking to evil ways and cherishing evil thoughts the like of which have never before prevailed. Men are consumed by a limitless passion for wealth and power. No doubt money is necessary for meeting one's daily needs. But even here there should be a limit. The vast ocean when it swells beyond its bounds, cause disaster. The food that is required for sustaining the body is conducive to health only when it is consumed within limits. Over-eating poisons the physical system. Food may give satisfaction or cause illness. By his food habits man is becoming a prey to disease. Food is essential, but it must be taken within limits for it to be wholesome. Likewise wealth is essential but within limits. When there is excessive wealth, many dangers ensue. With excessive wealth man turns arrogant and loses the sense of discrimination between right and wrong. 25. 12. 94 True liberation means freedom from desires. 11. 7. 95 Man’s entire life is filled with desires which are endless and ever mounting. Man can achieve peace of mind only by the conquest of desire

18. 8. 95 The feeling of ‘I’, ‘mine’ is the rot cause of all man’s troubles. Attachment and possessiveness cannot be totally eschewed. But there should be limits for them. Insatiable desires are the cause of the growth of peacelessness. The Gopikas and gopalas lived a life of contentment. They had only one desire: the yearning for God.

DESPAIR 9. 9. 59 Despair is a sin against God; when He is in you, why do you lose hope? That is why the Lord says when I am here, why do you fear? Be always joyful, optimistic and courageous. 25. 6. 60 Never yield to indolence or despair. Suffer loss and grief gladly; they help to toughen your personality. The diamond is found amidst rocks; you will have to blast through the Vein to get gold. Fellow the strict regimen that the doctor enforces in order to make the medicine yield the best result. 25. 12. 95 Today people all over the world are racked by fears of various sorts. There is no peace anywhere. But people should not give way to despair. They should face the situation with courage, without bothering about the results.

DETACHMENT 10. 7. 59 Keep the flame of detachment with tiny sticks until it grows into a big bonfire; welcome all chances to develop detachment. If you are good for the world, then the Lord of worlds will shower Love on you. Become a blossom, exude the fragrance of selfless service and Love; then I shall gladly wear the garland composed of all of you. You must liberate yourself from attachment to fleeting things and grow strong and be above temptation. 15. 10. 64 Practise detachment from now on; practise it little by little, for a day will come sooner or later when you will have to give up all that you hold dear. Do not go on adding to the things which bind you to them. Bind yourself to the Great liberator, God. 26. 11. 64 Give each problem the attention it deserves; but do not allow it to overpower you. Anxiety will not solve any difficulty; coolness comes from detachment. Above all, believe in God and the efficacy of prayer; the Lord has said he who does good, thinks good and speaks good will not come to harm. That is the way to get Equanimity, Shaanthi. 24. 2. 65 Detachment is a precious spiritual quality, which, if it must sustain you, must be based on jnaana. 3. 3. 65 The tongue has oil, fat and greasy substances, rolling over it; but, it is unaffected by these; it does not become greasy. The eye is unaffected by the collyrium. The mind too must be unaffected by the experiences of success and failure, of gain and loss, of well-being and illnesses; it must be surrendered at

the Feet of the Lord. Let His Will prevail what profit does your little will bring you? Just close your eyes for five minutes and think of the profit your efforts have won for you. 30. 3. 65 Though people discover soon that no one can be happy fully, by getting rich or becoming an expert in any science or master of any art, or building up a healthy physique, still, they seek happiness through these means alone. What has to be done is to develop detachment step by step, dwelling on God and fixing attention on His Grace, power and wisdom. 14. 7. 65 One has to practise detachment at every step, or else, greed and miserliness will overpower the finer natures of man. That nature is Divine, because, God is the very substance of which man is but a name and form. To realise it, one has to possess and develop the discrimination between the unchanging and the changing, the permanent and the temporary. 16. 3. 66 Really speaking, the body has to be treated as a wound that has to be washed, bandaged, and treating with medicated ointment, three or four times a day. That is the real purpose of food and drink and raiment. Thirst is the disease; drink is the drug. Hunger is the disease; food is the medicine. Craving for pleasure is the disease for which detachment is the medicine. 15. 10. 66 One must develop deep detachment. It is no use becoming so enthusiastic to renounce some food or drink to which you have become bound, when you hear a discourse or when some religious text is expounded within hearing. Detach yourself from all that keeps you away from God. 28. 3. 67 You have to read the newspaper to know how mad and foolish the world is; how futile is heroism, how momentary the glory; and after pursuing it for the information it conveys, you throw it aside; it is now a tasteless waste. So too, live but once; so live that you are born but once. Do not fall in love with the world so much that your false fascination brings you again and again into this delusive amalgam of joy and grief. Unless you stand back a little, away from entanglement with the world, knowing that it is all a play whose director is God, you are in danger of being too closely involved. Use the world as a training ground for sacrifice, service, expansion of the heart, cleansing of the emotions. That is the only value it has. 29. 9. 68 Detachment is a plant of slow growth; if you pluck the tender plant to look for the pods, you will be disappointed. So, too, long and constant practise alone is rewarded by the peace that Grace offers. Grace is acquired by surrender, as Krishna has declared in the Geetha. 8. 10. 70 The inherent nature of fire is ‘to burn’; of water, ‘to wet’; of stone ‘ to be heavy’. The nature of man consists in the yearning ‘to know’. This attribute has come into man from the moment he put on this body and entered the stage, to play the present role. You are now believing that you are the role. And, enjoying and suffering as a result of that belief. Just as you get cured of the bite you get from a snake in your dream as soon as you wake up, so too, when you awake from maaya, and become yourself. The fear and grief will disappear. When an actor weeps or laughs on the stage, he watches his own weeping or laughing and tries to make it more realistic and effective. So too, be the witness of your activities and thoughts; keep afar and away, without attachment or disgust. 21. 11. 70 Our thoughts are the cotton, the desires which they mould are the threads, and the intermingling and the interaction of these desires is the cloth, made out of warp and woof. When the threads (desires) are

removed one by one, the cloth (mind) disappears. It is best to have as few desires as possible. Less luggage, more comfort, make travel a pleasure, as the railways remind you. If you have to lessen your luggage for a short railway journey, how urgent it is to lessen the luggage when you are on the much longer journey of Life! This process of lessening luggage is called, in spiritual language Vairaagya (Detachment). 12. 12. 70 It is only by cultivation of detachment, by denying the senses the thrills they thirst for, it is only diving deeper into the depths of one’s being, by believing that you have some depths that will reward exploration, that one can capture the exhilaration of that tranquillity. This is the highest morality, for when this is done, man is saturated with love and has no trace any more of malice or hate or greed or lust. 20. 4. 75 Vairaagyam (detachment) does not imply renunciation of family ties and fleeing into the loneliness of the jungle. It means our giving up the feeling that things are permanent, and capable of yielding supreme joy. The Raamayana insists this wise, valid, valuable detachment or thyaaga (sacrifice). Raama gladly journeys into the forest as an exile, the moment he knows that his father’s wish was that he should do so; and, remember, he was to be crowned Emperor just that moment by the same person who ordered him to go into exile. When those who have full powers and claims, renounce positions of authority in the Raamayana, we see today persons with no powers or claims, clamouring to occupy position of authority! 23. 11. 76 The Vedhas proclaim that Immortality is feasible through renunciation and detachment only, and not through rituals, progency or wealth. When man renounces selfish desires, his love expands unto the farthest regions of the universe until he becomes aware of the Cosmic love. 1. 6. 77 Develop viveka (wisdom) and vairaagya (detachment) and then your hearts will bloom into fragrant beauty. 1981 Detachment alone can give happiness. Renunciation is the real yoga. Three evil qualities have to be renounced before man can rise to his real role. Anger which smothers wisdom, lust which pollutes the deed and greed which destroys one’s love for God and man. The touchstone which pronounces an act as meritorious is ‘renunciation’. If an act is self-directed, if it helps to inflate the ego, it is a sin. 26. 10. 81 Detachment alone can lead one to the awareness of the immortal Self. That is the price one has to offer to receive the reward. Give up and gain, that is the Divine Law. 20. 11. 84 For man, haunted by fear and anxiety, the only way to get rid of fear was to cultivate non-attachment to worldly things. To develop detachment man has to perceive the unity that underlies the diversity in the world. To realise this unity man has to give up the ego, the feeling of ‘I’ and ‘You’. This can arise only when the heart is made pure. Seva is the primary means through which the heart is purified. The essence of all learning is detachment. The basic foundation of all education is fearlessness. The goal of all education is Fullness. Fullness is realised through detachment. This does not mean renunciation of worldly life but giving up all evil qualities and tendencies. Such renunciation is true Yoga. 14. 10. 95 Detachment does not mean renouncing health and home and retiring to a forest. True detachment means giving up worldly feelings and developing godly thoughts.

DETERMINATION 22. 5. 93 If one has the determination anything is possible. If an ant has determination it can travel any distance. But, even an eagle, if it has no will to fly, will be confined to the ground. Resolve to accomplish what you want to with a firm determination. 25. 12. 93 To accomplish anything one wants, one should have firm determination. Those with fickle minds cannot achieve anything.

DEVOTION 10. 53 Install the Lord in your heart and offer Him the fruits of your actions and the flowers of your inner thoughts and feelings. That is the worship I like most, the devotion I appreciate most. 10. 7. 59 For yoga (divine union), devotion to God is the main thing, the head and the crown; peace and happiness are the other essentials. The fire of sorrow and joy burns when the fuel of vaasanas (impressions left on the mind by actions of past lives) is fed into the furnace of the mind. Take away the fuel and the fire dies out. Take away the vaasanas, the force of the impulses, prompts and urges you become your own master. This is done in yoga by various psychological exercises. But Bhakthi is the easier means for this end. Naamasmarana (remembering of God’s name is enough. 25. 6. 60 Devotion is simply the attachment towards God, affection towards the Supreme; one need not fly away from hearth and home to cultivate it. If the seed is planted far away from the parent tree, does it become any different? Boil it and then of course it will not grow again and burden the world. Similarly, boil your instincts and impulses and scorch the sensory cravings that enslave you. That brings you nearer to God, wherever you may be. 21. 9. 60 In all effort, if you trust in a Higher Power which is ready to come to your help, work is made easy. This comes out of devotion, reliance on the Lord, the source of all Power. When you travel by train, you have only to purchase the ticket, enter the proper train and take a seat, leaving the rest to the engine. why should you carry the bed and trunk on your head? So too, put your trust in the Lord and carry on to the best of your ability. Have faith in the Lord and His Grace. Try to earn it by using the intelligence and conscience with which He has endowed you. 29. 9. 60 Bhakthi affects your acts in three forms: you do some acts consciously in order to demonstrate your love or give rent to the Prema that animates you; you do acts as dedicated offerings to enhance the glory of the Lord, in a spirit of worshipful humility, as if you are laying at His feet all that you are and all that you are capable of, and you do acts which are full of Prema towards all as part of your mere existence, automatically, without any tinge of self or whiff of violence upsetting the perfume of the act. the dedicated act leads on to all activity being dedication; the Aanandha makes you feel that your effort has been worthwhile. That is the end, the aim, the inspiration. 23. 11. 60

It is the man with no faith that is tossed about on the sea, like a ship caught in a storm with neither rudder nor anchor. The Bhaktha bears the ups and downs of life, keeping the balance of his mind even. You sometimes talk as if the devotee leads a life beset with hardships and sorrows and that the man who does not bend before a Higher Power is care-free and prosperous; but this is a totally wrong idea. The Bhaktha sails on an even keel; he has inner peace, a spring of joy which sustains him and keeps him together. 28. 12. 60 Bhakthi is something sweet, soothing, refreshing and restoring. It must confer patience and fortitude. The bhaktha will not be perturbed if another gets the interview first or if another is given greater consideration. He is humble and bides his time: he knows that there is a higher power that knows more and that it is just and impartial. In the light of that knowledge, the Bhaktha will communicate his troubles and problems only to his Lord; he will not humiliate himself by talking about them to all and sundry, for what can a man, who is as helpless as himself, do to relieve him? It is only those who have that implicit faith in God, who will deign to communicate only with the Lord and none else, who deserve nectar of immortality. The Sthula dheha (gross body) should be ever immersed in holy company, the Suukshma dheha (subtle body), that is, the thoughts and feelings, should be ever immersed in the contemplation of the Glory of the Lord, That is the sign of the bhaktha. He who shouts and swears and advertises his worries to every one he meets and craves for sympathy, such a one can never be a bhaktha, such men are miscalled bhakthas. they make earnest men lose faith in Godly ways; earnest men feel they are superior to these pseudo - devotees. And this is a fact. It is a great responsibility to tread the Godward path. there is no sliding back, no halfway stop, no tardy pace, no side lane on such a pilgrimage It is always up and up, right to the crest of the mountain. 26. 2. 61 Do not think that only those who worship a picture or image with pompous paraphernalia are devotees. Whoever walks straight along the moral path whoever acts and speaks as he has seen. Whoever melts at an other’s woe and exults at an other’s joy - is a devotee, perhaps a greater devotee. 14. 1. 64 Worship or Bhakthi maarga is the name given to the path of surrender to the Lord’s will, the merging of the individual Will in the Will of the Universal 25. 2. 64 Devotion is Divine Love, unsullied by any tinge of desire for the benefit that flows from it or the fruit or consequence of that love. It is love that knows no particular reason for its manifestation. It is of the nature of the love of the soul for the Oversoul; the river for the sea; the creeper for the tree, the star for the sky, the spring for the cliff down which it flows. It is sweet, in bad times as well as good. 14. 10. 64 When the magnet does not attract the needle, the fault lies in the dirt that covers up the needle. When the Lord does not approach the devotee, the fault lies in the heart of the devotee; it is not pure enough. 26. 3. 65 Bhakthi must be disciplined and controlled. There are no shortcuts in the spiritual field. As a matter of fact, bhakthi is even more difficult than jnaana; for, to get the attitude of ‘Thou’ not ‘I’ one has to surrender completely to the High Power, personified as the Lord. The ego has to be fully imbibed; the faith that ‘not even a blade of grass can shake in the wind without His being aware of it and thus having caused it’ has to be imbibed in the mind.

Bhakthi is not a leisure time job. Erase sensual desire; clear the heart of all blemish; then, the Lord will be reflected therein as in a mirror. 28. 3. 65 I want bhakthas (devotees) to improve their behaviour and character. It is no good attending the temple and sharing loudly, with cymbals in your hands, in the singing of devotional songs there. They are but external signs of enthusiasm. God watches the bhaavam, not the baahyam - the thought power behind, not the pomp above. Mere devotion is not enough. It must be regulated by reason and discrimination. Or else, it will not flow along save lines. Reason makes devotion a sharp instrument, Reason out the purpose of your sojourn on the earth, the purpose of the intelligence with which you have been endowed. Then, devotion will encourage you to fill you days with steady, controlled activity, towards liberation. 31. 3. 65 True devotion must not get disputed; nor elated or satisfied with lesser gains. It must fight against failure, loss, calumny, calamity, ridicule and against egoism and pride, impatience and cowardice. 26. 9. 65 To visualise the Lord as resident in all and as responsible for everything is the hall-mark of devotion. The devotees must be free from worldly desire, from anxiety to preserve cattle and wealth, through his devotion. It is surrender to the Will of God, acceptance of whatever happens, in spite of the fullest utilisation of the faculties man is endowed with 1966 Devotion implies faith in God. Without that faith, man lowers himself to the level of birds and beasts; he does not live up to the faculties that he is endowed with. A tiny bird that perches on a bough is not scared when the bough sways in the gale. Why? Because it relies not on the bough, but on its wings. You on the other hand rely on the other hand rely on the grip you have on the branch of samsaara, or the world and its ramifications; you do not rely on the Atma or the God within, who buoys you up. That is the why a little shake in the bough frightens you. Have faith in your Divinity, in Divinity as such, and nothing can harm you. That is the crucial skill you must develop. There are people who complain that their devotion to the lord is limited and shaped by the worldly bonds that bind them. It is not the world that binds them; it is they who bind themselves to the world! A lamp may be a small contraption, but, it can light your path across a jungle. What is wanted is persisted effort, ceaseless karma, activity. The torch may illumine only a distance of two yards and you may have to go two miles in the night. But, do not despair. Hold it in your hand and walk on. With every step, the torch will illumine a few steps more and so, you can reach the goal safe. Walk on, do not sit idly on the side of the road. Move on from one step to another - hearing, recepitulation, concentration. Only, let every act be saturated with bhakthi. Bhakthi is not something added on to make life more appetising; it is the very breath of life. It should inspire every act, every word, every thought. Bhakthi is the foundation of all religions. Of course, japa or homa or offering of flowers, or going on pilgrimages to holy places cannot be taken as bhakthi! They are good acts that help promote bhakthi. True bhakthi opens the door of jnaana. 3. 7. 66 Develop devotion and you are free, for the Lord takes on the burden you carry. Have the cool spring of devotion in you; then, the fires of anxiety cannot harm you. Then, every visitation of calamity will take on new meaning, as a sign of Grace, to harden you, toughen you and make you seasoned timber, for His purpose.

19. 10. 66 Bhakthi alone can transform people’s hearts into Sathya and Dharma. 23. 4. 67 Having come upon the world stage as ‘man’, one should act the role effectively. the tree is known by the fruit. The human body is the temple of God. He is installed there. Yearn for the realisation of this Truth, seek to discover It and derive Bliss therefrom - that is Devotion. Love the highest, Love the most Loveable; do not love anything. 7. 7. 68 Devotion cannot come upon you during stated hours and fall off when you relapse into normal day. It is a continuous, constant condition of the mind, a confirmed attitude, a way chosen and adhered to with avid attention. Bhakthi (devotion) is a constant, continuous bent of mind, a habit of thought, a way of life. It must be loyally adhered to whatever may happen - dishonour, distress, despair, deprivation, pleasure, prosperity, power and pomp. 23. 11. 68 Your devotion to God is best expressed by achieving the control of senses. For, the senses rush towards the temporary and the tawdry; thus, they foul the heart. I require from each of you no other gift, no more valuable offering than the heart I have endowed you with. Give Me that heart, as pure as when I gave it to you, full of the nectar of love I filled it with. 1. 6. 70 Deep contemplation will confirm the fact of God being in every being, bird, beast, tree and when this awareness is established, you will not be tempted to hate or ridicule or envy any other being in creation. For, you are He and He is you, fundamentally. Until you come to this stage, you are only a partial devotee, still a long way to go. 19. 7. 70 It is said, that aspirants are avidly searching for God; this may or may not be true; but this at least is true; God is avidly searching for a sincere aspirant - and He has not yet found one! Devotees are all play-actors; their devotion breaks down at the first touch of disappointment or distress. Or, they are only part-time devotees! A few minutes or hours for God and the rest for themselves and the free play of their sensual likes and dislikes! Speak what you feel, act what you speak then, thought word and deed will confirm and complement each other and contribute to your spiritual success. 15. 8. 70 Devotion is complete surrender; not a part-time affair or something taken on contract! Every bit has to be earned and deposited; there are no overdrafts. 16. 3. 73 Devotion should not be confined to the four walls of the shrine-room, of the few minutes you perform Dhyana (meditation). It is a full-time saadhana (spiritual discipline ). Your devotion has to be expressed as worship of everyone, as a living embodiment of Divinity. See God in everyone, even in persons whom you regard as your enemies. Practise the broad, inclusive type of Love. Devotion is like the head; duty is the trunk; discipline is the feet. Let devotion be linked with duty and led by discipline; then, success is certain. 1. 4. 74 A true devotee will be steadfast in faith, whatever the ups and downs of worldly fortune. He prays to the Lord not for padhaartham (material objects or the fulfilment of worldly desires), but, for para-ar-tham ( the

happiness that is Supra-worldly). The pandavas were such devotees and so, Krishna declared that He dwells in the heart of everyone of those five brothers, as well as of their queen, Dhroupadhi. 10. 6. 74 Bhakthi (devotion to God) is defined as the means of discovering the Divine Reality within each being. Four steps are laid down in the scriptures to help men succeed in this effort; discrimination between the permanent and the impermanent; withdraw from the process of catering to the senses; positive control of the feelings, thoughts and pursuits; incessant yearning for liberation from all bonds. Bhakthi leads man on to the wisdom arising from the realisation of the unity called God. Bhakthi is love of the purest and the noblest variety. Such love is the breath that sustains life, that supports the soul in the effort to merge in the Super-soul. Devotion to the Divine will give you bliss, and prosperity and peace. It cannot inflict pain, perturbation or personal anxiety. It fosters love and brings all together as one band of brothers. 28. 4. 75 Develop the inner Vision, the habit of listening to the inner Voice, and you are assured of unshakeable peace and infinite joy. 14. 11. 76 Shravanam (hearing the Glory of the Lord), Keerthanam (singing the name and Glory of God), Visnasmaram (allowing the mind to dwell on that Glory), Paadhasevanam (adoring the Feet of the Lord), Vandhanam (experiencing gratitude and joy at His Grace) Dhaasyam (feeling oneself as His instrument) Sakhyam (awareness of his being one’s constant and closest companion), Aathmanivedhanam (dedicating one’s full being to Him) - these are the nine steps in the path of Devotion. The path of devotion and dedication is easiest for most. It is attainable by love, for love leads you quickly to the Goal. 9. 6. 78 There are six streams of bhakthi (devotion), all flowing towards the Lord and characteristic of six different type of spiritual attitudes. They are the Shaantha, Sakhya, dhaasya, vaathsalya, anuraaga and Madhura. In Shaantha bhakthi (calm devotion), the aspirant practises equanimity and considers all that happens to him as a gift of the Grace of God. Therefore he is unaffected by success or failure, he is ever grateful for whatever God grants him. In Saakhya bhakthi( friendly devotion), the aspirant takes God as his constant counsellor, confidante, companion and mate. He feels the constant presence of the Lord and is never unaware of Him. In dhaasya bhakthi (servitude of devotion) the aspirant feels that he is the servant, the instrument of the Lord, and rebels in the role that God gives him on the stage of Life. In Vaathsalya bhakthi (devotion of parental love), the aspirant loves the Lord as the mother loves her child - with tenderness, anxiety, compassion and vigilance. In anuraga bhakthi (devotion of deep affection) the aspirant is deeply attached to the Manifestation of the Lord, to all emanations of Divinity, and he is highly pleased when he gets a chance to serve them. Madhura is the highest of the six, it gives the maximum bliss . . . The totality of God is experienced in Madhura bhakthi, His poorna (full) aspect, His Prema (love) aspect (e.g. Raadha). 8. 10. 81 Devotion cannot tolerate in the devotee the slightest trace of envy or jealousy.

Bhakthi calls for utilising the mind, speech and body to worship the Lord. It represents total love. Devotion and love are inseparable and interdependent. Bhakthi is the means to salvation. Love is the expression of Bhakthi. The basic characteristic of devotion is Love. Love is present in every human being in however small a measure. The individual (Jiva) is an aspect of the Divine, who is the Supreme embodiment of Love. Man is also an embodiment of Love. But because his love is directed towards worldly objects, it gets tainted and he is unable to get a vision of God in all His beauty. True devotion really means installing the Divine in the heart and enjoying the bliss of that experience. It is the mystic union of the individual soul and the Universal. When the devotee prays ardently from the depths of the heart and his Love gusher forth, Bhakthi is manifested. Wining love through love is the vital aspect of devotion. The basic quality of devotion is the yearning for realising oneness with the Divine. Devotion is of two kinds. One is acquiring knowledge about God and transforming oneself thereby. This is a natural process by which one starts with the physical, proceeds to the mental and ultimately attains the spiritual goal of mergence in the Divine. But in taking to this path of knowledge, only the individual concerned can benefit. In the second type of devotion, the devotee not only benefits himself, but shares his experiences with others and benefits them also. Such a devotee not only saves himself but helps others to serve themselves. 22. 1. 82 Wear the Garland of Devotion Gems round your neck and saturate your thought, word and deed with Divine Love. 30. 12. 82 The Love of God, evident as Grace, is the greatest achievement of man. This is referred to as Bhakthi. The practice of bhakthi needs as every other laudable adventure, a mind free from lust, anger, envy, greed, pride and false. 25. 12. 83 Man’s devotion these days is suffused with selfishness. Everything he does stems from self interest. The first requisite is the giving up of selfishness. There must be curb on egoistic conceit and possessiveness. The mind must be submerged in pure love. Today, devotion is treated as an exercise in shareholding, a kind of business partnership. But this is not right. the devotees should feel ‘Everything is Thine’. It is only when there is such a feeling of total surrender that the nature of Divine love can be comprehended. 31. 12. 83 True devotion is the means to realise the Divine. Devotion means love of God without any desire for reward. Such devotion can be developed only through good conduct. There can be no devotion without righteousness. Purity of mind is as essential for enjoying divine bliss as purity of body is essential for bodily health. The Lord is ever ready to answer the prayers of the devotees. But what passes for ‘devotion’ nowadays is only ‘deep ocean’ (submergence in the ocean of worldly life). People talk about the ‘Divine’ but are interested only in ‘deep wine’. They talk of ‘compassion’, but are concerned only with ‘fashion’. They mouth the word ‘co-operation’, but indulge only in ‘operation’. Devotion has been reduced to a pompous show. 13. 1. 84

The Divine will not consider your status or position, your pomp and show. It is beyond the reach of knowledge and intelligence. It can be secured only by pure love (Prema). The Lord is bound only by the intensity of the Bhaktha’s devotion. Devotion is the cord that binds God. Bhajans and prayers should not emanate only from the lips. They should flow from the heart. The Ganges of true devotion arises from the devotee’s heart. Everything that is associated with divinity has its origin in the heart. Hence the heart should be emptied of all evil and kept pure and unsullied by right action. 19. 1. 84 All the study of scriptures is of little avail if genuine love of God does not flow spontaneously from the heart. It is only through such love that the Divine can be realised. Love and sacrifice are the two greatest qualities in life. 14. 7. 84 All devotees should be conscious of the immanence of God in everything and carry on their daily duties as a consecration to the Divine. When such devotion is developed, the Lord will illumine your hearts and fill it with bliss. 17. 2. 85 At first look, everyone appears to be a devotee, but individuals respond differently to different circumstances. If you keep a ball of iron and a dry leaf side by side, when there is no wind both of them will be firm and steady. But when a breeze blows, the dry leaf will be carried away for miles together. The iron ball will remain firm and steady. If one has true love and firm faith in God, one will be like an iron ball, steady and undisturbed. If one is like a leaf, running away on account of difficulties and problems, it is a travesty to call such a person a devotee. We should develop pure and steady love and faith. 20. 5. 85 People worship the photo of the father or the grandfather after they have passed away. The reason is that the picture is a reminder of one’s ancestor. Similarly, the worshipper of a stone idol is entitled to say: ‘ Doubtless, it is a stone. But the stone bears the image of the God I worship’. The devotee’s devotional feelings are imprinted on the idol. What is devotion? It is not merely offering several types of worship or going on pilgrimage. Unallyed and true love for love’s sake alone constitutes devotion. True devotion is the love flowing from a pure heart unpolluted by selfish motives. Love is the intimate bond of relationship between the devotee and the Lord. There are nine types of devotion. But they are not equal to Prema (pure Love). 3. 10. 85 Faith and surrender are the manifestations of devotion. They can ensure peace and joy for you and all mankind. 25. 12. 85 Devotion means giving up all other desires and dedicating all actions and thoughts to God. When you offer every act of yours to God, it becomes worship. Everything you do must be done as an offering to God. The body has been described as the temple of God. You must fill yourself with the feeling that God is in you , beside you, around you, and with you wherever you go. when you love God with this consciousness, the love results in Self-realisation. 19. 1. 86 Love is God. The universe is permeated by God. To see God in everything, to love everything as a manifestation of God and to offer everything to God as an offering of love - this is the way of Love.

Without firm faith in the omnipresence of the Divine, devotion has no meaning. By developing faith, devotion is nourished and devotion enables to face all the vicinities of life with fortitude and serenity, regarding them as dispensations of providence. One-pointed devotion for God leads to union with the Divine. Man today is behaving with less gratitude than what birds, beasts and even trees display. He is ungrateful to his parents, teachers, society and even to God. He makes a parade of his adherence to Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love and Ahimsa, but does not practise any of them. Why is this so? It is because of intense selfishness and preoccupation with one’s own concerns and interests. Only when man sheds his selfishness can he turn his mind towards God. The Love of God will dispel the ignorance and conceit of man as the sun dispels the morning mist. 2. 8. 86 The devotee must be free from anxiety and fear, pride and envy. He has four enemies intent on ruining him - anger, envy, hatred and the horde of desires. He regards both high and low as roles in the Divine play. When he insults or injures or rejects any one, he is, in fact, inflicting them on the God headers. He cannot reap the harvest of Grace or the Bliss from the Atma, if he sows spiritual ardour on a heart full of the weeds of greed and hate. The basic moral prescription for the devotee who aspires to be near and dear to the Avatar is ‘worship God and offer Love to Him in every living being’. 27. 8. 86 True devotion stems from the consciousness that jivatma ( the individual soul) is a spark of the Divine. Bhakthi can be rightly undertook when this basic relationship is fully recognised and accepted. As long as God is regarded as different from the devotee, the true nature of Bhakthi cannot be understood. It is this feeling of difference which ultimately leads to loss faith in God, despite the practice of bhajans, japas, meditation and yoga. One who regards himself as different from God can never become a true devotee. He must consider himself divine in substance, even as a spark is not different from the fire from which it came. To experience the joy that springs from a devotee who has developed ‘Sannikasha’ Bhakthi, one has to show love and reverence towards elders and serve them with humility and respect. Towards equals, one should show love and friendliness. Towards the young, one should extend sympathy and loving care. By these means, we demonstrate our love and regard for the divine that is in each of them and in us. The only easy and sure means for ordinary people to realise God, without regard to their caste, nationality, sex or any other qualifications and without their having to practise various austerities and penance, is intense devotion and love of God. 8. 10. 86 Nine ways of expressing devotion to God and attaining Him have been described by the sages. They are: Sravanam (listening to God’s glories), Keerthanam (singing the glory of God), Viahomsmaranam (ever remembering the Lord), Paadasevanam (worshipping the Lord’s feet), Archanam (offering daily worship), Vandanam (prostration), Daasyam (dedicated service), Sneham (friendliness) and Atmanivedanam (total surrender). Real devotion consists in courageously standing up for your faith anywhere at any time. Hanuman was such a courageous and steadfast devotee. By his devoted service to the Lord he redeemed his life and became immortal. Love should become a way of life. That alone is true devotion. Among all forms of Sadhana, devotion to the Lord is the easiest and holiest.

6. 3. 87 True devotion consists in offering all your thoughts and actions to God and yearning for His grace. Bhakthi has been described as a state of non-separation from god. Regardless of time, space or circumstance, one should feel closeness to God - that is true Bhakthi. People tend to sacrifice their true nature for the sake of others approbation. they should live up to the truth of their being. That is true devotion. a real devotee is eager to experience divine love and does not seek pomp and show. True devotion transcends the limitations imposed by the daily routine and obligations of life. it should not be subject to changes in time, place and circumstance. Love for the divine should be present in any situation. Bhakthi - the path of devotion is the easiest path for all. It does not call for mastery of the scriptures. It does not enjoin performance of rituals and sacrifices. The elusive quest for unity in diversity is avoided. By cultivating love for God, the senses come under natural self-discipline. We regard as devotion a few minutes devoted for worship or going to sacred shrines and the like. But true devotion is an expression of gratitude to God for all that He has given us - the human body with its various capacities, the intelligence we are endowed with and the many natural amenities made available to us such as air, water and sunlight. A person without gratitude is worse than a wild animal. Immerse yourselves in the thoughts of LORD only and derive joy. BHAKTHI has no other reward, Bhakthi is itself the realisation. Devotion means giving up all other desires and dedicating all actions and thoughts to God. Harmony is the proof of true religion; when religion breeds vanity, hate and fictions, it is under the influence of evil. Avoid those who use religion in this way if you wish to succeed in your own spiritual discipline. Acquire the wealth of devotion, fortitude and peace before venturing to advise others how to acquire them. Devotion, filled with music, is the form of the Divine. real devotion consists in courageously standing up for your faith anywhere at anytime. Devotion to the Divine will give you bliss, prosperity and Peace. It is deriving joy from the happiness of others that pure devotion manifests itself. The Divine is attained only by those who have pure, selfless devotion. The Lord responds only to such pure one-pointed love and total devotion. To experience the Divine a pure heart is necessary. Purity of the heart results from purity in thought, word and deed. The hall mark of true devotion is sacrifice - the giving up of one’s bad traits and weaknesses. 21. 9. 87 Man today has achieved eminence in the intellectual sphere and in scientific and technical knowledge. But he cannot realise God through these accomplishments. The Divine is attained only by those who have pure selfless devotion. The Lord responds only to such pure one pointed love and total devotion. What is to be cultivated by seekers is such devotion.

Today people tend to remember God when they are in distress and forget Him when they are happy and comfortable. Indulging in such part-time devotion, men aspire for the fruits of full-time devotion. How can they get those fruits? They have to develop the feeling of total surrender to the Divine and dedicate every action to the Divine. 24. 9. 87 Devotion to God is the first stage in the spiritual journey. 21. 2. 88 Devotion is not confined to bhajans and exhibiting a yearning for Swami. Everyone of your actions should be filled with devotion. 17. 7. 88 Divine grace is in proportion to the measure of your devotion. You can take from the vast ocean only the amount of water your vessel can contain. Devotion has to be guided and controlled by discipline and duty. 3. 9. 88 There is nothing greater in the world than devotion. Devotion is Parama Prema - Supreme Love of God. Devotion alone is the means to God-realisation. Devotion is the panacea for all ills. Divine love encompasses all sacred acts. Devotion means total love. This love is motiveless. Devotion should manifest itself in every action. everything done out of love for God and as an offering to God becomes devotion. 10. 88 Allowing one’s pure selfless love to flow unhindered towards God without smearing it with any expectation is true Bhakthi. True devotion is that which enables your love to flow constantly towards God regardless of any results, without expecting any reward. There is nothing which is greater than devotion. Devotion truly means worshipping the Lord, not caring for the fruits of one’s actions, but concentrating on him and consecrating every act as an offering to the Lord, offering one’s life itself to him. One may have mastered all the scriptures, one may be a scholar or a great emperor enjoying all the pleasures of the world, one may also be a servant, poverty stricken, none of them will be worthy of worship if they do not have devotion. Bhakthi must be totally selfless, natural and heartfelt. It is the love which is full of devotion, with full of purity, steady unaffected by the loss and gain, maintaining equanimity under all circumstances. being established in equanimity, not being affected by adversity, or by the praise that is showered on you or by the blame that is thrown on you, you should hold on to the Lord with intense Love. 12. 9. 89 Devotion means seeking unity with the Divine through purity in thought, word and deed and concentrating on the oneness of the Godhead. Devotion aims at acquiring friendship with God through this triple purity.

A devotee is one who acts on the convictions he professes. This is what is implied in the concept of purity in thought, word and deed. True devotion is the means to realise the divine. Devotion means love of god without any desire for reward. such devotion can be developed only through good conduct. There can be no devotion without righteousness. Purity of mind is as essential for enjoying divine bliss as purity of body is essential for bodily health. Devotion to the Divine will give you bliss, prosperity and peace. It cannot inflict pain, perturbation or personal anxiety. It fosters love and brings all together as one band of brothers. Devotion has to be intermittent, uninterrupted, like the flow of oil from one vessel to another. Devotion is something sweet, soothing, refreshing and restoring. It must confer patience and fortitude. devotion is like the head, Duty is the trunk, discipline is the foot. devotion be linked with Duty and lead by discipline. Then success is certain. 4. 10. 89 Devotion means friendship with God. It means establishing close relations with God through Love. Service to God is the essence of devotion. The company of the good is essential for developing devotion. It serves to nourish the seed of love in the heart. 20. 5. 90 Devotion is the most important requisite. Without devotion to God, nothing can be accomplished. 12. 2. 91 Devotion aims at awakening consciousness of the Divine in man. All activity aimed at turning the mind towards God is a form of devotion. 26. 5. 91 True devotion calls for readiness to sacrifice one's all for what he values. You have to develop total commitment to whatever task to you to take up. When work is done in this spirit, it becomes worship. Devotion will free man from the consequences of his deeds. If man devotes a small fraction of the enormous time he devotes to his wealth, family and position, to thoughts of God, he need have no fear about the Lord of death. 24. 8. 91 The true mark of devotion is to recognise that God is within you and around you, everywhere. You must develop the faith that you are a manifestation of God. 1. 1. 93 Only the devotee who practices what he has learnt is a true devotee. 14. 4. 93 Sandalwood gives more and more fragrance when it is subjected to more and more grinding, so does sugarcane yield juice as it is chewed more and more. Gold gets refined when it is burnt and melted in fire. So also a true devotee will never falter in his love for God even when he faces troubles and obstacles in his life. God tests His devotees only to lift them up to a higher level in the spiritual ladder.

A true devotee leads a sacred life which is sanctified when he faces the obstacles and problems with full faith in the Divine. The body is only for leading a sacred life. 10. 8. 93 The Chataka bird will not shrink from being near a cloud to catch the fresh raindrops even if there are dreadful thunder and blinding lightning. It prays constantly for the pure unsullied raindrops. This is the attitude sadhakas should cultivate today. They must be prepared to face any kind of censure, criticism, trouble or obstacle. They should adhere to their goal regardless of anything. When rain falls on a sandy bed, it seeps down; When the same rain falls on a bed of clay, it remains sweet water; When raindrops fall into an oyster, they become pearls. Likewise, devotion results in what one deserves. 10. 93 Once you have taken up a vow to do a good thing, you should not go back on it under any circumstance. You should fulfil it even at the cost of your life. This is the hallmark of a true devotee. Just as, gold has to be heated, hammered and subjected to many processes before it can be made into a jewel, devotees have to pass through ordeals ordained by the Divine. 25. 12. 93 Man's devotion these days is suffused with selfishness. Everything he does stems from self-interest. The first requisite is the giving up of selfishness. There must be a curb on egoistic conceit and possessiveness. The mind must be submerged in pure love. Today, devotion is treated as an exercise in share holding, a kind of business partnership. But this is not right. The devotees should feel "Everything is Thine. " It is only when there is such a feeling of total surrender that the nature of Divine love can be comprehended. 1. 1. 94 In this worldly life love is manifesting in several forms such as the love between mother and son, husband and wife, and between relatives. This love based on physical relationships arises out of selfish motives and self-interest. But the love of the Divine is devoid of any trace of self-interest. It is love for the sake of love alone. This is called Bhakthi or devotion. 11. 4. 94 Even wen you are engaged in your daily chores, you can convert them into worship of God. While you are sweeping the floor, you can deem it as clearing your heart of all impurities. All work should be done with a pure heart filled with devotion, just as cooking must be done in a clean vessel. 14. 4. 94 Person who has a compassionate heart, whole words spell truth and whose body is utilised to serve others will never be affected by any evil forces. Such a person’s life will be truly sanctified. Sandalwood gives more and more fragrance when it is subjected to more and more grinding, so does sugarcane yield juice as it is chewed more and more. Gold gets refined when it is burned and melted in fire. So also a true devotee will never falter in his love for God even when he faces troubles and obstacles in his life. God tests His devotees only to lift them to a higher level in the spiritual ladder. A devotee leads a sacred life which is sanctified when he faces the obstacles and problems with full faith in the Divine. The body is only for leading a sacred life. There are multitudes of waves in the ocean which are not all alike and vary in shapes and forms, but there is no difference in the sea-water that is contained in everyone of these waves - Similarly names and forms of

people are different but the spark of Divinity that is Satchithananda is the same in everyone. Every one, infact is an embodiment of Satchithanandha. When we realise this, sacred feelings will prevail and no petty ideas will arise in the mind. 22. 7. 94 Today devotion is not total. The benefit also is partial. Part-time devotees cannot expect total reward. The Lord confers full grace on those whose hearts are totally filled with devotion. In the process of achieving oneness with the Divine, the first stage is for everyone to consider himself as a messenger of God. 21. 8. 94 Devotion manifests itself as love. This love is the Supreme treasure of man. It is this treasure which enables man to live in this world. The true mark of devotion is pure love of God. Without this pure love, bhajans, worship and the like are artificial exercises and are valueless. They may appear to be devotional acts, but they do not contain the essential sweetness of devotion. They resemble plastic flowers and fruits. A life without love is like a barren wasteland. 9. 9. 94 There is no path more superior to that of Bhakthi does not mean doing pooja, bhajans, going on pilgrimage to holy shrines, etc. Bhakthi means directing the pure and unsullied mind towards God. People do not know the real meaning of ‘Prema’ (Love). The love you have for other beings is only temporary. God is the only one that is eternal. Love of God is Bhakthi. All other love may be termed as Anuraga, which results in bondage while love of God leads to liberation . Love and sacrifice constitute Bhakthi (devotion to God). There is nothing superior to this. 23. 10. 94 The nature of the Divine can only be properly understood by those who are filled with devotion. All should be filled with love. Love cannot flow from the mantras of those who are steeped in selfishness and self-pride. Love flows from those who are humble. It cannot arise from those who are conceited and pompous. 18. 12. 94 Devotion should also be the unified expression of love for God, action in the service of God and total surrender to the will of God. These are intertwined like the braid of a woman’s tresses. Devotion, worship and Jnana (Awareness of the Self) together demonstrate the oneness of the Divine. True devotion means that even the blood stream should proclaim the Lord’s name. Because Hanuman was such a devotee he could be foremost servant of Rama. He was totally free from egoism, pride and envy. In Lanka, he did not boast of his prowess, but was content to declare himself a humble servant of Rama. This humility is the true mark of a devotee. In devotion it is not age that counts. What matters is the determination. Today devotion is used for deriving sensory enjoyment. It is used more as a source of fleeting pleasure than a fountain of enduring bliss. God will not approve of such part-time devotion. The Divine is omnipresent and is watching everyone of your actions, wherever you may be. People in their ignorance imagine that God takes no notice of them. Divinity cannot be understood as long as this ignorance prevails. 14. 4. 95

Devotion has been defined as desireless love for the Lord. Any prayer to God for fulfilment of a desire cannot be called devotion. God should be loved for His own sake. Love should be fostered for its own sake. True devotion is a combination of selfless service and love. For the growth of crops water is essential. But the crops cannot go up to the sky in search of water. For the sake of the crops, the clouds come down and provide water for them. When you pray to God for His own sake, He will take care of everything. Flowers do not invite bees, but the bees go to them in quest of honey. When we develop the nectar of love in our hearts, God will come to us, like the bee, to drink the nectar. If, on the other hand, you have a plastic flower , no bee will come near it. Likewise only when we fill our hearts with the nectar of love will the Divine enter it. 15. 4. 95 True devotion should be firm and unwavering, unselfish and free from any expectation of reward. Devotional activities should be unaffected by any kind of troubles and tabulations, by censure or praise. That alone is devotion. It is when a man develops such devotion that he would be able to experience the Divine. 6. 5. 95 What is devotion? It is not merely offering several types of worship or going on pilgrimage. Unalloyed and true love for love’s sake alone constitutes devotion. True devotion is the love flowing from a pure heart unpolluted by selfish motives. Love is the intimate bond of relationship between the devotee and the Lord. There are nine types of devotion. But they are not equal to Prema (Pure Love) 8. 7. 95 The feeling of love to the Divine is real devotion emanating from the heart. 18. 8. 95 That nature of true love between the devotee and God cannot be understood by the unbelievers, the atheists. Only the loving devotee can experience the effulgence of the Divine. The man without love is lost in dialectical controversies, with the result that bitterness develops over arguments. You have come from the Athma. You have to go back to the Atma. You have come from the Brahman. You have to merge in the Brahman. You have incarnated as a spark of Brahman. You have to become Brahman. This is the ideal. That is the goal. in between there may be many impediments. You should ignore them. Have unshakeable faith. That is true devotion. Devotion does not consist merely in different forms of worship. It is dedicated offering of yourself to the Lord with unsullied love. You have come from the Divine with love. You have to base your life in that love. That love is a gift of the Divine. You must treat it as Divine properly and not as your personal possession. Devotees should not give way to doubts. Faith in God should be firm till your last breath. 23. 10. 95 True devotion means elimination of all the animal tendencies in man. 25. 12. 95 What is meant by calling yourselves devotees of Sai? You have to foster love and develop unity. You must consider yourselves as members of one family, the children of one God. Only then you are entitled to call yourselves Sai devotees. Whatever others may say, do not bear any ill-will towards them. Welcome everything as for your good. 1. 1. 96

Only through devotion does man attain the Supreme Truth. Through devotion alone does man get release from the disease of birth and death. Through devotion man seeks to realise God. Through devotion alone he achieves liberation. True devotion consists in obviousness of the body and total absorption in the love of God. Turn the love that arises in you towards God. Dedicate your body to the Divine. This is the true mark of devotion. There are three constituents in man: the mind, the power of speech and the body. These three are called ‘Trikaranas’ - the three active agencies in man. It is when all three are used for sacred purposes, man becomes sanctified. 15. 1. 96 The Divine is not anywhere else. It is enshrined in one’s heart. Hence, the man who seeks the Divine within his heart redeems himself. He then attains liberation. All external spiritual exercises are of temporary value. They should be internalised to experience lasting bliss. All mental exercises also leave the heart unaffected - In the nine paths of devotion, beginning with listening to sacred things and ending with total surrender of the self (Atma nivedanam), the last is the most important. After Atmanivedanam (total surrender) there is no need for any other effort. 19. 1. 96 One may be a master of all the Scriptures And competent to teach the Vedanta, One may be a great ruler Living in a many-splendowed mansion, One may be a valiant hero Who has vanquished his enemies, Or one may be a pitiable Victim of poverty and privation - If he has no devotion in him His life is devoid of meaning A servant who is filled with love of the Lord Is more to be adored than the overlord of the world. The heart of the devotee flows with love of the Lord through constant remembrance and recitation of His name. Out of this stream of love, devotion emerges. One who is nourished by the nectar of Bhakthi will have no desire for anything else. To be unaffected by joy or sorrow, gain or loss, praise or blame, to remain steadfast and unwavering in faith, is the hall-mark of true devotion. Affection, attachment, desire are natural qualities in man. When these qualities are directed towards God and when one is continuously engaged in good deeds, these qualities acquire purity and sacredness. Then a man becomes not only a great soul but can become divine. Those who regard themselves as devotees should recognise the vast difference between their narrow-minded attitude and the ineffable character of true devotion. They should resolve to shed all their petty attachments and develop steadfast devotion to God as the main object of their life. For this purpose, the company of the good is essential. Good thoughts are promoted only through association with the good. This means avoiding contact with the evil-minded and the unrighteous. Association with bad persons makes even a good person bad. Everyone must strive to fill the heart with true devotion. Constant contemplation on the form of the Lord and frequent repetition of the Lord’s name are the means by which the heart is filled with the love of God. When there is this love, the devotee is filled with inexpressible ecstasy.

DHARMA

18. 7. 60 I have come for the restoration of Dharma - the right that sustains the earth, that ensures peace among men and among the nations. Live in Dharma, promote Dharma by your acts, thoughts and words - that is puja. I appreciate, for that is paying reverence to the task which I have set before Myself. Foster Dharma, feed Dharma, fertilise Dharma, encourage Dharma - it is My work and I will be pleased. 9. 3. 62 The Dharmic way of life is dependent on the guna (quality) of the individual. In the 18th chapter of the Geetha, the gunas and their characteristics are mentioned, as also the relationship between the type of food taken and the character that emanates. The food decides the guna, the guna seeks the food congenial to it; thus the vicious cycle moves on. 5. 10. 62 How are you to decide in any particular case what is dharma and what is not? I shall tell you some principles which you can use on such occasions. That which does not inflict pain on you and on others - that is right, that is dharma. So act in such a way that you get joy and others too get joy. Or, take another standard for your actions. Make the manas, the vaak and the kaaya (thought, word and deed) agree in harmony. That is to say, act as you speak, speak as you feel; do not play false to your own conscience; do not cover your thoughts in a cloak of falsehood; do not suppress your conscience by forcibly enslaving it and embarking on actions not approved by it. That is the dharmic way of life. Frequently doing right makes it easier and easier, habit grows into conscience. If you are once established in right conduct, you will automatically follow the right. What you do depends on what you are; what you are depends on what you do. The two are interdependent to a great degree. Dharma trains you to be calm, level-headed, secure in equanimity. You know the transitory nature of success or failure, riches or poverty, joy or grief, appointment or disappointment. You are not elated or deflated. You are serene and unmoved. anything that helps you to maintain this unruffled stability is dharma. Sensual life is adharma; the spiritual life is dharma. Dharma is that which sustains, saves and sanctifies. One common definition of dharma is that it is the adherence to the rule: Do unto others what you wish them to do unto you. Do not have a double standard. Treat all as your own self. The Vedhas and the Upanishadhs, which form the Jnaana Kaardha and the Upaasana sections of Sanaathana Dharma (Eternal Religion), are the best guides to the path of dharma for mankind, for all classes, for the family, for society, for the professional group and for the individual. India is the spiritual capital for all mankind 18. 2. 64 Everyone’s heart is a Dharmakshethra (the scene of Mahabharatha war) where the battle between the forces of Good and Evil is fought. Why, the whole country is Dharmakshethra. So, the mothers and children of this land must be devoted to Dharma, above all. 19. 2. 64 Believe that Dharma or Moral Rectitude will never play false; it will ensure greater joy than can be gained through all other means. 24. 2. 64 Dharma is the road for individual and social progress, in this world and through the world, to the next. It is eternal, basic, fundamental. The principles may not be altered or adjusted to personal whims, or pressing

problems, that appear formidable to the eyes of some individuals, or group of persons. It is like the mother who has to be accepted, not like the wife whom you can choose or discard. 15. 4. 64 Every single thing has its Dharma; water has its Dharma, the nature and obligation to move; fire, the Dharma to burn and consume; the magnet, to attract and draw unto itself. And, every one of these is keeping up its Dharma unchanged, including the Solar system and the stars of the firmament. Among the things endowed with Consciousness or Chaithanya, the plants and trees, the insects and the birds, born out of eggs or the mammals - all have managed to treasure their specific Dharmas unaffected by the passage of time. But man, whose intelligence sweeps from the inert and the infinitesimal to the Super - conscious and the Universal, is the only living thing that has slipped, and is sliding down. The experience of many generations of seekers, who sought the means of contentment and joy, embodied in the precepts of practical living, collectively called Shaasthra is neglected, and new-jangled nostrums are recommended and tried on vast scale. No wonder, contentment and joy are far, far away from human grasp. You must examine every moment of your waking time whether you are observing the precepts of Dharma or straying away: Dharma is now just a convenient excuse to derive benefits from others, not an opportunity to fulfil your duties to others! You remind others of it, when you desire to squeeze some advantage from them. You must remember not only the rights that Dharma confers but also the duties it imposes. 19. 8. 64 Tend the cow, for, the cow is the symbol of selfless service of Dharma. That is why when a newly built house is ceremonially entered, the owner first takes into the house a cow. 22. 3. 65 Dharma is the path by which the Mahaasakthi in the temple of your heart can be tapped, experienced and realised; without adherence to dharma it can never happen. Dharma (virtuous conduct) purifies the mind and leads you to God. It creates a taste for the Name and the Form of God. 29. 3. 65 The mansion called life must be built on strong foundations; the pursuit of artha and kaama of wealth and welfare, of all desirable objects - must be regulated by the standard of Dharma. Dharma fosters those who foster it - ‘Dharma rakshathir rakshithah!. The strongest foundation is ever-present Faith in the Almighty. Some may ask, ‘If He is Almighty, why then he is not patent?’ Well He reveals Himself only to the person who yearns for the answer, not the one who puts questions out of impudence or ignorance. 30. 3. 65 What is Dharma? Practising what you preach, doing as you say it has to be done, keeping precept and practice in line. Earn virtuously, yearn piously; live in the fear of God, live for reaching God - that is Dharma. Speak softly, kindly; that is dharma. Give generously, wisely; wipe the tear and assuage the sigh and the groan; that is dharma. Do not simply throw money at the needy; give with respect and reverence; give with grace. Give also with humility. Try to live with others harmoniously. 31. 3. 65 The seed grows slowly into a huge spreading tree; so, too, through tiny acts, soft words and kind deeds, man elevates himself into a Divine Being! The worst is to do the opposite of what you preach; to deny by the hand what you dole out of your mouth. If you cannot act up to your declarations, keep quiet; do not go about advising and advertise that you are hypocrites. Do not preach dharma (virtue) while decrying it in deed. Dharma is steady unchanging; it can never decline. What happens is: those who have to practise dharma decline in faith and steadfastness. By practice is a man judged; not by the precepts that he pours forth.

1. 4. 65 Attach yourself to the Highest, call it by any name, conceive it in any form. But, remember, without Dharma you cannot attain it. Don’t be led away into the by-paths; keep to the highway 23. 5. 65 The one dharma that subsumes all else is: the deed must be in conformity with the word. Don’t speak one thing and act another; don’t advise others to do a thing which you yourself do not practise. Do not start preaching without practise. 29. 9. 65 Man’s dharma is to cultivate his faculties for the great adventure of realising his oneness with the basic substance of the universe, a substance that is attributeless, but, yet is mistaken to have attributes like names and forms and functions. 5. 10. 65 Dharma guards those that guard dharma. Dharma means certain objections and duties and regulations over actions, words and behaviour. Elders have certain obligations towards younger people as young men have towards elders; neighbours have mutual duties and rights. Even war has to be carried on, under some rules of decency and humanity. The mighty should not grab the possessions of the weak; the pledged word has to be honoured. 1966 Dharma (righteousness) is the way of life that confess lasting joy; the shaasthras are the source of dharma; they lay down the rules of dharma. The Shruthis and Puraanas, the Shruthis and Ithihaasas are all included in the term shaasthra. Of these, the Shruthis are the most authoritative. The others all follow the shruthis and keep in step with them. . . The Puraanas are but simple and sweet expositions of the shruthi ideals of life; that is why they are called the comrades of man. 14. 1. 66 You must become permeated with dharma so that every act is God-worthy. With the sharp chisel of intellect, shape the mind into a perfect image of Dharmamurthi, the embodiment of dharma. Then, the rough - hewn idol of humanity that you now are, will shine with the splendour of Divinity itself. That is the task to which you should dedicate yourself today. 23. 3. 66 An iron box is essential to keep safe precious stones; so too, the body is essential to keep safe the precious gifts of virtue, faith, love and discrimination. the parents gave it and so they have to be respected by speech, action and behaviour. How can you expect the Heavenly Father to respond to your prayers if you do not respond to the demands of the earthly father? The first step in Dharma is gratitude; the first duty of the child is reverence to the parents. When the first step is absent, ascent is impossible. 14. 7. 66 Dharma has to be direct and control the process of earning wealth and liberation is to be the regulating factor of desire. All wealth accruing from sources tainted by vice is to be treated with contempt as unworthy of man. All desires that do not sub serve the one supreme need for liberation are to be given up as beneath the dignity of man. So, the spiritual basis of righteousness and liberation has to be the root of both wealth and desire. Without it, earning degenerates into plundering; desire degenerate into death. 24. 11. 67 Ants build their city grain by grain, selecting the finest mud for the purpose, the result being in impregnable Roquefort, where they can live in security. You should also gather grain by grain, act by act, the wherewithal to build secure future for yourselves, a mansion of Dharma. 26. 3. 68

Dharma is the boundary, the limit that the intelligence lays down for the passion, emotions, impulses of man. 16. 8. 68 The Lord is most pleased with Dharma. For, in order to save Dharma and restore Dharma to its ancient purity and clarity, He condescends to assume human form and walk among mankind as if He was one of themselves! therefore, if you yearn for the Grace of God, let Dharma be the injunction behind every thought, word and dead of yours. Let the knowledge that all are repositories of the Divine inspire you with love, tolerance, sympathy and reverence. 19. 8. 68 Krishna came down in order to establish Dharma. So, the thing he listen most is Dharma. walk in the path of Dharma; that is the price he will accept. The Flute is His favourite. So become a flute, hollow (devoid of desires), straight (with no crookedness), and He will accept you. 23. 11. 68 Yearn for Dharma not riches. Do not extend your hand before man, but ask the Lord and He will fill it with priceless treasure. Have that faith and carry one. 12. 5. 70 You can learn what exactly Dharma is from the Raamaayana. Raama is the very embodiment of Dharma; every word and every deed is resonant with its message. Lakshmana, the brother of Raama, who followed his footsteps throughout his earthly career, is the symbol of the Mind; walking on the footprints of Dharma, it never lost its way; it triumphed in the lap of victory. The Raamayana is a text-book for Dharma to be lived out in every home, by the father, the mother, the son, the brother, the members of a joint family - both men and women. 1. 6. 70 Since God is in every heart, the Inner Voice is the signal that Dharma (righteousness) gives while approving or disapproving any line of action. the Dharma that you have to follow is indicated by that Voice . That is the Sivadharma for you. It is the Inner Witness that is the real I, which illumines the eye, the ear, the task and the touch. July 70 Eternity extends before man; space too is horizonless; but, life is short and very unsure. Therefore, man has to make the best use of the years allotted to him in this world, and try to become one with the Absolute, so that these entrances and exists may be ended. That is hiss dharma, the body he has to do for himself. Know that Dharma and live according to its dictates - that is the meaning and purpose of life. 3. 10. 70 The Mahaabhaaratha is the epic that holds forth the grand ideals of the past, in a clear unmistakable manner. The five Paandava brothers triumphed over impossible odds, as a result of Divine Grace, which they won through the exercise of Dharma, personified by the eldest brother, named appropriately Dharmarajah, supported by the strength of Dedication (Bheema) and the strength of Purity (Arjuna). At present, we have Dharma in plenty, in books and perhaps, even in the words we speak. But, without the strength derived from dedication and faith, and from purity of character and conduct, Dharma is powerless to earn the Grace of God. That is the situation in which we are today. When the Sun sets, people lament that it has gone; but, the Sun never sets. It is the earth that has rolled by, and that will roll forward again to receive the illumination and the warmth. When the ignorance that has enveloped it is removed, Dharma will again shine forth and sustain the world. The Vedapurusha Jnaana yajna is one of the means to make Dharma shine. 22. 11. 70

Engage in those activities which will please God, which you feel and know will please God, rather than in activities which will please you. God is pleased with Truth, with dharma. Dharma guards those who guard dharma. Know your dharma and observe it. 21. 6. 79 Sathya (Truth) sustains the Cosmos, dharma (virtue) protects and promotes the peace of mankind. All activities have to be infused with the ideals of Sathya and dharma. Dharma never suffers decline; only the practice of dharma declines. So, Divine Incarnation takes place to restore faith in dharma, to revitalise the practice of dharma, and to demonstrate that the practice of dharma confers peace, joy and prosperity. If dharma is ignored, it amounts to sacrilege, for Dharma is God and God is dharma. People see God in a picture, an icon, or a plaster of pans figurine but God is most manifest in dharma. Only those who believe in dharma can be called the faithful. 19. 1. 84 Dharma and Jnana are two eyes given to man to discover his uniqueness and his divinity. Dharma indicates the right path which every individual, group or society should follow. Dharma destroys the one who violates it. Dharma also protects the one who protects it. A society or nation or an individual shines with glory only when they adhere to justice. Just as one acquires wealth by the pursuit of agriculture, business or profession, one must acquire merit and divine grace by adhering to Justice and Dharma. In the world the progeny of Dharma and Adharma are continually growing. Adharma (unrighteousness) married Mithya (delusion). Mithya is neither truth nor untruth. This couple had two children - a son called Ahamkara (egoism) and a daughter called Moha (passion). As both Ahamkara and Moha are the children of Ignorance, with no capacity to judge what is right and wrong, the unholy alliance between them resulted in the birth of Lobha (avance) and Vanchana (Deceit) as son and daughter. from the wrongful union of these two, Eershya (jealousy) and Krodha (hatred) were born. Out of their union, Bhakthi (Fear) and Mruthya (Death) were born. This lineage is known as Adharma Santhathi; the progency of unrighteousness. In this lineage, every union was improper. Now for the progency of Dharma. Dharma married a great soul called Sathya (Truth). Out of the union of Sathya and Dharma, eight children were born. These are Earnestness, Compassion, Peace, Prosperity, Contentment, Progress, Modesty, Honour and Liberation. It is now for each one to determine to which lineage one belongs. It would seem that ninety percent of the people in the world belong to the line of Mithya and Adharma. When one practise Dharma, the Divinity in us will manifest itself spontaneously. One should not limit Dharma to mere words. Man is regarded as the very embodiment of righteousness. But he will not be worthy of this appellation if he does not lead a life of Dharma. Everyone should realise that to attain oneness with divinity is the goal of human life. Hence it is everyone’s duty to develop faith in the Divine. With the growth of faith, if one leads a life devoted to Righteousness, Truth and Justice, he will be achieving the purpose of life. The man who does not follow Dharma is a burden on the earth. All the wealth he may accumulate will not accompany him when he leaves the world. It is more important to earn the grace of God than earn all the wealth in the world. Develop the love of God and realise the bliss that is beyond all words. 14. 5. 84 Among the laws of Dharma, Rectitude is most important. Rectitude means that one should earn his living by just means and be an example to others by just living. Justness consists in making no difference between oneself and others. Whatever may happen to oneself or one’s relations, whatever difficulties one may have to face, one should not swerve from the path of rectitude. Justness is like the mariner’s compass. In whatever way you put it, the needle will point only towards the North. Similarly, justness reveals the Divinity in man and makes him enjoy the bliss of the Divine. Hence, the ideal human life should be one in which rectitude forms the basis for every action.

23. 11. 86 Dharma means recognition of the universal consciousness that is in each individual and act on the basis of the unity of that consciousness. When this consciousness in man is enveloped in the ego, it assumes the form of three gunas (Satva, Rajas, Thamas). When the Divine nature of this consciousness is realised, it is transformed into Atma dharma - the Dharma of the Self. 14. 1. 85 The true Dharma of every human being is to make every endeavour to realise the Divine. The process by which this consummation can be reached constitutes Dharma. Dharma should lead to Self-realisation. 20. 5. 85 Anyone who adheres to Dharma, whoever he may be, is verily the embodiment of God. 23. 11. 85 The Dharma of man is to transport himself safe and swift to his destination, namely, the Divine. The duty has to be fulfilled. That destiny has to be reached. All the rest, attainments and achievements, are of secondary value, complementary, at best, to the main purpose. One must pursue this Dharma without falling or failing in that duty. 23. 11. 86 True dharma is the realisation of the unity of the Omni-Self. All worldly duties and activities bear the imprint of three gunas. ‘Swa-Dharma’ refers to Atma-Dharma (the Dharma of the Spirit). Paradharma is Dharma (duties) relating to the world. The worldly duties are ephemeral and subject to change. Among these worldly duties there are duties like Varne-Dharma (functional duties), Asrama Dharma (duties relating to one’s stage in life) and others. These duties have been laid down to help man in leading his worldly life. But beyond them is the Atma Dharma. Which has to be observed for Self-realisation. By solely adhering to worldly duties man remains at the animal level. Through the discipline of mind, man may rise to the human level. But it only when the physical and mental duties are linked to the spiritual discipline that Atma Dharma is observed. The body performs actions, the mind distinguishes between right and wrong. The Atma functions as the Witness. Although these three appear to differ from each other, they are inter related. It is only when the three are integrated and harmonised that man can achieve self-fulfilment. 21. 11. 90 Dharma is that which sustains mankind. True humanness consists in observing unity of thought, word and deed. All actions done with this triple unity are dharmic actions (Righteous). All such actions will be non-violent. Words spoken with such triple purity will be truth. 31. 12. 94 Dharma is the code of morals that upholds and uplifts man and society. It is the superstructure on Truth. It serves the needs of the time, the society and the goal and is therefore subject to modification. The Dharma of the ‘student’ is different from that of the ‘master of the family’ and from the Dharma of the renounce and the monk. But, through all the stages of life, the Truth, the Unchanging Witness persists. Accept intellect as the charioteer, then, the practice of Dharma will lead to success. 20. 5. 95 Any one who adheres to Dharma, whoever he may be, is verily the embodiment of God. 18. 8. 95

Man is sustained by three factors: the body, the mind and the tongue. The hands represent the body, thoughts represents the tongue. The acting in unison of the body, the mind and the tongue is ‘Dharma’. Thoughts, words and actions should be in harmony. That is the mark of a true human being. This basic truth is valid without regard to place, nationality, language or religion. It is applicable to people everywhere, at all times. Those who observe this triple purity are the redeemed. 18. 10. 95 The earth follows its natural duty (Dharma) to make use of its five elements to produce sustenance for all living beings. Born on the earth, men are not following the example of the earth. It is not the creeds that men profess - whether Christianity or Islam or other religion - which lend value to their lives. The highest value is the fact of their humanness. All faiths combine to invest man with a unique effulgence. 23. 10. 95 Every moment of one’s life should be devoted to practising righteousness(Dharma) and earning a good name (kirthi). Fill every cell in your body, with the spirit of Truth.

DISCIPLINE 25. 10. 65 The traits of Raavana’s lust, of Sishupaalan’s pride, of Kamsa’a hate, of Hiranyaaksha’s envy are tainting every human heart. Only the discipline of the spirit through japam and dhyanam can quench the flames and scotch the conflagration. 2. 3. 70 Disciplinary rules have to be well thought out and adapted to the age-group they want to correct. The atmosphere must be so charged that obedience to discipline comes automatically, with full heart. Such discipline will shape good leaders for the nation. 20. 11. 70 Discipline is essential for the success of every endeavour of man, whatever the field, whether it be economic, social, educational, or merely material and worldly. It is even more essential for success in spiritual effort. The discipline of concentration, for example, is indispensable for even common acts like walking, talking, writing & reading. Spiritual progress, spiritual bliss depends on discipline, concentrated effort. It can come only through hard & difficult toil, not through pleasant easy paths. Life becomes worth living, only when one has disciplined habits, concentration of the mind, renunciation of sensual pleasures and faith in the Atma (the Self). Discipline & Concentration are as the embankments which control & direct the flood waters of a river into harmless & fruitful channels. You are engaged in Sadhana & the inquiry into the self and , in this great task, these two will be of great help. No one ignorant of the path can read the goal; no one unaware of the goal can choose the path & tread it . You must have the proper conception of the path, as well as, where it leads to, before you decide on the journey. Apr 73 Discipline trains you to put up with disappointments; you will know that the path of life has both ups and downs, that every rose has its thorn. Now people want roses without thorns, life has to be one saga of sensual pleasure, a picnic all the time. When this does not happen, you turn wild and start blaming others. 14. 11. 75 Discipline entails the strict observance of rules and regulations and directions. The sense of duty can yield results only when discipline is observed, and devotion of Sai and the Message of Sai is the basis for the sense of duty which keeps you ever bound to discipline.

17. 8. 77 A disciplined life is the best offering you can make to the country or to the Divine in you. 30. 8. 78 Discipline is important in order to progress in learning, and even more so in dealing with others. An undisciplined person is a danger to society; any moment he may run amuck. Man must recognise what limits, regulations and do’s and don’ts are laid down by the sages of the past in order to ensure social security and individual advancement. 2. 10. 81 For every achievement, a path, a process, a discipline is essential. Without adopting the appropriate route, if one argues, objects and denies, he is only announcing his own foolishness. 14. 1. 93 Discipline is the life-breath of man. It is like the spine for the human body. Discipline must accompany you like your shadow.

DISCRIMINATION 24. 11. 61 To say that God is the prime cause of everything is true to a certain extent; but you are not thrust by Him into an iron cage of destiny from where there is no escape. He has endowed you with viveka and vairaagja (discrimination and detachment) and, with a sense of awe and wonder, you have to use these for attaining Him. Though bound, you are not entirely incapacitated. 2. 10. 65 Discrimination, is an important instrument of spiritual progress. The reasoning faculty must be employed to distinguish between the limited and the unlimited, the temporary and the Eternal. That is its legitimate use. 9. 6. 70 Do not get too much attached to the world, and too involved in the tangles. Keep your emotions always within hold. The waves agitate only the upper layers of the sea; down below it is calm. So too, when you sink into your depths, you must be free from the agitation of the waves. Know most thing are of no lasting values and can therefore be brushed aside; hold fast to the solid substance only. Use your discrimination to discover which things are lumber, and which are treasure. 6. 3. 77 He who discriminates well before engaging in any activity will naturally be righteous in conduct and behaviour. 26. 9. 79 Discrimination and detachment are the first and the second steps that man has to take in order to reach the eternal Aathmic (spiritual) truth. 12. 4. 81 Discrimination has developed through necessity for survival in most living beings but, in man, it has become a highly developed skill. Man has to use this skill to separate the chaff from the grain and decide on the constructive path of truth and righteousness. 31. 12. 83 In a life filled with desires, the pleasures one seeks are inevitably followed by grief and disappointments. All unrighteous actions lead to sorrow. It was for this reason that Buddha emphasised the need for discrimination. The first prayer ‘Buddham Saranam Gachchaami’ is a call for cultivating wisdom and

discrimination - the Buddhi. But unless the power of discrimination is used for doing right action for the good of society it is of no use. Hence the second prayer, ‘Sangham Saranam Gachchaami’ (I surrender myself to society) . What is this right action that must be done? That is indicated by the third prayer: ‘Dharmam Saranam Gachchaami’ (I take refuge in Dharma). To reach your goal, the royal road is Dharma - Righteousness. It is only when these three are combined - wisdom, social service and Righteousness that there is fulfilment in life.

DREAMS 14. 7. 65 Which dreams are real? dreams relating to god are real. You see me in the dream, I allow you to do Namaskaaram (postration), I bless you, I grant Grace. That is true; that is due to My will and your saadhana (spiritual practice). If the Lord or your Guru appears in dream, it must be the result of His will, not due to any of the other reasons which cause dreams. It can never happen as a result of your wish. 5. 4. 81 During the dream stage, we can experience holiness and bliss, only when we engage ourselves, while awake, in steady pure unselfish activities. In dreams, we see diverse objects and persons, strange worlds, of skyscrapers and castles. From where did these emerge? Through whom were they presented? Pragnaanam Brahman, the Supreme Consciousness, is the basis for the creation of this variety of dream appearances. Brahma is the deity that creates. So, the dream state is the Brahma - phase of consciousness. In the deep sleep stage, the experiences gained during the waking hours or gone through in dreams do not impinge on man. They have all been extinguished. Rudhra, the deity into whom the cosmos ultimately merges, is therefore associated with the Sushupthi phase. Next we have the thureeya or the fourth stage, the stage of Atma -Consciousness. When the salt doll is dropped in the sea, it reaches the bottom and is dissolved. The same happens to the seeker of the Atma. He is dissolved. He becomes one with that which he sought to know. He cannot return and describe the experience.

DUTY

29. 9. 60 There are two duties to be done by man; the one along the path of righteousness for this world and the one along the path of Supreme Reality for eternal liberation. The path of righteousness is the left hand, and so it can be left. why, it will leave of itself after the fruit becomes ripe. That is why it is called ‘left!’ Leave it and do not grieve over it. But hold on to the right, the path of Supreme Reality, for it is ‘right’ that you should do so. 17. 3. 61 You cannot be happy when the rest of mankind is unhappy. You are an organic part of the human community. Share your prosperity with others; strive to alleviate the sufferings of others. That is your duty. 23. 4. 61 No attempt need be made to run away from the duties of one’s station and status. Remember, those duties have to be done as worship as offerings of one’s intelligence and skill, qualities and thoughts and feelings to the Feet of the Lord in a spirit of attachment to the fruits of the actions. The Nithyakrithy (obligatory actions) have to be carried out, wherever you are, with care and sincerity. They award the needed viveka and vairaagya. 20. 2. 64 Your duty is to concentrate on the development of the Divinity latent in you; once you do that, all hate and all pride will disappear. 22. 3. 65

Do all daily duties, with God in your heart, as the witness. 31. 3. 65 What exactly is your duty? Let Me summarise it for you. First tend your parents with love and reverence and gratitude. Second, Sathyam Vadha, Dharmam chara. Speak the truth and act virtuously. Third, whenever you have a few moments to spare, repeat the Name of the Lord, with the Form in your mind. Fourth, never indulge in talking ill of others or try to discover faults in others. And, finally, do not cause pain to others, in any form. 23. 5. 65 There is no use turning back and watching the road traversed; ones duty is to watch the road ahead and march on towards the goal. 1. 1. 67 The chief duty of man is investigation into Truth. Truth can be won only through dedication and devotion. And they are dependent on the Grace of God, which is showered only on hearts saturated with Love. 20. 4. 75 Duty is the responsibility you have to respect and revere others and to serve them to the best of your ability. 13. 5. 79 Honouring the right of the other man to freedom is your duty. 18. 7. 81 We do our duty but are doubted whether we would receive our needs. This is a sign of weakness. The reward is certain. Why hesitate? Be satisfied that you have done your duty well; never fail in that. But, nowadays, even those who break the law and behave in evil ways quote the law and claim its protection when their interests are affected. This is indeed a tragic situation. 8. 10. 81 One has to carry out one’s duty with devotion and discipline. 27. 10. 82 Whatever happens, however critical the situation, one has to discharge fully and correctly the duty laid upon one. Whatever the enormity of the calamity that threatens, one should not budge. Lakshmana repented all his life for the lapse. 6. 9. 84 The devotees primary duty is to seek the nectar of bliss to be got from the contemplation of the beauty of God. The means of experiencing such joy is to cultivate good qualities and get rid of bad traits. 17. 11. 85 Through right conduct, the mind is purified and a pure mind leads to Atmic bliss. Hence, the duties that are enjoyed on one have to be discharged. The foremost duty of man is to do good deeds with a pure heart. 29. 12. 85 It is the primary duty of man to manifest the divinity in him in his life. One’s life -story is regarded as made up of his childhood, growth, achievements, his thoughts and ideals. But what is fundamental to a man’s life is his moral stature. 23. 11. 86 The world is in turmoil. At this juncture, it is the duty of devotees to realise the Fatherhood of god and the brotherhood of man and counteract to the potent weapon of love, they should try to serve humanity and to eradicate the forces of violence and unrighteousness which are rampant today.

1. 1. 93 Men today fight for their "rights" and forget their duties. Hence discharge of duty comes first. It is through duty that man realises God. The human body is the result of past actions. Man is bound to the world by his actions. The body is the primary requisite for the performance of right action. Indifferent to fame or blame, not seeking power or position, one should perform one's duties selflessly. Do not be swayed by any consideration other than your duty. Whether it be in a political organisation or in regard to a personal matter, or in relation to national issues, you should act according to the dictates of your conscience, without any other concern. One can become a courageous leader only if he performs his duties in this spirit. 21. 1. 93 If you discharge your duty with responsibility result will take care of itself. This is what everyone should clearly understand today. If everyone does his duty well there will be no trouble in the world. It is because people claim rights without doing their duty there is chaos and confusion. Man is immersed in self conflict because he is keen on exercising his right without discharging his responsibility. 7. 2. 93 Treat Duty as God and Work as Worship. If you carry on your work in this spirit, the world will be a happier place for all. 19. 2. 93 Every human being is a fragrant of the Divine. Only when a man discharge his duties will his life find fulfilment. Duty is man’s primary obligation. If a man is endowed with wealth and possessions, he has a duty to enjoy them. But to covet or seize other people’s wealth is a crime. Wealth is not confined to money or gold or other possessions. All the knowledge and skills acquired by a person also constitute his wealth. Even health is wealth. The power to think is also wealth. Physical strength and mental abilities are also wealth. The time at one’s command is also his wealth. Hence, it is man’s primary duty to utilise his time and every other form of wealth in the right manner. Dedicate yourselves to the performance of your duties. Do not waste your time or that of others in idle talk. Starting with the duties of the individual, man should aim at achieving oneness with the Divine as the ultimate goal. 20. 2. 93 All actions should be done with a view to achieving purity in thought, word and deed. Everything is in the heart of man. Divinity is installed in the heart of man. 23. 11. 93 When you perform your duties you will be acquiring the title to your right. Every man should discharge his duties. Performance of duties is your Yoga. It is your enjoyment. It is your sacrifice. Discharge of Duty is the basis for everything. If duties are performed accordingly to one’s respective role - as householder, student, renunciant or ascetic, the world will not suffer from lack of peace or prosperity. Ignoring their Duties, they interest themselves in the activities of others. 11. 7. 95 People should realise that time is fleeting and one’s life span is melting away every moment like a block of ice. Man is nearing his end even before he realises his primary duty. What is that duty? It is to discover the purpose of life. Man seeks wealth, comforts, position and happiness. Duty is related to one’s obligations to society. Freedom is related to expressing the will of the Divine. The phenomenal world is a projection of the Divine . Hence, it should be regarded as holy, Duty means

recognising the sacredness of one’s obligations to Prakriti. Each one must recognise that he/ she is an image of the Divine and contact himself on that basis. He alone is a real man who lives his life in this espy. 18. 8. 95 Man’s allotted span of life is melting every moment like a block of ice. Man’s life ends even before he is aware of his duty,. What is his duty?. Every individual has some aspirations, some ideals to be realised and some sacred paths to be trodden. He makes no effort to pursue these aims. All of you should strive to promote your effulgent and bliss by seeking oneness with the Divine. this is the primary duty of man. 23. 10. 95 Your duty today is to destroy the demonic qualities in you. Evil thoughts and evil actions are rampant everywhere. You cannot remain a mere witness to these happening. Planing your faith in God, you have to fight these evil forces as a human being. You have to demonstrate your human estate. you have to earn a name as a good man. That alone counts. All other acquisition are worthless. Only a good man endures.

DHYANA

25. 10. 65 You must have a separate room or corner where you do japa or dhyana every day, so that the spiritual fragrance might infuse higher thoughts during the process. If the place is changed, it will be like changing the company; the cumulative effect of association will be squandered. Parents and elders must see that their sons and wards are corrected on the spot, whenever they forget or deviate from the path. 22. 1. 67 Train yourself to waken when Brahma- mukurtham begins - that is to say, at 3. 00 am. You may require an alarm clock at first for the job; but soon, the urge for Dhyana will rouse you. Do not take a bath before you sit for dhyana, for the ritual of the bath will arouse the senses and you will be too full of pulls in different directions for the process of Dhyana to succeed. Regularity, sincerity, steadiness - these will reward you with success. 9. 6. 70 Dhyana is a rigorous discipline of the senses, the nervous current, and the wings of imagination. That is why it is said, the dhyana is the valley of peace that lies on the other side of a huge mountain range, with the peaks named the Six Foes. These are lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and envy. One has to climb over the range and reach the plain beyond. One has to rend the veils, before the light can shine on the path. One has to remove the cataract from the eye, so that the Truth can be seen. Maaya is the name of that mist of ignorance, that torments the mind which seeks to plunge in the depths of the self. Dhyana is the discipline by which the mind is trained to inner analysis and synthesis. The goal of dhyana is the One in which all ‘I’s are synthesised in their purest forms. That One is described in the Geetha as eight attributes. They are: Kavi (aware of the past, present and future), puraanam (timeless in its origin) anushaasithaaram (it lays down the norms), anoraneeya (it is more minute than the minutest), sarvasya dhatha (at the basis of all), achinthagaruupa (of inexplicable form) aadhithya varna (effulgence) andthaamasah parasthaaht (beyond darkness). This is a task which can be carried out only by unremitting dhyana. Dhyana and the control of senses must go together. The senses block the road to heaven’s gate. No sense should be given free rein. 18. 7. 70 Be guarded against the ‘evil of the tongue’, ‘evil of the mind’, and ‘evil of the hand’ - that is to say, desist from words that injure another’s reputation, harm his interests, and cause another pain; desist from evil

emotions and passions; keep away from bad deeds. It is only when these evils are absent that Dhyana on your Ideal can succeed. Any trace of these will tarnish the mind and create turmoil and turbulence. 6. 10. 70 Dhyana is the process of listening to the Song Celestial, the Flute of Krishna with the mental ears alert on the melody. 8. 10. 70 The higher you go, the cooler is the atmosphere. The lower you come, the hotter it is. So, keep yourself up, by means of dhyana and japam. 22. 11. 70 The mind must be allotted some heavy piece of work to hold it down. This work is called dhyaana. Keep the mind above the upper lip, between the two nostrils, right in front of the bridge of the nose. Inhale through the left nostril, closing the right with the right thumb. As the breath goes in, it utters So (meaning, He); then exhale through the right nostril, closing the left nostril. As the breath goes out, it utters ham( meaning, I). Inhale and exhale slowly and deliberately, conscious of the identity of He (the Lord) and I (yourself) which it asserts, until the breathing and awareness grow into an unnoticed process. Keep the mind as a watchman, to note the incoming and outgoing breaths, to listen with the inner ear to the Soham that the breath whispers and to witness the assertion of your being the Divine, which is the core of the Universe. This is the dhyaanam that will give victory. When this Soham Dhyaana has stabilised itself, you may start stabilising in your mind the form of the Lord of your choice. Picture the Form from head to foot, taking at least 15 to 20 minutes for it dwelling on each part of the body and imprinting it clearly on the heart and then, proceed from foot to head in similar way. This will help to fix the form in the altar of the heart. Then, you will see in everyone that Form only; in all being, you will find Him only. You will realise the One manifold as many. One should not give up his conviction in the face of ridicule or persecution. He can carry on dhyana according to his conviction in the privacy of his own home; there is no compulsion that he should thrust them on the attention of others, outside. 5. 4. 81 There is no fruit without a flower; there can be no devotion without karma. The fruit ripens and becomes sweet; bhakthi ripens into jnana (wisdom). So, we must first take up holy activity with clean intentions. One sadhana that is cultivated on a large scale today is dhyana (meditation). But, the dhyana that is done is not in consonance with the principle of Bhaarathiya Culture. In the absence of a purified mind, dhyana can never achieve the mergence. 6. 10. 81 Sitting quiet and transferring their emotions and feelings to God is no dhyana. They must transmute their emotions, desires, feelings with the help of God into Divine qualities. They should not bring God down to their level; they must raise themselves to the level of God. EDUCATION (see also Students) 2. 2. 58 The cultivation of viveka (discrimination) is the chief aim of education; the promotion of virtuous habits, the strengthening of Dharma, these are to be attended to; not the acquisition of polish or gentlemanliness, or collection of general information and the practice of common skills.

3. 3. 58 To live a happy, peaceful and contented life, good education is necessary; education which is based on Dharma (righteousness) 25. 7. 58 Education must result in the development of wisdom and humility. The educated man must be able to distinguish between the momentary and the momentous, the lasting and the effervescent. He must not run after glitter and glamour but he must seek instead the good and golden. 9. 9. 58 Education is a slow process like the unfolding of a flower, the fragrance becoming deeper and more perceptible with the silent blossoming, petal by petal, of the entire flower. 23. 11. 62 Man has the springs of joy and peace in his heart, even as a child. Cultivate them, give them the fullest freedom to gush forth and fertilise all fields of activity - that is the real purpose of education. 25. 3. 65 Men and women live many years without knowing the secret of joyful, peaceful living. The educated are today more discontented than the uneducated, whereas they ought really to be calmer and less subject to agitation of the mind. Education today is a thin veneer that hightens egoism and hypocrisy. Humility and an attitude of reverence are essential for man. They are not promoted by the educational process of today; the processes recommended in the Upanishads ensured these two. The educated man is like the man who asks for a ticket at the booking office of a railway station, but does not know to which place he is going! But all men are travellers, pilgrims rather, to God, who is drawing them to Him. 14. 11. 65 Education is now sought after, more for securing a means of livelihood. The attempt of many parents and their children is to learn some skill which will give them a good job, in a factory or business establishment or bank, on a decent salary. Of course man must live and live comfortably. So, it is necessary that some useful skill is mastered. But, man need things much more satisfying , much more essential, than comfort. He must have faith in himself, so that he may respect himself. This Atma Vishvasa (trust in the Self) lies at the very root of joy. 1966 Education is incomplete and even ineffective if the educated have not known the Reality or at least the means of knowing it. The only means of knowing it is to cleanse the intelligence of delusion and deluding prejudices. To cleanse the intelligence virtue has to be practised, along with reverence, humility and detachment. Reverence has to begin with the parents and elders and teachers. Revere them, be humble before their longer experience and deeper love. Know what Dharma is and follow it strictly. Studies are the roots of the tree of life. The attachments which the individual develops towards kith and kin, the objects of the world, the ideals and the goals, the fancies and fashions - all these form the branches and twigs. The blossoms which the tree produces are the intelligence and its manifestations. The blossoms yield the fruit of Aanandham or Joy. The fruit of Aanandham confess the sweetness called character. the essence of character is virtue. It is in virtue that the tree of life justifies itself. The root of education fulfils itself in the fruit of virtue. Without it, life is a waste; it is as much a waste as a tasteless fruit. The aim of all study should be the cultivation of good qualities, the development of virtuous habits, the raising of the standard of values, of one’s own self-respect.

The best that can be said of the learned is that they are efficient in the art of argument and cynical discussion and criticism. The real subject of study for men is the study of the means of ending death and birth. 18. 4. 66 The root is education and the fruit is virtue. Otherwise all the schooling is a waste of time and money. 18. 12. 66 The source of happiness is in man; the source of light is in his eyes. Real education has to teach man how to tap this spring of joy and light. If this task is not undertaken by schools and colleges, it should be performed by parents and elders and all who are keen to prevent this devaluation. 3. 4. 67 Education must include the education of the mind of man, of his impulses to hate, to hoard defame. It is not merely the acquisition of certain skills by which the materials found in nature can be reshaped into utility products; it is not merely the acquisition of information about the laws of nature. It is the process by which man makes the best of his own inner equipment, his inner consciousness, to know himself. It should open his inner eye, more than his outer; the outer must reveal the Glory of God, the inner must reveal the God within. 22. 2. 68 Education is not the acquisition of burdensome information regarding objects and men. It is the awareness of the immortal spirit within, which is the spring of joy, peace and courage. 26. 7. 69 Education must be for life, not for a living. 2. 3. 70 You know that you can draw cheques upon a bank, whenever you need money, provided you have enough current deposit therein. If the bank goes bankrupt, it will be a disaster. The educational system is the bank, on which the nation draws a cheque whenever it wants strong reliable skilled workers. If it goes bankrupt, as it has very nearly gone today, it is a national disaster. If the system is overhauled and lubricated, the next generation is assured of good leaders and, what is equally essential, good followers. 1. 4. 73 Education is not to be taken as a process of filling an empty sack and pouring out its contents, making the sack empty again. It is not the head that has to be filled through education. It is the heart that has to be cleansed, expanded and illumined. Education is for ‘life’ not, for a ‘living’. The sign of the educated man is humility that he has not been able to know the vast unknown that still remains to be explored. The educated man must realise that he has more obligations than privileges, more duties than rights. He has to save the society amidst which he is placed and the heritage that has been handed down to him by his forefathers. He should be delighted to serve, and not desire to dominate. For service is divine service makes life worthwhile; service is the best way to use one’s skills, intelligence, strength and resource. 14. 1. 74 Vidhya (education) is the communication of the knowledge of the divine power, and the inner Reality of the Atma. This alone justifies the claim to be educated. 17. 6. 74 Any system of education that does not help you to discriminate between right and wrong, that does not instil the fear of sin and the love of God, train you in the codes of humility and reverence, widen the horizon of your wander, encourage you to worshipfully serve your parents, and inspire you to dedicate your skills and

attainments to the progress of your family, village, community, country, language and nation stands condemned! 5. 1. 75 The objectives of true education are two and only two. The first and the most basic of the two is education for the provision of food, clothing and shelter, for the promotion of health and harmony in society for avoiding pollution and promoting honesty. The second objective of education is the culture of the mind and the spirit. This too is very much like agriculture, which provides food and clothing for man. We want dhaanya (grains) to sustain the body: we require dhyaana (meditation) to sustain the spirit. 6. 3. 75 Wisdom flashes like lightning amidst the clouds of the inner sky; one has to foster the flash, and preserve the light. That is the true sign of the ‘educated’ person. 25. 7. 75 Education is no book-worm affair, the process must include the study and appreciation of all trades, professions and guilds. It must encourage the acceptance of the good and the rejection of the bad. Spiritual education is not a distinct and separate discipline; it is part and parcel of all types and levels of education. In fact, it is the very foundation on which a lasting edifice can be built. Secular and spiritual education are like the two halves in the seeds of pulses, the germ that sprouts is in between, it is fed by both. Nov 75 All kinds of education and all kinds of knowledge are like different rivers whereas spiritual education and spiritual knowledge is like the ocean. When all the rivers go and merge into the ocean, they lose their particular features and they acquire the characteristics of the ocean itself. So, of all types of knowledge and education, spiritual education and spiritual knowledge is the highest and most superior one. One may acquire any amount of education but if it does not give him self-confidence and is devoid of knowledge of his own self all that education becomes utterly useless. One should not undertake to be educated only to eke out one’s own livelihood. People who have no education are also living and eating out their livelihood. Therefore, to eke out one’s livelihood is not important. To acquire knowledge and wisdom is the important thing. Whatever education one may have acquired, he who does not understand himself will remain ignorant and will not give up his bad and mean qualities. Such a person, if he goes on studying and studying, he will only become argumentative. He will use logic but he will never acquire complete knowledge. All education that we give today is, thus, simply preaching without practice and therefore only superficial. The spiritual education on the other hand, comes from the depth of one’s heart and it is always associated with love or prema. What is associated with Prema is spiritual knowledge. What is associated with selfishness, is ordinary knowledge. Where there is Prema, there is forbearance. Where there is selfishness, there is always room for bad qualities and bad intentions. That is why we say ‘Love lives by giving and forgiving, whereas ‘self lives by getting and forgetting. ’ The teachers and the gurus should not regard the students as children of other parents. They should regard the students as their own children. 1. 8. 76 Education is to valued not as a means of earning one’s livelihood, but as the essential requisite for a happy, peaceful and progressive life leading man from the animal stage of existence to the presence of the Divine, where love and light reign undisturbed. He who lives for the sake of eating is indeed a great sinner; he who lives for the sake of reaching the full awareness of his innate Reality is blessed.

30. 8. 78 The most fundamental teaching of the ancient culture of India is Love. for generation the youth of this land have been exhorted, encouraged and taught, by precept and example , to love the poor, the helpless, the handicapped, the illiterate and the disabled, for the same spark of Divinity that is in us is also equally evident and ochre in them. 22. 11. 78 Unless knowledge is transformed into wisdom, and wisdom is expressed in character, education is a wasteful process. If education confers this gift of transformation, then surely life will become peaceful, happy and full of mutual help and corporation. But the aim of education today has degenerated into the acquisition of certain skills and intellectual tricks. It provides the educated with food, clothing and shelter and consider that its task is over with that achievement. Education has to clarify the goal of life to the rising generation and indicate the ways and means of accomplishing it. Earning money is not the end-all of education. It is the greed to earn money by any means, as fast as possible, that has led to the evils that we see in society today. Money breeds pride, pride fosters hatred. 30. 8. 78 The true signs of education is humility; for there is much more to be investigated and learnt. There are always many more who are far more learned. They carry their scholarship more lightly. 7. 12. 78 Education must provide the illumination; the darkness of ignorance and the dusk of doubt have to flee before that splendour. Then it is easy to cultivate good thoughts, feelings and impulses in the brightness of heart. Education does not end with the accumulation of information; it must result in transformation of the habits, character and aspirations of the individual. Knowledge has to be tested in daily action. Now, man has no information on the most precious heritage that he has within him. He is interested in everyone except his own self. It only he becomes aware of his self, he can have vast strength, deep peace and great joy added unto himself. 17. 2. 80 Education is the gaining of illumination, it is the light that dispels ignorance and doubt. It scatters the joy of ego. It confers humility and discipline. The mind must also be subjected to the process of righteous discipline (thapas). The highest discipline is to bring about a unity in one’s thought, word and deed. 18. 2. 80 The clouds gathered thick in the sky have, in their midst, streaks of lightning. So, too, there has to be wisdom illumining the clouds of knowledge. The learned man’s life itself must shine as his message to mankind. every particle of strength, every moment of life , every expression of virtue and every manifestation of intelligence, must be directed to the fulfilment of this high purpose. Lecturers and professors of the teaching faculty are like an ‘overhead tank’ and the students are the ‘taps’. when the tank is filled with potable water, the taps too, will yield water with which people can slake their thirst. Unity of minds, mutual love and corporation, are the qualities we have to develop today. Education is not for securing university degrees. Give up this mad pursuit after diplomas which cater to the ego and increase the distance between you and others. Develop the desire to save others and equip yourselves through education with the skill needed to save others better.

Education has to cultivate humility and discipline, but today it is yielding a harvest of pride and envy. One must not learn to live like a drop of oil on a pond spreading all over the surface and refusing to merge with the water. One must join others in common tasks and contribute one’s strength and skill to the common pool. A single thin string cannot bend even an ant, but hundreds of them twisted into a rope can hold back an elephant. This is the effort of united effort. It is a desirable trait to work for a common cause with others in corporation, but today people unfortunately only believe in operation. The nation can prosper and be happy only when education develops in an atmosphere of Truth, Love and Reverence. 21. 9. 80 When clouds gather in the sky, lightning illuminates the clouds. Similarly, wisdom must illuminate education. This word of Sai is the path of Truth. 1981 True education is only Atma Vidhya. The education today is oriented towards earning money only. For feeding a small stomach, should one have to learn so many things? 5. 2. 81 Education must instil the fundamental human values; it must broaden the vision to include the entire world and all mankind. Education must equip man to live happily, without making others unhappy, to evaluate things, pleasure and possessions correctly and without prejudice, and to fix one's attention ever on the highest and most precious achievement of all, the Athmic victory. 1. 3. 81 Education can yield peace and prosperity only when, along with technical skills and objective information, students are equipped with moral ideals, righteous living, and spiritual insight. Education has to inspire youth to offer services, to sacrifice and to help. Education without right conduct is of no value. Students must make use of what they have learnt, not only for earning a living but for service to society. Only then will your degrees have any meaning. Whatever job you may take up, wherever you may be working, you must continue to practise spiritual discipline and aim at Self-realisation. Without a spiritual basis, education is futile. Humility is the hall-mark of true education. Arrogance, envy and ostentation should have no place in a properly educated person. 8. 3. 81 Education can yield peace and prosperity only when, along with technical skills and objective information, students are equipped with moral ideals, righteous living and spiritual insight The educated person must serve the people, through sweet and toil. Education has to inspire youth to offer service, to sacrifice and help. A garland can be made only when we have flowers, thread and needle. A system of education needs intelligence (flowers), devotion (thread) and the spirit of renunciation and service (needle) to become beneficial. Raising the standard of living must also mean raising ethical, moral and spiritual standards. Then only can education lead to progress in human values and harmony in social life. Education must assume full responsibility and enter the moral and spiritual lives of pupils. The imparting of worldly information and training in technical skills are not enough. Moral and spiritual education has to supplement them.

27. 6. 81 The real aim of education must be to help the student discover the Divine in every being. The most desirable subject for study for study is the secret of the soul which is immortal. Do not be satisfied with the education that helps you to eke out a livelihood during your sojourn on earth. Even birds and beasts eke out their livelihood somehow. You have come to the world as humans in order to manifest fully the special human endowment of intelligence and intuition. 29. 8. 81 Every country, wherever it may be and whatever its stage of progress, must have three requisites: material resources, protective power and a proper educational system (producers, security personnel and teachers). The peace and prosperity of the world depend on the work of these three classes of people. They form the legs of a tripod. Even if one leg is weak, the other two cannot sustain. There should be a plank, resting on the ‘three legs’ - the plank of Love, that is to say, Love of the Country. ‘Country’ does not mean a specific area on the map, the soil. It means the human community inhabiting the territory. And ‘Love’ means the sense of inter-relationship and involvement of the individual with that community. When production and protection are adequate, if educational system takes a wrong track, the country is weakened. The development of material resources and the defence of the country ultimately depend on the kind of education that is imparted. Education is not merely the gathering of scientific knowledge; it should endow man with heroism in action. It should instruct man to decide on what has to be done and how. It must make man recognise the kinship that exists between himself and others. Education must aim at enlarging the heart and awakening the latent intelligence and skills of man, and inspiring him to calmly welcome physical labour and exhausting work. Living, not for the sake of food but for the sake of an ideal, that is the goal of education. True beauty lies in true education. Education is being confused with the acquisition of verbal scholarship. This is worry. Education has to open the doors of the mind. Many describe science today as a powerful acquisition, but, science holds before mankind a great opportunity that is all. It cannot be as great a power as it is imaginable to be. If it is devoid of character, it brings disaster. It can then cause evil and wickedness. Intelligence can be found to be very high among clever thieves. So, too, scientific knowledge can be misused for destructive purposes. Teaching ends with the school, but learning ends only when life ends. Living not for the sake of food but for the sake of an ideal, that is the goal of education. The human personality must blossom into enthusiasm for work, into eagerness to raise society to the highest level. Without character, man become the plaything of every passing whim, a kite whose string has broken, or a counterfeit coin, without benefiting any one. In order to manifest genuine human excellence and instruct others to do the same, spiritual saadhana alone can equip one with necessary qualifications and authority. Education is now solely materialistic. Education must be oriented towards the attainment of character for leading clean simple lives. Rivers are dammed and the waters are stored in reservoirs, of what earthly use are these if the waters are kept therein? Through canals, they have to be taken to the fields to feed the crops in order to appease the hunger of millions. So too, we store the knowledge available in libraries in our heads as reservoirs. But, is that

enough? Can this be the end of education? It has to be utilised through canals of service in order to fertilise and feed the minds of one’s fellowmen and make them more intelligent, more skilled and more loving. The nation will thus become more prosperous and happy. 22. 11. 81 Education must broaden the heart, it must expand one’s love. Education does not end with mastery of the meanings of words. It means opening wide the doors of the mind; it means cleansing the inner tools of the consciousness, the mind, the ego, the senses, the reason. Unfortunately, education is sub serving the restricted purpose of making one fit for securing jobs which earn for him the wherewithal to live! True education must purge one of all traces of selfishness. Modern education negates the virtues of discipline and humility. Science without a sense of values, activity dictated by whim, scholarship with experimental satisfaction, humanity with no involvement with humans, music devoid of sweet melody - these are all dull and dreary. They cannot inspire men to appreciation and observance. Therefore, you should give up selfish desires and welcome the Truth beyond the reach of the mind operating through senses and manifest the Divinity that is your Reality. Education must award self confidence, the courage to depend on one’s own strength. Today, one emerges from the process of education with a hardened heart. Education has as its goal the fostering of sympathy with the less fortunate, but the knowledge and skill earned by one are diverted to selfish ends. 23. 11. 82 The characteristic result of the modern educational process is the bloating of conceit into the size of a pumpkin when only a mustard seed size of learning has been acquired! And, the student aspire for unlimited rewards. As the proverb says, they pay for an onion and demand a melon as extra. The bond between jobs, degrees has to be cut asunder. Education should foster moral and spiritual excellence. Students should cultivate the intelligence needed to cleanse the mind in stand on one’s own feet and to tender service to fellowmen. Knowledge without action is useless, while action without knowledge is foolishness! Education must be brightened by means of discrimination and spiritualisation. Instead, the educational process fosters merely greed for selfish aggrandisement, without using one’s attainments for social service and beneficial sharing. 1. 12. 82 When education degenerates, all social, economic and political activities start rotting. So, the educational process and system must be allotted a crucial role. But, at present, they involve high expense and low income. Education should not end with the winning of a degree or diploma. That is no real evidence of one’s learning. Learning is not as mechanical as all that. It must inspire even the most inert individuals. It has no place for pride, pomp or jealousy. It shares its illumination with all. 19. 3. 84 The primary purpose of education must be to make the individual develop his personality by the pursuit of spiritual and moral disciplines. Education is thus a process through which man is lead to his highest status. It is the failure to infuse education with ethical content that is responsible for the futility of education to-day. There is a wish-fulfilling tree in the shrine of the heart; that tree is surrounded by weeds. Unless the weeds are removed, the wish-fulfilling tree cannot be seen. That wish-fulfilling tree is a proper system of moral education. If the weed that have grown round the tree are not removed, the educational system will not grow properly and yield good fruits. 22. 11. 84

The educational system today makes an educated person selfish. It makes him a slave to the senses and as a consequence he forgets his own divine nature. Educated men are not prepared to take up service to the suffering people. Despite the possession of high degrees, the educated man is frantically after salaried jobs rather than seeking independent careers. The educated man fights for his rights, without regard to the duties to be discharged. The man who neglects his duties will lose his rights as well. Rights and duties are inseparably inter-related. Love is the connecting link between the two. 13. 5. 85 Education has to endow you with the eagerness to surrender. The uneducated may assert that his desire must prevail, he must be allowed to correct himself and he ought to shape his career as he wills. But, the learned will be humble and eager to follow the Lord’s will. These virtues can be discovered in man only when he engages himself in some activity, say, service of his fellowmen. The activity will reveal to him his plus points and faults and help him to improve himself and advance spiritually. 20. 5. 85 True education is associated with the ideal goals of life. The educational process should aim at developing character and not merely intellectual abilities. Of what use is it to get a Doctorate without character? Education should have a practical bias which will make the student useful for himself and society. 29. 8. 85 Education is for the purpose of leading the good life and not for earning a living. Yearn to lead an ideal life. 22. 11. 85 Man can make genuine progress only when the idea that education is for earning a living is given up. The link between education and jobs should be totally snapped. Education should be for life, not for a living. Only one who realises this truth is a truly educated person. Education is intended for the transformation of the heart. Man today is proud about the little knowledge he has acquired about the physical world and boasts that he knows all about the universe. True knowledge is that which establishes harmony and synthesis between science on the one hand and spirituality and ethics on the other. Man, therefore should at the outset determine the true value of education. Education today is a process of filling the mind with the contents of books, emptying the contents in the examination hall and returning empty-handed. True education consists in the cultivation of the heart. What you learn should become a part of your whole being. Only then will you have a sense of fulfilment, and establish complete harmony in thought, word and deed. The country needs today persons who lead such integral lives. 5. 12. 85 In order to free himself from the ego, man has to recognise the One Divinity that temporarily wears different form and names to distract him by apparent multiplicity. The basic ignorance of man lies in his identifying himself with what is not genuinely he. Removal of this mistaken view and attainment of the awareness of the Unity in Divinity - this is the true purpose of education. Education is a process of culture. One has to plant healthy and potent seeds in the inner field, so that a plentiful harvest of valuable fruits can be gained. A great deal of discrimination and preparation have to precede the sowing. What is happening today is indiscriminate choice of seeds leading to a harvest of disturbance - a contingency that can be avoided only by rigorous inquiry into values and their promotion. 13. 12. 85

Education should be for life and not merely for earning a living. It is at the primary level when the children are in their most impressionable years, that discipline and moral values should be inculcated. Students who have been moulded in right lines in the early years by being filled with examples from our cultural heritage would develop into ideal citizens. At the higher levels of education the major problem is caused by politics and the holding of elections in college associations. Elections to student bodies should go. They involve not only considerable waste of money but result in divisions and conflicts between students. 15. 12. 85 One of the principle aims of education must be to make students self-reliant. 7. 3. 86 Education aims only at providing information and promoting skills. It has not tackled the problem of moral degeneration, of the sublimation of low desires, of sense control and the development of spiritual insight. Man, today, is a beast in human garb When he develops and demonstrates human values, he would have to discard the beast in him and become man, the pilgrim to God. 22. 11. 86 Education has to make a person the concrete embodiment of the higher Reality, that is the basis of the material universe, of life in the world, of the expanding dominions of the mind, and of the human community. The process of education has to inspire man to discover the Truth seeking it through the study of objective world. Fulfilment lies in the awareness of that Truth which, when once known, does not need correction or modification or revision. Education aims at this consummation in a life lived in the atmosphere of unity; devoid of the varied demands of diversity. The real sign of an educated person is his attitude of sameness towards all. He sees in society the manifestation of divinity. Education does not lead man from nature to the all-pervading Atma. It leads man to study nature, with the unifying Atmic outlook. 9. 87 The task of education is to develop man into an ideal and exemplary person. 11. 87 Real education should enable one to utilise the knowledge one has acquired to meet the challenges of life and to make all human beings happy as far as possible. Born in society, one has the duty to work for the welfare and progress of society. Realise that the end of education lies in the understanding of Truth itself. You will then secure ever-lasting peace and thereby show the world an out-of-the-ordinary ideal. Scholarship without culture is valueless. Both have to go together. The Taithiriya Upanishad exhorts the student to look upon one's father, mother, teacher and guest as God. Schools and colleges should be merely engaged in the processes of teaching and learning. Mere writing, reading and arithmetic do not exhaust the task of the school. The inculcation of great ideals and the attempt to put them into practice are equally important. Secular and spiritual education are like the two halves in the seeds of pulses; the germ that sprouts is in between; it is fed by both. Students have to attend them [schools and colleges] in order to cultivate discipline, control emotions and canalise passions. Learning is just a small fraction of what can be gained from schools and colleges. They

instil into the pupils the lessons of mutual co-operation, good manners, courtesy, compassion and comradeship, adjustment to limitations and overcoming of obstacles with calm deliberation. [Reply given to the question: One can read or study at home. Why, then, should it be necessary for students to attend schools and colleges?] Students! You do not become educated merely by getting degrees. You will be truly educated only when you render service to the people. Engage yourselves in service to the people. True education is that which equips one for service and not merely for earning wealth. Fill your hearts with compassion. A compassionate heart is the seat of the Divine. The aim of education should be to enable one to discover his true nature. The characteristic of true education is humility. The duty of science is to promote love, sympathy, brotherhood and charity. The educational system of a country is the bank on which the nation draws a cheque whenever it requires strong, reliable, skilled workers. If it goes bankrupt, as ours has very nearly gone today, it is a national disaster. If the system is overhauled and lubricated, the next generation is assured of good leaders and, what is equally essential, good followers. The educated man must be ready and skilled to serve his parents, his village, his state, his nation, his language and his culture. The end of science is character. Earning money is not the end-all of education. Education can become meaningful only when you have developed humility and right behaviour. Education can yield peace and prosperity only when, along with technical skills and objective information, students are equipped with moral ideals, righteous living, and spiritual insight. Education confers humility. Humility adds credentials. Credentials ensure prosperity. Prosperity ensures right living. Right living grants peace and joy Both here and hereafter. Education does not mean imparting of verbal knowledge. The knowledge that is gathered in schools and colleges should be capable of being used for service to society and helping to improve the conditions of one's fellow men. The place where true teachers and students are gathered should be filled with serene peace and orderliness. 27. 11. 87 However learned one is in worldly knowledge, unless one's mind is cultured, the learning is mere junk. Humility is the hallmark of true education. Arrogance, envy and ostentation should have no place in a properly educated person. Humility, reverence, compassion, forbearance, sacrifice and sense-control are the qualities which reveal the outcome of true education. 29. 1. 88

Education should be utilised for developing the power of discrimination between right and wrong, good and evil. Without discrimination, a human being is worse than an animal. 21. 2. 88 Education is for acquiring wisdom, not for getting material wealth. 2. 10. 88 Education without right conduct is of no value. Education without self control is no education at all. Good thoughts, sweet speech and right conduct - these alone constitute true education. 10. 88 A person may have mastered all the scriptures, obtained a lot of knowledge, but the most important aspect is whether he has practised any of them. Education which is not put in practice is not of much use. 22. 11. 88 True education must enable one to realise the Self. True education should make a person compassionate and human. It should not make him self-centred and narrow minded. Spontaneous sympathy and regard for all beings should flow from the heart of one who is properly educated. He should be keen to serve society rather than be preoccupied with his own acquisitive aspirations. This should be the real purpose of education in its true sense. Unless knowledge is transformed into wisdom, and wisdom is expressed in character, education is a wasteful process. Education equips one with the mental strength and steadiness to face the challenges of life. The true aim of education is to prepare the student for a useful role in society with the help of the knowledge he has got and for leading an ideal life. The true sign of education is Humility. Education is not for mere living, it is for living a fuller life, more meaningful and worth-while. Education is the basis for leading a purposeful life in the physical world, in the realm of the mind and in society. Education should make a man recognise his obligations to his parents and others who have made him what he is. Gratitude is a supreme virtue. If one cannot be grateful to his parents, his education is a waste. Education should not be merely for earning a living. It should enable one to lead an exemplary life. Education should promote discrimination and humility. Education must promote peace, security and happiness. Education must remove hatred between the pilgrims on the various roads to God. There is only one God, one Goal, one Law, one Truth, one Religion and Reason. Education should be divorced from job-hunting. Its primary purpose should be to enable the educated person to lead an honourable and meaningful life in society. If one cannot command respect in society, of what value is his education?

Moral and spiritual education will train a man to lead a disciplined life. More than ever it is essential for educated persons today to conduct themselves as men of honour and integrity and raise the moral level of society. Of all categories of knowledge, the highest is the knowledge of the self. Present day education develops the intellect and skills but does little to develop good qualities. Of what avail is all knowledge in the world, if one has not got good character? It is like water going down the drain. There is no use if knowledge grows while desires multiply. It makes one a hero in words and a zero in action. Real education should enable one to realise that mankind is one family. It should help one to experience the unifying forces in society. 23. 11. 88 Education has two important characteristics. One is the exposition of facts relating to any subject. The other is the unfoldment of the individual's personality. The first is concerned with matter. The second is with energy. Education is the combination of the two. It is a combination of worldly and spiritual knowledge. Education is a slow process like the opening of a flower. The fragrance becomes deeper with the silent blossoming of each petal. Be vigilant and take what comes with a positive attitude. Education is a slow process like the unfoldment of a flower; the fragrance becomes deeper and more obvious with the silent blossoming, petal by petal, of the entire flower. Education is an ornament for man. It is his secret wealth. It confers prosperity and fame. It is the teacher of teachers. It is one's unfailing kinsman in foreign travel. It secures the respect of rulers more than wealth. 27. 6. 89 Education is for life, not for living. Education is not for earning a living but to acquire a way of life. Whatever you may learn, you should try to put into practice at least some part of what you have learnt. Treating life as a righteous journey, you should devote at least a few minutes every day to thoughts on the true aims of life). In the pursuit of education, students should take note of three things: 1) you should not talk about things of which you have no knowledge; 2) it is dangerous to pretend that you know something when you are really ignorant; 3) you must strive to acquire knowledge and impart it to others only after you have mastered the subject. It is only when a student is filled with sacred thoughts that he will be able to serve properly and make himself a better human being. (Knowledge without character is a powerful evil -Gandhi) Living, not for the sake of food, but for the sake of an ideal, that is the goal of education. Modern education makes a man pursue what appeals to his mind and not what is good for his mind and soul. Even the heart which is soft and sweet by nature is turned into a hard and unfeeling organ. 22. 11. 89

Education should serve not only to develop one's intelligence and skills but also help to broaden one's outlook and make him useful to society and the world at large. Education should serve to develop a broad outlook and all round view of life. It is not enough to acquire degrees. You must learn to acquire God's grace. The means of getting divine grace are devotion (bhakthi), surrender (prapathi), ethical discipline (niyama), enquiry (vichaara) and determination (dishasha). When you succeed in these tests you will experience the grace of the Divine. Education should serve to develop powers of discrimination and foster the sense of patriotism so that the educated may engage themselves in service to society. Education should serve to enlarge the vision and broaden the outlook of the people. Everyone should be made to feel that his or her welfare is bound up with the nation's well-being. Education should serve to develop powers of discrimination and foster the sense of patriotism so that the educated may engage themselves in service to society. Education that does not promote gratitude is worthless. Education today develops knowledge and skills but not character. Right education should promote good qualities. There is no need to seek a new system of education or effect reforms in society. It is enough if we have young men and women of good character and integrity. They will make the country great and prosperous. 23. 11. 89 The truly educated person should cultivate the virtues of truth and righteous conduct and lead an ideal life in the service of society. The Universe is a university for those who care to watch and learn. There is nothing more precious in the world than true education. It reveals the Divinity that sustains the Universe and promotes the welfare of mankind materially, mentally and socially. Together with knowledge of the natural sciences, one has to acquire humility, discipline and a good character. Everyone should recognise the sacred character of Education. Education is the process by which man makes the best use of his inner equipment to know himself. Education lends beauty to man. Education is man's most precious wealth. It confers happiness and renown on man. Education must be oriented towards the attainment of character for leading clean simple lives. Rivers are dammed and the waters are stored in reservoirs. Of what earthly use are these if the waters are kept therein? Through canals, they have to be taken to the fields to feed the crops in order to appease the hunger of millions. So too, we store the knowledge available in libraries in our head as reservoirs. But is that enough? Can this be the end of education? It has to be utilised through canals of service, in order to fertilise and feed the minds of one's fellow men and make them more intelligent, more skilled and more loving. The nation will thus become more prosperous and happy. Education must equip man to live happily, without making others unhappy, to evaluate things, pleasures and possessions correctly and without prejudice and to fix one's attention ever on the highest and most precious Achievement of all, the Atmic Victory. Education must impart those qualities in the individual that will ensure his peace, and thereby, universal peace. It should rid the mind of all traces of narrowness and help in fostering unity and love. Education must include education of the mind of man, of his impulse to hate, hoard, fight and defame.

Education must instil the fundamental human values; it must broaden the vision to include the entire world and all mankind. When earning money is held as the goal, the system fosters falsehood and injustice, it restricts the vision to family and community and brings in its train anxiety, sorrow and hatred. Education must not only inform, it must also transform. Education must promote ethical behaviour. It must foster self-control. This is the essential function of education. 25. 12. 89 The essence of education consists in the cultivation of good qualities and the development of right values for meaningful living. The essence of education is concentration of mind and not collection of facts. The hallmark of true education is humility. The knowledge that is gathered in schools and colleges should be capable of being used for service to society and helping to improve the conditions of one's fellow men. The process of education must render the individual a happier and more useful person. It must also make him a better citizen, able and willing to further the progress of the nation to which he belongs. The secret of education lies only in the treading of the path of Dharma. Executing one's tasks in keeping with Dharma, all sins shall be destroyed. The student of today is concerned with acquiring wealth, strength and position, but not good qualities. Education is meant to enable one to acquire what are good qualities. Every student should take note of this. Education is not intended merely to stuff the brain with information. It has to transform the heart and make it pure. Using education only for securing a mess of pottage is puerile. You must use your knowledge for bettering the lives of others When clouds gather in the high skies, they are usually accompanied by lightning. In the same way, whenever there is education, it should be accompanied by Wisdom. When man is not trained to lead the good life, the godly life, teaching him various skills and tricks only makes him a danger to himself and to others. Without a spiritual basis, education is futile. You cannot claim to be educated or mature, unless you have mastered the science of self-control and destroyed the root-cause of delusion. 18. 2. 90 Education must enable a person to discriminate between light and darkness. It must foster and promote the precious wealth of moral strength and spiritual victory and purify the inner impulses of man. Mere mastery of books does not entitle a man to be called ‘educated’. Without mastery over the inner instruments of emotions, no man can be deemed to be educated. Education must produce wisdom and moral character. It can be acquired only by hard living and spending days to toil, with no respite for even sleep. But present-day education makes those who undergo it, mere bonded-slaves to their senses. They do not know how to avoid this bondage, so they revel in envy, greed

and egoism. what the country expects and demands from the educated person is , however, that he should set an example of honest labour, lighting the lamps of knowledge in every house. 22. 11. 90 All degrees, scholarship and punditry have no value if one does not have good qualities. Cultivate virtues. An education which does not instil in the students human values and develop in them the qualities of selflessness, absence of ego, unostentatiousness and true love is utterly worthless 14. 1. 91 True education consists in the acquisition of good qualities, cultivation of good thoughts, truthfulness, devotion, discipline and dedication to duty. True education is that which fosters the sense of oneness, draws out one's divine qualities and promotes the blossoming of human personality. 25. 5. 91 Education which does not serve to develop character and foster virtues is of no use. In the educational process today, it is essential to inculcate among students the need to control the senses. It is absence of self-control that is at the root of all the violence and conflict in society today. Self-control implies control over desires. 28. 5. 91 Education must bring about improvement in general conduct including qualities like gratitude and respect for parents. 23. 11 91 Education should be for leading the good life and not for earning a livelihood. To learn from a scientist the chemical composition of water is a kind of knowledge, which may help a man to get a job. But how to make the right use of water so that all can share its benefits is knowledge of the spirit. This higher knowledge elevates life and makes it meaningful. When worldly knowledge and spiritual knowledge come together, human life is divinised. 21. 5. 92 Education should be for life and not for a living. It is not earning a livelihood that is important. What matters is the ideals for which you live. The primary purpose of education is to enable one to manifest the divinity within him. When students pursue education in this spirit, they will promote the welfare of the nation, of society and their own good. 6. 2. 93 The spirit of sacrifice is the hall mark of true education. 20. 5. 93 Education should lead to elevation of the consciousness. 22. 11. 93 Education makes a man compassionate. That is the fulfilment of the purpose of education. The education that we must aim at is one which will direct the children towards the right path and promote the well being of the nation. Only when mankind realises this need will world peace be a reality. Make proper use of your education to render service to the nation and to lead noble lives.

11. 93 All kinds of education and all kinds of knowledge are like different rivers, whereas spiritual education and spiritual knowledge is like the ocean. When all the rivers go to and merge into the ocean, they loose their particular lectures & they acquire the characteristics of the ocean itself. So, of all types of knowledge and education, spiritual education and spiritual knowledge is the highest and most superior one. One may acquire any amount of education but if it does not give him self-confidence and is devoid of knowledge of his oneself all that education becomes utterly useless. One should not undertake to be educated only to eke out one's own livelihood. People who have no education are also living and eking out their livelihood. Therefore, to eke out one's livelihood is not important to acquire knowledge and wisdom is the important thing. Whatever education one may have acquired, he who does not understand himself well remain ignorant and will not give up his bad and mean qualities. Such a person if he goes on studying and studying, he will only become argumentative. He will use logic but he will never acquire complete knowledge. All education that we give today is this, simply preaching without practise and therefore only superficial. The spiritual education on the other hand, comes from the depth of one's heart and it is always associated with love or Prema. What is associated with prema is spiritual knowledge. What is associated with self-ishness, is ordinary knowledge. Where there is prema, there is forbearance. Where there is selfishness, there is always room for bad qualities and bad intentions. That is why we say "Love lives by growing and forgiving, whereas self lives by getting and forgetting". The teachers and the Gurus should not regard the students as children of other parents. They should regard the students as their own children. 6. 5. 94 True education should produce a blossoming of human qualities. It should not be merely for earning a living, but should result in a ripening of the heart, filling it with love. 13. 5. 94 Education is for elevation from the mundane level to the Divine. 21. 7. 94 Right education leads to refinement of conduct. With refinement of behaviour, one’s life gets sublimated. Good education redeems one’s life and ensures liberation as a consequence. When one receives education that is based on truth and eternal value, he will be able to achieve liberation without having to go through the process of submergence in worldly life. 22. 7. 94 Education should be a preparation for righteous living and not for earning money. Good qualities are more valuable than money. 22. 11. 94 Wealth is worshipped as God Selfishness has become the basis of life Pomp and show have become the fashion of the day Ego is ruling supreme in everyone Ambition makes man ignore righteousness. There is no humility and no regard for truth Education is sought for earning money Hypocrisy has become the order of the day How can the sons of Bharat maatha

Hope to progress in the right path? Spiritual education is the urgent need Of the hour to reform our children And turn them in the right direction. Education should promote culture. It is not by education alone but by culture that one gets refined. Culture promotes refinement. For a person to be deemed educated, his behaviour should be good, his actions useful to society and his feelings should be compassionate and kind. One should have concern for the welfare of all beings. The aim of education should be to bring about an all-round development of the personalities of the students. Education should make all virtues emerge and shine forth in students. Education without culture makes man forget his true human nature and take to evil ways. Such education is like a counterfeit coin. Even beggars refuse to accept a counterfeit coin. Even parents would hesitate to love a son without culture. Refinement and culture are the very life-breath of human life. The basic aim of education is to make men of character and virtue. Many people think that knowledge is power. It is not so. Infact, Character is power. Education should confer humility. Education without humility, action without discrimination, scholarship without wisdom, words without truth, friendship without gratitude, music without melody, politics without morality and integrity can never shine in society. One's personality blossoms only when one has humility along with knowledge. Education should be useful to society. It should make citizens follow the path of morality and righteousness and make their lives happy. Atma Vidya, Spiritual knowledge, is the basis of all education. It is like the ocean while all other types of education are like rivers which must merge in the ocean. Today, education without a spiritual base is causing harm. The essence of spiritual education is faith and dedication. They are like the two bunds of a river. Only when the river of life flows between these bounds would the river be safe. If there are no bounds, the waters would flow over villages and towns and cause vast destruction. It is the absence of spirituality which is responsible for all the problems, violence, agitation and strife. Education should foster the two buns of dedication and faith in students. Education should inculcate in students the spirit of self-reliance and self-confidence. The first thing in life is self-reliance, second is self-confidence, third is self-sacrifice, fourth is self-realisation. With self-realisation life finds its final fulfilment. 20. 5. 95 True education is associated with the ideal goals of life. The educational process should aim at developing character and not merely intellectual abilities. Education should have a practical bias which will make the student useful for himself and society. 22. 11. 95 Education lends beauty to man. Education is man’s secret wealth. Education is the source of fame and happiness. It is the teacher of teachers. Education is the true kinsman for one going abroad. It is the third eye for man. Rulers honour the scholar more than the man of wealth. One without education is an animal. Educational institutions have forgotten their obligation to make education a source of strength and happiness in daily life. Educational ideals have lost their appeal. Education has ceased to be creative. It

has become a destructive force. Respect and reverence are down in the dumps. Education has been commercialised. Educational institutions, which ought to be citadels of morality, integrity, sacrifice and character, have ceased to foster morality. Education is not confined to reading, writing and listening. Degrees do not constitute true marks of learning. Without wisdom and spiritual knowledge, can there be real education? Education is not for earning a living but for leading the good life. All education which imparts worldly knowledge and develop intellectual activities without promoting character is utterly worthless. True education should promote morality, character and spirituality. Science and Technology are undoubtedly necessary for comfortable living. But there is an unseen power which underlies the physical world. Today students should acquire both physical knowledge for living and spiritual knowledge for understanding that which sustains life. The two together help to make humanness blossom. The educational system should not be subject to changes in Education Ministers. Education, like Justice, should be free from governmental interference. Students should realise that what matters is not the religion they profess, but how far they are truly human in their life. 14. 1. 96 True education consists in knowing how to lead a peaceful life. This means that in embarking on one’s educational career, one should aspire for world peace. The reason is, he is a part of the world community. His well-being is intimately bound up with the well-being of the world. He should give up all narrow feelings. Students have also got to acquire unity and fellowship. For every individual, Nature is the best teacher. Nature is teaching all lessons to man all the time. Together with education refinement of character is essential. 20. 1. 96 Present day education develops the intellect and skills but does little to develop good qualities. Of what avail is all the knowledge in the world, if one has no good character? It is like water going down the drain. There is no use if knowledge grows while desires multiply. It makes one a hero in words and a zero in action. Man’s achievements in the fields of science and technology have helped to improve the material conditions of living. What we need today, however, is a transformation of the spirit. Education should serve not only to develop one’s intelligence and skills, but also help to broaden one’s outlook and make him useful to society and the world at large. this is possible only when cultivation of the spirit is promoted along with education in the physical sciences. Moral and spiritual education will train a man to lead a disciplined life. Education without self-control is no education at all. True education should make a person compassionate and humane. It should not make him self-centred and narrow minded. Spontaneous sympathy and regard for all beings should flow from the heart of one who is properly educated. He should be keen to serve society rather than be preoccupied with his own acquisitive aspirations. This should be the real purpose of education in its true sense. Education should instil in the student ‘fear and faith’. ‘Fear’ does not mean timidity. It is fear of sin and faith in God which have to be promoted. One should feel that he will forfeit the respect and regard of the community if he commits a sinful or immoral act.

The link between education and jobs has to be broken. Education should be for life not for a living. It should prepare youth for all the responsibilities of citizenship. Education should be under the control of a national body of educational experts, who have the interests of students as their sole concern. There should be no link between money and education. When you collect money from outsiders you become tools in their hands. When you provide free education, you cannot control the students. You can imprint moral values and mould the character of the students. Education should imbibe students with certain ideals. They should realise that there is only one caste, the caste of humanity. There is only one religion, the religion of love. There is only one language, the language of the heart. If these basic ideals are followed, there will be no room for petty differences and mutual recrimination. EGO 2. 55 A small fire will go out in smoke even if a little green is placed on it, but the forest fire will reduce to ashes even the greenest tree which impedes its fierce march! What is needed is the conquest of the ego. 4. 57 Sorrow springs from egoism, the feeling that you do not deserve to be treated so badly, that you are left helpless. When egoism goes, sorrow disappears. Ignorance is just a mistake, mistaken identity of the body as the self! Wipe out the root cause of anxiety and fear and ignorance. Then only can the true personality of man shine forth. Anxiety is removed by faith in the Lord; the faith that tells you that whatever happens is for the best and that the Lord’s Will be done. Quiet acceptance is the best armour against anxiety; not the acceptance of the heroic. 25. 3. 58 Seeking liberation, man may be praying for the grace of God. He would not be able to free himself from the problems of the world until he kills the ego in him. When the ego is gone, he himself becomes liberation. Shed your ego and you will learn to respect others and earn others' respect as well. The ego is most easily destroyed by devotion to God, by dwelling on the magnificence of the Lord and by humility and service to others as the children of the Lord. The `I' when crossed out becomes the symbol of cross; so, what is crucified is the ego, remember. Then, the Divine nature manifests itself unhampered. The minimum qualifications for every profession are prescribed so the minimum qualification for Grace is surrender of Ego. Those who cannot bear to see others happy have nothing good in store for them. To achieve release, man kneels before A million Gods, in frantic pain. If he but blasts the ego within, The goal is reached; he is freed indeed.

To eliminate the ego, strengthen the belief that all objects belong to God and that you are holding them on trust. This would prevent pride; it is also the truth. Today many pretend to be all-knowing. This is a sign of egoistic conceit. When man is aware that the same Divine Consciousness that motivates him is equally motivating all others, then love ousts the ego into the background and takes charge of man's activities, words and thoughts. 12. 4. 59 Intellect can help you only some distance along the Godward path; the rest is illuminated by intuition. Your feelings and emotions ways even your thought praises; and reason is made by them into an untamed ball. Very often, egoism tends to encourage and justify the wildness, for a person is lead along the wrong path by his very reason, if that is the path he likes! You very often come to the conclusion you want to reach! 14. 1. 60 Egoism is the most dangerous illusion that has to be exploded and destroyed. 27. 9. 60 Offer all the pride, all the separateness, all the delusion, all the attachment that the egoism has proliferated into! that is the worship you have to do. Bring to Me all the evil in you, and leaving it here take from Me what I have, viz Prema, learn the capacity to see all as moved and motivated by the One Paramathma (Supreme Reality or Self). Pride is one of the worst sins in the Spiritual field. If you feel conceited that you are a Bhaktha of Hari, He will destroy you remember. Absolute surrender should be like the attitude of Lakshmana. Raama said, Take Seetha and leave her in the forest! Implicit obedience! There is no why! That is Lakshmana. That is Sharanaagathi; the rest are deserving only of the arrow of Raama. 26. 2. 61 Stick to your faith; do not change your loyalty as soon as something happens or some one whispers. Do not pull down Sai Baba’s picture from the wall and hang some other picture there at the first disappointment. Leave all to Him. Let His will be carried out - that should be your attitude. Unless you go through the rough and the smooth, how can you be hardened? Welcome the light and the dark, the sun and the rain. 18. 7. 61 Remove the roots of the weed of egoism from the field of your heart; that is enough. But this is very difficult; the lightest shower will induce the weeds to sprout again. Similarly, when the circumstances turn favourable, egoism throws up its shoots and grows as thick as in the past. You will have to remove the roots too; this can be done by insisting ‘Not I, but the Lord’ 10. 61 You must lead your lives, according to My words, without the slightest modification. First have faith, then the experience is granted. Even in the case of previous Avatars, that is the order of events, is it not? You worship with faith and you experience Grace. Faith results in Grace, without your being aware of it. You must take in the medicine I give and also follow the diet I prescribe and avoid the things I prohibit. 21. 10. 61 If you drop the weight of argument, and unfold the twin wings of faith and action, you can float and fly happily in the deep blue sky of the Almighty Prema Faith is the first step to the Grace of God. 22. 10. 61 Ahamkaara or egotism is the Maaya. How can you get rid of it? The field looks a dry waste, with no sign of green; and you feel proud that you have pulled up all the grass by the roots. When the showers come

down, they sprout again. Prema will destroy the roots of the ego. Plant it, protect it, foster it and enjoy its fruits. Remove envy, hate and greed from your heart; they will smother the seedlings of Prema. 23. 10. 61 When a house is to be certified as habitable, the engineer tests the foundation. The Lord too tests the foundation whether Faith is true and deep. 23. 12. 61 Whatever the method of worship, whichever the Name or Form, it is Faith that matters; it is that which gives life and energy for higher things. 6. 3. 62 Sharanaagathi (seeking refuge for protection) is like grass on the ground, unaffected by storms; egoism is the palmyra tree that sways in the wind but breaks when it blows suddenly in a gust. The ways of the Lord are inscrutable; your duty is to submit to them faithfully, thankfully and joyfully. 14. 1. 64 Egoism is the most dangerous illusion that has to be exploded and destroyed. 20. 2. 64 When a prisoner is taken from place to place, he is accompanied by two constables, is it not? When man who is a prisoner in this jail moves from one place to another, he too is accompanied by Akamkaaram and Mamaakaaram: Egoism and Attachment. When he moves about without these two, you can be sure he is a free man, liberated from prison. 13. 8. 64 So long as you have a trace of ego in you, you cannot see the Lord clearly. 16. 8. 64 Egoism is a tough enemy and it requires constant vigilance to conquer it. Pride raises its head in every stage and state. Like grass which covers the earth with a green carpet, as soon as the rain fall even in places which appeared dry waste, pride thrives upon opportunity. 12. 10. 64 You cannot deceive the Lord by insincerity or by ruses. Unless you correct yourself by detachment and sacrifice, you cannot reach God. Give up egoism; then only you can see Him. 23. 11. 64 The easiest path to self-realisation is the surrender of the ego. Do not pit your tiny ego against the Almighty; leave it to His Will and you will have lasting peace. 14. 1. 65 Envy and greed also emanate from the ego and have to be carefully watched and controlled. Like the tadpole’s tail, the ego will fall away when one grows in wisdom. It must fall away; if it is cut, the poor tadpole will die. So, don’t worry about the ego; develop wisdom, discriminate, know the ephemeral nature of all objective things; then, the tail will no longer be evident. 26. 3. 65 Make your home the seat of virtue, of morality, of love. Control anger and greed. That is the sign of the genuine bhaktha, not unrestricted speech and movements. You may claim to be a devotee and declare yourself as such, when you speak; but, unless your egoism has gone and you love all equally, the Lord will not acknowledge your devotion. From this day, keep all personal animosity away from your conduct. Feel that you are kith and kin of each other belonging to the same family bound together by love and cooperation. Live amicably, live joyfully,

undisturbed by faction and hatred; for, some day or other, you have to give up all that you hope to gain through this factions and these hatreds. 29. 3. 65 The conquest of the ego is a very hard task; years of persistent effort are needed to get success in this endeavour. For getting a Degree you struggle in the University for a number of years, poring over books night and day; how much more difficult is this examination, success in which guarantees lasting happiness, and escape the weary round of birth and death. 30. 3. 65 This is called the Kaliyuga (the Iron age), but it has become worse. It has become Kalahayuga, the Age of Factions! Factions in the family, the village, the community, the country, the world. The root cause of all this is the emphasis on the ego and the desire for cheap and temporary pleasure. 4. 10. 65 The ego is the enemy number one of spiritual progress. Egoism is the chief executive of the Kali Raaja, the sovereign of the Kali (Iron) Age. It is the egoism and its attendant evils that stalk the world today. Egoism breeds the scourges of greed and hate. 18. 2. 66 Once the ego is suppressed, that very moment two consequence follow: freedom from grief, acquisition of joy. 16. 3. 66 Ravana had scholarship, strength, wealth, power, authority, the Grace of God but, the virus of lust and pride which lodged in his mind brought about his destruction, despite all his attainments. He could not dwell in peace and joy for a moment after the virus started work. Virtue is strength vice is weakness. 17. 3. 66 The body is the temple of the Lord; the atmosphere of this temple is by its very nature filled with love for all beings. But man, overpowered by egoism, fouls it with envy and greed and so it features with disease and distress. 14. 7. 66 Surrender your jewels of intelligence, cleverness, capacity to serve and the gem that you most value, namely, your EGO to the care of God; then, you can be happy. 20. 10. 66 The ego is at the root of all the factions that rob the world of peace today. Individual fights with individual, country hates country; in every field, in every community, hatred and envy are having full play. People whose noses drop when they cough, how can they keep their noses on the face when the sneeze? Those whose anger is aroused for petty things at home, how can they pacify the people of strange nations waging war? The cause is in ourselves; but we accuse others and multiply discontent, through avarice and fear. 23. 11. 66 When the clouds that hick the face of the moon are wafted by the winds, the moon shines clear and cool; so too, when the clouds of egoism are wafted away, the mind of man will shine pure and full, with its own native light. That is the stage of Bliss. When that is attained, there is no more grief. 18. 12. 66 Egoism is the seed pot of greed, envy, anger, malice, conceit and a host of other down-dragging tendencies. They cloud his intelligence; they divert the attention from truth and make the false appear as real, the real distorted as false. So it becomes essential to cleanse the mind of these through regular saadhana, to tune the little will to the Infinite Will of God, so that it becomes merged in his Glory.

13. 1. 68 God is hidden and obstructed by the clouds of egoism. Getting rid of egoism is the Saadhana to be practised. 27. 3. 68 Egotism is the mightiest enemy that has to be overpowered and destroyed. 20. 10. 69 The fundamental foolishness from which faults in character and conduct emanate is the belief that what one does is invariably right and just! This is the subtle effect of the virus, EGO. 13. 1. 70 Spiritual pride is the most poisonous of all varieties of pride; it blinds and leads the person suffering from it into ruin. Beware of pride; be always aware that you are but instruments in My Divine Mission of Dharmasthaapana - Rivival of Righteousness. Try to be more and more efficient as such instruments. The Hand that wields the Instrument know how and when it has to be applied. 15. 8. 70 Conceit is a poisonous weed in any field of activity. Aham (Ego) is the core around which the personality is built. It is the Form, which is essentially necessary for every embodied being. It is the Aham, which every being has to be within, temporary, until he is freed. Nov. 70 The highest and the most fruitful sacrifice is that of the ego. Crucify it and be free. Dedicates it to God and be rich beyond all dreams. Prepare yourself for this supreme status by engaging in holy karma, that is to say, karma cleansed in the crucible of dharma, and attain Brahman, which appears as all this multifarious Universe. 20. 2. 74 To eliminate the ego, strengthen the belief that all objects belong to God, and that you are holding them on trust. This would prevent pride; it is also the truth. Then when you lose a thing, you would not grieve. God gave , God took away. 1. 10. 76 Cast away the vice of egoism, the evil of greed and the poison of envy. 6. 3. 77 You may ask: how it is possible to transcend the ego through Seva? By saturating with love, work can be transformed into worship. When the work is offered to God, it gets sanctified into puja (sacramental worship). This makes it free from ego. 30. 7. 77 The air in a balloon is limited within the parameters and to the shape of the balloon; unless it bursts the balloon and overcomes its barriers, how can it merge with the universe? similarly, unless the self attains awareness and conquers the barriers of the ego, it cannot merge with the Omnipresent, Immanent Divinity. 25. 7. 78 The ego brings about the fall of man. When egoism is absent, the Atman shines in its native splendour. The Atman is bliss, it is beauty and wisdom, but we allow It to be tarnished by the ego. Engage in humble service and egotism will fade away. Life is like a football ground and each one of you a ball. Your good qualities like truth, righteousness, peace and love are on one side, and bad qualities like attachment, pride and hatred on the other. Both sides

kick the ball and try to score a goal. The poor ball must suffer these kicks so long as it is bloated with the air of egoism in it. But once the air is let out, the kicks also stop. 11. 10. 78 The ego attacks the sage, the scholar the teacher and the devout spiritual aspirant, even more than ordinary man. Their ego makes them proclaim that they can defeat all others in controversy, that they are the most learned and that they are the ones nearest God. When egotism enters man, envy follows fast and occupies the heart. As a consequence of pride in one’s own strength and power a person might injure thousands, but the pride will injure that person most, being like a devil that possesses man. Man cannot claim to be man until this ego, that prompts him to ruin others and ride over others, a destroyed by Saadhana (Spiritual discipline) Egotism is a thorny bush which, when planted and fostered in one’s heart, one has to pay the penalty. Egotism makes enemies of fast friends and ruins many good causes and projects, for it does not allow two good men to work together. Grief follows it like a shadow. where there is no ego, joy, peace, courage, co-operation and love flourish. When man is aware that the same Divine Consciousness that motivates him is equally motivating all others, then love ousts the ego into the background and takes charge of man’s activities, words and thoughts. The ego brings wave after wave of wants and wishes before your attention, and tempts you to attempt to gain them. It is a never-ending circle. So try to reduce your wants and expand the range of your love in order to be free from the coils of ego. Living involves many confrontations, companionships, separations, conflicts and neglects. We have to give up both the types of contacts - viyoga (the repugnant separation) and samyoga (the pleasant union). Attach yourself to God, and the delusion of the world will automatically fall off. 19. 7. 79 Pride is the root of aggressiveness; it is the nature of wild animals. But the mark of man is humility in the presence of elders, teachers and parents. 5. 2. 81 Man has achieved immeasurable progress in science and technology. But, in the field of morals, he is still unable to rid himself of narrow cynicism, limited outlook, and the demonic hold of selfishness, pride, envy and other evil traits. When we examine the basic cause for this state of affairs, we discover that it is the consequence of egoism that has struck deep roots in the heart of man. It has seduced man to the status of a puppet. It pollutes his thoughts, words and deeds. It directs him to gather and hoard material rides. It does not allow the Atma to shine forth. When the veil of egoism is set aside, the Aathmic Essence, and with it aanandha and jnaana, will be revealed. When the calf grows in age, the horns become longer and sturdier; so too when pride grows, the horns of greed and envy become stronger and sturdier. 17. 7. 81 The essential reality of man rejects the ego as a blemish. When we investigate into the problem, ‘who am I?’ and find that every one is I , love expands limitlessly. In the Sanskrit alphabet a (as in hard), the two together form aham, meaning the ‘ego’. The ego should not be allowed to express itself, as it smothers the spring of love. God is love; so, all things created by God are filled with love. 31. 8. 81 Pride is the wall that hides the Atma from the AnAtma, the curtain between them, between Truth and untruth. This obstacle has to be removed in order that Unity might be realised and Divinity manifested. Many students develop this pest called pride, for, they have physical charm, educational attainments and monetary resources, but they must be vigilant enough to eradicate it soon.

19. 11. 81 No one can serve another while his ego is rampant. The attitudes of mutual help and selfless service develop the ‘humanness’ of man and help the unfoldment of the divinity latent in him. 25. 5. 82 To achieve release, man kneels before A million Gods, in frantic pain. If he but blasts the ego within, The goal is reached; he is freed indeed! It is difficult indeed to understand the ego - its depth and devious ways. It is an inert entity, that is to say, it cannot know itself nor can it know others. It has no fear; it will not bend before others. It degrades man from the golden glory, which is his due, to the level of lowly dust. Snakes hiss, pigs grunt, bulls moo! they are asserting their ego, intent on keeping others away. Of the traits of ego, pride is the most poisonous. But, the pride of the scholar, the pride of the pandiths is so thick that is impossible for them to get rid of it. Man’s enemies are not outside him; the sins he commits are his greatest foes. They prompt him to act contrary to all codes. Ravana was prompted into sin by his nefarious ego and his crime reduced his splendid kingdom to a heap of ash. Hitler rose to be the Dictator in Germany; victory over sundry neighbouring states boosted his ego and made him power mad. He caused a World War and died amidst the rains of his own capital city. Egoism is an infection that ruins all chances of expanding and elevating one’s consciousness. It can undermine genuine human qualities. So, educators must take special care that the tender hearts of children are not polluted by this virus. Egoism cannot tolerate love for others, nor can it be happy with itself. if the harvested grain is neither consumed nor shared, it will only rot. Egoism reduces man into a demon. At the least provocation, egoism gets innate against ones parents, children or wife or teacher! It thrusts aside everyone who comes in its way. God is the vastest among the vast, the minutest among the minute. Yet, God has no ego. How then can man who has no claim to even the tiniest glory parade himself as great? It is really a ridiculous pose. The egoist ignores the source which can bring respect to him. He loses the chance of developing his skills and talents or right lines. 12. 8. 82 Heaven is not on high, beyond your ken. It is very much here, in the world of men. Deny the ego, deep-hid in you; And, you are ‘there’ in Heaven on Earth. For liberation, O man, why plead before Three crores of Gods in despair? Deny the ego, deep-routed in you And you are free, no pleading therefore. 1. 9. 82 The seed has to renounce its identity and become one with the soil so that the tree might emerge. So too, the ego has to sacrifice itself so that man’s divine nature can manifest itself. Peace is inherent in man. When ego becomes egoism, the Aham becomes Akamkaar by enfolding itself in a form. ‘I’ pure and simple, maintained pure and simple - is still ‘being’; it ‘becomes’ when the I identifies itself with something other: I am a man, I am a monk, I am a student. The ‘I’ has become an ‘ism’; has put on a form, a venture which it is loath to give up, the akaar which has rendered it Aham-kaar, egoist! 28. 9. 84

The Vedas, the Upanishads, the Gita and the Brahma Sutras have declared that rituals and religious practices will not lead to God - realisation. As they are external acts, they are related only to the body. They are not conducive in any way to the development of the inner vision. Only when one is able to get rid of egoism and attachment can one develop the inner vision. The realisation of Divinity and mergence in the Brahma cannot be attained by rituals. ‘Advaita Darshanam Jnanam. . Perception of the Unity of the Divine is wisdom. The sense of duality must be eradicated to realise the oneness of the Absolute. 23. 11. 85 Most people are too weak to conceive Godhead, too weak in intellect and imagination. Egoism freezes flowing water into hard blocks of ice, but when the Sun of wisdom shines, they are softened and resume their real nature. Egoism prevents Sadhana and promotes intransigence and ignorance. Intelligence gets perverted and the man becomes a fool. You may succeed in squeezing oil from sand or count the horns of rabbits, but you can never discover any notable virtue in such fools. Their greatest defect is their ingratitude to Providence. Apr. 86 The essence of all the Vedas and Sastras can be summed up in one sentence: The Atma that resides in all beings And in you is one only Seeking liberation, man adores Crores of deities in the three worlds. Of what avail is it? The bondage remains. If he can shed the ego in him, He needs no liberation. Liberation is his. If one manages to overcome the six enemies (Passion, Hatred, Greed, Delusion, Pride and Envy), he is confronted with eight forms of pride, which stand in the way of his spiritual progress. Among these are pride of wealth or physical strength, youth, beauty, scholarship, power on penance. These different forms of pride lead man away from his real goal. Modern man is filled with one or other of these forms of pride. 18. 4. 86 The senses supply material to the mind. The mind is a by-product of the ego. The ego is a reflection of the Atma. The Atma is a wave of the Paramatma, the Universal Consciousness. Everyone must trace the ego to its spiritual origins and direct his life on the lives of that heritage. 31. 7. 86 The ego may be inflicted by any number of things. It may be wealth, knowledge, power, position, beauty or intelligence. Such self-conceit is invariably associated with bad traits. It indicates the dominance of the sense organs over one’s mind. Many are likely to feel proud about their knowledge or intellectual ability. But knowledge and intelligence without character and good conduct have no value. 1. 88 Of all the diseases to which man is prone, the disease arising from the ego is the most deadly. The only panacea for this disease is surrender to the will of the Divine. 12. 7. 88 The sense of egoism and the conceit arising from it is the root cause of the destructive tendencies in man. Egoism causes a lack of inner peace. Man creates and magnifies within himself a great variety of selfish habits and attitudes. Evil qualities like affinity, hate and ego make one foolish and binding to this world.

To remove the evil of egoism, service is the most efficient instrument. Service will also impress on the person doing service, the Unity of all mankind. Today many pretend to be all-knowing. This is a sign of egoistic conceit. When egoism enters man, envy follows fast and occupies the heart. 3. 9. 88 Evil qualities like affinity, hate and ego make one foolish and binding to the world. Heaven is not on high, beyond your ken, It is very much here in the world of man. Deny the ego, deep hid in you, And you are `there' in Heaven on Earth. It is ego that is the cause of man's bondage. 10. 88 Do not become inflated with pride when you are praised by others; do not feel dejected when you are blamed. Ego that is predominant in man keeps him away from the divine. Seeking liberation, man may be praying for the grace of God. He would not be able to free himself from the problems of the world until he kills the ego in him. When the ego is gone, he himself becomes liberation. The minimum qualifications for every profession are prescribed so the minimum qualification for Grace is surrender of Ego. 6. 3. 89 As long as egoism exists, experience of Divinity is impossible. Egoism and envy have to be totally uprooted. Criticising others and finding fault with them comes out of egoism. Egoism and envy have to be totally uprooted. Those who cannot bear to see others happy have nothing good in store for them. It is in desiring joy from the happiness of others that pure devotion manifests itself. Egoism can bring about the complete downfall of a person. It is like a pest that destroys the very roots of a tree. It has two accomplices: attachment and hatred. The combination of these three is enough to ruin the life of any person. Hence, the primary need is to get rid of egoism, which is fostered by ignorance. Egoism causes a lack of inner peace. Man creates and magnifies within himself a great variety of selfish habits and aptitudes. This causes him great discontent with himself. The effulgence of man's divine nature is obscured by egoism. Therefore, when egoism is destroyed, all troubles end - all discontent vanishes and true bliss is attained. Egoism is a thorny bush which when planted and fostered in one's heart, one has to pay the penalty. Egoism makes enemies of fast friends; it ruins many good causes and projects. It will not allow two good men to work together. Grief follows it like a shadow. Where there is no ego, joy, peace, courage, co-operation and love flourish. Every man is a prey to one evil quality, a kind of disease for which there is no medicine. That disease is Egoism.

28. 5. 92 It is only when men gives up the ego sense relating to the body and realises the role of the Athmic power of Prajna that he would be able to comprehend the principle of Divinity within him. 4. 93 Man is bound by seven types of ropes. They are (1) the body; (2) desire; (3) anger; (4) ego; (5) fate; (6) ignorance and (7) lack of discrimination. Ignorance is the cause of ego, which breeds attachment and hatred. For getting liberation one has to get rid of the ego, ignorance and attachment. The ego gives rise to desire which plunges man in Karma which, in turn, causes birth. Ego is like an inflated football. When one is inflated with the air of ego, both the good and bad qualities kick the body. The moment ego is gone, the kicking stops and one attends to his legitimate duties with the feeling that he does not do any thing but is only an instrument. 30. 8. 94 When egoism and possessiveness come together in a man, he is utterly ruined. Hence, one should be free from egoism. 23. 11. 94 Whatever one's scholarship or wealth, as long as there is egoism (ahamkaara) God's grace will not flow. Grace, like water, flow from a higher to a lower level. God's grace will be showered on those who have humility and discipline. Humility is essential for securing God's grace. Revere elders. Be content with what you have. Develop goodwill towards all. Bear no ill will towards anyone. When you desire that all should love you, you should equally love all. 11. 7. 95 As long as man is filled with arrogance, he cannot win any kind of respect from others. Egoism brings about a man’s ruin. Only when a man gets rid of pride the people respect and love him. The first requisite for securing the esteem and love of the people is to root out self-conceit (Ahamkaara) 14. 10. 95 The knowledge of the Supreme Self is associated with total freedom from egoism. Those who have no taint of ego in them are totally free from the consequences of actions, regardless of what actions they do. God is without attributes, is eternal, infinite and immutable. Everyone born in the world has a form and name. But the divinity within him has no name or form. The individual with name and form is filled with egoism and possessiveness. This egoism and possessiveness are the cause of one’s pleasure and pain, happiness and sorrow. Hence everyone must strive to curb these two tendencies. ENVY 19. 4. 65 A tree is justified by fragrant flowers bringing forth sweet fruits. If, on the other hand, its leaves get dry and its flowers fade and the fruits refuse to grow, an agriculturist will examine the roots and discover that they are eaten up by pests or white ants. So too, the roots of Divinity must have been destroyed or harmed if a man’s virtue do not blossom and yield sweet fruits. Envy, greed, malice - these pests destroy the roots quickly. 23. 11. 65 Envy causes pain on those who are envied. When another’s fortune is green. Why should your eyes be red? Why get wild when another eats his fill? Give up this vice of envy; be happy when another is happy.

That is more pleasing to the Lord than all the manthras you recite, or all the flowers you heap on his picture or image, or even the hours you spend in japam or dhyaanam. 18. 4. 66 Envy is a deadly poison; it will contaminate character, ruin health and rob you of peace. Be un-affected by envy, and you can subdue the Gods of Creation, Protection and Destruction. Like a pest that destroys growing crops, envy enters slyly and spreads quickly. So even in small matters, be vigilant to ensure your not falling a pray to envy. 20. 10. 66 There are some individuals, who publish their attainments and boast they walk on water or fly in the air and challenge others to do likewise. It is a far greater and a far more useful attainment if a man can rid himself of envy, pride, greed and malice. This is a more difficult attainment too, as evidenced by their behaviour. The person who is established in His Divinity cannot be shaken by these. 24. 10. 68 The greatest single cause for darkness in the world today is envy. When one is happy to and contented, others envy him and strive to ruin his peace of mind. When any one is exclaimed as great, malice move others into invent calumny, in order to tarnish his reputation. This is the way of the world. This is the tragedy of ignorance and selfishness they force man to take the wrong road and suffer calamity. Take the right road; be happy and make others happy. Then, your name will last even after the body disintegrates. 30. 12. 83 Envy is like the past that attacks the root of a tree. It can destroy one’s entire life. We may be enjoying many things in life - knowledge, wealth, position, power and the like. But if the virus of envy enters our minds, it can pollute every thing. We should not give place to envy even in the smallest matter. To be free from envy is a divine quality. It makes you feel happy over others’ happiness or success. 19. 1. 89 Diseases which torment man are many in number. Of these, hatred, envy and egoism are the worst. Even doctors cannot cure them, for most of them suffer from these. One should develop equanimity and serenity if one desires to be free from these diseases. Only when envy is eradicated from the human heart will man have self-satisfaction. The contented man enjoys peace. The root causes of all anxieties and calamities of man is Envy. Envy is invariably accompanied by hatred. They attack the very roots of one's personality. When envy and hatred infect the heart and set to work, however intelligent and however highly educated the man, he falls. He is turned into an enemy of society. When one compares himself with those who are better off, or who hold higher offices, or score higher marks, or are more handsome, and suffers from a consciousness of his own inferiority, envy arises. Discontent over what he lacks gives birth to envy. To get rid of this evil quality, one has to look at those who are worse off than himself. . . In due course, one develops a sense of equal-mindedness both towards those who are better off and those who are worse. Such equal-mindedness is a divine quality. There is nothing wrong in aspiring for higher positions. But one should not feel envious about those who are in such positions. It is a crime to entertain such feelings.

EQUANIMITY 10. 53 ‘Cold’ and ‘heat’ are both in the Plan of God and yours is only to know this and treat both as valuable.

3. 9. 58 The treasure that is unmistakably precious is the quality of Shaantham, equanimity unruffledness. Practice this and make it your natural reaction. Why be put out when you see wrong? why be attracted when you see evil? Remember evil has in it the potentiality to become good; good has in it the liability to turn evil. There is no fire without a wisp of smoke; there is no smoke without a spark of fire. No one is fully wicked, or fully infallible. Take the world as it is, never expect it to conform to your need or standards. 30. 9. 68 Equanimity comes as a result of the awareness of unity, not otherwise. 4. 11. 65 The most precious possession is mental equanimity; and it is the one thing you cannot give, even if you have it. Each has to acquire it the hard way. But you can enlighten people on the disciplines through which mental equanimity can be gained, and Shaanthi can be won. 1981 One has to cultivate purity of thought and mental equanimity. This mental equanimity is not something which one can purchase or obtain from outside. One has to generate it from within. When one has gained equal-mindedness, amidst pleasure and pain, he will be free from sorrow and will enjoy peace. 30. 9. 81 It is through pain that pleasure is gained. Darkness enables us to appreciate light. Death teaches us to love life. Diseases which torment man are many in number; of these, hatred, envy and egoism are the worst. Even doctors cannot cure them, for most of them suffer from these. One should develop equanimity and serenity, if one desires to be free from these diseases. Do not seek to listen to vile and vicious stories. This tendency reveals a diseased mind. What is heard is imprinted, like a carbon copy, through the ear, on the heart. One is injuring oneself - through indulgence in this evil habit. 22. 11. 81 Fortitude and equanimity belong to the Reality in man. One must reveal this fact in every act, also gratitude for kindness shown. 25. 12. 82 Nature confers, like heat and cold, joy and grief. In one season, cold is most welcome as a source of comfort. Another season, warmth is equally welcomed. Both give comfort to man when he needs it. Hence both heat and cold have to be welcomed by man. Both contribute to man’s comfort and contentment. Time, space and circumstances decide their use and their value. This attitude of accepting the inescapable fact is what is proclaimed and praised as serenity, equanimity (samathwa) in the Geetha. Happiness and misery, success and failure, obstacles and obstructions, defaming and denigration, praise and criticism are intertwined; they can never be experienced singly. But man is elated by gain and depressed by loss. When praised, he is elated; when blamed, he droops. But man has to keep in mind that these are only phenomenon like heat and cold. 26. 5. 85 All must cultivate the spirit of equal-mindedness. This is the mark of a true human being. It is the spirit of serenity in which one looks upon praise or blame, honour and dishonour, pleasure or pain alike. We tend to shrivel up when somebody abuses us. The whole world looks gloomy. We swell with pride when anybody praises us. What we should cultivate is an attitude in which we remain unaffected in both the situations. EXAMINATION

19. 3. 84 In ancient times examinations were held not as an imposition on students but for the development and protection of the personality of the students. Examinations today have become a kind of punishment for the students. Unlike present day examinations, which are primarily memory tests, examinations in ancient days were morality tests. The growth of educational institutions today is more an index of a growing disease rather than a means of training people to solve their problems. Everywhere there is trouble, violence and confusion, most of which is confused by educated persons. Because of the absence of character and morality in education, the educated persons are behaving in an unbecoming manner. Improper education results in great harm to the whole nation. In preparing question papers for examinations, teachers should observe certain rules. The questions should relate to what has been taught to the students. Very often questions do not bear any relation to what the students have been taught or to the prescribed syllabus. This results in misbehaviour by the students. The examiner should also know the answers for the questions he prepares. Teachers often fail to complete the syllabus within the prescribed period. Teaching has become a process of transmission from head to head. Teachers teach with the head, and students listen to them with the head. Students go to the examination hall with a headload of examination, empty it out on the answer books, and return home empty-headed. This kind of students may earn degrees, but what good will these youths bring to the people around? True teaching goes straight to the heart and imprints itself permanently on the hearts of the students.

FAITH 1953 Develop faith in yourself and faith in God. This is the secret of greatness. Develop firm faith that whatever the Divine thinks, says or does is for the welfare of the world and not for Himself. There is not the slightest trace of self-interest in it. Do not be led away by doubt and vain argument; do not question how and whether I can do all this. The cowherds of Brindavan also doubted whether the little boy who grew in their midst could lift Govardhanagiri and hold it aloft! The thing needed is Faith, and yet more Faith. Implicit faith is the secret of spiritual success. In all effort, if you trust in a higher power which is ready to come to your aid your work is made easy. This comes from true devotion and reliance upon God, the source of all power. 10. 53 Once Krishna and Arjuna were going together along the open road. Seeing a bird in the sky, Krishna asked Arjuna, ‘Is that a dove?’ He replied, ‘Yes it is a dove’. He asked Arjuna ‘Is it an eagle?’ Arjuna replied promptly, ‘Yes it is an eagle’. ‘No Arjuna, it looks like a crow to Me. Is it not a crow? asked Krishna. Arjuna replied, ’I am sorry, it is a crow beyond doubt! Krishna laughed and chided him for his agreeing to whatever suggestion was given. But Arjuna said, ‘For me, your Words are far more weighty than the evidence of my eyes; you can make it a crow, a dove or an eagle and when you say it is a crow, it must be one. ’ Implicit faith is the secret of spiritual success. 1. 8. 56 When the sun is directly over your head there will be no shadow; similarly when faith is steady in your head it should not cast any shadow of doubt.

When we develop faith and strength of will, we can execute any kind of work, but when we feel we need not act, no activity is possible. Take the example of an ant. When it so wills, it can move alone something even ten times its own weight. Faith moves, doubt deters. Wherever faith and dedication to God are evident, forces that tend to ridicule it, diminish its strength, are also found. Whoever has an abiding faith in God will not be put to any great difficulties. Temporarily there may be some obstacles, but in the end he is sure to meet with success. Without unwavering faith, the Divine cannot be experienced. Worry and grief there will always be, of one type or another. Place your faith in the Lord and do your duty as though dedicated to Him, and worry and grief will vanish. Keep the faith in the Lord undiminished; you can then safely move about in the world. No harm can come to you. 4. 57 Anxiety is removed by faith in the Lord; the faith that tells you that whatever happens is for the best and that the Lord's Will be done. 23. 2. 58 . . . when faith dawns, fence it around with discipline and self-control, so that the tender shoot might be guarded against the goats and cattle, the motley crowd of cynics and unbelievers. When your faith grows into a big tree, those very cattle can lie down in the shade that it will spread. 24. 3. 58 It is the responsibility of all pious men to demonstrate in and through their lives that piety is not weakness but strength; that it opens up a vast spring of power and that a person with faith in God can overcome obstacles much more easily than one who has not. Let the different faiths exist, let them flourish and let the glory of God be sung in all the languages and in a variety of tunes. That should be the ideal. Respect the differences between the faiths and recognise them as valid as long as they do not extinguish the flame of unity. Faith in God and in spiritual discipline has declined due to want of enthusiasm among the elders in these matters. It is the responsibility of all pious men to demonstrate in and through their lives that piety is not weakness but strength, that it opens up a vast spring of power and that a person with faith in God can overcome obstacles much more easily than one who has not. 25. 3. 58 Faith in man involves faith in God and faith in God generates faith in man. Faith in self and faith in God is the secret of greatness. One who has no faith in himself cannot develop faith in God. Faith is an individual asset; it is acquired and preserved by one's own efforts. Have faith in the Lord and His grace. Try to earn it by using the intelligence and the conscience that He has endowed you with. He who is firmly fixed in the faith that this world is a mirage of the mind, he alone is the Swami. 2. 9. 58

Worry and grief there will always be, of one type or other, in the past, present and future; while walking, dreaming and sleeping. But place faith in the Lord and do your tasks as dedicated to Him and they both will vanish. 10. 7. 59 You must dive deep into the sea to get the pearls. What good is it to dabble among the waves near the shore and swear that the sea has no pearls in it and that all tales of its existence are false. So also if you must realise the full fruit of this Avatar, dive deep and get immersed in Sai Baba. Half-heartedness, hesitation, doubt, cynicism listening to tales, all are of no avail. Concentrated complete faith - that alone can bring victory. 4. 3. 62 Whoever has the enthusiasm, the steadfastness, the determination to reach the goal will certainly succeed. Cultivate that faith in ultimate success; never despair or cavil or doubt. That is my advice to one and all. Success is your birthright and you must get it, sooner rather than later. 4. 10. 62 Faith can work wonders, it can compel the Lord to manifest Himself and give you what you believe he will give 7. 10. 62 Faith in yourself and faith in God are identical; you tap the strength of the God within when you stand at attention against an enemy without. That is why there is a persistent whisper, within to use that strength in the path of Mercy, Charity, Helpfulness. 23. 11. 62 Faith can grow only on the soil of Dharma, with the fertile sub-soil of Vedha. 12. 10. 64 The Lord can be understood only if you approach Him, develop attachment for Him, have faith in Him, and maintain unswerving loyalty to Him. He is understood only when you feel that you are but the instrument and that He will every little movement everywhere. 23. 5. 65 It is want of faith that causes one to loose temper and fly into fits of anger; want of faith in oneself and in others. If you see yourself as really the undefeatable Atma and others as reflections of yourself, as the shaastras declare them to be, then there can be no provocation to get anger. 1. 10. 65 Through a desire to judge or estimate or evaluate, you cannot discover the mystery of God; through devotion and faith, you have to win His Grace, which will reveal Him to your understanding and experience. Steady faith alone can earn victory. 25. 10. 65 Faith can grow only on conviction and one can be convinced only when doubts are dissolved by discussions. 23. 11. 65 He who has planted the tender seedling will fulfil his responsibility and water it into a sturdy plant. Have faith; do not simply profess and deny in practice. 1966 Faith in God and His Glory and His Grace must be supplemented by discrimination of the real and the unreal and the control of the senses.

19. 2. 66 Practise self-control with steady faith. Then it is a source of strength. 17. 3. 66 Cultivate faith and surrender, then Grace will flow through you into every act of yours; for they are no longer your acts, they are His and you have no concern about the consequences thereof. All acts words and thoughts will thereafter be pure, saturated with love, conducive to peace. Cleanse your heart so that the Lord may be reflected therein, in all His Splendour, in all his myriad forms. Faith in God is the best re-enforcement for spiritual victory. when you revel in the contemplation of the splendour of the Lord, nothing material can attract you; all else will seen inferior; the company of the godly and the humble alone will be relished. 23. 5. 66 In spiritual matters, faith is the basic requisite for progress. That faith had to be guarded carefully. Yield to the Lord, who is more kin to you than your own parents; yield to no other. Do not allow your faith to falter with every passing gust of wind. Believe that all the three worlds cannot unseat Truth; all the fourteen lokas cannot seat falsehood on the throne. Your duty is to carry on saadhana undisturbed what others may say, holding fast to the certitude of your own experience. 3. 8. 66 If only half the prayers addressed to Government are addressed to God, you can win His Grace and solve the food problem, for God alone can give the rains that fill the tanks and reservoirs to irrigate the fields where the crops are grown. Have sincere faith in God and surrender to Him, acting, speaking and thinking in such a way that He is pleased. Be pure, be simple, be sincere and He will answer your agonising call. 8. 9. 66 Have faith in yourself, your own capacity to adhere to a strict time-table of saadhana, your own ability to reach the goal of realisation. When you have no faith in the wave, how can you have get faith in the ocean? Do not give ear to what others say. Believe your experience. What gives you peace and joy, believe in that. That is the real basis for faith. Why should you go about asking all and sundry whether something is either salt or sugar? Is it not foolish to wander about consulting people about this? Put a little on your own tongue; that will settle the matter. What you are now doing is to reject as salt what you own experience has proved to be sugar, simply because some one who has not tasted it like you proclaims it to be salt or because some one who is down with fever finds the thing bitter. Nov 66 Each person aspires to be happy and to have peace of mind. With this in view, each one engages himself in various activities. But, both happiness and peace evade him and play hide and seek with him. But, does man give up the search? No, like a top he turns round and round to capture them. Still they elude him. What is the reason for this state of affairs! Is it dejective effort, or the very law of activity? Or, is it the fundamental nature of the world itself? Or, is it this failure due to the spirit of the times? No; a little thought will convince that no one of these sureness is true. the real cause is ‘absence of faith in the victory of the good’. that faith can come only with the growth of devotion to God. 14. 10. 67 Faith in God must induce you to run and fall at the Feet of the Lord, irrespective of what others might say or even what might happen to you. Look at the moth; it sees the flame; it is drawn irrespectively by the inner urge to escape from darkness; thamaso maa jyothirgamaya; it dashes into the flame and dies. Look at the bee; it discovers the nectar in the Lotus; it settles and sips in untainted bliss; it is unaware of anything else; the sun sets, the petals close, the bee is imprisoned, though it does not know it. It dies before the lotus blooms again with the dawn. But, the lives of both moth and bee are fully worth-while for, this is the merging of Jeeva and Brahman.

Spiritual progress is not merely an intellectual exercise. It is right living, good conduct, moral behaviour. these attitudes are the automatic consequences of belief in a good, just, compassionate God, who is watching and witnessing every act. So, faith in an Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent God is the first pre-requisite of a good life. 28. 3. 68 Faith in God will give you faith in man; for man is but a moving temple of God. It will also destroy the feelings of I and mine, for all are He and everything is His. From the very beginning, take enough precaution to ensure that the seed you sow is good and free from defects. Do not start any work with evil motives or pomp, selfish aggrandisement, competition or challenge. Do not ascribe to God the failures due to your own faults and errors. Pray before, during and after, that the canker of egotism may not spoil the effort. The baffalo has horns; the elephant has tusks. But what a difference! The tusks are much more valuable. The man with faith and the man without it are both human; but what a difference! With faith, he is so much more efficient, courageous, and wise. 18. 8. 68 Have faith in the Lord; He will never give you up; He will guard and guide you until victory is won. Sincere devotion, unshaken faith - they can never fail to earn Grace. 12. 5. 69 Faith is a tender plant and it needs all the nutrient that you can give. 29. 7. 69 Faith in God being within the heart, faith in His constant presence and constant guidance these will confer courage, virtue, and illumination. The Shaasthras say, have faith in the doctor, so that you may get cured of illness; have faith in the manthra (holy formula) with which the preceptor initiates you, for then alone can your Sadhana be fruitful; have faith in the sacredness of the temple, for then alone is your pilgrimage profitable; have faith in the astrologer’s predictions, for, without it, why bother yourselves with him and his abracadabra? Have faith in the Guru, for then alone will your steps be steady and firm, on the path to self-realisation. Faith in the Guru should bring faith in the Atma, or else, the Guru is a handicap. Just as you shape an iron suckle or axe with an iron hammer, the mind the shaper and shaped, both. The power behind the mind which helps it to shape it well, is Faith in God. That is why it is declared that one must have faith in God, holy places, the scriptures, the manthra, the soothsayer, the drug and the teacher. Cultivate that Faith and everything else will be added unto you. 18. 10. 69 Opposition, criticism, even downright condemnation are necessary to confirm, consolidate and promote real faith. The tests only deepen the connection. What is the good in having a nose that falls off at the finest sneeze? 19. 10. 69 Faith in God will instil faith in themselves and in others, and the world will be happier thereby. 1. 2. 70 Faith in God is the tonic that man needs to get basic health and happiness. 21. 5. 70 Faith in God is the secure foundation on which hope has to be built. The faith has to be stable and strong. The feeling that God will come to our rescue has to be vivid and vital, motivating and activating all that we do or speak or think. Service rendered to others in this spirit will be a great source of joy to you as well as to the recipient.

18. 7. 70 Grow in faith; that will make you an iron ball that cannot be lifted by any gust of wind. So too, be so firmly fixed in faith that a gust of grief or a puff of pain cannot agitate you and make you lose hold of God. 16. 8. 70 Faith in God has to be implanted in the minds of the children for it is an anchor for the ship of life, when it is tossed about the stormy seas ahead. 4. 2. 73 Faith is an individual asset; it is acquired and preserved by one’s own efforts. 24. 3. 73 Stand fast, like a rock, when the waves beat. Have faith in your ideals in God. Do not allow faith to falter when failure comes into your door. Meet it as a new challenge, and triumph. If faith is one full continuous stream, Grace too will be showered on you in one full continuous stream. 4. 4. 73 You have faith in the senses and the knowledge they garner; you have faith in the fancies and fantasies of your mind; you have faith in the syllogisms of your reason; but you have no faith in God who cannot be bound or found by these. So, you fear, you grieve, you doubt. 4. 73 Faith in the God within is the toughest shield against the thrusts of fate. 3. 1. 74 Faith in one-self and in the Divinity of one-self are absolutely essential. That is the precious treasure of wisdom, stored in our ancient scriptures and in the experience of the Saints and Sages of all countries and faiths. 23. 10. 74 God is all-knowledge, all-power, all mercy. Faith in God has to be constant, firm in the face of every challenge by fate to fortune. 1. 10. 76 Faith in the Almighty God is the impregnable armour that the Saadhaka can wear; and people of all lands are Saadhakas, whether they know it or not. Be steady, do not waver, keep straight on, hold fast to the ideal without despair. Pray until God relents; do not turn away sadly if God does not shower Grace when you expect it 23. 11. 78 Faith is the basis of every act. You do not run away from the barber because he is aimed with a sharp razor. You place faith in him and allow him to cut your hair, quietly submitting to his idiosyncrasies. You give away costly clothes to the laundry man since you have the faith that he will return them washed and ironed. You have faith in the driver of your car, in the engineer who built your house. So, too, believe in the Inner Motivator, the Atman within, the Voice of God. 28. 3. 79 Faith and self-confidence are essential for spiritual progress. 29. 3. 79 Faith in an Omnipresent God will sustain you when you are overwhelmed by the ups and downs of life. Cultivate devotion and dedication and you can be ever at peace with yourself and the world. For, then, you can fulfil your duties with joy and with all your strength.

Without and ever present faith in an all-knowing God, life is dry and drab, shadowed by despair and doom. Love for God and fear for sin, are the two primary needs for a happy life. 4. 79 Faith is essential for success in any undertaking. However little, you can progress in education only if you have faith in your abilities. Of course, the material education you are trying to get is necessary for material ends but it cannot give Shanthi and Aanandha. When success comes your way, you become proud and uncontrollable; when defeat encounters you, you become dejected and desperate. It is only spiritual education that can tell you that both success and defeat are inevitable in life and both must be faced with an equal mind. 21. 11. 79 When doubt enters through the front door, faith departs through the back one! 23. 11. 80 We develop faith in innumerable petty things, but we have doubts about the most sacred and the most vital requisite for good living viz, God. If we have faith in God all other beliefs are irrelevant. There are in the ocean certain rocks, which remain unshaken however much the waves may clash against them. Likewise, if you are resolute in achieving your aims, objectives or desires, you should never give up your efforts till your objectives are achieved and you should not by swayed by all kinds of passing thoughts. Only then will you be a true devotee! 27. 6. 81 Faith is power. Without faith, living is impossible. We have faith in tomorrow following today. That is what makes us take up activities and projects that extend beyond this day. People with no faith cannot plan; they count misery by their want of faith. Seeing a glass filled with water, the optimist is glad that it is half full, while the pessimist is sad that it is half empty. Though both statements are correct, the optimist hopes to fill the other half too, while the pessimist gives up in despair. The one has faith; the other has no faith to sustain him. So, we must develop faith by steady effort. Faith must lead to effort. Faith s essential for human progress in every field. Knowledge, and through knowledge, wisdom can be earned only by means of faith and efforts. Equipped with these, man can venture into the heights and emerge victoriously. Of course one has to be warned against cultivating too much faith in things that are merely material. One has to develop it deep in the eternally valid Truth, God. Faith is the very breath we live by. Every being is the effect of some cause and has been created for some purpose. Man has been made man for some cause he has to serve. Young persons must firmly believe in this cause- effect principle. Silver is the cause and plate is the effect; clay is the cause and pot the effect. In the same way, Divinity is the cause and Humanity is the effect. Every man desires to acquire aanandha. From where can aanandha be acquired? Faith alone can win - aanandha. Peace can be got only through faith; faith is the spring of joy. Faith is the very breath of life. Without it, man is a living corpse. Dec 81 Develop firm faith that whatever the Divine thinks, says or does is for the welfare of the world and not for Himself. There is not the slightest trace of self-interest in it. 14. 1. 82

Education must feed the roots of faith. Faith is breath. Faith lives and thrive on love. Prema is praana. Praana must charge bhajan or worship with faith. Faith prompts sweetness in your thoughts, words and deeds. 23. 1. 82 One should have faith and love. Without faith or pure love, whatever arguments you may enter into, whatever success even in many lives. 25. 12. 82 Where there is Faith, there is Love, Where there is Love, there is Peace, Where there is Peace, there is Truth, Where there is Truth, there is Bliss, Where there is Bliss, there is God. 23. 3. 84 Faith is the very foundation for any forward step. If the step has to await the dawn of faith through experience, one cannot progress well. 23. 11. 84 Know that whatever you feel or do is an offering to God, flows towards God. So, be cautious. Do not offer bad thoughts, words and deeds which He does not accept. offer instead the holy and pure. That is your duty. That will ensure Self-satisfaction. Self-satisfaction paves the way to Self-sacrifice and Self-sacrifice brings about Self-realisation. The entire process rests upon faith; satisfaction, sacrifice and realisation - all these depend upon faith. Faith decides the yearning; the yearning decides the fruit; the act decides the stage that is reachable. For, the sincerity of the act promotes the purity of the path; the purity of the path determines the validity of the wisdom and true wisdom is Divinity itself. The act, the conduct, the way of life - these have to be disciplined and elevated. 26. 5. 85 You should put your faith in the Lord, who is the protector of everybody. Every morning and evening and on every occasion when you have the time, you have to go to the temple, recite the name of the Lord and pray to the Lord to fill your hearts with love and enable you to lead a right life. 8. 3. 86 It must be clearly understood that the Divine cannot be known by ordinary perception or through rules of logic and reasoning. Faith is only one. There is nothing like blind faith. For faith there can be no reason and no season. Faith and spirituality are beyond reason. It is foolish to search for the grounds of faith. Faith can achieve anything. One who has no faith can accomplish nothing. With faith, he can achieve everything. Faith is the foundation for the realisation of God. Apr. 86 Faith in Self and Faith in God is the secret of greatness. One who has no faith in himself cannot develop faith in God. 21. 7. 86 The union of good resolutions with faith in God is like the coming together of the positive and negative ends of electric wires; through this combination, any great thing can be accomplished.

Faith in God is the bed-rock on which one’s life should be built. All the scriptures one may read, all the rituals one may practise, the mastery of the Upanishads or the Gita, will be of no avail if there is no deep faith in God. They will be mere physical or intellectual exercises only. They may even strengthen the delusions regarding the body-mind complex. Deepen your faith in God. Without God how can all the marvels in the cosmos be accounted for? By whose power are millions of stars held in their places? How does the earth turn on its axis without an axle? How does the wind blow to give gratuitous comfort to one and all? These phenomena are beyond human power. All these are the work of the unseen power acting from behind the screen. It is the Unseen that sustains the seen. It is the power of God. From today, develop your faith in God, engage yourselves in dedicated service to society and make your lives purposeful and helpful to those in distress or need. Remember that whomsoever you may serve, you are serving God. The world can be turned into an earthly paradise if you strengthen your faith in God and demonstrate it in your actions. You must have the courage and determination to face any kind of problems and difficulties. By propagating this mantra you can promote the love of God and the fear of sin among the people. The mantra ‘God is’ can be more powerful than a mantra based on any particular deity’s name. Moreover, mere repetition of any mantra is of little use, greater than the power of mantra or yantra is the power of a pure heart. Your faith must stem from the heart, which is the seat of Divine. Spiritual discipline determine the character of a person. Character determines the destiny - whether good or bad. Character is built up by constant practice of good actions. Actions, in their turn are based on one’s thoughts and intentions. Whenever any thought arises in the mind, one should examine whether it is right or wrong. Whether it will do good to society or cause harm to it. Actions should be based on such enquiry. It would be wrong to blame anyone for our misfortunes. Our thoughts and actions alone are responsible for our plight. If one entertains pure thoughts and does all actions with firm faith in God, he will be favoured with God’s Grace. Have this five-letter mantra as your constant companion and strengthen your faith in God. This will lead in due course to God realisation Unwavering faith in God will promote Atma - Sakthi (spiritual power) and confer indescribable bliss. Doubts should not be allowed to sprout. Faith is essential for accomplishing anything in life. Without faith, even ordinary things in life are not possible. 27. 8. 86 Where there is deep faith, there is intense love. Where there is love, there is earnestness. Through earnestness, the higher knowledge is gained. This knowledge enables the practice of Sadhana. Hence without faith and love, it is not possible to realise God. 11. 10. 86 Firm faith is the primary need. We must be steadfast in our beliefs. God’s grace cannot be had by one who is wavering from moment to moment and whose heart is not pure. The Lord judges the devotees by the purity of his heart and not by the kind of worship or japa he performs. Even if you practise no worship or meditation, it is enough if you have cleansed your heart. The Divine will then enter it. Calumny and abuse should not affect one who has firm faith in God. The man who experiences the bliss union with the Divine has the strength of a thousand elephants. He has boundless courage and knows no fear. The God-centred person has three qualities: Purity, Perseverance and Patience. Without these qualities, a man is a weakling. But with them, he has all the strength and courage he needs to face any challenge. 24. 8. 89 Do not give up your duties in the world. But do them with the name of God on your lips and invite the grace of God into your mind.

Everyone must strive to fill the heart with devotion. Constant contemplation on the form of the Lord and frequent repetition of the Lord's name are the means by which the heart is filled with the Love of God. Faith in God is the guarantee of victory. 6. 10. 89 Make faith you life breath. Remember always the Divine name. It is your saviour; all else binds you. Spiritual life really means that everyone should think that all people are ONE and he himself is one with all. True spiritual life is that which teaches us unity or Oneness and makes us lead a life of selflessness and love. Instead of filling our mind with theories and subtleties of sastras and our head with books and scriptures, it is always better to fill our heart with love and spiritual aspirations. Steadfastness, faith and constancy are characteristic of one who truly loves God. The benefit we can derive from anything is proportionate to the faith we place in it. For the growth of faith and for the fostering of understanding an essential requirement is purity of the heart, of the very base of thought, of the levels of consciousness. The Lord, too, will provide many tests to ensure that your faith is made firm, and that your spirit of seva is full and universal. The Moslems pray in the name of Allah, the Jews pray in the name of Jehovah, the Vaishnavites pray in the name of Phullabjaksha, the Saivites pray in the name of Sambho. The one to whom prayers are offered in this manner, He is God and may He grant happiness and prosperity to everyone. God is one though He is addressed and prayed to by different groups of people in different names. 12. 9. 91 Faith in God should never waver. In no circumstance should anyone go against the injunctions of the Divine. Whatever worship one may offer, however intensely one may meditate, if one transgresses the commands of the Lord, these devotional practices become futile. The reason is that the Divine has no selfish objective or aim. The right path for all people is to develop faith in God and lead godly lives. 23. 1. 94 Without faith in god, we cannot perform any action. 23. 11. 94 When one has faith in the ways of the Lord and abides by the will of the Lord, the Lord can be understood and experienced. 14. 4. 95 Faith is essential for anyone, whether he is a theist or an atheist. People may judge things as good or bad according to their own predilections. But for God all things are the same. In this world nothing will appear bad if one views it from the worldly point of view. Seen from the worldly point of view, there will be differences of good and bad. Man has to be sustained by faith in the power of God. 11. 7. 95 Wherever you may be, in whatever condition, consider your hearts as an Ocean of Milk, the abode of God. God is omnipresent. When you lead your life with this faith, there is nothing greater than this.

18. 8. 95 Everyone should realise the transitoriness of life and turn his thoughts towards God early enough in life. The challenges of life should be faced with fortitude and firm faith in God. That is the Supreme quality of humanness. Its grandeur and power should not be belittled. Faith in God should never be given up, whatever one’s scholarship, position or power. That is the sammum-bonum of life. 14. 10. 95 Hanuman was always engaged in the contemplation of Rama. Every hair on his body chanted the name of Rama. Hanuman is adored by devotees as an example of total devotion to the Lord. When some had doubts whether Hanuman could leap over the ocean to search for Sita in Lanka, Hanuman told them that Rama had given him the task and He would also give him the strength to accomplish it. This absolute faith was the cause of his success. When people entertain doubts as to their capacity to carry out the tasks assigned to them by the Divine, they will be weak and powerless. hence, to accomplish anything, firm faith is essential. Doubts have to be expelled. Everything that happens should be accepted as for one’s own good. That is the means to qualify for God’s grace. Devotion should not be converted into a form of business. You should not say you will offer something to God if you get a certain thing which you desire. God need nothing from you. Everything belongs to God. You brought nothing with you at birth and leave the world with nothing. Only the Divine is with you. Hence, cherish faith in God. Faith in the Divine is more important than faith in the phenomenal world. God can be realised only through love. 18. 2. 96 For anything that you want to accomplish faith is vital. Faith is as basic for spiritual progress as breathing is essential for life. Today what we witness is devotion without faith. There is a familiar saying that a bull without a yoke, a horse without curbs, a car without brakes and a mind without sense-control are dangerous and useless. Today you have every kind of amenity. You have hospitals, schools and other institutions to serve you. The only thing people lack is faith in God. What is the use of having everything else? Develop faith in God. If you develop the sense of spiritual oneness of all mankind the conflicts of today will vanish. Discord has become ubiquitous. At the root of all this is the loss of faith in God. Get rid of jealousy and egoism. Then you will experience the Divine.

FESTIVALS 12. 4. 81 Days that are marked out as festivals in the calendars of all races and religions are significant because they have a deep spiritual meaning. They have to be used by man for examining habits and practices, prejudices and partialities, and for cleansing the mind of these. The attitudes and guidelines that are clogging progress have to be discarded and fresh fruitful ones welcomed. The days have to be dedicated for trimming the old and planting the new. 29. 2. 84 Holy days like Sivarathri are marked out in order to impress upon man’s mind his duty to impose a ‘fast’ on the senses and a ‘vigil’ on his intelligence to keep away polluting impulses and inclinations. This is the day when Siva consumed the deadly poison that threatened to destroy the world and saved mankind from perdition. The aspirant for Divine grace has to remember this day with gratitude.

17. 2. 85 Today is described as Sivarathri. ‘Rathri’ means night. What is the significance of night? Night is another word for darkness. ‘Siva’ means auspiciousness. So, Sivarathri speaks of an auspiciousness which is inherent in darkness. It refers to the wisdom which exists in the midst of ignorance. This Sivarathri is a day when one tries to establish friendship between mind and God. Sivarathri makes one aware of the fact that the same Divinity is all-pervasive and is to be found everywhere. It is said that Siva lives in Kailasa. But where is Kailasa? Kailasa is our own joy, our own bliss. It means that Easwara lives in the Kailasa of delight. If we can develop that sense of delight and joy in our mind, that itself is Kailasa. How can one gets this joy? It comes when we develop purity and steadiness and sacredness. Then the heart becomes filled with peace and bliss. Then your heart itself will be Kailasa and Siva will be there is the Sanctum Sanctorum of your heart, within the temple which is your body. 18. 9. 85 The elephant-head of Ganesa is a symbol of intelligence, discrimination and wisdom. The elephant is ever alert and eminently conscious of its surroundings. Its meaning is strong and deep. It treads through the thick forest imprinting huge foot marks on the track. One such print can subsume the marks left by scores of other animals, both wild and tame. It moves majestically through thick jungles; its very passage blazes trail for other animals to go through. It is a path-maker, helping others without being aware of it, because it is its nature. Ganesa guides the stars, the communities of men and their homes. He is Lord of obstacles, causing them when needed and helping men to over come them, when the boon will promote the well-being of the supplicant. Ganesa is the embodiment of intelligence (buddhi) and achievement (siddhi). He was approached by Sage Vyasa with a prayer to write down the Mahabharatha, even as he composed the hundreds of thousands of its verses. Ganesa agreed immediately; He brooked no delay, even to secure a writing tool; He broke his sharp-pointed tusk and was ready to start! Ganesa can teach many a lesson to man. That is the reason for His being adored by people of all ages and professions. Take the problem of food. Thyagarajah invites Ganapathy most endearingly and delights in offering Him sweet satwic items of food - coconut kernel, sweet fruits of various types, steam-cooked rolls and balls of modak etc. The elephant feeds on grass, sugar cane, bamboo - shoots, and twigs and leaves of the banyan tree. Devotees offer Ganesa, while worshipping, leaves, grass blades and flowers gathered from meadows and valleys, Ganesa, the Elephant-headed, is adored as the source of Love, Faith, Intelligence, Guidance and Grace. Take into consideration another role assigned to Ganesa. When Siva is moved to Supreme ecstasy and it is expressed as the Cosmic Dance of Natarajah, Ganesa, Master of Tune and Time, leads other Gods, marks time on the mrudangam (drum). No wonder the Gods are pleased when Puja is offered to Ganesa even before any of them is propitiated. 8. 3. 86 The sages believed that the Divine principle was present in an outside of everything and that it could be experienced directly as well as indirectly. They pursued their penance further, for the benefit of mankind. They realised the Truth that the Divine Effulgent Person was beyond the outer darkness and experiencing this Reality, they called upon all to seek and experience it. This Effulgent Purusha is utterly selfless, full of light, the embodiment of all auspicious qualities and free from attributes. He was described as ‘SIVA’ meaning one who is beyond the three Gunas (Sathwa, Rajas, Thamas) and hence absolutely pure and untainted. He was regarded as eternal, omnipotent, all-pervading and the possessor of all that is great and glorious - the six indices of the Divine: Aswarya, Dharma, Fame, Sacrifice, Wisdom and Reputation. And for this reason, He was given another appellation - Easwara. Easwara is one who is endowed with all conceivable kinds of wealth.

The sages found that Siva is also the protector of those who seek refuge in Him. Hence was called SANKARA - one who confers protection and grace. The significance of ‘SIVARATHRI’ is that it is a time when one can get closest to Bhagawan, because the moon, which represents the mind, has shed fifteen of its aspects (Kala) and is about to shed the last (sixteenth) aspect. The ancient sages, who explored the link between numbers and the Divine, found that the letters in the name of Sivarathri’ amounted to a total of eleven, which was the number of the dark forces called Rudras (those who make people cry). The Rudras enter the intellects of people and turn their desires towards worldly things, thereby giving rise to attachments and hatred and pursuit of sensuous pleasures. As they turn the minds of people away from God and towards evil, they were called Rudras. The sages described that whoever is able to keep the Rudras in check on the sacred day of Sivarathri will be able to experience Divinity. This means that control of the senses is the primary requisite for realising the Divine and attaining liberation. The vigil on Sivarathri night means concentrating one’s thoughts on the sacred, the pure, the beauteous and glorious form of the Divine. 12. 7. 95 ‘Gurupurnima’ is an occasion for cleansing the mind to make it absolutely pure. It is not enough to praise God. You have to love Him. You have to become love itself so that you can love the entire universe. I address all of you as ‘Embodiments of love’. When you become embodiments of love, you can love all. 29. 8. 95 Vinayaka is the master of every kind of knowledge. Learning is related to the intellect. It is not mere scholarship. Familiarity with books is not knowledge. One’s entire life is a continuous process of learning. Any process of enquiry is related to learning. But basically our enquiry should be concerned with finding out what is transient and what is permanent. This is true knowledge. You have to do things which will please God. Then God will offer what will please you. This is one of the truths to be learnt from the Vinayaka festival. Vinayaka is the Lord of Life. Men should learn and shed selfishness and cultivate love of the Supreme Self. This is the inner truth about Vinayaka. Saraswathi is represented as a Goddess riding on a swan. Saraswathi is the Goddess of Speech. Speech is based on the inhaling and exhaling of breath. In this process of respiration, the sound ‘So-Ham’ is produced and when it is repeated regularly, you have the sound ‘Ham-So’ which is identified with a swan. The inhaling and exhaling process is the chariot on which the Goddess of speech moves. Consider Vinayaka as the indweller in your Heart. He is constantly warning you against what is bad. You ignore the warning and get into trouble. How much will you benefit if you ‘follow the master’ within you. Your conscience is the Master. Above all, heed the dictates of the Divine. That will be your best safeguard. Vinayaka is one who has all the five elements under his control. He is the embodiment of all potencies. He has no superior above him. In our bhajans the first prayer is addressed to Vinayaka. The bhajan starts with ‘Om’, the Pranava. It is the combination of Pranava with Vinayaka which serves to redeem our life. What does the name ‘Ganapathi’ signify? ‘Ga’ means ‘Buddhi’ (or intellect), ‘Na’ means ‘Vijnaana’ (wisdom) as Vigneswara is the Lord of the Intellect and Wisdom, he is called ‘Ganapathi’. In everyday parlance, Ganapathi is described as the son of Parvathi. Parvathi represents Prakriti (Nature). Man is a child of Nature. Hence every human being is a Vinnayaka. He is a spark of the Divine Siva-

Sakthi, the union of the Lord and Nature. Everything in the world has emanated from Nature. All things are aspects of Nature. It is to reveal this sacred truth that holy festivals are observed. How does it happen that Vinayaka has the head of an elephant and has a mouse as his vehicle? The mouse is called ‘Mooshika’. It is a sign of might, which signifies darkness. The mouse is a symbol of darkness. Because Vinaayaka has control over darkness, he is described as the rider on a ‘Mooshika’. He is the one who dispels darkness and sheds light on the world. The mouse is also a symbol of the sense of smell. The mouse moves about following the direction of the smell. Vinayaka is the one who has mastery over ‘vaasanas’, that is, desires and ignorance (represented by ‘Mooshika’). The edible offerings to Vinayaka are totally free from oily substances Vinayaka is offered only items cooked through steam. What is the reason? According to the science of Ayurveda, food cooked through steam is easily digested, Moreover, the Vinayaka festival, which is celebrated in the month of Bhaadrapada, falls in a month when sesame and jaggery come to the market after the harvest. The sesame seeds are powdered and mixed with rice flour and jaggery and cooked in balls which are offered as ‘Naivedyam’ to Vinaayaka. Jaggery (gur) is a cure for several ailments relating to phlegm and bile. The sesame seeds have the power to cleanse the lungs and improve the vision. These balls of sesame and jaggery are thus noted for their medicinal properties for causing both external and internal ailments. What is that you should offer to God? Is it an unripe fruit or a ripe fruit? You should offer only a good ripe fruit. Likewise, you should offer your good thoughts to the Divine. That is the supreme significance of the Vinaayaka chathurthi festival. 5. 9. 95 What is the significance of wearing new clothes? ‘Vastra’ is one of the names for the heart. Wearing new clothes means purifying the heart. When the heart is pure the Divine elects to dwell in it. There is no meaning in wearing new garments if heart remains impure. 15. 1. 96 You must fill your life with holy thoughts. That is the purpose of sacred festivals.

FOOD 10. 10. 61 You must practice moderation in food, drink, sleep and exercise. Good food taken in moderate quantities, at regular intervals; that is the prescription. Saathwick (pure wholesome) food promotes self-control and intelligence more than Raajasik (passion-producing) and Thaamasik (impure food). So for spiritual aspirants, Saathwick food is very necessary. Sleep too should be regulated and moderate; it is as important as work and food. Remember also that dress is primarily for protection against heat and cold, not for vain display even at the cost of health. Virtuous conduct also ensures mental peace and that in turn saves you from many a physical and mental illness. If you overstep mithi (bounds), you miss your gathi (progress) 14. 1. 65 You must be careful about the food you take; for, the tongue and the organ of generation are the two great foes of man; the cravings of hunger and sex drag you into perdition. Desist from catering to the tongue and its greed; do not be a victim of lust or taste. have pure food and eat it in company of the pure. Be moderate in food and keep the senses strictly under control. 19. 4. 65

By moderating and modulating habits of eating and drinking, one can lay the foundation for spiritual life. One must prefer Saathwick to Rajasik foods. By drinking intoxicating stuff, one loses control over the emotions and passions, the impulses and instincts, the speech and movements, and one even descends to the level of beasts. By eating flesh one develops violent tendencies and animal diseases. The mind becomes more intractable when one indulges in Rajaasik food; it can never be remoulded if Thamasik food is consumed with relish. 26. 9. 65 When you cultivate the attitude that you are the body, the body will demand from you more food, more variety in food, more attention to appearance and physical comfort. A large portion of the food now consumed is superfluous; man can live healthily on much less. A good deal of effort and expenditure now spent to cater to task and to social pomp can be given up, and health too will improve thereby. Moderate food gives excellent health. Eat to live; do not believe that you live in order to eat. 12. 10. 69 The older generation in this land used to take some quantity of rice soaked in curds, first meal in the morning. It is good saathwick food; or, they drank some raagi gruel, which is equally good. Cattle are better; dogs have better eating habits. If a dog has fever, it will refuse food; but man ignores even the warnings of the doctor and eats on the sly! Through dieting alone, birds and beasts set their health all right! But man lives in tablets and pills and injections after venturing into forbidden realm, so far as eating and drinking are concerned. Drink large quantities of water, boiled and cooled, not during meals, but sometime before and after. Only the healthy person can afford to forget the body and dedicate his thoughts to God, and derive Aanandha therefrom. Eat at regular intervals, according to a well-established time-table. Move about and fill the day with activity, so that food is well digested. Develop biting hunger, before sitting down for a meal. 20. 10. 69 The food that one eats has to be pure, free from the subtle evils radiated by the persons who collect the materials, who cook the dishes and who serve them. Yes; all these have to be carefully watched by the saadhaka. The place where one spends his life has also subtle influence of character and ideals. 6. 3. 70 Take in only simple pure clean food - what is called Saathwick food by the sages. That is to say, food which will not arouse the impulses and emotions, sharpen the passions, upset the equanimity, hamper health. Food offered to God is free from the evil vibrations that injure the individual in subtle ways. Food offered to the hungry and then eaten has also the same beneficial quality. Since food has a subtle impact on the feelings and thoughts of man, you have to be vigilant ever. 16. 10. 74 The food we consume should be tasty, sustaining and pleasant. It should not be too ‘hot’ or too salty; there must be a balance and equilibrium maintained. It should not arouse or deaden. Raajasic food enrages the emotions; thaamasic food induces sloth and sleep. Saathwic food satisfies but does not inflame the passion or sharpen the emotions. The gross part of food is discarded as faeces, the subtle part is transformed into muscle, blood etc. and the more subtle of the subtle aspects are transformed into the mind and its activities. That is why the sages have prescribed certain limits and levels of food, in order to promote the spiritual urges and prevent contrary tendencies. 28. 1. 75 The gift of food is the noblest of all gifts.

21. 9. 79 Every activity of man is dependent on the energy he derives from the intake of food. the spiritual saadhanas he ventures upon depend for their success on the quantity and quality of the food taken by the spiritual aspirant. As the food, so the mind, as the mind so the thought; as the thought, so the act. Food is an important factor which determines the alertness and sloth, the worry and calm, the brightness and dullness. Man is the only living being which dislikes raw food found in the natural state. All other animals eat things as they are - grain, grass, leaves, shoots, fruits. Man boils, fries, melts, mixes and adopts various methods of cooking in order to satisfy the cravings of the tongue, the eye and the nose. As a consequence, the food value of these articles are either reduced or destroyed. when the seeds are fried , they do not sprout; that is clean proof that the ‘life-force ‘ is eliminated. therefore, uncooked raw pulses just sprouting, are to be preferred. Also nuts and fruits. The coconut, offered to the God, is a good Saathwic (pure) food, having good percentage of protein besides fat, starch and minerals. Food having too much salt or pepper is Rajasic (passion-rousing) and should be avoided; so also too much fat and starch, which are Thaamasic (disposed to inactivity) in their effects on the body, should be avoided. The type of food that you consume decides the degree of concentration you can command; its quality and quantity decide how much your self-control is lessened or heightened. An intake of too much food is harmful. Simply because tasty food is available and is being offered, one is tempted to overeat. We have air all around us but we do not breath in more than we need. The lake is full but we drink only as much as the thirst craves for. But overeating has become a social evil, fashionable habit. The stomach cries out, ‘Enough’ but the tongue insists on more, and man becomes the helpless target of disease. He suffers from corpulence, high blood pressure and diabetes. Moderate food is the best medicine to avoid bodily life. Do not rush to the hospital for every little upset. Too much drugging is also bad. Allow nature full scope to fight the disease and set you right. Adopt more and more the principles of naturopathy, and give up running around for doctors. Polluted air and water are full of maleficient viruses and germs and have to be avoided at all costs. There are four pollutions against which man has to be vigilant - of the body (removable by water); of the mind (removable by truthfulness) of reason (removable by correct knowledge) and of the self (removable by yearning for God). God is the Doctor. Seek Him, rely on Him, you will be free from Disease. 30. 9. 81 Plant a boiled pulse in the soil; it won’t sprout. How, then, can it contribute life to the living? The vitamins and proteins that are valuable ingredients are destroyed while it is cooked to please the palate! The billions of cells in the body are so inter-dependent that when one is weakened or damaged, all of them suffer. There is a limit and a balance which every limb and organ has to maintain. Insufficient or improper food will endeavour this balance. An occasional cough help to strengthen the lungs and to clear them of extraneous matter, but fits of coughing are signs of positive illness. 30. 9. 81 Uncooked food, nuts and fruits, germinating pulses are the best. Use these at least at one meal, say, for the dinner at night; this will ensure long life. And, long life is to be striven for in order that the years may be utilised for serving one’s fellow-beings. 20. 11. 82 Among the eight million four hundred thousand species of living beings, all except human live on food as provided by the Mother Nature. Man alone strives to make such food more palatable, more attractive to the senses of sights, tough and smell by boiling, frying and freezing and mixing, grinding and soaking. The consequence of this greed is ill-health and debility.

One should realise that food materials, as offered by nature, are really more beneficial. When heat is applied, they loose the vitality yielding components and cannot confer strength and efficiency. The person ages fast and loses the sprightliness of youth. Catering to the craving of the tongue and swallowing heavy foods three or four times a day can only add to the heap. Regular and limited intakes alone can enable a person to discharge one’s duties. 21. 5. 90 As the body is a sacred shrine you should not take in any intoxicating substances. Articles of food which promote Rajasic qualities (like anger) should be eschewed. Food determines to a large extent health and intelligence, emotion and impulse. Set limits to the quality and quantity of food, as well as to the number of times it is consumed and the timings. Food is important for the body. The type of food you eat, that kind of thoughts will come to your mind. If you have satwic food, there will be a satwic effect. Meat gives the blood its effect, like passion and similar qualities. Dirty thoughts come with fish. Meat is all right for those who concentrate on the body and want to have strength, but for spiritual aspirants it is not good. It is significant that those who live on vegetarian food are less prone to diseases while meat-eaters are subject to various diseases. Why? Because animal food is incompatible with the needs of the human body. Doctors speak about proteins being present in non-vegetarian food, but the fact is that there are better quality proteins in food articles like vegetables, pulses, milk, curd etc. Non-vegetarian food not only affects man’s body but also has deleterious effect on his mind. Food, Head, God - these three are inter-related. By consuming animal food, animal tendencies are aroused. As is your food, so are your thoughts. Men today are behaving in a manner worse than that of wild animals in the forest. They have become cruel, pitiless and hard-hearted. There is no sympathy or understanding even between man and man. The main reason for this condition lies in the kind of food that is consumed. Man needs food which supplies him energy equivalent to about one calorie per minute. Young people should be satisfied with 2000 calories of food per day. For healthy life, man needs only 1500 calories per day. But nowadays the food intake has increased up to 5000 calories. As a result, people suffer from indigestion and sleeplessness. Loss of sleep gives rise to many ailments. Don’t worry about sleep. If you go to bed without any worry, you will get sound sleep automatically. The food consumed by man provides the source of origin, sustenance and development of his mind. After digestion the grossest part of the food is thrown out as excreta. The subtle part becomes blood and flesh, while the subtlest part assumes the form of the mind. So the nature of the mind depends on the quality and quantity of food consumed. While the gross body or the food sheath - Annamaya Kosa is chiefly derived from food, the subtle part of the water we drink contributes to the life sheath - Pranamaya Kosa. The grossest part of the water goes out as urine. The food sheath and the life sheath provide the basis for the other three sheaths, namely, Manomaya Kosa - the mental sheath, the Vijnanamaya Kosa - the intellectual sheath and the Anandamaya Kosa - the bliss sheath. This shows the paramount importance of food and drink in moulding and developing the human personality. Men today are behaving in a manner worse than that of wild animals in the forest. They have become cruel, pitiless and hard-hearted. There is no sympathy or understanding between man and man. The main reason for this condition is the kind of food that is consumed. Only man is endowed with the capacity to discover his Divinity. All other species live on what is provided by Nature. Man alone lives on prepared foods of various kinds. Birds and animals which live on natural foods are not prone to diseases. But man by becoming a slave of his palate cultivates tastes of various

kinds and consumes different kinds of non-vegetarian food. It is significant that those who live on vegetarian food are less prone to diseases while meat-eaters are subject to various diseases. Man should consume what is in accord with the needs of the human body. Doctors speak of proteins. Are there not proteins in vegetables, milk and curds and pulses? Non-vegetarian food not only affects the body but also the mind. Food, Head, God - these three are inter-related. By consuming animal food, animal tendencies are aroused. As is your food, so are your thoughts. The nature of the food determines the nature of one's thoughts, feelings and actions. Today people go on consuming food at all times, not to mention drinks and snacks in between. With the result that indigestion sets in. Young people should be satisfied with 2000 calories of food per day. This is enough to sustain them. Anything in excess will cause indigestion and sleeplessness. You should not consume any kind of food merely to appease hunger. You must take only Satwic food. Our thoughts are determined by the kind of food we consume. May 90 Satwic food The prevalent notion is that fruits and milk constitute satwic food. But that is not all to it. What is consumed by the mouth is not the only food that enters the body. The other sense organs like the eyes, ears, the nose and the hands also consume objects from the external world. Through the eyes you have to see only what is pure. To see all kinds of things indiscriminately will spell disaster. The power of sight should be used only for sacred purposes. The ears too need pure food. This means we should listen only to sacred words and to accounts relating to the Divine. Let us always hear good and pleasant things about others. In this way, we must safeguard the ears from being polluted by hearing bad things. Only thus can we ensure consuming satwic food through the ears. Only fragrant sweet-smelling scents should be absorbed through the nose. Inhaling bad odours will result indices. If you inhale foul air you will be breathing in disease producing organisms. You must inhale pure air, in a clean open space. The hand also should be used to consume pure food. In other words, you must perform only good acts with your hands, befitting the appellation of temple, used for the body. When you get rid of the five evils associated with the pollution of speech, sight, hearing, thought and action, you will be able to realise your own Divinity and become Paramatma - Supreme Soul. If the senses are fed with polluted food, you cannot become pure merely by taking milk and fruit. You must partake of pure satwic food through all the five sense organs. Our thoughts are determined by the kind of food we consume. It is only when we take food that is conducive to truth that we can pursue the path of truth. 7. 2. 93 Life is the subtle form of the water consumed by man. The mind is the subtle form of the food taken by man. Hence a close nexus should be established between the mind and life (prana). As is the food, so is the head. Man's thoughts, desires and aspirations are related to the kind of food he consumes. There should be some regulations with regard to food. Many doctors emphasise the value of proteins and recommend meat, eggs, etc. But proteins got in this form serve only to build the body, but do considerable harm to the mind. Doctors are primarily concerned with the gross physical body. They pay little attention to the subtle form of the mental make-up. Most of the diseases that are prevalent in the world today are

related to the mind. Mental illnesses seem to outnumber physical ailments. The Vedanta has declared that the mind is the cause of man's bondage or liberation. This means that the mind has to be used properly and turned godwards. Equally the mind is responsible for health or sickness. In this context, food is all important. Proteins are present in milk, curds and vegetables as much as in meat. If, in the matter of diet, the doctors give the right prescription, disease can be averted. 25. 2. 93 From those times to the present, those who care for the well being of all living beings and humanity were subjected to many trials and tribulations. Good people are always pursued by difficulty and troubles. The messiahs, the prophets, saints and God-men have always suffered from troubles and ordeals of various kinds. You should not bother about them. Have faith in God. When you live up to the truth you believe in you will be indifferent to what others think. Whether attempts may be made to suppress good people, their goodness cannot be extinguished. The human body is like the sugarcane filled with the juice of love. It is only when the body is subjected to hardship that the Divine, sweet juice of love can flow from it, without trouble to the body, pains to the mind, and control of the feelings, how can you expect to experience the divine? Men today aspire for liberation without suffering from their part. Gods love is not to be secured so easily. The precious Gem of love can be got only in the bazaar of Thyaaga(sacrifice). It is valued only in the kingdom of love. 21. 1. 94 Food plays a major role in the preservation of health. Care should be taken to see that the food consumed does not have much fat content, for the fats consumed in large quantity are detrimental not only to one’s physical health but also to one’s neutral health. Meat and alcoholic drinks take a heavy toll on man’s health, causing many a disease in him. Research has revealed that non-vegetarian and alcoholic addicts are more prone to heart ailments than vegetarians. If the vegetarians food that is consumed should be balanced and wholesome, it should contain liberal doses of Vitamin C and Vitamin E, which are available in vegetables like carrots. The presence of those vitamins presents heart ailments in a large measure. Every effort should be made to keep the human body healthy. Health is wealth. Wealth cannot be enjoyed by a person with poor health. Health is more important because it gives physical and mental strength to a person. Birds and beasts do not suffer from cardiac and digestive ailments to which man is prone. The cause can be traced to the natural food which the animals consume, unlike human beings who consume all sorts of fried and cooked of food being slaves to the palate. Modern men consumes many artificial food stuffs and a variety of alcoholic drinks, which are injurious to health. Birds and beast leads natural lives, while the artificial life styles of men today takes a heavy toll of his health. When men observes moderation in diet he can be saved from most diseases. Since mental tension is most detrimental to man’s health, man should learn the art of controlling his passions and emotions, which cause stresses and strains. It is also essential to keep our mind serene and peaceful while eating lord, we should not indulge in dissuasion of topic which will cause agitation and excitement and disturb our mental peace while we are taking food . Mental tension is responsible for ill health. We should also avoid viewing tv, video, etc, while eating food, as they may cause mental disturbance. 5. 94

Complete faith is most essential if you want to experience Divinity. There should not be even an iota of doubt. One living without faith in the Divine is like a lifeless corpse. When you have full faith, God will surely help you and make you fearless. People who have faith in God will never be let down. But those who have no faith suffer. You need not search for God. It is God who is searching for a real devotee. 6,5. 94 People should cultivate faith in the Divine. It is the duty of the parents to imbue their children with faith in God from childhood. 3. 7. 94. The demonic human being revels in intoxicating drinks. Eating meat and drinking liquor are demonic vices, these indulging in drink lose all sense of propriety, have no compassion or love and become demons. 23. 11. 94 Today, let it be anyone, whether one deems himself a devotee or not, he should give up meat eating. Why? Meat eating promotes only animal qualities. It has been well said that the food one consumes determines one's thoughts. By eating the flesh of various animals, the qualities of these animals are imbibed. How sinful is it to feed on animals, which are sustained by the same five elements as human beings! This leads to demonic tendencies, besides committing the sin of inflicting cruelty on animals. Hence, those who genuinely seek to become devotees of God have to give up non-vegetarian food. Calling themselves Sai devotees or devotees of Rama and Krishna, they fatten on chickens. How can they be deemed Sai devotees? How can God accept such a person as a devotee? Therefore, whether they are devotees in India or outside, they should give up from this instant meat eating. The water that one drink is life giving. It issues from the head of Siva. It is sacred. Instead of such wholesome drink, it is wrong to drink intoxicants. It makes a man forget his true nature. Alcoholic drink is utterly obnoxious. It degrades the addict. It makes him forget God. The drink addict is not conscious of what he says or does. The very sights of such a person is revolting. The drink evil has ruined innumerable families. Alcoholics have caused misery to their wives and children by wasting all their money on liquor. In addition to liquor, many are addicted to smoking tobacco. Today cigarette smoking is the cause of many diseases like asthma, lung cancer, esonaphilia and heart ailments. The evil effects of smoking can be easily demonstrated. If a whiff of cigarette smoke is blown at a handkerchief, the cloth turns red at the spot. If smoke can cause such damage to a piece of cloth, how much damage will it not do when it gets into the blood stream? It ruins one's health and shortens one's life span. Therefore, those who aspire to become true devotees of God have to give up meat, liquor and smoking. Drink addiction is the cause of many evils. But no government can stop this. The change must take place at the individual level. This can take place only through a mental transformation and not as a result of preaching by others. Each one has to recognise the truth and reform himself.

FORBEARANCE 12. 5. 81 Forbearance truly is the highest quality of a human being. But in human life because he develops narrow ideas, man wants to live in a constricted place. He thinks ‘I’ and ‘my family’ are what matter, others are all different from ‘me’. It is not possible for us to develop the flower of forbearance as long as these ideas are in us. It is only when we love that we can have patience and forbearance. One’s love should encompass all living beings. That will fructify as forbearance.

30. 12. 83 Forbearance endows you with the strength to face the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. A man without forbearance easily succumbs to reverses and difficulties. 15. 1. 96 People today have lost the quality of forbearance. The sages in the past allowed even anthills to grow over them while they were immersed in penance. Today people cannot tolerate the slightest disturbance of a fly or a mosquito.

FORGIVENESS

1. 1. 94 Only when we face problems and difficulties that cause grief and misery this quality of forbearance and forgiveness has the scope for taking for taking root get upset, and become victims of depression which is a sign of weakness. In such situation, you should bring tolerance and an attitude of forgiveness into play and should not get agitated giving rise to anger, hatred and revengeful attitude. You are embodiment of strength and not weakness. There for in times despair you should be filled with feeling and forbearance and be ready to forgive and forget. This quality of kshama or forgiveness is the great FRIENDSHIP 24. 5. 73 Friendship must bind two hearts and affect both of them beneficially. Whatever may happen to either - loss or gain, pain or pleasure, good fortune or bad. The bond must survive all the blows of fate, and be unaffected by time, place and circumstance. The feeling of friendship must activate every nerve, permeate every blood-cell, and purify every emotional wave; it has no place for the slightest trace of egotism. You cannot elevate the companionship which seeks to exploit or fleece for personal benefit into the noble quality of friendship. Perhaps, the only friend who can pass this rigorous test is God. Friendship is the expression of unshakeable love, love that is noble, pure free from desire or egoism. 20. 8. 78 Friendship ought to be a spiritual bond, a heart to heart kinship based on full understanding of and pure dedication of one to another. Students should be vigilant against false and fleeting friendships and not be simply led away by hellos and handshakes. Do not cultivate close friendship with anybody unless you know that the motives on the other side are pure, unselfish and spiritual 18. 7. 81 Friendship must serve as lids for the eye, as sandals for the feet. The friend must be ‘another me’. He must experience in equal depth the joy and the grief of the other. Friends must be like milk and water. Let me elaborate this example. When milk, into which some quantity of water is poured, is placed on a burning stove, the water goes off as steam. The milk laments the separation and boils over. Then, the only way to keep it calm is to sprinkle a spoon or two of water; its friend is back and it is happy. Milk cannot tolerate separation from its friend. Your friends today attach themselves not to you but to your purse or to some advantage they can gain through your father’s kindness. When your purse is empty or when your father is no longer in power, they bid you good-bye. Friends who drag one away into evil habits and various deeds are provoking around in search of victims.

Falsehood travels fast. False friends stick faster. Truth will reveal itself only slowly through the clouds of denial and doubt.