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1st February 2006
Sarvam Brahmamayam Jagath (The entire cosmos is permeated by Brahman or
God). While the Divine is thus all-pervasive, the ability to recognise
this truth is not present in all. The fact is well known that fire is
latent in wood. But on that basis, if one attempts to cook rice in a
vessel, placing it on a lorry load of unlit wood, can the rice be cooked?
Fire has two states - the inner and the outer. The fire that is invisible
and latent is inner fire. This fire, though it is present, cannot burn
anything. The external fire manifests its true form and can burn anything
and reduce it to ashes. Likewise, the power to experience the omnipresent
Divine and envision it internally is possessed by each one, while only
some have the capacity to demonstrate it externally.-BABA
2nd February 2006
The Lord creates hostile forces to demonstrate the power of faith in the
Divine and to confer peace and plenty on the believers. Just as a mother
provides toys and sweets to a child for its pleasure, though they are of
no use to her, God creates certain situations for the sake of the devotee,
to bring out the depth of his devotion. Even in small matters, we find
that their true nature is discovered only by experiencing the elements
opposed to them. For instance, if one wants to develop physical strength,
he has to subject the body to strenuous exercises. Even a diamond requires
to be cut and polished to enhance its brilliance and value. - BABA
3rd February 2006
All the myriad differences that one sees in the world are only varying
manifestations of the one basic entity - Brahman (Godhead). A man who
seeks to enjoy the fruit of a tree cannot be content with nourishing only
the flowers. He has also to nourish the roots, the trunk, the branches,
the leaves and the flowers. Likewise, the man who seeks the highest Jnana
(wisdom) has to nourish the body, the senses and the feelings
appropriately. God is the eternal Reality, without birth, growth or death,
without a beginning or an end, and who is immutable. It is only bodies
that are subject to change. The immutable Divine has to be experienced by
making use of the body that is mutable. - BABA
4th February 2006
It is only by the cultivation of detachment, by denying the senses the
thrills they thirst for, and by diving into the depths of one's being with
the firm belief that there is an immense inner realm that rewards
exploration, that one can capture the bliss of the supreme tranquility.
This is the highest morality, for, when this is done, man is saturated
with love and has no trace of malice, hate, greed or lust left in him.
Man's vision is purified by the ideal of the unity of all in One and the
proliferation of One as all. - BABA
5th February 2006
Pleasure and sorrow are not inherent in the nature of man. They are
products of the mind. Bliss is the true nature of man. But it can be
realised only when the love of God is experienced. The sense of 'my-ness'
has to be totally eradicated. The man who is filled with love has great
peace of mind, purity of heart and is unruffled by any adverse
circumstances, failures or losses. This fortitude is derived from love of
the Lord, which endows him with self-confidence. Self-confidence generates
an immense internal power. Everyone has to develop this power. Everyone
has to develop this self-confidence so that the Atma-Ananda (bliss of the
Self) may be experienced. - BABA
6th February 2006
Love is Supreme. Develop love in your hearts. Let love flow through every
part of your being. Make love the reigning principle of your life. Develop
love through love. This was the prayer that went forth from the hearts of
Gopikas: "Oh Krishna, play on your flute so that our parched hearts may be
flooded with your nectarine love and we may be filled with love in all
that we think and do. Plant the seeds of love in our arid hearts so that
the saplings of love may sprout and grow." To experience this joy, you
have to develop firm faith in God and shed all fear. Cultivate Divine Love
and experience this joy. Sanctify your lives by dedicating it to the
Divine. - BABA
7th February 2006
One may have listened to a number of spiritual discourses, but one should
not be content with mere listening only to forget them later. One must
enquire as to how much one has been transformed by attending these
discourses. One must try to put into practice at least one or two of the
teachings, get rid of worldly attachments gradually and progress on the
path towards the Divine. In due course, divinity will surely blossom in
the heart. If, on the contrary, one goes on multiplying one's worldly
concerns and desires, one will go down to the animal level. One must be
content with what one has and put it to good use with faith in the Lord. -
BABA
8th February 2006
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna calls upon Arjuna to regard himself as
an instrument of the Divine. Every human being is indeed an instrument of
God. As such, he should carry out his duties, leaving the results to God.
Men have to do their duties; success or failure is determined by the
Divine. Do not esteem yourself as the doer. Develop the conviction that
the Indwelling Spirit in you is directing you and enabling you to act. -
BABA
9th February 2006
The Divine is present in man like the unseen thread which holds a garland
together. The entire cosmos is permeated by the Divine and is the visible
manifestation of the Divine. Consider yourselves the children of one
mother and belonging to the family of humanity. Do not give room for
differences of race, creed and nationality. Believe firmly that all belong
to the caste of humanity, follow the religion of love and speak the
language of the heart. Water is called by different names in different
languages. Likewise God is one, whatever name you call Him by, be it
Allah, Jesus, Buddha or Rama - have that faith. Develop this universal
outlook and don't criticize any religion. - BABA
10th February 2006
Man's foremost duty is to make right use of the time through the bodily
vesture given to him. Man is bound by actions in this phenomenal world.
While the Divine is all-pervasive, man fails to recognise it. He is unable
to see the light that is within him. The Reality which you seek everywhere
in the outside world is within you. Man today looks only at the outside
world; this is an animal quality. To look inward is the mark of the true
human being. Obsessed with the external and ignoring his inner vision, man
has forfeited his power of discrimination. - BABA
11th February 2006
Today humanity is being racked by innumerable troubles and worries. No
administration or authority can solve these problems. God alone can save
mankind. Men have to develop faith in the Self and thereby acquire the
grace of the Divine. Humanity, as a whole, is in need of God's grace. To
receive this, every man has to fill his heart with love and render service
to his fellowmen, and thereby redeem his life. - BABA
12th February 2006
Of all beings in this world, man alone has the highest capacity to
determine what is right and what is wrong. In spite of this, he indulges
in wrong deeds. Consequently, he becomes a victim of fear and anxiety.
Therefore, the discriminating power has to be used in the right way. One
should follow the dictates of one's conscience and act according to the
promptings of the Atma (the Indwelling Spirit). One is filled with fear
when one does something against the injunctions of one's conscience. To
get rid of this fear, one has to perform all actions in a spirit of
dedication to the Divine. - BABA
13th February 2006
What we must seek to experience today is Ekatwam (unity in diversity). All
beings are manifestations of the Divine. Only when oneness is experienced
in all the forms can Divinity be understood. Adwaita (Oneness) is
expressed in three forms: Bhaava-Adwaita (oneness in mental attitude),
Kriya-Adwaita (oneness expressed in action) and Padaartha-Adwaita (oneness
as seen in all objects). In Bhaava-Adwaita, one perceives that Divinity is
the underlying reality of the entire cosmos. In Kriya-Adwaita, every
action is regarded as an offering to the Divine and is thereby divinized.
Padaartha-Adwaita implies recognizing that every being or every object in
the universe is composed of the same five elements (ether, air, fire,
water and earth) which are divine in their origin. - BABA
14th February 2006
Love should be free from feelings of expectation of any return or reward.
Love which arises out of a desire for something in return is not true
love. One should cultivate utterly selfless and unconditional love, this
is the bounden duty of every man. You should not pray to God seeking any
favours. The reason for this is that no one knows what immensely precious,
divine and magnificent treasures lie in the treasure-house of Divine Grace
waiting to be conferred on man. Hence, man should not seek from God, nor
desire, nor pray for some petty trifles. More precious and desirable than
anything else is God's love. If you wish to ask for anything from God,
pray to Him thus - "Oh Lord! Let me have you and you alone." Once you have
secured the Lord, you can get anything you wish for. - BABA
15th February 2006
The mind, it has been said, is the cause of both bondage and liberation.
The mind is like a lock and the heart is the key. When the key is turned
towards God, there is detachment. When it is turned towards the world,
there is attachment. Therefore, the mind has to be directed towards what
is holy and pure. Then you will lead a free, joyous and blissful life.
Indeed, he will be the very embodiment of bliss. Divinity is not confined
to any specific place or form. Each one should realise that this
all-pervading, all-powerful Divinity is within oneself. - BABA
16th February 2006
The root cause of all difficulties experienced by man is forgetfulness of
his spiritual reality and identification with his body. The body is only
the vesture of the Indwelling Spirit. By immersing himself in
body-consciousness, man develops egoism and possessiveness, which in turn
give rise to many other vices. He forgets his inherent divinity and fails
to use the senses and organs he is endowed with. Your senses are God-given
gifts. They should be used only for sacred purposes and should not be
misused. Entertain only sacred thoughts and engage yourselves only in
sacred deeds. Thereby, you will be sanctifying your lives. There is only
one royal road to realizing God. It is the path of Divine love. You have
come from the Divine and your destiny is to merge in the Divine. - BABA
17th February 2006
During summer, the land gets heated up and is rendered uncultivable. As
soon as there is rainfall, saplings sprout and the land looks green. From
where did the sprouts come? From the seeds sowed in the earth. If there
had been no seeds at all, the sprouting would never have occurred.
Likewise, Karma (past deeds) is the seed for human birth. Your present
life is a reaction, resound and reflection of your past actions.
Therefore, you are advised, "Be good, see good and do good." When you
perform any action, you seldom think about the long-term consequences. You
are preoccupied with the concerns of the moment. But when you are finally
confronted with the results, you become frightened. Whether the results
are pleasant or unpleasant, they are inescapable. If sugar is dissolved in
water, even if you think it is poison, it will only do you good. But if
poison is added to water and you drink it, thinking that it is sugarcane
juice, it will be fatal. The results are based on your actions and not on
your fancies. - BABA
18th February 2006
Thyaga (the spirit of sacrifice) is essential for rendering dedicated
service. Getting rid of bad qualities is true sacrifice; it is also yoga
(spiritual communion). Realize that whoever you may be serving, you are
indeed serving the Divine in various human forms. Those who serve have to
cherish this sublime and sacred feeling. They must strive to see God in
everyone. You must realize that your service activities are done for the
sake of your own spiritual purification and uplift. All actions should be
done with a view to purify the mind and remove all the dross from it. It
is wrong to think that through actions alone you can attain liberation or
redeem your lives. Actions have to be done solely for the purification of
the Chitta (consciousness). Without purity of consciousness, life cannot
be spiritualized. Human birth is the result of Karma (action). Right
action leads to Dharma (Righteousness). Through Dharma, the Divine has to
be realized.- BABA
19th February 2006
Love should come from within, not enforced from the outside. Love must be
spontaneous. The attitude of petitioning God for favours should be given
up. Love of God should not be based on seeking favours in exchange for
prayers and offerings to God. Love is the most important element. Through
love alone can you unify the world. It is the absence of love that is the
cause of hatred. It is this hatred that undermines human nature. - BABA
20th February 2006
It is conduct that is most important for every person. Conduct is
determined by the state of the mind. Instead of giving way to the
promptings of the senses, every action should be done as a sacred offering
to the Divine. One should be indifferent to censure or praise. Such
equanimity can come only from unwavering faith in God. Lacking this faith
and filled with the conceit that he is the doer of everything, man gets
immersed in sorrow and trouble. The one who boasts about his achievements
should equally recognise that he is the author of his misfortunes. He
cannot claim to be the doer and at the same time deny responsibility for
the consequences of his actions. Hence, in all your actions whether good
or bad, do your duty, leaving the results to God. - BABA
21st February 2006
From ancient times, various terms have been used to describe the Divine,
but no one has been able to demonstrate the true nature of the Divine. The
Divine is present in all things, and all forms are His. How can such an
omnipresent Divine be described or demonstrated? Can anyone declare that
something is Brahman (God) and something else is not Brahman? What is the
form of the Divine? If you wish to see the Divine, the form you envisage
will be only a caricature. Consider your own form as the manifestation of
the Divine. Esteem yourself as divine. Respect others. Love yourself and
love others. This is true worship. - BABA
22nd February 2006
There is only one important thing that you have to take note of - give up
the delusion that the Divine is in some remote place. Have the faith: "I
am God." When you have the faith that you are Divine, you will never go
astray. You will pursue the right path. Believe that God is in every human
being. Have the firm faith that Divinity is present in every human form.
Perform right actions befitting the human form. Eschew selfishness, and
the attachments and hatred arising from it. The way to get rid of
selfishness is adoration of God. - BABA
23rd February 2006
Service should not be done in a spirit of condescension or to achieve some
selfish objective. Not recognising the sacredness and purifying power of
service, people hesitate to embark on social service. It should not be
imagined that one is promoting the well-being of the nation by one's
service activities. One should realise that ultimately one is only
bettering oneself by rendering service. Service should proceed from an
awareness of what one owes to society. Gratitude demands that one should
serve society which is the source of all benefits enjoyed by man. Men
without gratitude are worse than wild animals. What is required for
service is not money and materials; a loving heart is the first requisite.
All service done without a heart filled with love is useless. - BABA
24th February 2006
Devotion cannot be confined to observances like worship, pilgrimage or
going to temples. These are merely actions indicative of devotion. There
is a power which provides a basic impulse for these actions. That is the
love of God. Bhakthi (devotion) means Paripurna Prema (all-encompassing
love). This love is motiveless. Love based on an ulterior motive cannot be
real love. As a river seeks to join the ocean by a natural impulse, as a
creeper winds itself naturally around a tree to climb upwards, the
devotee's love is a spontaneous _expression of the yearning to realize
God, free from worldly desires of any kind. It proclaims that it needs no
one except God. It is oblivious to all other things. It regards the Divine
as the One that pervades everything. You must realise that the Divine is
present in everything. Only when you can recognise the omnipresence of the
Divine will you be able to experience the Divine. - BABA
25th February 2006
Develop faith in God. All names are His - be it Rama, Krishna, Christ,
Allah or any other name. Every man is the embodiment of the Divine. True
human relations can grow only when this truth is recognised. The first
stage of realization is when you recognise "I am in the Light." Next, you
realize, "The Light is in me," and finally you realize, "I am the Light."
"I" represents love, and light represents Jnana (Supreme Wisdom). When
love and light become one, there is Realization. - BABA
26th February 2006 Maha Shivarathri
The moon is the presiding deity of the mind. The mind is the source of all
entangling desires and emotions. Today is the fourteenth day of the dark
half of the month, when the moon is all but invisible; just a minute
fraction remains visible. The mind is, therefore, almost powerless this
day; if only this night is spent in vigil and in the presence of the
Divine, it can be fully conquered, and man can realize his true self. One
must maintain vigil on this sacred night by means of Bhajans, or the
reading or listening of sacred texts. Make this the practice for your
entire life too. - BABA
27th February 2006
You are all Sat-Chit-Ananda Swarupa (embodiments of
Existence-Consciousness-Bliss); only, you are unaware of it and imagine
yourself to be an individual subject to limitations. This is the myth that
must be exploded in order that divine life may begin. It is the Divine
that inspires, that activates and is the fulfillment of the life of every
being. From the tiny atom to the vast Universe, every single entity is
moving towards that consummation where it merges in the sea of Bliss. -
BABA
28th February 2006
Broaden your vision. Cultivate the spirit of love. Being endowed with the
human form, you must strive to develop human values and not stray away
from the path of righteousness. Fill your minds with sublime thoughts, and
your hearts with divine feelings. Consider everyone as your brother and
sister. Only then will you realize your unity with all creation. Redeem
your lives by revering your parents, honouring your teachers and
developing loving faith in God. Be aware of the divinity that is inherent
in every being. Thereby, you will grow in self-esteem. Fill your life with
joy. Be happy and make others happy. This will please God. - BABA