Sacred Use of Infancy Instruments(SathyaSai Speaks on 22/07/1991):
                                       TODAY, in the name of promoting education, all kinds of bizarre developments devoid of morality are taking place in the country. There is no trace of humility and discipline which are the hallmarks of true education. In the place of character and good conduct, which should be prevalent among students, we notice today the spread of materialism, ostentation and arrogance amongst them. With the rapid advance of science and technology in the world, there is a corresponding decline in peace and security. Developing insatiable desires, the modern student is vitiating his mind. He lacks the capacity for introspection. But his external vision is turned in all directions. The primary thing students should seek to know is: Who is a man and what are the qualities that distinguish a good human being? "Man" means an individual with faith. One's faith gets developed when one lives upto one's beliefs. The sacredness of the human being should be recognised. There is no use in attempting to establish a new system of education or a new social system. By these means the current problems cannot be solved. We have to bring up a generation of purehearted boys and girls. To rear such a generation, there should be a climate of purity and sincerity. This calls for the development of morality and devotion to truth. Character and truth lead to the emergence of spirituality in the divine human personality. Hence, spirituality is the basic foundation for producing a generation of pure-hearted boys and girls. Only when we have such pure young persons, will the nation experience peace and prosperity. To lead a good life students will have to give up their selfishness. Unfortunately, the spirit of sacrifice is not to be seen among students today.

Students suffer today from some mental weaknesses. One of them is the feeling that wealth and position are essential for personal happiness and these alone should be sought after.It is true that you need material wealth for a living. But wealth should not become the 'be-all and end-all' of life. Human life has come from the divine. When you dedicate your life to God and adhere to the path of righteousness you can sanctify life and achieve peace, happiness and prosperity

The first requisite, therefore, is 'self-management.' In this, there is no room for self-interest. No one can be an island unto himself. If a man is asked, for whose sake he is living, he may answer that he is living for himself. When further questioned about his job, he will say he is working for the sake of his wife and children. When he is plied with further questions he will admit his dependence on society for meeting various needs of himself and his family. No individual or family can exist without depending on society.

Today, there are lakhs of people in authority or engaged in politics, business or other walks of life. Almost all of them are concerned only about themselves and their families and few are imbued with a social consciousness. What is the cause of all the evils plaguing society? It is the lack of sense of social responsibility. Every individual has to recognise his duty to society and understand that without society he cannot lead a family life.

Students, therefore, should develop a social consciousness. They should ask themselves how by each of their actions they can promote the welfare of society rather than the interest of themselves and their families. Everyone should feel: “I am a part of the society. My well-being is bound up with the well-being of others."

Understand that without society it(he/she) can't live a family life.

It is the decline of spirituality that has led to all the disorders and maladies in the country. In the world today, beginning with the human mind, everything, the air, water, etc., is polluted. All the five elements are contaminated. Man's life is based on these five elements. Hence, he is the embodiment of pollution in these elements. The sacredness of human life has been desecrated. Moral values are going down the slope everyday. The animal instincts in man are rampant. Only by fostering the divine nature in man, can this animality be destroyed and the human can rise to the level of the divine. For this, men must get rid of their selfishness.

Education is essential as a preparation for serving society. For instance, the MBA students are hoping, after getting their degrees, to become managers of big companies and lead a comfortable life. Managerial jobs carry high salaries. The reason for the high income is inflation in prices caused by the failure of production to keep pace with the demand. Rise in income has been followed by a decline in morality. With the collapse of morals, the nation has become a prey to violence and disorder. Those receiving large incomes should ask themselves whether the work they do is commensurate with the salaries they get. In many enterprises, the expenses exceed the receipts. The absence of work ethic--the spirit of work--is responsible for this situation. The position in India is worse than in some other countries. Laziness is on the increase. Let the students compare the situation in Japan and Bharat. The Japanese have the 'spirit of work', they work hard. Hence, their productivity is high and they are able to keep the prices low. They do not abstain from work even during 'strikes'. In India, there is a clamour for high wages but there is no willingness to work harder. It is because of this attitude that the Indian economy is in a deplorable state.

Selfishness is at the bottom of this evil. It is growing on account of disregard for moral values. Morality means good conduct. Good conduct is based on recognition of right and wrong.There is no trace of humility and discipline which are the hallmarks of true education. In the place of character and good conduct, which should be prevalent among students, we notice today the spread of materialism, ostentation and arrogance amongst them.

SathyaSai Speaks on 27/05/2006:

Modern youth are hankering after this type of education. They go to foreign countries like Germany, Japan and America to pursue this type of education. The education that is not there in Bharat is not available anywhere else (loud applause). Yanna Bharate, thanna Bharata (what is not there in Bharat cannot be found anywhere else). Some people have a mistaken notion that those who are educated abroad are great. In fact, many of them come back after acquiring evil qualities, evil thoughts and evil habits.

In Bharat, the students acquire sacred education; it begins with the thoughts of God. Even an illiterate driver in Bharat salutes the steering wheel before starting the vehicle. Similarly, a musician offers salutations to the musical instrument before playing on it. In fact, all type of learning in Bharat begins with the name of God and prayer to Him and every activity is done as an offering to God without any artificiality and ostentation. People educated abroad come back with big degrees. What is that degree? It is only a piece of paper. They do not understand the essence of education. The students of Bharat have a pure and sacred heart. I feel blissful when I see Indian students. One can see the goodness of education reflected on their faces. The Bharatiyas are not inferior in any way; they are endowed with immense sacredness. Every individual in Bharat is imbued with divine feelings. Forgetting this type of sacred education, people these days are running after worldly and materialistic education. Today there is an influx of gadgets like calculators and computers. They are mere yantras (machines). These yantras do not stand any comparison with mantra (incantation). The real mantra is the name of God which gives immense bliss. The Bharatiyas are not able to understand this truth because of their delusion. But their heart is very sacred.

People today are ruining themselves by craving for worldly and materialistic possessions. Even those responsible for conducting the affairs of the government are treading the evil path.They want only worldly type of education to be promoted in our country. They talk about science and technology. What is this technology? It is only trick knowledge. They say it is technology, but what they do is ‘tricknology’. Many people in Bharat are indulging in dirty business; they are cheating others and doing injustice to them. No Bharatiya should take to this type of business. Everyone should have divine feelings in his heart. All actions should be done to please God. When you start all your activities with prayer to God, you are sure to be rewarded with bliss. Today if you invite a music artiste to sing devotional songs, he will ask, “How much will you pay?” In this manner, all our activity has become business-oriented. Even food and drink have become a big business.The sacred land of Bharat is annapurna kshetra (land of plenty). The tradition of Bharat is to offer food free to every hungry person and water to every thirsty person. This sacred tradition seems to have disappeared these days. By imitating the culture of the West, the Bharatiyas today are casting a blot on the fair name of Bharat. It is the land of great culture. There is hardly any other country which can stand comparison with her so far as the sacredness of the culture is concerned. Having been born in this sacred land of Bharat, we should live like true Bharatiyas. The land of Bharat which is known for tyaga (sacrifice) is being turned into a land of bhoga (pleasure) in mad imitation of western culture. That is why Bharat is facing many problems these days. What is needed in this country is not bhoga but tyaga.
Money is the root cause of many evils. Money makes many wrongs. The first priority of the moneyed people today is to send their children abroad for education. Even elders are encouraging the youth to go to foreign countries for the sake of earning money. Too much money leads man to the path of evil. Money comes and goes, morality comes and grows. So, we have to develop morality. The very foundation of Bharat is based on sathya and dharma. This is what we have to propagate. The Bharatiyas should consider adherence to truth as the greatest dharma. sathya and dharma are most important in the life of man. The youth should strictly adhere to them. What is sathya? It is the harmony of thought, word and deed. Where these three are in harmony, sathya is present there. People speak something on the platform, they have something else in their mind, and their actions are entirely different from what they speak and think. This is the worst sin.
Even animals like goats and monkeys can learn many things. A monkey can be trained to ride a bicycle. Man is much superior to animals. His conduct should be such that manifests his superiority. It is said, Jantunam nara janma durlabham (out of all living beings, human birth is the rarest). Man should therefore not behave like birds, animals and insects. When money is lost, nothing is lost. Instead of putting our faith in money, we should have more faith in love and should develop love to love relationship with others. When you have this type of relationship based on love, love will develop more and more. Only then will we be able to love everybody. We should not observe such differences as so and so is mine and so and so is someone else. We should develop the feeling that I belong to all and all belong to me. All are the children of the same mother. Being the children of the same mother, all should live like brothers and sisters. There may be some differences, but they are temporary. They will come and go like passing clouds. The only thing that is permanent and eternal is love. There is nothing great in acquiring education and amassing wealth.

SathyaSai Speaks on 22/08/2007

 Truly speaking, the entire world is engaged in business. Right from the Prime Minister of the country to an ordinary worker, everybody is involved in some kind of business or the other and is following the working system appropriate to his occupation. Knowing fully well this reality, our students are making a mark for themselves in all fields of life.Man is endowed with five senses of perception. The functioning of the five senses is also a type of business in which all the limbs are engaged. All the senses perform their business in the most appropriate manner with regard to the limbs they are associated with. Those who give proper direction to their senses so as to lead them on the right path are truly first rankers. Business which is done mainly by reading books, business journals and comparing Indian business with overseas business cannot be called business in the true sense of the term. Indian business should be concerned with Indian traditions and values. It should keep in view the interest and situation of the country. Other countries are making changes in their business ventures just to increase their power. We should not imitate them in any such manner. We should adopt those practices which are appropriate to our culture and traditions.True humanness lies in the integration of culture and country. Culture is not related to your worldly relations.

 Some people today ignore their culture due to the influence of modern times. You should never forsake culture at any cost. What is meant by culture? We should understand and follow our ancient traditions and values. We should never ignore our culture in our business matters. We should enquire into the relationship between culture and country. Culture has its existence due to the country. True humanness lies in the integration of culture and country. Culture is not related to your worldly relations and practices. Culture is concerned with the feelings of your heart and your power to discriminate between what is good and what is bad. Hence, you should develop strong power of discrimination. This discrimination brings about many changes in the life of man. It is due to lack of discrimination that our culture has suffered a decline. And because of the decline of culture our country has become weak. Wrong cultural practices followed by the people are, in fact, the main cause for the weakness of a country. Today people do not follow the true culture of our country. Consequently, the Government also takes to wrong path. As you all know, different political parties today follow different cultural values and ideologies. But if they all work together for a common cause, the results are sure to be good.We should follow our indigenous system and experience the happiness of living in the present. Then our future will also become happy. Many people are worried about their future. Do not brood over the past; don’t worry about future. Past is past; forget the past; do not think about it. Present, is important. It is not ordinary present; it is Omnipresent. Many people worry about their past and future and spoil their present. We should make proper use of our present.
You achieve good results in all subjects when you are present. Therefore, all of you should think about only present. Today many elders have fond memories of past times, thinking, “Our past time was so good, but everything has turned bad in the present time. In those days, children respected their elders; they conducted themselves with great humility. They revered their elders and learnt good things from them. In fact, there was no need to go to teachers; the grandmother in the house taught many good things to children. In ancient times, all led a happy life.” “Old is gold” is a proverb. True to this proverb, people in olden times were like pure gold. By their teachings, they helped the people to take to noble path. But today we have damaged this path. Therefore, we should repair this damage and restore the path again.

                            SU-DARSHANAM(THE POWER OF SACRED VISION)
Students!! There are many things that are not known to the students and many things that need to be learned. Students need to understand the difference between the intellect and intelligence. Likewise there is a difference between mind and the thoughts. The mind is very pure like a white cloth. It becomes impure and dirty because of the bad thoughts. The whiteness is its natural quality. The white cloth becomes soiled and dirty with usage and is put to the washer man for cleaning. The washer man brings in the washed and clean cloth. People say that the washer man has made the cloth white and bright. The washer man does not have the ability to whiten the cloth. The whiteness is the very nature and quality of the white cloth. The washer man had just removed the dirt. Likewise the mind, too, is pure and sacred like the white. It gets impure due to the exposure to the worldly and physical attachments. The mind loses its dirt when it is washed on the stone called ‘contemplation of the Lord’. That is ‘Shraddha’, steadfastness. One must inculcate such steadfastness. With sincerity and faith there is nothing that man cannot achieve. One can achieve anything with faith and sincerity- can go to the moon, reach the stars and even reach the sun! What is the Sun that one can reach? It is not the Sun that produces Hydrogen and who helps the entire world! “Chandrama manasojathaha, chaksho sooryo ajayatha” Who is the Sun? One’s eye sight is the Sun. One can certainly reach the sun- the proper and pure vision. People think that God has taken a disc for a weapon. This weapon is called as the ‘Sudarshanam’- which means ‘good seeing’.(SathyaSai Speaks on 21/06/1996)

Then again, I will advise children not to read horror comics, books on crime and sex, and novels of vice and wickedness. Avoid also films, for though they may be advertised as very educative and inspiring, the producers, in their greed for profits, smuggle in low vulgar debasing scenes in order to please raw untrained minds. Don't allow the virus of vice to infect your brains. If that happens you descend to levels worse than the beasts. Do not imagine that it will be possible for you to live happily, without any anxiety or bother. Do not build castles in the air, and hope to live in them. Life is a mosaic of pleasure and pain; grief is an interval between two moments of joy, peace is the interlude between two wars. You have no rose, without a thorn; the diligent picker will avoid the pricks, and gather the flower. There is no bee without the sting; cleverness consists in gathering the honey nevertheless. Troubles and travail will haunt you, but you must not allow them to deflect you from the path of duty and dedication.The Gopees (milkmaids) of Brindhaavan were chastised and punished by their parents, parentsin-law and even husbands for taking the name of Krishna, but, they had the name printed on their hearts, just like the pictures in the books you read, and they could not remove the Name, just as you would find it impossible to remove the picture from the paper! When you have the Name in your heart and on your tongue, you will never go astray, your hand will be clean, your eyes will be bright, your face will beam with courage and self-confidence.(SathySai Speaks on  April,1973,Hyderabad)

Nowadays none wakes up when the cock crows, nor when the loud whistle of train blows, but get up late in the morning at eight or nine. What is the reason? They go to sleep late at night. Are they at least using the night hours for studies? Not at all. They put on Television or Radio, thus polluting their own minds besides wasting time. Much of what is seen on the television are things that are lewd, disgusting, immoral and vile. Such are the undesirable things being shown. I wonder what pleasure or profit accrues to Government out of all this. On the other hand Government promotes this as a great medium. So it is Government which is spoiling the children. It turns the pure, steady and selfless hearts of the youth into impure, wicked and repugnant. On top of it, it seeks for more import from foreign countries.Instead of habituating children to such evil traits, can one not encourage good practices? Can they not be shown good stories which promote good behaviour in them? None protests against this evil, neither parents inside house, nor the teachers, the educated persons and the elders in the society. The reason simply is that they too have succumbed to this addiction. So if they try to correct children, they would have to face the question “What about you?” Such are the elders of to day to whom children would give a piece of mind. They in fact are the ones who occupy the front seats in front of TV sets. Let me tell you what some of these elders are up to. They tell our students when they go home on vacation, “Son, it is an year since you watched TV or movie, as you were at Puttaparthi. Now go ahead and watch them to your heart’s content”. Mothers even serve meals to them in front of the TV set itself. Should any mother interested in the well-being of her child do this? Certainly not. But unfortunately they are all out to spoil their own children. And Government only adds to the problem, mindlessly. The government servants themselves are glued to TV as soon as they return home from offices. Or they go to clubs where they drink, fill themselves with unhealthy food and gamble. It is precisely due to these bad habits, evil traits and unhealthy activities that today’s citizens are turning into cruel people. Even their speech is not soft and pleasant but is very rude. That is why I often tell you, ‘You cannot always oblige, but you can speak obligingly’. One should speak obligingly with all humility an d modesty. Today even these virtues are disappearing. I n addition to all this they squander away money in idl e pursuits.(Sathya Sai Speaks on 27/05/2002)

Eyes are the manifestation of the power of the Sun. The light is not in the eyes. One needs to understand this concept clearly. There are two aspects to this. The boy had just recited: “anthar bahischa tat sarvam vyaptha narayana stithaha”. There is light inside and outside and this constitutes the vision. The sun shines brightly. In spite of the bright sunlight, if one closes one’s eyes, one cannot see anything. Standing in the bright sun, one must be able to see the sun with closed eyes, but it is not so. What is the reason? The sun in oneself and the sun outside must unite; otherwise it cannot be called as one. One cannot see anything sitting in a dark room even with eyes open. The reason for not being able to see things in a dark room is that there is no sunlight in the room. When standing in the bright sun with eyes closed there was no light in the eyes so one could not see the sun. Therefore, one can see objects when the light of the sun and that of the eyes, both are present. One must have sunlight and must keep one’s eyes open to be able to see the things. One cannot do away with sunlight for in a dark room one cannot see the objects with mere eyes. Therefore, there must be unity of the outer sun and the inner sun for developing pure intellect. “Dheeyoyonah prachodayath”-The brilliance of the sacred intellect shines the sun called the eyes.(SathyaSai Speaks on 21/06/1996)

Another instance in our Puranas where the child in the womb got such knowledge was the case of Abhimanyu, who learnt the details of Padmavyuha (labyrinth of lotus shape, particular type of maze), while in the womb of his mother. In view of this, it was the custom in those days that pregnant women were taken care of with great effort and they were always kept happy and were permitted to listen only to sacred stories and sacred things. They were always given only good news. It is in this context that the baby in the womb will be experiencing only happy situations and as a result will turn out to be a happy individual. But today, pregnant women see various kinds of pictures during the period of pregnancy and in this process the child also develops bad ideas even from the time of its being in the mother’s womb and they take to an unsacred path once they are born. Thus the entire future of a child depends on the manner and conduct of the pregnant woman in whose womb the child is growing.If today we take to a sacred path and do the right thing, there is no doubt that our children in the future will also attain reputation and will take to a sacred path.Although one does not directly see the greatness of a manthra, it is sure to hand in the consequence by inference. Some people argue that it may not be necessary to read the manthras with the proper accent and the proper stress at the right place and that it may be looked upon as a mere collection of words. Our youth have no understanding and familiarity with the divine path or with anything that relates to the culture of our country. It has become a fashion to take a crooked view of everything and they give a reply which is quite irrelevant.you. Your friends and relations may come till the burial ground to bury or cremate the body, and thereafter all will return home. Only the good and bad acts that you have performed in your life will accompany you. Your next birth will be carved out according to your deeds in this life.(Excerpts from SathyaSai Speaks on Summer Culture & Spirituality ,1974)

"See no evil; see what is good" is the prescription for the eyes. Keechaka (in the Mahaabhaaratha) looked with an evil eye on Dhraupadhi (who was serving as the Queen's maid in the palace of the king of Viraata dhesa). His lustful vision brought about his death. His very name is abhorred by everyone.(SathyaSai Speaks on 12/04/1996)

 “Sathwik listening is listening to the stories, experiences and messages of Sages and Saints who aspired after God and realised Him. Sathwik seeing is seeing the worshippers of the Lord, seeing the portraits of saints and sages, attending festivals in temples, etc. Rajasik seeing is seeing scenes of luxury, pictures of sensuous joy, of pompous pageantry, of the exhibition of power and status and display of egoistic authority. Taking delight in the description of sensuous scenes and incidents, in the demonstration of power and authority, in the assertion of might and prowess—these are to be classified as Rajasik listening. Others take delight in listening to gruesome adventures, stories of wicked ogres and vicious deeds. Such are Thamasik individuals. They admire cruelty and terrifying tactics and they take pleasure in keeping such pictures before them. They worship demonic bloodthirsty Gods and they revel in the lore of ghosts and evil forces.”(Excerpts from Geetha Vahini,Page No-276,Chaptr. XXVI)

                                  THE REAL FRIENDSHIP(FRIENDSHIP IN TRUE SENSE)                   
You may ask what benefit we may get out of such good company. Man’s good as well as bad features receive their final shape when he mixes with other members of the society. In this context, we can take the example of the dust that settles on the surface of the earth. Although such dust does not have wings and cannot fly away by itself, by acquiring the good company of wind, it can get off the earth. The same dust settles down and cannot move upwards if it acquires association with water. Iron, which is hard, black and dull becomes soft, red and shining when it makes friendship with fire. The same iron, acquires a lot of rust and loses all its strength when it makes friendship with dirt and moisture. All these modifications are coming because of association with others in the environment. It is generally not possible for anything to change or transform by itself without the help of external associations. Even a newly born baby learns to walk, talk, run, read and write only with the help of its mother and the love and affection the latter shows. Without the love and affection from the mother, the baby will grow like an animal and will not be able to talk, walk or do things which other human beings can do and are trained to do. Animals which are born in the forest, grow and move about in the forest and have certain features which are special to them. If the same animals are given appropriate training by a circus manager, we can make them do things which other animals cannot do. Even birds are able to utter good words in an understandable and clear manner if we give them good training and keep them in good company. Thus, the kind of sacred life which you wish to lead and the aspirations which you have in your mind about the type of life which you want to live can be achieved if you are in the company of good people. You have to make friendship with good people and follow their example in your daily routine. This is the appropriate age for you to lead such a life and put yourself in the company of elders. During this age, you will be able to develop good ideas and good conduct and you should make a firm determination to do so. At this important stage of your life, you should dedicate yourself to the service of your country and to the service of your parents. On the contrary, if you spend your time in bad company and wander about the streets like stray dogs, whistling like foxes, you will only be wasting your life. Time wasted is life wasted.(SathyaSai Speaks on 24/05/1973)
                          

All potentialities are the reflections of mental feelings. We should have friendship with our mind. Once you develop friendship with your mind, you will be successful. According to Indian culture, it is only when you have true friendship, you can really experience God. Listening, singing, chanting, service, salutation, worship, servitude, friendship, self-surrender. It is the friendship that leads to self-surrender. Without friendship, you cannot reach the state of self-surrender. If you say that, it is only verbal or vocal declaration but nothing effective in terms of action.(SathyaSai Speaks on 14/01/2003)

These days, it is not uncommon to see evil doers [seemingly] get away with it while good people suffer. It appears as if someone commits the crime and someone else gets punished – this is how things are in the world. Here is an example. You are sleeping in your room at night but mosquitoes disturb you. So, next day, you use a mosquito net but it still does not help because a few mosquitoes have sneaked into the net. You now resort to a drastic remedy – you spray Flit all over. You cannot identify the specific mosquitoes that bit you but you are not bothered; you spray over all the mosquitoes you can see. Only one or two mosquitoes bit you but now hundreds are dying. Why is this so? Because of friendship. Even if you are innocent, you have to suffer if you keep the company of evil doers. It is to drive this home that Swami often says: “Tell Me your company and I shall tell who you are.” Once bad thoughts get in, they multiply rapidly and soon drive out kshama; and kshama once lost is not easily regained. You must therefore protect this virtue at all costs and see that you never lose it, especially because with kshama you can achieve anything.(SathyaSai Speaks on 25/05/2000)

Shankara was in the position of a teacher for the entire world and he propagated many ideals amongst the people. Amongst them, the concept of non-dualism or the philosophy of Adwaitha, is an important one. Along with his disciples, he taught these things, travelled all over the country, stressed the importance of the aspect of Atma and explained to people the nature of Paramatma or God. He stressed the importance of having Satsang or spending your time in good company. He taught that for one’s liberation, Satsang or good company is an important step and even the first step. When we make an enquiry as to what the word Satsang means, we will come to interpret it by saying.(SathyaSai Speaks on 24/05/1973)

Budhdhihi karmanusaarini!!” One’s intellect develops based on one’s good and bad actions. Bad actions lead to bad mind and good actions lead to good mind. Therefore, one’s actions are solely responsible for one’s state of mind. Hence to indulge in good actions one has to keep good company. As is the company so is the mind. ‘Tell me your company I shall tell you what you are!!’ It can be proved that as is the company so is the person. Therefore, one must develop good qualities by keeping good company.(SathyaSai Speaks on 08/03/1997)

You should acquire the qualities of truth, prema and forbearance, as also the quality of sacrifice. This period of your life is like the morning time of the day. If you, as you commence your life, turn your mind towards good and towards God, you will be starting your life in a manner where bad qualities do not haunt you, ego does not haunt you, jealousy and other undesirable qualities do not haunt you. There is a small example for this. In the morning time, the sun rises. If at that time you face the sun and look at it, you will notice that you have a long shadow but it is behind you. If, on the other hand, you do not direct your sight towards the sun but turn towards your shadow, you will notice that your own shadow, a long one at that, is leading you and it will appear as if this long shadow is showing you the path. In this example, you are the Jiva Tattwa and your shadow is the Maya (illusion). If it is your desire to overcome Maya and leave it behind you, however fast you may walk, you will never get rid of Maya if it is in front of you. On the other hand, you turn your sight towards the sun, you can overcome Maya even as the shadow is behind you. In the same manner, your mind, thoughts, organs and the body constitute the Maya or the shadow. If you want to get away from them, you will have to turn your vision inwards and towards your Atma. When you do this, you will be able to shake off the Maya. Therefore, you should make an attempt to join the Satsang and derive all the benefits that accrue from joining good company. Good company leads you to detachment and by detachment you will achieve self-realization. Shankara has given many verses and each verse is to be regarded as a shining lamp of knowledge. You should put the contents thereof into practice and rectify your life.(SathyaSai Speaks on 24/05/1973)

Kabir looked at good company as well as bad company and said that both of them should be respected. At this, the disciples questioned him how it is that both good company and bad company deserve to be respected. To this, Kabir replied that there is some trouble to the world from the bad people and there is trouble to the world also from the good people. In order that there is no trouble from either quarter, he is paying respects to both of them. The disciples then asked how any harm can result from good people. Kabir smiled and said that association with bad people causes great discomfort. On the contrary, separation from good people also causes great discomfort, and therefore, he was praying to both. There should not be separation from good people and there should not be association with bad people. You must always be praying that both these things may come your way. This is my blessing to you. I hope you will be able to get good company always.(SathyaSai Speaks on 24/05/1973)

Give up bad company. Run away from bad company. You should never be in bad company. The reason is, you will also become bad. Tell me your company, I shall tell you what you are! Never be in bad company. If possible, try to change the bad to good. Run away from bad company. It is not enough if you do that. Join good company. In ten litres of milk, if you add one litre of water, it also becomes milk. The water that has no value, gets value added to it. In ten litres of water, if you mix one litre of milk, the milk will lose its value. If good people are in bad company, they will lose their value. We should be in good company. Good company is required. We should join in satsang occasionally. Only then would it be possible to have good qualities, good actions, good feelings and good heart. Therefore, you should be in good company. What is the third line (of the stanza)? Do meritorious acts day in and day out. What is this merit? Are they acts of charity? Those are only worldly acts. What is real merit? Body is for the welfare of others, Paropakara. The three syllables "Para" "upa" "kara" make up Paropakara. Para - Atma, Upa - proximity, Kara - go. Go close to the spirit. Be near divinity. That is the real Paropakara. Do meritorious acts. Be with God. Do with God. See with God. Drink with God. Eat with God. Have the divine approach all the time. This is real Paropakara - help. Do meritorious acts continously. Day in and day out, whatever we do, it take it as God's work. Good work will be transformed into God's work. We should lead a sacred life with such feelings. Then what is the fourth (line of the stanza)? This has to be done in our daily routine. Today we don't practice, we don't do anything that we are supposed to in our daily life.(SathyaSai Speaks on 17/02/1996)

Worry and grief of one sort or another will always be there, in the past, present, and future, while walking, dreaming, and sleeping. But place faith in the Lord and do your tasks as dedication to Him and they will definitely vanish! Remember the Lord with thankfulness at least thrice or even twice a day; that will give you great peace. Do not give up your worldly duties, but do them with the name of God on your lips. Do not involve yourselves in the affairs of others to the extent that you get so entangled that you cannot extricate yourselves. Spend your time in the contemplation of the beauties of nature, which are spread out before you in earth and sky - lovely green expanses, soothing and joyful cool breezes, the panorama of coloured clouds and the music of the birds. Sing the glories of God as you walk along. Do not talk hatefully, do not get angry, do not disturb the sky with your shouts and curses, and do not pollute the air with vengeful boasts.(Sathya Sai Speaks on 02/09/1958)

Sometimes it may so happen that you will find yourself in a different company and some among them may be bad. They may even abuse you and treat you in a bad manner. In such cases, you should make an attempt to communicate the good spiritual essence in your heart to them as well. When a sharp axe is used to cut a sandalwood tree, the sandalwood tree does not feel hurt by the axe nor does it get angry with it. On the contrary, the sandalwood tree hands its fragrance to the axe. The sandalwood is such that even when it is cut to pieces, it gives fragrance. Even when it is rubbed against another stone, it gives fragrance. This is the quality of good people.(Excerpts from Summer Showers in Indian Culture & Spiritualty,1973)

Friendship, in these days, can be illustrated by a story. A person had three friends. He had taken to several bad ways and consequently had to face a court case. He went to a friend and sought his help. The friend frankly told him that he would not like to associate himself with the crime committed by him. He refused to give evidence to rescue him. The second friend, when approached, told him that he would only go up to the court but would not be a witness in a witness box. Thereafter, he approached the third friend for help. He immediately responded and said, “Yes, your troubles are mine, my troubles are yours and I shall help you in whatever manner you wish me to help.” It is quite clear that amongst these three the third is the best kind of friend. For our life also, we have three such friends. At the time of death, one has to leave behind all that one owns. Wealth and status do not accompany In order to remain good, you must cultivate respect for truth which is permanent, whereas everything else including your body is subject to change, decay and death. So it is desirable to undertake various practices to win the grace of the Lord at this young age while you have the energy and ability to learn and concentrate. It is quite probable that some of your friends may point out to you that this is the age to make a success of yourself in worldly affairs. They will advise you to earn money and enjoy life. According to their way of thinking, the pursuit of God can be kept in abeyance till the age of retirement from active life. But, the fact is that the young age, being impressionable and formative, is the right age to develop sacred ideas and practise spiritual sadhanas. It is common knowledge that if throughout one’s life one pursues Maya, then at the time of death it will not be possible to divert one’s thoughts towards God. Therefore now is the time for you to lay the foundation for a good future. of prema. From now on, you should make a determination to cultivate friendships based upon love. Do not allow the current meaning of friendship to corrupt your minds.Friendship based on altruism adopts the motto: love for all and malice towards none, keeping in view the well-being of others, overlooking personal interests. Such an attitude makes life enjoyable and helps, also, to set right the world. Such attitudes make persons voluntarily give more and receive less, whereas if egoism creeps in you, then you like to receive more and give less. The difference in attitudes of egoists and altruists reveals the contradiction between the concept of ideal friendship and the actual manner in which it is practised in everyday life. Friendship should not be based on considerations of fear and favour. On the one hand, you try to be friendly with a person who is in authority and power out of fear; and on the other hand, you try to be friendly with an affluent and wealthy person in the hope of gaining some personal benefits. Wealth and status being temporary, our friendships will also turn out to be of a transitory nature. If a person is adopting wrong ways, a true friend should not be afraid of pointing out his errors with a view to improving him. It is not enough to merely share joy with each other; but it is more important to share the sorrow with each other. Sacred friendship is that which enables one to help others, at all times, and in all circumstances. (SathyaSai Speaks on Summer Showers on Indian Culture & Spirituality,1973) 

                                        THE HOLY MOTHER COW
The cow protection was a symbol of animal rights and of non-violence against all life forms for Gandhi. He venerated cows, and suggested ending cow slaughter to be the first step to stopping violence against all animals. He said: "I worship it and I shall defend its worship against the whole world", and stated that "The central fact of Hinduism is cow protection. (M.K.Gandhi)

 

The central fact of Hinduism is cow protection. Cow protection to me is one of the most wonderful phenomena in human evolution. It takes the human being beyond this species. The cow to me means the entire sub-human world. Man through the cow is enjoined to realize his identity with all that lives. Why the cow was selected for apotheosis is obvious to me. The cow was in India the best companion. She was the giver of plenty. Not only did she give milk, but she also made agriculture possible..Cow protection is the gift of Hinduism to the world. And Hinduism will live so long as there are Hindus to protect the cow…… Hindus will be judged not by their TILAKS, not by the correct chanting of MANTRAS, not by their pilgrimages, not by their most punctilious observances of caste rules, but their ability to protect the cow.(Excerpts of M.K.Gandhi)

The cow is the purest type of sub-human life. She pleads before us on behalf of the whole of the sub-human species for justice to it at the hands of man, the first among all that lives. She seems to speak to us through her eyes: ‘you are not   appointed over us to kill us and eat our flesh or otherwise ill-treat us, but to be our friend and guardian’(M.K. Gandhi in Young India 26-6-1924, p. 214)

It is a heart-rending sight to see cows being slaughtered to serve as food for man. The cow has been worshiped as mother in Bharat since ancient times... Cow-slaughter is reougnant to the culture of this country. The provision of drinking water to the people and putting an end to the killing of animals for food are two prime needs for the country to regain its pristine glory. Violence in any form is evil and to kill innocent animals in tantamount to blatant savagery. I bless the prime Minister (of India) and expect him to get there two things accomplished furing his tenure." Sanathana Sarathi December.(Sathya Sai Speaks on 23//11/1994)

It is significant to note that those who live on vegetarian food are less prone to diseases, whereas non-vegetarians are subject to more diseases. Why? Because animal food is incompatible with the needs of the human body.(Sathya Sai Speaks on Summer Showers,1990,Page No-34)

In the matter of acquiring food, different kinds of strength, abilities and skills are used by us but these very same skills are used by animals and birds as well. It is not right that we use all our knowledge and skill for doing just what the animals and birds also do. In the process of our spending all our energies in acquiring food, we are going far away from the aspect of Atma. For the purpose of feeding ourselves, many lives are being sacrificed. In this process of our searching for food, many things like trees, birds, fish and animals are being sacrificed. Because these various living things are being sacrificed and are merging with human beings, they have also been acquiring human lives in their rebirth. None of these Jivas are getting any chance of rising higher than human lives. The entire life is being spent in making an effort to be reborn after one's death, thus repeating the cycle of birth and death.We are becoming slaves to the process of birth and death. We should not allow ourselves to become slaves to this process. We should make an attempt to become one with the great effulgent spirit.(Excerpts from Summer Showers in Brindavam, 1974)

                                                    UNIQUE SIGN OF OMNIPRESENCE
Had unique experience of directly observing the 22 degree halo phenomenon of Sun above the sky of Puttaparthi on 23rd May 2011

ANOTHER HALO OPTICAL PHENOMENON AROUND THE SUN AS CAPTURED OVER  PRASANTHI NILAYAM, PUTTAPARTHI SKY THIS MORNING, 02 AUGUST 2017.HERE ARE FEW GLIMPSES

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 Paathaala Lokas. But, all these lokas do exist, in our own bodies, (the bodies which we carry about and carefor), 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 Thrikuuta 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 Gandharva Loka is in the eye. The Yaksha Loka is in 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 fourth, 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.(Sathya Sai Speaks on 28th May,1982)

                                                WHAT PROBLEM IS KASHMIR
In one of the occasions by an Indian representative at the UN An ingenious example of speech and politics occurred  in the United Nations Assembly that made the world community smile. 

A representative from India began: 'Before beginning my talk I want to tell you something about Rishi Kashyap of Kashmir, after whom Kashmir is named.

When he struck a rock and it brought forth water, he thought, 'What a good opportunity to have a bath.' 

He removed his clothes, put them aside on the rock and entered the water. 

When he got out and wanted to dress, his clothes had vanished. A Pakistani had stolen them.' 

The Pakistani representative jumped up furiously and shouted, 'What are you talking about? The Pakistanis weren't there then.' 

The Indian representative smiled and said, 'And now that we have made that clear, I will begin my speech.' 

And they say Kashmir belongs to them????

People like KM Munshi,YB Chavan who were eminent politicians(also members in JL Neheru's cabinet) used to be regular followers of Bhagwan Sathya Sai Baba as well as his teachings.In the year-1956 Swami sent a letter through one of his devotees from Nehru cabinet(Sai Says,Page No-116) to then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Neheru of making a common code  to declare everything such as rivers,mountains,valleys,etc as National Property irrespective of any region or religion to keep the sovereignity of country united to avoid external attack.But JL Neheru did just the contrary by imposing Article-370 for Jammu & Kashmir.

When Sri Trilokinath Dhar asked Sri Sathya Sai Baba when the kashmir problem would be solved he looked quizically at him & asked "Problem?What Kashmir Problem?"(Saint & Sages of Kashmir)

Man is born in the society, grows with the society and prospers by serving the society. In this scenario, if man becomes distant from service to the society, he will be distant from everything. The child cries for its mother’s milk as soon as it’s born. The child, therefore, has to serve and respect the mother who is the very cause for its life and sustenance, worship the father and develop faith in the society; only then can he flourish and thrive. Just as every individual has a mother whom he respects and considers important, so also every individual should regard the country as the divine mother of all citizens, by serving whom, one can fulfill one’s purpose in life.(Divine Discourse, May 27, 1973)

Freedom has been won, but unity has not been achieved. It is because there is no unity, Bharat is subject to all kinds of calamities. Ghazni Mohammed invaded the Punjab and took away from the country 700 maunds of gold as plunder. In Nagarakota there was a hall thirty yards by fifteen yards entirely built of gold. The entire hall was taken away by the invaders.It is high time you realised what a sacred country Bharat is. In this holy land, nothing is lacking. "What cannot be found in Bharat cannot be found elsewhere" is an ancient saying. Inspite of these multifarious endowments, this country is being regarded as poor and backward. This is born of delusion. Only when we free ourselves from this delusion, we can experience Atmic bliss. We can experience Brahman only when we can get rid of bhrama (delusion).Inspite of being born in such a land of wealth, it is a pity that people do not take pride in their country. Wherever you turn, you see only swaartham (rampant selfishness). Embodiments of Divine Love! Eschew selfishness. Promote unity. Enjoy the bliss of harmony.Bharat has produced many great sages and saints who have taught profound truths. It is a land of heroes who fought for the freedom of the country. It has been the leader in the knowledge of various arts and sciences, in music and literature. It is most unfortunate that many born in this sacred land are unaware of its unique greatness. Love of the mother is a nectarine quality. What a pity that love of the Motherland should be absent!You must love the Motherland. Resolve to dedicate your lives to the service of the motherland. Unity is the primary requisite. People celebrate the birthdays of our great ones, but few care to follow their teachings. There is nothing great about celebrating birthdays. Every effort must be made to understand their teachings and act upto them.(Sathya Sai Speaks on 23/11/1990)

Do not forget our ancient culture. This is the very life-breath of Bharatiyas. Bharat has offered to the world the gems of this culture.What the students have to safeguard is not the nation. They have to protect Sathya and Dharma only. These two will protect all. Giving up Truth and right conduct, educated persons, in the name of country and nation, are undermining the country. It is more vital to cultivate virtues than go after scholarship or other possessions of a transient nature.It is a pity that even the elders, lured by modernity, are following occidental ways, giving up their own ancient culture. It is no wonder the younger generation is following their example. Leaders, parents and teachers are not setting the right example to young people. Our ancients led exemplary, noble lives because of their practice of virtue. They pursued the four Purusharthas (goals of life) and shared the benefits and joys derived therefrom with others. Young people today indulge in all sorts of practices.( Sathya Sai Speaks on 20/05/1990)

ALL the ills Bharat is suffering from are due to the lack of unity. The prevailing deplorable situation in the country after four decades of Independence and the disorder and violence prevailing everywhere are due to the ubiquitous growth of selfishness and self-centredness. It is only when you have ideal leaders, ideal parents and ideal teachers that the students will be inspired to act on right lines.If you examine the attitude of young people today, you will find chaos and confusion in their hearts. Patriotism has disappeared. Self interest and selfish concerns rule the roost. In their rooms, in the place of pictures of national heroes, you see only pictures of film stars. These are the deities whom they worship. On their tables you see transistor radios and video sets. Love of the nation has vanished from their thoughts. What is the reason for this? The root cause is the absence of exemplary parents and teachers. Even among the leaders, there are few that can be considered ideal examples. It is only when you have ideal leaders, ideal parents and ideal teachers that the students will be inspired to act on right lines.In society today, love of God, fear of sin and social morality have disappeared. It is only when these three are promoted that you can have real human advancement. Peace has become a casualty all over the world, because people have lost the fear of sin, the love of God and basic ethics in social relationships.Wherever you turn, you see only disorder and conflict today. Nor is that all. Fear has gripped everyone. You are haunted by fear whether in your home or out in the streets. Fear grips you when you get into a bus or a train, whether you are going in a car or in an aeroplane. How is life to be rid of fear?The whole nation is afflicted by fear in many ways. When will we be utterly free from fear? "Thyaagenaike amrutatvam aanasuh," declares the Upanishad (Only by renunciation can immortality be achieved). It is through desirelessness or vairagya (detachment) that fear can be banished.t is selfishness that is the cause of all the cruelty and violence today. It is more than four decades since Bharat achieved its freedom. What is it we have accomplished after attaining Independence? All that we have achieved are strife, disputes, riots and violence. Selfishness has reared its head in these forty years.(Sathya Sai Speaks on 27/04/1990)

To run away from the place which you have been assigned is cowardice, it is foolish, it is fruitless. Don't honour such men as heroes. You can be engaged in any profession, employed in any job,--for all professions are His, all jobs are His. He is the Universal Master, the Universal Provider. And when troubles pile up or disappointment confronts you, be thankful for the toughening it gives to your character for the trial which you are privileged to face. You overcome the distress of the heat by resorting to a cooler; you overcome the distress of freezing cold by resorting to joy. Be happy when grief strikes you. Be calm when anger tries to inflame you. How can you put down fire with fire? Reason out and convince yourself that tolerance, forbearance, love and sweetness can alone ensure peace for yourself and for society.(Sathya Sai Speaks on 04/04/1973)

Bharat is the motherland of many noble souls. It is therefore essential for all the Bharatiyas to understand the sacred history of Bharat. But, today, no one seems to be interested in knowing the history and culture of Bharat. The culture of Bharat is based on dharma. The word dharma has been misinterpreted as religion. Dharma is like a vast ocean, whereas religion is like a pond. The culture of Bharat is pure, unsullied, eternal, and immortal. In olden days, the children were taught the sacred values of Indian culture right from the age of five. Their education would begin with the sacred mantras like Aum Namah Sivaya and Aum Namo Narayana. But in the moder education system, the divine names such as Siva and Narayana have no place. The children are taught meaningless rhymes like “Ba. Ba. black sheep”. People are not making efforts to understand the efficacy of these mantras.Some people say that since God has no form, He does not exist. But, God has form. In this world, there is nothing that exists without form. According to science, the entire world is made up of atoms. They too have form. The Vedas say, Anoraneeyan Mahatomaheeyan (God is smaller than the smallest atom and bigger than the biggest object).God is everywhere. This is the teaching of our ancient culture. Since the human mind has become weak, man is losing faith in these ancient values. Just as the alloys mixed with gold make the gold lose its shine and value, so also the bad qualities and bad feelings have made man lose his value and brilliance.Delhi is the capital of Bharat. So, if Delhi is good, the whole country will be good. Anything can be achieved through unity. Give up individual and political differences. Have the national interest uppermost in your mind. Stand united and be prepared to sacrifice even your life for the welfare of the country. Uphold the prestige of the country and spread it far and wide.(Sathya Sai Speaks on 12/03/1999)

Embodiments of Love! In the past, foreigners ruled over the country for hundreds of years treating the Bharatiyas like slaves. At least from now onward, take care that no foreign force enters our country. That is the vow all the Bharatiyas should resolve to take. The Bharatiyas have immense strength and power. But, they are facing hardships because of lack of unity.Spirituality is very essential for the welfare of the country. Since ancient times, Bharat has radiated peace and happiness to the rest of the world through the message of spirituality. It occupied the exalted position of teacher to the rest of the world. Bharat stands first in respect of adherence to truth. No other country in this world can ever match Bharat in respect of charity and sacrifice.Our ancestors took great pains and made great sacrifices in order to protect and safeguard this country. But, unfortunately that spirit of unity and sacrifice is lacking among the youth today. Moreover, it is not enough if we have unity unless we resolve to work for the welfare of the society. Only when you realize the value of service to the society, can you achieve the noble qualities of unity, integrity, and fraternity. For this you have to take to spirituality. Eswara sarva bhoothanam, the same divinity dwells in all beings. The same was declared by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita: Mamaivamso jeevaloke .jeevabhutha sanathana (the eternal Atma in all beings is a part of My Being). The culture of Bharat has propagated this principle of unity in diversity.(Sathya Sai Speaks on 12/03/1999)

Embodiments of love! You have supreme duty to revere the mother, and the Motherland. Wherever you may go or work, never forget the Motherland. Students today should follow the good teachings of our ancient sages and seers and lead ethical lives. "Let us live together, strive together, bear no ill-will towards each other." This was the message of the Vedhas. Let your love embrace the whole world. Treat all man-kind as one family. All nations should be happy and prosperous.Sow the seeds of such noble thoughts, let them grow into giant trees and let people take shelter under them.Make yourselves into a garland and I shall be the thread holding all the flowers together. Consider yourselves the children of one mother, belonging to the human family. Do not give room for differences of race, creed and nationality. All belong to the caste of humanity, the religion of love and the language of the heart. The same object, water, is called by different names in different languages. Likewise God is one, whatever the name that is used - whether Allah, Jesus, Buddha or Raama - have that faith. Don't criticize any religion. By developing this universalism, bring joy to Bhagavaan.(Sathya Sai Speaks on 23/11/1995)

Recently inaugurated Sathya Sai Centre at Jammu by All India President Shri Nimish Pandya

Also Disaster Management programmes are held by Sathya Sai Organisation for the Police Force of Kashmir

Not only Bhaarath, but the whole world is today in the throes of anxiety and fear. But, I assure you that very soon the dark clouds shall be scattered and you will witness a happy era all over the world. Right will be restored and evil put down. Your duty is to yearn for the attainment of the consciousness of the One, behind all this apparent multiplicity. Be centres of love, compassion, service, mutual tolerance, and be happy, very very happy. That is the blessing I shower on you, this Guru Poornima (the full-moon day dedicated to the Preceptor)(Sathya Sai Speaks on 08/07/1971)

Sanathana Dharma is bound to overcome today's rampant materialism, for it can harmonize the secular and the spiritual into a single way of life. It can bring together into closer kinship both man and God. It is based on the Divine which is the reality of the self. So, it is not limited to one country, one individual, one period of time, or one sect. It has a variety of procedures, points of view, disciplines and guidelines, in accordance with the special features of the region, the age, and the environment. This Faith, though first explicit on Bharat, between the Himalayan range and the three seas, has become a world faith, through its innate divine strength.Sanaathana Dharma (Eternal Universal Religion) enables one to attain this fullness. Really speaking, very few have grasped the uniqueness and the importance of this Religion. Nowadays, many elders and political leaders are afraid to utter even the word "Religion" before the gatherings they address. They shape their lives in accordance with a new order, which has no religious slant whatsoever. In fact, they have not understood what religion really means. They do not attempt to discover the significant role of religion.Newton, discovered after a series of experiments, that the earth had the force of gravitation. But, we cannot conclude that the earth had no such force until Newton's discovery. So too, though the principles of Sanaathana Dharma are inherent in human consciousness, and have their impact all over the world, the people of Bhaarath have long practised and experienced them and discovered their value and validity. They have earned invaluable Bliss therefrom. Just as atomic science developed in one country and later spread to other countries, the Sanaathana faith, developed in India and spread to other countries.(Excerpts from Sathya Sai Speaks on 19/11/1980)

Swami indicated this in one of His Dassera discourses in 2005. He said, “Within a few years, rivalry, hatred, and misunderstanding between people will become a thing of the past in Bharat and in the world at large.” Describing the grandeur of the Golden Age, He said, “The time is soon approaching when all humanity will live in harmony. It is beyond all comprehension. Its beauty is beyond all dreams.” Then He went on to say, “Before it arrives be prepared to reveal to every living thing, the true purpose of existence.”

"You are indeed fortunate because you have got this opportunity of Darshan, Sparshan and Sambhashan. It is your duty to keep your parents happy.Within the next 18 years the whole of the world will become one big family and the Sanathana Dharma way of life will be adopted by everyone.(Sathya Sai Speaks on 14/02/2009)