Life 46 (Aug 23 - Dec 24)

[winston]

How do we win the battle of life where duties and desires are mostly and frequently conflicting?

Man alone has the chance to liberate himself from the wheel of birth and death through the most pleasant means of serving the Divine.

As a result of ignorance or what’s worse, perversity, he lets the opportunity slip from his hands, and suffers grief, pain, fear and anxiety.

By escaping from the clutches of fascination exercised by material objects and physical pleasures, man can succeed in his efforts to liberate himself.

He travelled long enough on the wrong road; it’s time now to turn back and move steadily towards the goal.

The love that he cultivated for men and things must be sublimated into pure, divine worship. Then it gets transmuted as Love for the Divine.

Convince yourself that the Divine is in you, as charioteer, holding reins of the five horses (senses), giving you constant counsel. Then, it becomes easy for you to convince yourself that the self-same charioteer is leading and guiding all other men and beings too.

When established in this faith firmly, you become free of hate and malice, greed and envy, anger and attachment. Pray to the Divine to strengthen this conviction and this faith.

- Divine Discourse, Jul 31, 1967.

Find the Divine in your heart, see Him in everyone, and hold on to Him forever!

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What must we ponder upon and practice?

The first step for the expansion of love is the home, where you must revere and please parents who gave you this chance to live and learn.

If you ill-treat them or inflict grief on their minds, how can you ever gladden others by service and understanding?

Expansion is the keynote of education. You know that when a balloon is blown, it bursts and the air inside it merges with a vast limitless expanse outside.

Your love too must fill your home and your society, and finally, outgrow even those bonds and become worldwide.

A drop of water held in the palm evaporates soon; it’s too much alone. But, drop it into the sea; it survives as a part of the sea. It assumes the name and taste, majesty and might of the sea!

Cultivate Love; sow the seeds of love in all hearts. Shower Love on desert sands, let the green shoots, lovely flowers, luscious fruits, and the sweet harvest of nectar be earned by mankind.

- Divine Discourse, Jul 25, 1975.

You have to sow love and grow love and destroy the weeds of fear and hatred, that have spread over the world. Make the world a happy home of Love.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why should we constantly practice seeing the Divine in each and every one around us, even though it may be difficult?

You must cultivate love towards everyone, however distinct the character and capacity of each may be.

Though the same blood flows through the entire body, the eye cannot smell, the ear cannot taste and the nose cannot see.

Do not over-emphasise the distinctions and quarrel. Emphasise the basic brotherhood and practise love.

As sugar that has dissolved in the cup of water is invisible but patent to the tongue in every drop, so too the Divine is invisible but immanent; capable of being experienced, in every individual, whether he is at the bottom or at the top.

Do Namasmarana (repeated remembrance of the Divine); taste the sweetness that is in the heart of everyone and dwell on His glory and compassion which those names summarise. Then, it will be easier for you to visualise Him in all, love Him in all, and adore Him in all.

- Divine Discourse, Jul 31, 1967.

Serve man until you see the Divine in all men; then, what you do will be elevated as Worship.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How and with what attitude should we march on towards the supreme goal?

Pure love is like a well-paved, one-way road with no speed breakers. You can rush along it to the Divine at whatever speed you want.

Rivers also illustrate this principle. All rivers speed down from mountains. They flow fast and swift to somewhere. Where to? To the ocean.

In the process, they go over boulders and rocks, skillfully avoiding obstacles on the way. They never stop but keep moving all the time towards the goal.

Life must be a river rushing towards the ocean called "The Divine". The flow should never stop or falter. Overcoming all obstacles, you must keep rushing towards Him. That must be the characteristic of your spiritual journey.

Be strong-willed, resolute, determined and sincere. There should be no room whatsoever for weakness.

If your vision, hearing, thoughts, feelings and actions are good, you will experience nothing but bliss.

- Divine Discourse, May 21, 2000.

Every obstacle is a step that leads you to the Anandha (bliss) that can never be destroyed or taken away.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we constantly remind ourselves of the Divine's immanence in the world and in our lives?

Is it possible for this boundless creation to be brought into existence by man, if there had been no Divine Principle behind it?

For instance, fire is latent in the branches of a tree and in the tree itself. If the branches rub against each other, they may generate fire which could burn down the tree, branches, etc.

Which is the power that filled branches with latent fire and also ensured that they did not destroy themselves by releasing that fire? Is man responsible for this?

Take again the example of the process by which the food we intake is converted into blood. Is this the invention of any man? It is the immanent, all-pervasive power of the Divine that reveals Itself in numerous ways.

We see flowers of all kinds. Men can make plastic flowers of the same kind. But can anyone fill plastic flowers with the native fragrance from natural flowers? This is possible only by the Divine!

There is sweet water inside the tender coconut. Who poured water inside the coconut? Was it the work of any man? No. Only the Divine can do it!

Examples such as these should serve to confirm your faith in the Divine!

- Divine Discourse, May 20, 1984.

Eyes by themselves do not have the power to see, ears have no power of their own to hear and the tongue has no power to speak. It is the divine power that makes them function.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the attitude with which we must take on the challenges in life?

No matter what others say or do, have unflinching faith in the Divine. Only the good, face obstacles in their path. Whatever happens, is for your own good.

When a student fails in an examination, he does not give up effort. He works hard to attain success in the next examination.

Similarly, never give up in the face of adversities in life. Pleasure is an interval between two pains.

Happiness cannot be gained from happiness. Happiness results only when you overcome difficulties. Happiness has no value in the absence of difficulties, just as light has no value in the absence of darkness.

Difficulties are part and parcel of human existence. So, take them in your stride.

- Divine Discourse, Jan 14, 2000.

Call on the Divine with anguish and He will respond immediately!

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we secure the best insurance ever possible? What is the premium we should pay?

Every act must be regarded as an offering to the Divine. It may not be easy to develop such an attitude. But if the effort is made sincerely, it can be achieved.

It does not call for abandonment of hearth and home or giving up your wealth and position. Just devote half an hour in a day of twenty-four hours to service. Is this beyond your capacity?

If you can serve the Government or someone for eight hours a day for the money you earn from them, experiencing in the process many trials and difficulties, can't you devote some time to winning His grace, the benefit from which is immeasurable?

What you earn through the grace of the Divine will confer on you enduring benefits greater than the wealth you earn.

The grace of the Divine is like insurance. It will help you in your time of need without any limits. Material wealth confers bhoga (enjoyment) which leads to roga (illness).

Selfless service is the Yoga which secures Divine grace!

- Divine Discourse, May 20, 1984.

Filled with bad feelings and thoughts, if you pray to the pure and unsullied Lord, how do you expect to win His grace?

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is true devotion and how should we strive to practice it?

Devotion does not mean performing puja or undertaking rituals. Devotion stands for steady love for the Divine. It also means implicit obedience and subservience to the Will of the Divine.

Surrender implies that the individual will should become one with the Divine Will. Obey the Divine command implicitly without questioning. That is the sign of true devotion.

- Divine Discourse, Jan 14, 2000.

It is not a sign of true bhakti (devotion) to expect that life should be one unbroken chain of happiness and comfort.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How should we leverage the present to create a bright future?

The present is a product of the past and is also the seed for the future. If you make good use of the present, you can ensure a better future! If you misuse the present, the future will be worse.
Hence, one should engage oneself in worthwhile activities and achieve fulfilment in the services one render.

Every village today is exposed to many diseases. We need not blame anyone for this situation. We must be concerned only about the resources in men and materials at our disposal and use them with devotion for carrying out welfare services.

We must do this work with faith. People display devotion and earnestness in the presence of a holy man but act in a contrary fashion when they are away from Him! This is not a sign of true Devotion.

Devotion means wholehearted love. Such love can tame even wild animals. Only when your hearts are filled with such love can you claim to be a devotee! You must show that love to anyone whom you see or talk to and in every one of your actions!

- Divine Discourse, May 20, 1984.

You have to love the Divine. But don't remain a lover, become love itself. A lover loves a few, if you become love, you can love the entire Universe.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the best investment we can make to secure happiness in this life?

A man makes every effort to accumulate wealth. An equal effort is needed to acquire the wealth of love.

Men today invest their assets of love in pitiful ventures. Instead, they should invest all their love in the Divine bank of devotion. This deposit is not only safe but will yield you increasing returns in terms of bliss.

Your heart is the bank where your love for the Divine should be deposited. Deposits elsewhere are insecure.

Deposits of money may be in danger of being lost. But the deposit in your heart is immune from any kind of theft or loss.

Make your deposit safe by "insuring" it within your heart. It is totally safe, though it has no bolts, doors or locks.

This love has been characterised as the form of eternal nectar. Nectar pleases only the palate. But Divine love confers eternal bliss which is sweeter than nectar.

Everyone should resolve to acquire this nectarous Love.

- Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1996.

Just as without sugar, no sweet will have sweetness, without love, nothing in life can have any value.

Source: radiosai.org