Life 46 (Aug 23 - May 24)

[winston]

What are the flowers that the Divine eagerly looks for, from each and every one of His devotees?

Flowers fade and rot soon. What the Divine loves more, are the flowers blossoming on the tree of man's own life, fed and fostered by his own skill and sincerity.

They are the flowers of his virtues grown in the garden of his heart. Of these, Ahimsa, the virtue of nonviolence, is the very first. This involves much more than abstention from injuring living beings. One should desist from causing pain to any living being, not only by deeds but even by words and thoughts. One should not entertain any idea of hurting another or humiliating another!

The second flower is indriya nigraham (mastery of the senses). One should not run after sensual pleasure and sensory joy.

The third flower is Sarva bhoota daya (compassion towards all beings and all things), for, "All this is the Divine”.

The fourth flower is kshama - tolerance, fortitude. Kshama is identified by the scriptures with truth, righteousness, knowledge, sacrifice and joy. Without kshama man cannot be happy even for a kshana (moment). It promotes divine qualities. It reveals inner Divinity. One has to perform sadhana to earn it and establish oneself in it.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 06, 1981.

Offer the fragrant flowers of your mind and heart to the Divine with total faith at a young age, when your body is strong and sense organs are powerful.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How ‘Shanti’ (Inner peace), the fifth of eight flowers, can be cultivated.

The fifth flower is shanti (inner peace).

Shanti does not mean that one should not react at all, whatever others may say or however they abuse!

It does not mean that one must be silent as a rock.

It involves mastery of all senses and all passions! Inner peace must become one's nature.

Shanti has detachment as the basic quality! The sea, which likes to gather and possess, lies low; the cloud that likes to renounce and give up is high in the sky.

Shanti endows man with an unruffled mind and steady vision. The prayer for Shanti is usually repeated thrice. "Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi," since Peace is prayed for, in the physical, mental and spiritual planes.

Man should not bring his blood to boil nor should he yield to fear.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 06, 1981.

Believe in the truth that the Divine is always residing in your heart. When you have faith in this truth, peace will definitely dawn.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Are we ready for the Divine’s call? What is He searching for?

In the Bible, it is said that “the devotee seeks the Divine”. Ponder over this!

Are the devotees searching for Him or is He searching for His devotees? The Divine is everywhere, at all times! He need not be sought anywhere, at any time. But He has to seek those who are His true devotees!

What kind of devotee does the Divine seek? He looks for a sincere, genuine, selfless, steady devotee. Besides, He seeks an ideal son or daughter who can be held before mankind as an example and an inspiration. Such individuals have become extremely rare nowadays.

They style themselves devotees but they weep and wail, when they ought to be really exulting! They exult when they have every reason to weep and wail!

So, the Divine says, “I am searching, I am searching, still searching. I searched in the past, I search and search now, for the man knowing and observing his Dharma (Righteousness) true”!

- Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 1982.

The basic quality of devotion is the yearning for realising oneness with the Divine!

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Three more flowers that must be offered to Him

The sixth flower is tapas (austerity).

Tapas does not mean forsaking wife and children and escaping into the loneliness of the forest.

Real austerity is the exact coordination between one's thought, word and deed.

The evil man can never achieve this; he behaves falsely to his own self.

When man succeeds in this tapas, the words he utters will have such power that what he says will be transformed into mantras. Then, we have the seventh flower, dhyana (meditation).

Today, there are in vogue as many systems and methods of dhyana as there are hairs on the head.

Everyone describes it according to one’s own whim and fancy. Sitting quiet and transferring their emotions and feelings to the Divine is no dhyana.

They must transmute their emotions, desires, and feelings, with the help of Him into divine qualities.

They should not bring Him down to their level; they must raise themselves to the level of the Divine.

The eighth flower is satyam (truth), that which is unmodified by the passage of time. The Divine alone persists unchanged from the past, through the present into the future.

When this flower blossoms in your heart it will reward you with eternal fragrance.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 06, 1981.

You would not offer a faded flower to the Divine. Likewise, the heart, which may be compared to a flower, should be fresh and devoid of impurities, before it is offered to the Divine.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we ensure that the lessons of the Scriptures learnt are internalised?

Now, people read and study all kinds of unintelligible texts and struggle with commentaries and notes and translations to grasp their sense.

It is being poured down their throats but the portion does not get down to soften the heart. It is not translated into practice.

The truths of the Scriptures are put on for public exhibition, as in a drama, where appropriate dresses are worn on the stage but taken off when the actor moves off the stage.

They do not adhere to them all the time to derive the Bliss of the Soul (Atmananda), which they can give.

It is chiefly a matter of careful, well-timed, regulated discipline; it cannot be got by spurts and skips; it has to be climbed step by step, each step being used as a foothold for the next.

Virtues must be cultivated in the home; each member sharing in the joy with the rest, each one seeking opportunities to help others. This attitude must be stuck to, so it stays as character!

How can a vessel with mouth facing down be filled with water? It must be open to receive good impulses. Learn each lesson by systematic study. Application and effort alone will give success.

- Divine Discourse, Sep 21, 1960.

Always remember the inseparable relationship between unity, purity and divinity and strive to achieve that.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How should our march towards the goal be?

Three types of devotion:

(1) The bird method where, like a bird swooping down the ripe fruit on the tree, the devotee is too impatient and by that very impatience, loses the fruit, which falls off from his hold!

(2) The monkey method where, like a monkey that pulls towards it one fruit after another and by sheer unsteadiness is unable to decide which fruit it wants, devotee hesitates and changes his aim too often and loses all chances of success.

(3) The ant method, where like the ant that slowly and steadily proceeds toward sweetness, the devotee moves direct, with undivided attention, towards the Divine and wins His Grace!

Devotion and faith are the two oars that take you in the boat across the sea of worldly life. A child told its mother when it went to bed at night, “Mother! Wake me up when I’m hungry.” The mother answered, “There is no need, your hunger will itself wake you!” So too, when hunger for
the Divine comes, it will itself activate you and make you seek the food you need!

- Divine Discourse, Shivaratri 1955.

Unless man marches on in the spiritual path, he cannot be at peace with himself and his fellowmen.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we practice true sacrifice and service?

“Money comes and goes but morality comes and grows.”

Nothing is great in earning money. What happened to all the great kings of yore, who ruled over vast kingdoms? Could they take even a pie with them when they left this world? No!

So, utilise the money earned for the welfare of humanity. Do not be proud of your wealth.

Greatness lies in sacrifice alone. It is only sacrifice that confers immortality.

Serve in your respective villages. Service does not mean sweeping the roads, cleaning the temple and feeding the poor.

Discharging one’s duty sincerely is true service. Work in accordance with the salary you draw. That is service to the nation.

Ensure that the government is not put to loss under any circumstances. We are compelling the government to borrow because we are not contributing our share in sufficient measure.

Develop love, take care of your health and serve the society. Then the Divine will confer on you the necessary strength and happiness.

- Divine Discourse, Nov 20, 1998.

Performing your daily work sincerely, filling your hearts with love and feeling the presence of divinity, amounts to true surrender.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

[b]What role do sports and arts play in one’s personality development? [/b

Remember that wealth lost can be regained, health lost can be recovered but time lost is lost forever. Hence, do not waste time.

Time is Divine. Sanctify the time given to you by worthy deeds, experience bliss and share it with others.

Sports and Arts are intended to give pleasure. But the commercialisation of sports and music, has lowered their value, together with the decline in human values.

There should be no room for hatred or jealousy in games and sports. Students should engage themselves in sports for health and enjoyment.

The participation of students coming from different regions and different backgrounds in games should be conducive to the promotion of unity. Even games should be regarded as sacred. Thereby, the participants become holy.

- Divine Discourse, Jan 14, 1993.

To develop powers of concentration, sports and games, are very essential. They serve to promote physical fitness and mental health.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the one panacea for getting rid of all ills in life?

What people have to learn today, is to give up attachments to the things of the world and seek the love of the Divine.

When one cultivates the love of the Divine, renouncing worldly things becomes as simple as leaving hold of a handkerchief.

Clinging to property is difficult. Giving it up is easy when people have understood the meaning of His love.

Let people, wherever they may be, in villages or towns, cultivate faith in Him, develop love and share it with one and all. Then, they will experience ineffable bliss.

Liberation will not come through meditation or penance. Love is the only means.

When you render service with love, it will become meditation, penance and all else.

Love is the fifth Purushartha, the supreme goal of life. Love is also the panacea for all the ills that affect society today.

- Divine Discourse, Jan 14, 1995.

Dedicate your minds to the Divine. In due course, you will merge in the Divine and become one with Him.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the nature of true love and why should we direct our love towards the Divine?

The Divine, who is the embodiment of love, can be attained only through love, just as the effulgent Sun can be seen only through its own light!

There is nothing more precious in this world than Divine love. He is beyond all attributes. Hence, His love also is beyond attributes.

But, human love, because it is governed by gunas (attributes), results in attachment and aversion.

Love should not be based on expectations of a reward or return. Love based on such expectations makes it a business deal.

Love is not an article of commerce. It is not like a loan and getting it back. It is a spontaneous offering.

Pure love of this kind can emanate only from a pure heart. Prema should be like a mariner's compass. Wherever the compass may be placed, the needle will point only to the north.

Likewise, man's love, in all circumstances, should be directed towards the Divine. That alone is true love.

It should be unaffected by pleasure or pain. It makes no difference between ‘mine’ and ‘thine’. Love has to be acquired only through love and not by any other means whatsoever.

- Divine Discourse, Jan 14, 1995.

Love has no birth and no death. It is everpresent. It shines in the heart when all worldly feelings are driven away from it.

Source: radiosai.org