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23rd
November 2006 |
81st Birthday of Bhagawan |
Puttaparthi |
Divine Discourse
By Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Note:
Discourses of Sri Sathya Sai Baba
on this SBOIwebsite/group are unedited, authentic & only
sourced from the official Sai baba Org.
SERVICE TO SOCIETY IS
SERVICE TO GOD
When the child emerges from the womb of its mother, one does not
find any garland around its neck. There are no jewels made of pearls
nor are there glittering gold ornaments. There are no necklaces
studded with precious stones like emeralds and diamonds. But there
is one garland around its neck. Brahma strings together the
consequences of his past deeds into a heavy garland and puts it
around its neck at the time of birth.
(Telugu poem)
Embodiments of Love, Students – Boys and Girls!
It is not possible to describe how fortunate a human
being is. Jantunam nara janma durlabham (of all living beings, human
birth is the rarest). Man is not able to realise the value of
humanness and is deluded by the sight of ephemeral and transitory
objects of the world. The basis of man’s life is not the transitory
and ephemeral world. His life on earth is a synthesis of moral,
ethical and spiritual values. Man, in fact, is the image of
divinity. Mamaivamsho jivaloke jivabhuta sanathana (the eternal Atma
in all beings is a part of My Being). All of you are a part of
Myself, you are not different from Me. Unable to realise the value
of his humanness, man becomes a victim of his many delusions. All
your learning and your strenuous efforts should be directed towards
realising this truth. You don’t need anything else after realising
this fundamental truth. All the material possessions of this world
are a cause of bondage for man and so long as man is in bondage, he
has to suffer. Therefore, man should try to achieve freedom from
this bondage. He should get rid of the feeling of attachment.
Nothing is ‘mine’ and ‘thine’, everything is one. Develop the
feeling in your heart that all are one. Only then can you experience
truth, peace and bliss.
Embodiments of Love!
Your life is full of ambitions and desires. You have to enquire
whether you are making appropriate efforts to attain fulfilment in
life. First search your heart to know what your thoughts and
feelings are - whether they are pure, steady and selfless or are
they tainted with desires. Desires are like luggage which is a heavy
burden in the journey of life. Less luggage more comfort makes
travel a pleasure. Therefore, gradually reduce your desires. If you
have less luggage, you will be more peaceful. On the contrary, man
today is increasing his baggage of desires instead of lightening it.
Thousands of people have assembled here. Heads are many, but the
feeling is one. Ekatma sarva bhutantaratma (one Atma dwells in all
beings). Because of your body attachment, you are subjected to too
many troubles. Today you are a single person. After completing your
studies and securing a good job, you will try to get married. Then
you become two. When one wears one bangle, no sound is produced.
Only when one wears two bangles sound is produced. After marriage,
you are inclined towards worldly acquisitions. You will have
children and your family will expand. With this type of ‘progress’,
how can you have peace? All these worldly attachments are the result
of your deluded thinking. There is no reality in them. When your
thoughts and feelings are not in the right direction, you are bound
to suffer. Instead of getting yourself entangled in worldly life,
you should engage in the service of society.
Once you take to the path of service, your problems will gradually
decrease. Love All, Serve All. Do not consider anybody as
other person. Develop the feeling that he and you are one. The
entire mankind is one. What you see in this world is only the
reaction, reflection and resound of the reality that is one. Once
you understand this truth, you will be peaceful. Only then will your
mind be steady and one-pointed in the pursuit of your study and
profession. Therefore, first and foremost, engage yourself in the
service of society. What is society? Society is your own reflection.
Therefore, do not distance yourself from society. Keep yourself
always engaged in the service of society. Why has God given hands to
you? They are not given to scribble something on paper. They should
be fully engaged in the service of God. Work is worship. Duty is
God. Do your duty.
Embodiments of Love!
You are now young and all your limbs are healthy and strong. First
is the body. Next come the senses. Higher than the senses is the
mind, and the intellect is higher than the mind. The Atma is the
highest. When you understand and contemplate on the principle of the
Atma, you will be free from all suffering and bondage. It is the
perversion of the mind that is the cause of all your sufferings and
bondages.
Once the mother of this body, Easwaramma, went to a well to fetch
water. Suddenly, she felt giddy and heard an ethereal voice, “I am
entering your body.” She was fear-stricken and was at a loss to know
what was entering her body, whether it was a ghost, a spirit or an
angel. She heard the voice again, “I am entering your body for the
welfare of the world.”
Easwaramma was not the name given to the mother of this body at the
time of her birth. This name was given to her by Kondama Raju, the
grandfather of this body. He was a noble soul who had realised My
Divinity even when I was a child. Realising that she was the mother
of Easwara, he changed her name to Easwaramma (mother of God).
Easwaramma was not an ordinary woman; she was a high-souled person
who was loved and admired by one and all. Wherever she went, people
greeted her with great love.
Karanam Subbamma was one of great virtues. She had a highly
respected position in the village. As time passed, there was great
transformation in her. She prepared food for all the devotees who
came for My darshan. Whatever she made, she made it for the sake of
Swami. Those days, I did not stay at home most of the time. I moved
about in the adjoining hills and valleys. Subbamma made many
preparations, put them in a tiffin box and went searching for Me
wherever I was. Her love for Swami was great. In the Dwapara Yuga,
it was Devaki who gave birth to Krishna, but Yashoda had the great
good fortune of being called the mother of Krishna. Similarly,
Subbamma had such great good fortune in this Age.
Once Karanam Subbamma performed Sathyanarayana Vrata. She invited
Easwaramma also to participate in it. As I was born after Easwaramma
partook of the Prasadam (sanctified food) of Sathyanarayana Vrata, I
was given the name of Sathyanarayana. Right from My birth, people
did not consider Me as an ordinary person; they always considered Me
as a Transcendental Being endowed with great Divine powers. When I
was a child, all the children in the village used to surround Me. I
used to ask everyone of them what he wanted. Each one of them wanted
to have something or the other like a pencil, a pen, a sweet or a
peppermint. Whatever they asked, I used to take it out of My empty
bag. I did not have even a single paisa with Me. On receiving the
items they asked for, they used to wonder how I was able to give
them all those things. There was no possibility of My mother giving
them because she too had no money. One day, I left My bag and went
inside. Finding this as an opportune moment, the boys searched the
bag all over. They were not ordinary boys. They wanted to make sure
if there was anything hidden in the bag. After making a thorough
search, they could not find even a single pin. Then they realised
that all these things were coming from some unknown source. They
were wonderstruck. In this manner, I was always surrounded by boys
right from My childhood.
Gradually, My name spread far and wide. This created jealousy in
some people. In spite of the jealousy of people, My name and fame
spread to all corners of the world. People from many countries of
the world representing various faiths started coming to Prasanthi
Nilayam in large numbers and started celebrating their festivals
here. Now December is coming and Christmas is approaching.
Christians from all parts of the world will assemble here and
celebrate this festival. Likewise, Mohammedans also came to
Prasanthi Nilayam and prayed for My permission to celebrate their
festivals. People belonging to all faiths have been coming to
Prasanthi Nilayam to celebrate their festivals here. As I have
always been telling you, “All are one.”
Religions are many, but the goal is one.
Clothes are many but yarn is one.
Jewels are many but gold is one.
(Telugu poem)
Likewise, there are many beings, but the indwelling Atma in them is
the same. However, there are certain people who are creating
differences. As the name and fame of Swami is spreading, many people
have developed jealousy and they are making false propaganda.
Recently, a meeting was held in London in which Air Chief Marshal
(retd.) Suri repudiated all such false propaganda. There he told the
critics that they should go to Sathya Sai Baba, observe and
experience the truth personally and then only make any comments. He
further asked them not to listen to all sorts of gossip and start
talking about it. What do you gain by listening to others? Those who
spread rumours have themselves not seen or experienced anything. But
they started false propaganda and it spread to many countries; it
reached India also. Without ascertaining the facts, some Indian
newspapers also published these false articles, imitating the
foreign newspapers. In fact, these critics don’t have faith in what
they themselves speak. Then, why should they believe in what others
say? Their only intention is to defame Swami by foul means. But it
is not possible for anyone to defame Swami.
Not only now, but for all times to come, nobody can tarnish Swami’s
name. Everybody has to surrender to Swami’s love one day or the
other (loud applause). The Name of Sai is eternal and changeless.
One can speak whatever one likes. Boneless tongue can be twisted in
any way. Stones are hurled only on a fruit-laden tree. Like a
fruit-bearing tree, all noble people are subjected to many ordeals
and difficulties. But when one firmly adheres to truth, nothing can
shake one. Let any number of people fight against truth; they can
never win. Therefore, hold on to truth firmly, come what may. One
who stands by truth is bound to be victorious. Therefore, never give
up truth.
Who is God? Truth is God. Truth is unshakable. Sathyannasti paro
Dharma (There is no Dharma greater than adherence to truth). It is
Dharma that leads man to peace. Without peace man cannot live. Saint
Thyagaraja said, “One cannot have happiness without peace.” When you
attain peace, you will experience love and bliss. Truth is the
origin of bliss. Non-violence also emerges from truth. A man of love
will not entertain even a thought of violence. Sathya (truth),
Dharma (righteousness), Santhi (peace), Prema (love) and Ahimsa
(non-violence) are like the five life-breaths of man. These are the
prime qualities of a human being. The need of the hour is to develop
these human values. Only when these values are developed can there
be peace in the country. Wherever you see today, you find limitless
desires in people.
Take any area of human endeavour, man’s desires have no limit. There
is no limit even in reading of books. People keep reading books all
the time. This reading of all sorts of books is a mere waste of
time. What is the use of reading if it does not give you
self-satisfaction? Your bookish knowledge can help you only in
earning a living. Bharatiya culture emphasises the inculcation of
morality, ethics and spirituality. But our modern authors are
ignoring these three principles. That is why in spite of widespread
academic learning, there is no real progress.
Oh man! Do not feel proud of your education. If you do not offer
your salutations to God and do not think of Him with devotion, all
your education becomes useless.
(Telugu poem)
Therefore, man should develop love for God. If you have love for
God, you will have everything. Without love for God, everything will
come to nothing. Love for God is like the main switch. If the main
switch is put off, no other switch can function and there will be no
light. Once the main switch is on, you will get light by pressing
any switch.
Humanness is the main quality of a human being. Mother Easwaramma
was fully endowed with humanness. All her thoughts were always
focused on Swami. The Summer Course was going on at Brindavan.
Easwaramma had her breakfast and coffee. After that, she was chewing
betel. Suddenly she shouted, “Swami, Swami, Swami” three times. I
said, “I am coming, I am coming, I am coming.” I came down
immediately and she breathed her last. She had an easy death without
any suffering at all. Body has value so long as there is life in it.
Once the life goes out of it, it is just like a log of wood. The
body of Easwaramma was taken to Puttaparthi according to My
instructions and the final rites were performed. Many people said
that I should also go. But I did not go. I do not have any body
attachment. Body attachment is a big bondage. Once you surrender
your body to God, your wayward senses will also lose their power and
you will be free from bondage. There may be some ups and downs in
life, but once you have surrendered to God, nothing will disturb
you.
Embodiments of Love!
Study whatever you are expected to study. Earn a good name in
society. Your parents have high expectations from you. You should
satisfy their aspirations. Matru devo bhava, Pitru devo bhava,
Acharya devo bhava, Atithi devo bhava (revere your mother, father,
preceptor and guest as God). When you make your mother, father,
preceptor and guest happy, then God will give you more happiness.
All your learning is useless without love for God. You are all
young. You should study well and earn a good name in society. This
is what I expect from you. I do not want you to merely acquire high
academic qualifications. There are many highly educated people in
the world. But what good have they done for the world? You should
work hard and make others happy. You will have fulfilment in life
only when you make the society happy. Kalam is highly educated and
is devoted to the service of society. Render all possible service to
society. That alone will make Swami happy.
Yesterday, Ram Setty said that he did not want to go back to
America. He wants to spend the rest of his life here in the service
of Swami. His son is as worthy as his father. He is also a doctor.
He told his father that he did want to come in the way of his
father’s wish. This stadium is built by the munificence of Ram
Setty, his wife, son and daughter. He sold all his property and
donated the entire money for the construction of this stadium. He is
a man of great sacrifice. He has donated 40 crore rupees for the
construction of this stadium. How many will have the spirit of
sacrifice of such a high order? In this Age when people turn away
even a beggar without giving him anything, this family has made such
a great sacrifice. He has a son and a daughter. Even then he has
donated such a huge amount. Both his son and daughter are not
interested in worldly enjoyments. Their only objective is to obey
Swami.
Peace and happiness lie in spirituality and in nothing else. You may
study, get married, have children and lead a happy life. There is
nothing wrong in it. But never forget God. Without forgetting God,
you may follow any path. This is My blessing to you. Spread the
Divine Name of Sai in every nook and corner of the world. That will
lead to manifestation of divinity within everyone. The closer you
come to Swami, the divinity within you should become more
pronounced. Then your life will be sanctified.
The worldly pleasures are no pleasures in the real sense of the
term. Today you may enjoy pleasure, tomorrow you may experience
difficulties. You may be happy when a son is born, but you will be
grief-stricken when some mishap occurs to the son and he dies. One
day you smile, another day you cry. There is only a little gap
between happiness and sorrow. Everything in man’s life is transient
and temporary. Ma kuru dhana jana yauvana garvam, Harathi nimeshath
kalah sarvam (do not be proud of your wealth, progeny and youth; the
tide of time may destroy them in a moment).
Students!
May you live long and lead a happy life! Serve society. Consider
service to society as service to God. Service to society alone can
confer peace on you.
(Bhagawan concluded His Discourse with the Bhajan, “Hari Bhajan Bina
Sukha Santhi Nahin…”)
Source: sssbpt.org
***SBOI***
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