Message of the Vedas

EMBODIMENTS of Divine Love! The Vedas are the recordings of sages to whom the mantras were revealed. They proclaim the transcendental Truth which is not changed by time or place. They indicate the means to prosperity and security for the denizens of the three worlds.

Veda is derived from the root "Vid", which means "to know". The Veda teaches how to achieve purity of heart, getting rid of impurities. The Vedas have been declared to be infinite and hence beyond the comprehension of common people. In the beginning there was only one Veda. To study it considerable time and effort were needed. Vyasa divided it into different parts to enable people to study as well as practise the teachings of the Veda. Out of the countless number of hymns, Vyasa gathered some Rks and compiled them in the Rg Veda, collected some yajus to form the Yajur Veda and some Samans to make up the Sama Veda.

The Rg Veda is mainly devoted to hymns in praise of various deities. The Yajur Veda consists of mantras for worshipping the deities. The mantras of the Yajur Veda are used in the performance of yagas and yajnas and in doing acts of charity. Each Veda has three sections' Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads.

The purpose of Vedic mantras
The Vedic mantras were utilised in yagas and yajnas (ritual sacrifices) for promoting the wellbeing of society and the world. They were intended to secure timely rains so that the crops may be good and there may be prosperity all round. The mantras which form part of the Karma Kanda (the path of rituals), were regarded as conducive to the promotion of general well-being and happiness.

The Yajur Veda is devoted entirely to the worship of the deities. It consists of two divisions-- Krishna Yajur Veda and Sukla Yajur Veda--which are based on two traditional distinctions. Sukla Yajur Veda belongs to the Brahma sampradaya (Brahmic tradition) and. the Krishna Yajur Veda to the Aditya sampradaya. Adherents of the Sukla Yajur Veda are largely confined to North India, while Krishna Yajur Veda has its adherents mainly in South India.

The Vedas developed under nine heads: (1) Sruti; (2) Anuswara; (3) Trayee; (4) Aamnaayam; (5)Samaamnayam; (6)Chandas; (7)Swaadhyayam; (8)Gama; and (9)Aagama.
Sruti refers to the process of learning, the Vedas from a preceptor by practising the precise manner of chanting the mantras and thereby acquiring proficiency in the recitation of the Vedas. The sounds have to be reproduced exactly as taught by the preceptor by listening to him with intense earnestness. The Vedic mantras are thus learnt entirely by listening.
Anuswara refers to the practice of repeating the mantras learnt from the preceptor, contemplating on them and preserving them in their purity by constant recitation.
Trayee: Originally only three Vedas-Rg, Yajur and Sama Vedas--were considered Apourusheya, without a human origin (that is, emanating from the Divine). The Atharvana Veda comprises hymns taken from the Yajur Veda. Because of their Divine origin, the first three Vedas were called "Trayee" (the Triad).
Aamnaaya refers to constant contemplation of the root syllable "Na." Acquiring knowledge of the Vedas by this practice has been described as Aamnaaya and Samaamnaaya.
One meaning of Chandas is that it is knowledge which should be guarded in secret and propagated with care. The Vedas are also described as Chandas. The entire Sama Veda consists of Chandas.
Swaadhyaayam refers to the process by which the Vedas have come down from generation to generation, through father to son, in genealogical succession. Acquisition of Vedic knowledge was not through books. It was transmitted from preceptor to disciple over the years. It is because this knowledge was handed down directly from preceptor to pupil, it has been described as Swaadhyaaya.
Gama and Aagama are the names given to the inhaling and exhaling of the Lord's breath which were the origin of the Vedas. All in all, the Vedas represent the emanations from the breath of the Lord.

The great sages who listened to these mantras as revelations from the Divine found the key to them in eight basic letters. All the Vedic mantras with their musical rendering were remembered by reflecting on the eight letters: "A, Ka, Cha, Ta, Tha, Pa, Ya, Sa." The great seers fostered the Vedas by the use of these letters.

Neglect of Vedas is cause for spiritual decline
Each of the Vedas had several saakhas (branches) and upasaakhas (sub-branches). Out of the 20 branches and 21 sub-branches of the Rg Veda, only three have survived today. Likewise out of 96 branches of Yajur Veda only two have survived the ravages of time. Sama Veda, which had 1000 branches, retains today only three branches. If so much of spiritual treasure is contained in the few branches of the Vedas that have survived, how much greater would have been the spiritual heritage of the Bharatiyas if the Vedas had survived in their entirety! It is because of the neglect of the Vedas that the spiritual and scientific knowledge of Bharatiyas experienced a steady decline. As a consequence they developed a narrow outlook. Broadness of vision suffered an eclipse. Today the numbers of those who have no love or respect for the Vedas are on the increase. Even among the Brahmins interest and concern for the Vedas have declined.

Who are Brahmins? Brahman means the embodiment of mantra. Only those who constantly recited the mantras embodying the Brahman were called Brahmins. Today Brahmins have forgotten these mantras. Owing to the impact of modern education, the greed for money and the growth of narrow-minded interests, they have forgotten their inherent divinity. As a consequence, peace and security have become casualties.

What is meant by Veda? One meaning is eruka (awareness). Another is thelivi (intelligence). A third meaning is viveka (discrimination). All those who wish to develop discrimination should be deeply interested in the Vedas.

Today intelligence is being developed and used only for acquiring positions and possessions, for securing comforts and conveniences and not for developing good qualities and becoming good men engaged in Godly pursuits. All their intellectual abilities are being misused for trivial
purposes.

The universal outlook of the Vedas
The Vedas have emphasised that man will be truly human only when he lives upto human values and practises the good life. Many who chant the Vedas these days have difficulty in understanding their purport. When they fully understand the meaning and chant the mantras, they will derive greater joy. Only then they will experience the full sacredness and potency of the Vedas.

The Vedas have a universal outlook, embracing all that is noble and sacred. They have taught the principle of samatwa (equality) in respect of everything. They have proclaimed the concept of oneness. They taught men to face joy and sorrow with equal serenity.

Those who utter the mantras today do not grasp their inner meaning. Even if the full meaning of a single mantra is understood, it will be sufficient. Every day, the santhi mantra is recited: “Om Sahanavavathu; sahanau bhunaktu; sahaviryam karavaavahai." What does this signify? "Let us move together in unison. Let us live in harmony in communion with each other." What a wide vision is present in this mantra!

Even such broad-minded mantras have been interpreted in a narrow sense in later years. Hence you do not find today even a thousandth of the sense of equality and amity which prevailed in those times. It is because men's attitudes and feelings have declined below the human level that so many divisive forces have cropped up.

Significance of Yajnas
Thirty-three deities are mentioned in the Rg Veda. Of them, the Sun-God is the most: important deity. His power is felt all over the world. In this Yajna, the Sun is called Ritwik. His other names are: Hota and Brahma. It is the Sun God who carries to the deities concerned the offerings made in the yajna. Agni, the God of fire, is an image of the Sun. Agni has a form of his own. Agni has parents. This morning, before the yajna began, two priests churned two aranis (sticks) to produce fire for the yajna. The Fire-God is said to have consumed his parents immediately after his birth. The lower Arani is the mother and the stick on the top is father. The fire produced by churning them burns away the sticks. The flames arising from the fire are the tongues of the Fire- God. The rays coming from the fire are so many heads of the deity. The Agni-Principle is immanent in every person. The inner significance of this is that every person is inherently divine.

When the mantras are chanted and offerings are made in the fire to the Lord, the grace of the Lord is showered on the people in the form of peace and plenty. There is a saying: "As is the fire, so is the smoke." As is the smoke, so are the clouds. As are the clouds, so is the rain. As is the rain, so are the crops. As are the crops, so is the food. As is the food, so is the intellect. As the clouds these days are not formed by the smoke coming from yajnas, the food consumed by the people is not conducive to the growth of intelligence. When the smoke going up from the yajnakunda enters the clouds, you have sacred rain, which helps to purify the crops and sanctify the food that is consumed. As a result, the people are sanctified.

The Bliss derived from sacrifice
But today if people are filled with bad thoughts and evil intentions it is because these sacred yajnas and yagas are not performed. Many persons ask in a carping spirit "Of what use is the expending of so much ghee and other materials as offerings in the fire of the yajnas and yagas?" The purpose will be clear only to those in the know of the inner truth. A farmer tills his field and scatters over it a bag of paddy seeds. To the ignorant observer this may appear a waste of precious grain. But the farmer knows that in due course he will reap a harvest of hundred bags of paddy. Likewise the offering of ghee and other precious things in the yajna with mantras will result in countless benefits in good time. People may notice only what is being offered. But they have no idea of the benefits that will follow.

It should be realised that only today's Thyaga (sacrifice) can lead to tomorrow's bhoga (enjoyment). When the sacrifice is made with a full heart, the returns will also be equally abundant.

Unfortunately, man today does not even dream of making any sacrifice. When a presence of sacrifice is made, it is only a concession to fashion. Very few have any idea of what real sacrifice is. As a consequence, the wealthy, in spite of their riches, have neither peace nor security. The affluent do not care even to give a little food to the destitute at their gate. But these misers drop bagful of money in the hundi in a temple. These foolish persons fail to see the divinity in fellow human beings and make offerings to an inanimate object.

Do not bargain with the Lord
Does God, who is the source of all wealth, need your petty offerings? You must use your wealth for righteous purposes. Help the indigent and the needy. There is selfish motive even in making offerings to the deity. Something small is offered expectation of a big return from the deity. A man prays to the Lord: "Oh Lord! If I win ten lakhs of rupees in a lottery I shall offer ten thousand rupees to you." What kind of bargain is this? It is a pity that such silly ideas are rampant today.

The reason is the people have forgotten the secret of the Vedas. They offer a molehill and crave for a mountain. This is a complete caricature of devotion. It is such pseudo-devotees who are on the increase today. They are all the time seeking to enter into petty deals with the Divine. Every prayer, every sadhana is replete with selfishness and self-interest.

Everyone seeks benefits, but is not prepared to make any sacrifice. What is the sacrifice that is to be made to God? First of all, your bad qualities. Acquire good qualities. Shed your narrow outlook. Cultivate a broad vision. Today the foremost need is to develop the spirit of sacrifice. You are not expected to give away all your wealth and possessions. What is required is a sense of compassion at the sight of a suffering being. When the heart melts, that itself becomes sacrifice. What we witness today is not the melting of hearts but their hardening.

You will not carry your wealth with you when you leave the world. Even while life remains, render help to .those who need as much as you can. The quintessence of the Vedas is the glorification of sacrifice as the supreme virtue.

Of what avail is all your study or listening if there is no change in the way you live and you have not understood your true nature? The highest knowledge is understanding the value of sacrifice.It is a source of limitless joy. It leads to immortality.

The greatest means to realise the Divine
The lesson to be learnt from the performance of yajnas is that sacrifice is the greatest means to realise the Divine. The essential meaning of the Veda is that to secure enduring bliss, the spirit of sacrifice has to be cultivated, the significance of yaga has to be understood and we must lead a Godly life.

The Vedas have been mainly concerned with the Pravritti Marga (the Path of Action). All the different branches of knowledge--physics, chemistry, botany, economics, music, etc.—are covered by the Vedas. These are concerned with the external world. Hence the Vedas have been considered dualistic. Only the Upanishads have taught the Nirvritti Marga (the Path of Knowledge) by going within oneself. This means that, of the four Purusharthas, the four main goals of man. Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha--the Vedas have been concerned with only the first three.

The Upanishads declared that the nature of the Supreme can be grasped only by the Path of Knowledge. Knowledge is of two kinds: Para Vidya and Apara Vidya (the Higher Knowledge and the Lower Knowledge). All that is learnt by the educational process today falls in the category of Apara Vidya (Lower Knowledge). Knowledge relating to Dharma, Artha and Kama also comes in this category. Only knowledge relating to Moksha (Liberation) constitutes Para Vidya (the Supreme Knowledge). We have to acquire that Para Vidya. That knowledge is found in Vedanta. The Upanishads come at the end of the Vedas. The essence of all the Vedas is to be found in them.

While Veda is dualistic, Vedanta is Advaita (non-dualistic). Non-dualism is the means to experience Ananda (Bliss). The ego ("I") principle is predominant in the Vedas. Vedanta has declared that the elimination of the ego ("I" and "Mine") alone can lead to Realisation. The "I" has to be rooted out. As long as you adhere to the "I", you are bound to the phenomenal world. You cannot attain the Higher Knowledge. You have, therefore, to understand the distinction between the Vedas and the Upanishads.

It is only when you understand the essence of the Vedas as expounded in the Upanishads and put into practice the message of the Vedanta, you will realise the true meaning of Advaita (Nondualism).

Discourse in the Poornachandra Auditorium on 3-10-1989.

Sathya Sai Speaks

Sathya Sai Speaks.

But, who among us do listen

and plant them in well-ploughed hearts?

And when they cleave the cold, and greenly grow

who among us shed tears of joy?

His words are for the inner ear;

they have drummed us, along the valleys of night

and led us, through smiles and sobs,

into the shore of the vastness, basking in His love,

Sathya Sai Speaks.

And, Lo! the deaf awaken to the call;

for, His words resound relentless, within.

Refuse, they stay; report, they sound sweeter;

forget, they sprout; deny, they persist;

for, they are the words we heard

from the Mother's breast and the Father's lips,

words, echoing in the ego cave,

since we were worm and weevil,

fish and fowl, caterpillar and cat,

until we shaped ourselves, through wanton history

Into man, machine and monster !

Sathya Sai Speaks.

He speaks pleasing profundity,

Sweet, sustaining Reality.

He is we and We are He and all are only ONE

Sathya Sai Speaks,

Until the last of us, the least of us,

Rest and run like rivers into their Source.

It is dedication to the Lord that sanctifies all activities.

He is the raison d'etre for all activity; He is the prompter, the executor,

the giver of the required strength and skill, the enjoyer of the fruit there of.

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 that 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.

-Sri Sathya Sai

Kingdom of Mother Sai

When man makes mind his master, it burdens him, worse than any beast;

When man makes buddhi his master, it raises him, high as Lord of the Living.

Will the good, and you are happy.Will the bad, and you are sad and lost.

Don't will at all, and be at peace. This is the Truth, the Word of Sai.

Embodiments of the Divine Aathma,

Teachers and Students, 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 material riches. It does not allow the Aathma to shine forth. When the veil of egoism is set aside,the Aathmic Essence, and with it aanandha and jnaana, will be revealed.

Time is invaluable; do not waste even half a minute. The hours that have passed cannot return;the wheel of time will not halt for any person. So, examine your thoughts, words and deeds and find out whether spending precious time on them is worth while or not. 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 luxurious lives for themselves. They live in hope and dreams of better days. The Fire of Wisdom alone is capable of reducing these plans and hope into ash.

Education must broaden the vision

You are striving to gain education in this College in order to earn your livelihood. But, it is very hard to earn riches, to use them rightly and to keep them safe. When riches accumulate, pomp and pride become more insidious. As a result, one's character is lowered. Vemana says that when one loses wealth, his bad qualities also become too weak to hurt him and others. 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. Education today does not feed the roots of law, justice and morality, three fields which ought to receive special attention. Can a system concerned with food for the stomach, train pupils to meet the challenges of life which require a strong self-reliant character? No. It can only smother even the inborn virtues of love and truth.

Education must instill 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 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 the most precious achievement of all, the Aathmic victory.

The spiritual stream must flow in the heart as the source and spring of all endeavour. Women are the makers of the home, the nation and the world. You are the mothers who shape the generations. So you must enshrine in your hearts the spiritual urge towards Light and Love,Wisdom and Bliss.

Mind works havoc when left alone

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 second 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 him to pass it by. Glasses restore his sight. The skin becomes loose, wrinkled. This warning too is unheeded; the 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.

Why stick on, for years, like crows? Far better to live happily like a royal swan, albeit for a short span. Live ideal lives through controlled minds. The mind is like a sheet of paper; once rolled in one way, it will always roll along that direction only. You will have to roll it in the opposite direction in order to flatten it. It is now rolled outwards. So, roll it inwards to normalise its ways.Left alone, the mind works havoc. Witness the communal and caste conflicts, the fight between regions and religions; the discontent and disruption in campuses. The primitive fears and desires of man have not yet been overcome; they persist in various forms and explode, when opportunities arise.

There are four Houses---the House of God, the House of Education, the House of Food and the House of Medicine. In each of these, you must seek only that for which it is dedicated. Of course, in the hotel you ask for food and in the hospital, you ask for medicine. But, in the House of Education, you do not seek education. You carry into the process of education other needs,wants and cravings. There is no concentrated craving for what good education can do for you. In the temple too, the same is the case. You enter it for one purpose and you pursue other purposes.In the temple, you do not seek to become aware of God. In the college or school, the process of self-education is disturbed and delayed, by extraneous activities.

Use spare time in holy activities

The old students of the Bangalore Sathya Sai College have formed the "Kingdom of Sathya Sai"and they have decided upon projects of social service. Here, too, you have formed the "Kingdom of Mother Sai" and you are praying to be allowed to take up service to the community. Of course, girls cannot venture as freely as boys into this field; still, they too can successfully translate their precepts into practice. Use your spare time in holy activities. If you cultivate faith in compassionate service, it will be of immense value for the uplift of society. Old students of the College can by the example of their lives inspire and instruct others to lead pious, purposeful lives.

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 Vedhaantha 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. Be examples to others, I am sure by this means the people of this land can live in peace and prosperity.

Discourse in Shri Sathya Sai Women's College, Anantapur, 5-2-1981

Ganesha Atharvashirsha

Quiz master Ganesha

Check on the links below

http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_06/01SEP08/quiz.htm

http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_06/01SEP08/quiz2.htm

Significance of Ganesha worship

No one knows all that has to be known.

There is none who knows nothing of anything.

Many there are, knowing something of some things.

Sai alone knows everything of all things.

THE five-element body of man equipped with five senses has as its life-breath the five-lettered formula, enshrined in the Namaka section of the Yajur Veda "Namah Si-vaa-ya". It is a basic mantra which means "that which can save, when meditated upon." Every mantra has a seed sound (bijaakshara) which precedes it and provides it with additional potency. Sound emanated first through the will of God. So the bijaakshara is fundamental for the mantra and its efficacy. The Akshara is sanctified by the Vedas or by the Tantra texts. The bijaakshara for the five lettered Namah Sivaya is the Vedic sound, OM.

The sound OM arouses energizing vibrations

OM is how A, U and M are jointly pronounced. Each of these letters is devoid of spiritual force but, together, they arouse energising vibrations. 'Sivaaya' in the mantra means 'to Siva'. 'Siva' is That which confers good fortune, wealth, prosperity and happiness. Pandits have commented on this formula and explained it in various ways. They have interpreted Na as indicating Nandivahana, the God who has Nandi (the Bull) as Vahana (vehicle). They take ma as the pointer to another Name of Siva, Mandaaramaalin (wearing a garland of Mandaara flowers) and Si as Surya (the Sun which when it dawns on earth unfolds the Lotus of the Hearts of Beings etc). Each one al1ows his imagination to lead him along.

But, the formula contains a more universal and abstract concept. It has to be pronounced always with OM. The namah (prostration) is for OM which is denoted as having the Siva attribute (being the source of peace, prosperity and success, of Mangalam in short). The process of worship is best described by Pothana in the Bhagavatha he has rendered in Telugu.

Pothana speaks of "Chethulara Sivuni Puja" (worshipping Siva with the hands). By 'hand', he means, the 'five-fingered', representing the five-lettered mantra. Siva is the five-element-lord and so He has all the power and wealth the five can yield to man who is himself a composite of the five!

The Vedas assert, "Atma Vai Putranaamaa asi" (Oneself is the person known as son). One repeats himself in the son. Ganesha is therefore Siva Himself expressing certain aspects of Siva on certain occasions for certain purposes. Ganesha means the leader of groups. Ganapathi too means the same.

The elephant head is the symbol' of wisdom

The elephant-head of Ganesha is a symbol of intelligence, discrimination and wisdom. The elephant is ever alert and eminently conscious of its surroundings. Its memory is strong and deep. It reads through the thick forest imprinting huge foot marks on the track. One such print can subsume the marks left by scores of other animus, both wild and tame. It moves majestically through thick jungles; its very passage blazes trail for other animus to go through. It is a pathmaker, helping others without being aware of it, because it is its nature. Ganesha guides the stars, the communities of men and their homes. He is Lord of Obstacles, causing them when needed and helping men to overcome them, when that boon will promote the well-being of the supplicant.

There is astronomical support also for the Ganesha festival, celebrated on the fourth day of the bright half of Bhadrapada month. A constellation with the appearance of the elephant-head becomes brightly visible on this very night.

Ganesha is the embodiment of buddhi (intelligence) and siddhi (achievement). 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! Ganesha agreed immediately; He brooked no delay, even to secure a writing tool: He broke his sharp-pointed tusk and was ready to start!

Lessons that Ganesha teaches men

Ganesha 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. Thygaraja invites Ganapathi most endearingly, and delights in offering Him sweet satwic items of food---coconut kernal, 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 Ganesha, while worshipping, leaves, grass blades and flowers gathered from meadows and valleys. Ganesha, the Elephant-headed, is adored as the source of Love, Faith, Intelligence, Guidance and Grace.

Take into consideration another role assigned to Ganesha. When Siva is moved to supreme ecstasy and it is expressed as the Cosmic Dance of Nataraja, Ganesha, Master of Tune and Time, leads other Gods, marks time on the mrdangam (drum). No wonder, the Gods are pleased when puja is offered to Ganesha even before any of them is propitiated.

Man is bound by three tendencies. The first is Kama (the longing to possess). When that longing fails, Krodha (anger) raises its hood. When the desire is fulfilled and the thing is gained the third tendency, Lobha (greed) overtakes him. If one's desire is beneficial, the Divine will shower Grace. Ganesha has no desire, no anger, no greed. His Grace is available for all who seek good and godly goals. Look at the vehicle which He has chosen, the mouse! The mouse is a creature that is led, even to destruction, by Vasana (the smell of things). Men are all victims of Vasana (Preferences and predilections stamped on our minds during the past lives). Ganesha smothers and suppresses the Vasanas which mis-direct man and create misfortune.

Since the mouse has been honored so, it shares the worship offered to Ganesha. Association with Gods, as vehicles, ornaments, accessories or servants of Gods, endows objects, animals and men with specially sacred status. Elephants, Lions, Eagles, Snakes, Primates--all these and many more have been divinized thus.

This day is Ganesha festival Day. Since Ganesha leads when gods are invoked, installed and adored, this Festival leads the long line of festivals 'for other forms of God---Navarathri, Dipavali, Sankranthi, Sivarathri. The duty this Day is to contemplate on the Universal and Eternal Truth embodied in Ganesha and worship Him with purity and faith, praying for the Grace which can prevent lapses and promote progress in all efforts to achieve the highest goal.

( Discourse on Ganesha Chathurthi day at Prashaanthi Nilayam, 18-9-1985.)

THE VICTORY

The Motherland which bore children who earned
immortal renown all around the globe;
The Battleground, which witnessed the fight of
heroes from the West who ruled;
The Bharatha-land which shone so brilliant with
seers and scholars, each a gem;
The Happy land which fostered and brought to
fame songsters and poets, thinkers and teachers;
The Birth-land of the beauty and charm divine
through master artists of brush and chisel;
This mother Bharath to guard her Dharma
treasure, O! student! yours is the bounden task.

THE world is the manifestation and expansion of the five fundamental elements. Its innate nature is duality--the entity and the result, the cause and its effect. This duality is evident in the alternating experiences of joy and grief, praise and blame, victory and defeat, profit and loss. These are the consequences of the right and wrong we indulge in. It is not wrong, if you slip into wrong; repeating the wrong is the thing to be condemned. One must learn lessons from the mistake, repent and resole not to commit it again.

The history of India holds forth before us the folly of repeating the wrong already done. The French, the Portuguese, the Moghuls and the Afghans have all warned Indians against this characteristic. Duplex has recorded that he was able to establish French rule in the then Karnataka region with the help of the Nizam. Mir Jaffer helped Clue to conquer Bengal. Raghunatha Rao Peshwa helped the foreigner to conquer Maharashtra. Foreign rule was established in India, with the help of Indians themselves. Inhabitants of an island, eleven thousand miles away, were able to conquer India, sixteen times its size having eight times its population, and rule over it for one hundred and ninety years, because of one basic defect, disunity caused by mutual suspicion, selfishness, jealousy.

Union is strength; disunion brings disaster. When Gandhi was twenty-four years old, he proceeded to South Africa at the invitation of an Indian Business House to conduct a Court case. There he witnessed the humiliation being heaped upon Indian settlers by the Whites. Differences can exist between man and man in health, education, wealth and temperament. But, fundamentally, all men are equal and should be treated as such. But racial animosity was the accepted policy of the White rulers in South Africa.

The advent of Sathyagraha by Gandhi

Gandhi stayed on among the oppressed Indians and native blacks and devised the strategy of Sathyagraha (passive resistance or civil disobedience) to end the exploitation. When the movement showed signs of quick success, General Smuts invited Gandhi for discussion. Gandhi explained to him that he had to resort to non-violent Sathyagraha since the inhuman policy of insulting and injuring humans having black skins had to be resisted and exterminated. General Smuts retorted by pointing out to Gandhi how millions of Indians--human beings like the rest-- were kept out of villages and condemned as untouchables.

The General's word acted as a bullet shot right at the heart of Gandhi. Gandhi felt that he had no right to correct another while he was himself infected with the same evil. He decided to return to India and practise the strategy of Sathyagraha for the removal of untouchability and other social evils and to free his Motherland from exploitation by foreigners. Sathyagraha was the path of Truth and Love, of the means being as pure as the ends. Verily, he who accepts criticism gladly and thanks the critic for his remarks is the one really human. Since Gandhi was willing to learn and had the humility to acknowledge criticism, he could mould the people of his land and be hailed as the Father of the Nation.

He looked upon the country as one. He planted the seed of unity of all faiths and all communities, which under his guidance grew quickly into a big tree. He built a great movement on the basis of Atmabhalam (soul-force) that strengthened unity and self-confidence. Selfishness that had possessed the nation as an evil genius and mined its progress in material, moral, political and spiritual fields, was suppressed while the movement was on. The people suffered much but sufferings is the prelude to success. There is no rose without thorns. Without giving, no one can gain. How can anything great be achieved without overcoming internal and external obstacles?

The birth and meaning of Swatantra
The independence we celebrate today was finally achieved and proclaimed at midnight on August 14/15, 1947. What exactly does the word 'independence' mean? It means we are not dependent on anyone, any longer. We are dependent on ourselves alone. The Indian word is Swatantra for 'Independence.' It means "our Tantra." The word Tantra means "the Heart" (Hrudaya, Hrdaya, in the Heart, Hrd. The yantra (the machine, the apparatus) is the body. The Mantra (saving formula is the Breath and the Tantra (the heart, the source of life is the Atma. So, Swatantra means independence from everything except the Atma. The resident of the heart is the only Guru. There is no dependence on the others. He is the only Master, the only God. This is the stage of Swarajya, sole monarch of oneself. The word Swaraj, commonly used for an independent state, connotes only absence of worldly dependence. Independence can be enjoyed by man only if he gets rid of bondage to the senses which drag him into tantalising ventures. The attainment of Yoga, involving sense-control, expansion of love, and cleansing the consciousness, so the God's glory may be reflected therein, is the goal.

Purity, Unity and Divinity
You have to be leaders of this country in a few years time. So I insist on the development of the sense of Unity, a bond of Brotherhood, and an awareness of Dignity. One should strive for unity of minds, unity of hearts, not the temporary association of the moneyed people or persons in positions of power. Unity must result in unity of thought, word and deed.

Love for one's motherland is good. But it should not lead to hatred towards the mother land of others. Your prayer has to be, "May all the world be happy and peaceful." For, only when the world has peace and prosperity, can India be peaceful and happy. It is only when India is peaceful and happy, that Andhra Pradesh will be peaceful and happy. It is only when Andhra Pradesh has peace and happiness that Anantpur District can have peace and happiness. It is only when Anantpur District has peace and happiness can Puttaparthi be peaceful and happy. It is only when Puttaparthi has peace and happiness can you have peace and happiness! Your peace and happiness are linked with the world's peace and happiness. Any act of hatred or violence committed by you will pollute the atmosphere of the world. Adore any living being; the adoration reaches God, for He is in every being. Insult any living being; the insult too reaches God. So, expand love towards all, everywhere.

The flag is the symbol of victor, of the joy of Independence. Each nation has a flag for itself. Pay attention to another flag to symbolise another laudable victory over one's lower instincts, impulses, passions, emotions and desires, the flag that has to be unfurled on every human heart When you achieve that victor, you will become the true inheritors of Bharatiya Culture.


Discourse at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute for Higher Learning, Prashaanthi Nilayam, on 15-8-1985

Do not waste all your years with stone images, pictures or idol.
Learn to see in every living vital active person, the embodiment of
all energy, all beauty, all beneficence, namely, God. God is subtler
than ether, filling the smallest crevice with His majesty. Know this
and serve His manifestations wherever you meet them.
-BABA

DUUR....

To SAI, our BEST FRIEND

Friends You Need

24-5-1973

WHILE in this transient world, wading through joy and grief, man has sore need of some one of his kind to whom he can communicate his feelings, with whom he can share his discoveries and depressions, his moments of bliss and sorrow, to be by his side while trekking the hard road to truth and peace, encouraging and enthusing him towards the goal.

Who is one's true friend? Who is one's false, fake friend? It is clear that, as understood today, friendship and friends are far off the mark, of the ideal. Friends who can confer real counsel, comfort and consolation are precious gifts, rarely found today.

A friendship knit by monetary bonds is disrupted as soon as you ask the loan to be repaid. So, when you oblige your friend with a loan, the friendship too is broken at that very moment. How can friendship be cemented by words or by coins? Heart must understand heart; heart must be drawn to heart, if friendship must last. 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.

Each must correct the other; for each knows that they come from sympathy and love. Each must be vigilant that the other does not slide from the ideal, cultivate habits that are deleterious, or hide thoughts and plans that are productive of evil. The honour of each is in the safe keeping of the other. Each trusts the other and places reliance on the other's watchful love. Only those deserve the name "friends"---who help in uplifting life, cleansing ideals, elevating emotions and strengthening resolves. Those who drag you into pomp, pedantry, paltry entertainment and petty pranks are enemies, not friends. Friends cannot be got by social status, financial squandermania, outer scintillation and verbal assertions. See into the very soul, the inner motives and motivator, the deeper aspirations and achievements, and then, yield your loyalty to such.

The friendship between Kuchela and Krishna

You might have heard of the friendship between Kuchela and his 'class-mate' Krishna. How could the friendship between these two survive the immense gap between their worldly positions and their spiritual status? Krishna was God Incarnate. Kuchela was a mere man. Krishna was a ruler, a king-maker, an unsurpassed hero, monarch, and preceptor. Kuchela was so poor that he was ever at his wit's end to procure his next meal. They had studied together for a few years at the hermitage of the sage Sandeepani. That had sown the seed of friendship.

So, his wife sent him to Krishna, assuring him that he would not be turned from the door.
Kuchela agreed to proceed but he hesitated long to send word that he had come, even when the guardsmen enquired why he had come and who he was. How could he, a broken, bent, befogged beggar dare stand before the Lord in His palatial Hall with its jewelled throne, and announce himself as a 'friend'? He was aghast at his own audacity.

God only can be the true friend of man

But, all his fears melted away, when Krishna recognized hint and came forward to receive him warmly and with evident joy. Krishna filled him with supreme bliss by His words, His acts of hospitality and His attitude of hearty welcome. Krishna also blessed his wife with enormous wealth and comfort, peace, prosperity, in quantity much more than ever she hoped for or prayed for. No one asked Hint for it; but, His love took that shape, His Grace awarded them the happiness. But, Kuchela was ever content with the friendship of Krishna; he never desired anything other than that. He was overwhelmed with delight when he experienced the compassion and love of the Lord.

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.

To understand and practise this noble emotion, the Bhagavath Geetha is an invaluable guide. When Arjuna was dispirited and dejected, Krishna injected courage and a high sense of duty into him and helped him avoid disgraceful defeat. And, Arjuna, too like a good friend, took the advice in good spirit, with the full confidence that Krishna meant well by him. Why, we know how confident he was of the wisdom and power inherent in Krishna. When Krishna gave him the choice, "To help you in battle, you can have either my entire army or myself alone, unarmed and determined not to fight in spite of any provocation.”, Arjuna did not hesitate to decide which of these two he wanted. He chose the unarmed Krishna, and prayed that He might be his charioteer, during the days when he rode into the field.

Friends who stand witness for ages

Long ago, there was a person who had three friends. Quite by accident,, he was charged for some crime and a warrant was issued against him by the Court. He. approached one friend and asked him to bear witness to his innocence. He said, "I will not move out of this house; I can help you only from within this." The second friend said, "I can come only upto the porch of the Court. I will not enter the witness box." The third friend said, "Come, I shall speak for you, wherever you want me to." The first friend is the 'property and possessions' which can bear witness only from within the house. The second is 'the kinsmen, the members of the family, who come as far as the cemetery but would not accompany the person to the Judgement Seat. The third, friend is the fair name earned by one's-"virtues and service," which persist even after the death and burial; they stand witness for ages, and announce the innocence and greatness of the individual. They decide the nature of the next birth too.

Young as you are, you must make efforts to acquire good friends and keep them. Do not postpone this task, listening to some elders who advise that the path of spirituality can well be trodden later when you have retired from active life. They say that you can take on hand the Bhagavath Geetha, when you have grown old. But, that advice is like telling a nation that it can afford to wait till war is declared, to train an army to counter the enemy. Long years of preparation are needed to have an army that can meet any 'contingency; otherwise, if arms are distributed to the untrained, it spells disaster even to the persons wielding the arms.

Have God as your unfailing guide and friend

The good deeds and thoughts that one welcomes and entertains during the years of life will stand in good stead, firm, like a good friend, when one is nearing the end. So, you, young men and women, must resolve to engage yourselves in acts that promote your peace and progress and the peace and progress of all mankind. Do not damage your future by pursuing temporary benefits and selfish aggrandizement. Yearn for and earn good friends, who will keep you on an even keel.

Have above all, God, as your unfailing guide and friend. The heart of the Gopees had struck deep roots in the love of Krishna and when Akrura came to Gokul to take Krishna with him to Mathura, the Gopees struggled heroically, to keep Him with themselves. They held on to the steeds of the chariot; they gripped the wheels and sought to prevent them from moving.

Friendship is the expression of unshakeable love, love that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism. I bless you that you may have such friendship from others and that you too make others happy by granting this holy type of friendship.

(Swami’s discourse in Brindavan, courtesy Sathya Sai Speaks Vol XII)

Heaven within

Beloved child,

We shall be judged not by the creed we profess or the label we wear or the slogans we shout, but by the work, the industry, the sacrifice, the honesty and purity of our character. Realize the heaven within you and all at once all the desires are fulfilled, all the miseries and sufferings are put to an end. Feel yourself above the body and its environments, above the mind and its motive, above the thought of success or fear. The great cause of suffering in the world is that people do not look within. They rely on outside forces.

With Love,
Sri Sathya Sai.
30-09-1980

Our hearts will go on.......

To realize the Divine, Love is the
easiest path.
Just as you can see the moon only with
the light of the moon,
God who is the embodiment of Love can be reached
only through Love.
Regard Love only as your life breath.
Love was the first quality to emerge in the
creative process.
All other qualities came after it.
Therefore, fill your heart with Love and base
your life on it.

SSS Vol XIX. p 217.

QUIZ TIME

CHECK ON THE LINKS BELOW

QUIZ I : MULTI FAITH

QUIZ II: GURU POORNIMA

The Light Of God

5th October '91

Today morning, Swami suddenly asked for the Ist MBA boys, much to their pleasant joy. He blessed them with an interview. Swami asked if the boys had any problems.

Student: Swami, examinations are going on. Lots of tension and the pressure is too much.

Swami: You must not have tensions. In fact, you should be happy to write exams. Write and finish the exams one by one and thereby progressing higher and higher. Remember that the sooner you finish the exams, the faster you progress onward. Hence, you must not have any tension over exam.

A cyclist was going on the road without a light, so a policeman chased him and tried to stop him. But the cyclist shouted, "Don't try to stop me. I cannot stop because I have no brakes!" the policeman chased him, caught him and extracted a double fine. The light is the light of wisdom, brakes are the self control, The road represent the path of our life, police is the nature. If we do not have self control and wisdom, Nature ensures that we undergo punishment.

Yet another example. A group of students once went to Bandipur forest for a picnic. They wanted to cook food so they brought three stones to make a stove. The three stones are the three gunas. The first thing to do is indeed to balance the stones, i.e one must balance the three gunas. On this balanced plane, the pot is placed, the pot is the body. The water put in may be compared to the mind. The rice boiled is the desires. The fire used is the fire of wisdom. The fire cannot burn the desires directly. At first, it heats the pot, which boils the water and cooks the rice. When wisdom thus burns the desires, there will be no rebirth. When even a speck of dirt is in the ocean, it gets washed ashore at once, by a number of waves.

You are always thinking of the past and the future. You must think only of the present. You have all come here now. You have Swami's grace with you. Thinking of this, you must live only in the present and hence derive joy. Here is an example. Suppose that cauliflower curry has been served to you. If you start thinking about what dirty land it was grown in, what dirty drainage water was used to water it and what fertiliser was used, you will never enjoy the curry. Eat it without thinking of anything else. In the same way, do not get worried thinking of the past and the future. Think of the present. Derive joy from the present.

Take a piece of wood. If it comes into contact with fire, it becomes coal. One cannot wash this coal and make it white by using soap and water. the fire may be compared to your past samskaras. Incomplete burning of wood gives coal. Completely burning the wood gives ashes. Ash is light and white. To clean the black coloured coal and make it white, you must again put it back in the fire of good samskaras. It will then burn into ashes, which is white. The white signifies purity. The light signifies freedom.

When you are born as a baby, you cry "koham, koham". When you grow up, you say "I am..." but you must actually say "Soham , soham" I am not the body. The body is a gift from parents. You must attain the light of good- The Light Of God

When will you grow up?

19th September '91


This morning, Swami had been to the Primary school. In the evening, Swami entered the bhajan hall and asked the boys " How is your Ganapati?" The boys took the hint and at once started asking Swami to come to hostel. But Swami avoided the matter and started speaking to the boys about how devotedly the students of Primary school had arranged a small program that morning. Swami also called the Vice Chancellor and kept asking him to narrate the events in between.

Swami: When I went there, six speakers were ready to speak- five boys and one girl spontaneously and without hesitation. Small children have pure hearts, that is why they can speak like that. In fact, none of them prepared in advance. It was all spontaneous. Actually, I had gone up the hill and on the way I went to school. It was an unexpected visit for them, but they did it so well. Even the food is so excellent. Colonel Joga Rao was actually hesitating to eat because he was not well. But once the boys there started to persuade him to take a small spoonful, he had it. It tasted so well. There were five to six items. But in your hostel, in all 365 days, it is the same sambhar, same smell and the same color. That is your hostel's greatness. Ghee is a special item given once a year and that too a sprinkling, but in Primary school, it is not. This is the sorry state of affairs. After getting so much from Swami, the boys still behave like this. As the boys grow bigger, their minds must broadening its outlook and thinking. But unfortunately, it is getting smaller and smaller with narrow thinking and dirty thoughts. It is like a dirty drainage.

(Narrating about the topics on which the boys and girls spoke in Primary school)
One of the speakers expressed her thoughts about the love of Yashoda and Krishna and how she knew where Krishna was by following the footprints of butter. She then told that however and wherever they may be, they would never leave Swami. Then one of the boys spoke how all the students are like different rivers that all seek to merge in the ocean. See! with what confidence they spoke. When the programme was going on, one of the fans became loose and fell down. The children shouted " Sai ram" and the fan landed gently like an airplane away from the children. Swami took care of everything. See their devotion! That is why I saved them. Otherwise, a rotating fan can cut off heads.

(Talking about how people try to deceive God....)
You cannot cover my eyes. I am sahasraksha purusha- the one with a thousand eyes. I know everything. You can hide nothing from me. You cannot deceive me or fool me.

Then Swami paused and the boys repeated their requests to come to the hostel. He then said,
"What is there in the hostel? There is only Matti Ganapati (Ganapati made of mud) but this is Chinmaya Ganapati ( pointing to Himself). I am within you, around you, in front of you, behind you, above you and below you.

Inspiring Video

Prema must be many stranded in
order to be strong and tough.
A single strand is too weak. Have it
many stranded. One towards the
mother, another towards the father,
other strands towards spouse,
friend, son, daughter etc,
Of course, prema is all embracing.
It cannot be confined to one item and
denied to another.
It is a current that flows over all.

Meditation on the Lord
and His prema will help you
tap it from the depths of
your heart.


SSS. Vol. III p.28

FUNDAS

9th September,'91

(On this day, Swami graciously blessed the Ist MBA boys with an interview. Bhagawan profoundly delivered this sweet message for almost two hours.)

Student: Where are we going Swami?
Swami: (jokingly) You are going from hostel to institute, institute to mandir and back to the hostel, like a triangle.
Swami: what is education?
Student: Concentration of mind
Swami: Yes, concentration of mind, not merely collection of facts. But all of you are collecting information.
Swami: What is man made up of? Hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide. Trees are made up of three elements- oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Man exhales carbon dioxide and trees receive it, giving back oxygen to man. This is how balance is maintained. The sun is made up of hydrogen and helium. Hydrogen burns but helium does not. Both the gases are present together, then how can one burn while the other does not? There is a balance existing between them. Who has created the gases there?

Scientists combine hydrogen and oxygen to prepare water. But who has created hydrofgen and oxygen? When you churn the ocean of milk, you first get poison and then comes amrita (nectar). Similarly, when humanity is churned, you get Vairagya. When you question yourself, 'Am i the body?' you realize that the body is made up of flesh, blood, bones, urine, and faeces, then you will get detachment. Though the body looks good on the outside, it is dirty inside. Life is momentary.

Youth is like lightning- it does not last long.
Desires are like passing clouds.
Beauty is like a flower that blossoms in the morning,
And dries up in the evening.

The other day when I asked you, 'Who am I?" and 'Who are you?', nobody could answer. From dawn to dusk, you say, 'my pant, my pencil,etc' but who is this I, I , I ? If you think you are body- it is a water bubble. If you think you are the mind- it is a mad monkey. If you think you are the senses- sensual pleasures are momentary. Everything in the world is an interplay of reaction, reflection and resound. Whatever the boys do, it will come back to them. Boys frequently say that Swami is like this that. But Swami is like the pure mirror, reflecting whatever is in the front. You do namaskar in front of the mirror, the image will do the same. If you show threatening gestures, it will show the same. What is the meaning of pratiphal?

Students: Reaction, Swami.
Swami: Correct. But people do not think of karmaphal. Whatever you do will come back to you. Everyone comes alone into this world. You do not even come with a piece of cloth around you. While leaving, you do not leave an address and go. Husband does not tell his wife his future address, mother does not tell the son, etc. No one knows where he or she will go. It is the good and bad alone that you do in this world that will follow you even after death. The jeeva is like the reflection. Nature is the mirror that reflects the reality of God. Once you remove the reflection and the mirror, God alone will exist. What is bad?

Students: Swami, something that is not good.
Swami: What is not good? See, I always tell 'Help ever Hurt never'. Shakuni used to hurt and that too he used to hurt good people. Hurting good people is really bad. That is why he was finished in the end