Life 49 (Nov 25 - Dec 27)

[winston]

When we all look different from each other, how can we claim that we are one?

A mother has four sons.

The first son asks her for red colour juice, the second for green colour juice, the third for black colour juice and the fourth for white colour juice.

If the juice’s colour is changed, the juice will be spoiled.

What does an intelligent mother do? She pours the same juice into red, green, black and white colour glasses, to satisfy her sons.

Our bodies are like those glasses. We should not go by differences in bodies. We should realise the oneness of the spirit within.

The cups and colours may be different, but the juice (Atma) is the same in all.

The body is bound to perish one day or the other. You will have to face misery if you are attached to the body.

To attain immortality and experience bliss, you must transcend the form.

So long as you have a body, you should take care of it. But you should not be unduly attached to it or worried about it.

Ignorance is the root cause of worry. Whatever has to happen, will happen in time. So, have the faith that the contained is the same, even when the cups keep changing. The contained is the Atmic Principle.

- Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 2001

Though ears, nose, mouth, hands and feet, are different from each other, they constitute the same body. Similarly, the Divine is the embodiment of all names and forms.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we win the presence of the Divine?

Today, in certain temples, a special door called the Vaikuntha-dwara is opened, and people can pass through it into the presence.

Vaikuntha-dwara is the Gate to Heaven, that is to say, the gateway to self-realisation.

The gateway to that heaven is not to be found only there; it will open right in front of you, wherever you are.

Knock and it will open. He is everywhere. So, His residence, Vaikuntha (heaven), must be everywhere.

You can gain entry by knocking with the correct password on your lips. Your heart can become Vaikuntha if you cleanse it and purify it, and allow Him to manifest in it.

Vaikuntha means - “the place where there is no shadow of grief.”

When He manifests in your heart, all is full and free.

The cow transforms grass and gruel into sweet, strength-giving milk and gives it away in plenty to its master.

Develop that quality, that power to transform the food you consume into sweet thoughts, words and deeds of sympathy for all.

- Divine Discourse, Jan 11, 1968

When you have filled your heart with sympathy for the distressed, the Divine will shower His Grace.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How should we understand and properly utilise time in this ever-changing world?

In this changing world, He is the changeless entity. He is all-pervasive and can be experienced anywhere.

Without Time, there is no world. Without the world, there is no creation; without creation, there is nothing.

Every created thing is born of Time. New Year Day proclaims the truth that He is the Master of Time.

Unfortunately, man fails to understand the power of the Divine. He wastes three-quarters of his time in unworthy earthly pursuits.

Spiritual pursuit is the right way of making use of time. It calls for nurturing good feelings and doing good deeds without selfish motive, extending love and compassion towards all beings.

This is real Sadhana. Sa means Atma, and Dhana means wealth.

By utilising your time in spiritual pursuits, you can enjoy spiritual wealth. But, man wastes all his time in unholy thoughts and evil deeds without understanding the divinity within him.

One should understand the value of time, each moment of which vanishes faster than lightning.

- Divine Discourse, Apr 14, 1994

A time comes when you look back on your achievement and sigh at the futility of it all. Entrust to the DIvine before it is too late, your mind and let Him shape it as He likes.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How does love transform us from being a human just in form, to a true human?

When you say, ‘I am man’, it is in reality a half-truth. The other half of the truth is that you are ‘not animal’. Truth is complete when you conjoin these two statements.

Man must prove himself as different from other animals by avoiding violence, ignorance and inertness.

Look at this. This is a rose. A real rose. Therefore, no one needs to specially invite a bee to reach this rose. It comes on its own. But, does the bee approach a plastic rose?

Similarly, only when there are human thoughts in the heart, one can be recognised as man. Otherwise, he is only a human-figure or an artificial man or robot.

We are after ‘art’ while forgetting the ‘heart’. In fact, art must come from the heart. Therefore, it is said, love is Divine.

The form of the Divine is love. He is the abode of love.

When a man keeps this Divine of love in his heart, can he resort to violence? Such a heart develops fear of sin.

Love of Him and fear of sin are like twins. Along with them, it is necessary to develop social ethos or morality.

This morality is the sheet anchor of our nation.

- Divine Discourse, Dec 30, 1987

Peaceful living is the cardinal Dharma that glows as morality in society.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What does surrendering all our efforts and actions to the Divine means?

What is meant by offering everything to Him? It does not mean sitting idle without doing any work.

Do your work, perform your duty but offer everything to Him with the feeling - all actions are only to please Him.

When you perform actions without any expectation of the fruits of the actions and offer them to the Divine, He will give you what is good for you.

You write a letter, put it in a cover and post it. Your duty ends there.

The letter will reach its destination, whether it is America, Germany or Japan. Once you post the letter, you don’t need to worry whether the letter will reach its destination or not.

It is for the postal department to ensure that the letter reaches its destination. It may first go to Mumbai and from there to New York. Whatever may be the mode of despatch, the letter will reach its destination.

Similarly, you should discharge all your worldly responsibilities and offer them to Him. It is for Him to decide what type of happiness He should give you.

- Divine Discourse, Aug 16, 1996

Man without Viswasa (faith) is like a body without Swasa (life-breath). And that faith should be saturated with love.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we win the grace of the Divine and achieve the ultimate union?

It is only by fostering love that you can win the grace of the Divine.

The Prema-rasam (sweet juice of love) will be drained away if you have holes in your heart (spiritual heart) in the form of bad feelings and evil thoughts.

If you plug these holes by curbing the evil qualities, the juice of love will be retained to some extent.

You should avoid following the body or the mind and follow only the Conscience.

The purpose of life is to help others and not to indulge in sensual pleasures.

From dawn to dusk, you are engaged in acts for the sake of maintaining your bodily comforts. What have you achieved by this? Only mental unrest and physical weariness or illness.

Your aim must be to achieve Divinity. Service to Him brings lasting happiness.

Service involves tyaga (sacrifice). You should sacrifice that which you consider very dear to you.

Sacrifice brings about real communion with the Divine while carnal pleasure results only in disease.

Control of the mind alone will lead to union with the Divine.

- Divine Discourse, Apr 14, 1994

All human relationships are based on the body, while the relationship with Him is from heart to heart. It alone is permanent and unchanging.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why should we place complete faith in the Divine alone, even while loving and serving all?

The love that people exhibit for each other is only body attachment.

Selfishness and self-interest is the basis of this love. It is only Him who is totally selfless.

There is nothing wrong in maintaining a relationship with others, but love Him wholeheartedly.

Whatever work you do, consider it as His work. Whomever you see, respect him as the embodiment of the Divine.

As propounded in the Scriptures, He is present in all: Therefore, do not ridicule or hate anybody.

At the same time, do not repose too much faith in others. Instead of having faith in others, put all your faith in Him.

This hankerchief is a cloth made of so many threads. As many threads have come together, this cloth has become strong. If you separate the threads of the cloth, you can break them with your fingers.

Therefore, focus all your love on Him. Love all, serve all, considering everyone as divine. But do not believe everyone. Have faith only in Him.

- Divine Discourse, Aug 16, 1996

By means of love, one can approach Him and stay in His Presence, for He is love, and when one lives in love, he is living in Him.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How do pure thoughts affect the functioning of the senses and limbs of the human body?

All actions of man originate in the mind. The mind functions through thoughts.

When the thoughts are pure, the mind is also pure. With a purified mind, man’s conduct becomes pure.

It is easy for a man to stand but it is difficult for him to run. But, in the case of the mind, staying still is difficult but running is easy.

This is the difference between man and his mind. The mind runs about swiftly. This is based on the power of the thoughts.

When a stone is cast in a well, a series of ripples starts from the point where the stone fell. From there, the ripples go to the edge of the well and cover the entire well.

In the same manner, when the stone of thought, is cast on the lake of the mind, the ripples started by it, fill all the senses and limbs in the body.

When the thought is a pure and sacred one, the ripples emanating from the mind fill all the senses and limbs in the body; from head to toe, with pure reactions.

This pure thought, entering the eye, purifies the vision. The same thought entering the ear, makes it listen to sacred sounds. Entering the mouth, it brings about purity in speech.

Permeating the hands, it induces them to engage themselves in sacred acts.
The sacred ripples from the mind entering the feet induce them to go on pilgrimages.

- Divine Discourse, Jun 26, 1994

As you sow, so shall you reap. This is an inescapable fact. If your thoughts are of one kind, how can you expect the results to be different?

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

As a devotee, what is the quality we must possess to earn His grace?

You must take any failure as a stepping stone for greater success.

To get this attitude, first you are required to develop the qualities of perseverance and courage. You should not meekly submit to failure.

A weak-minded person can achieve nothing in life. This Self cannot be won by any who is weak, says the Scriptures. Courage and enterprise are the cardinal qualities of all successful people.

“Having taken a resolve, cling to it until you achieve it! Having desired something, do not return until it is fulfilled!

Having asked for something, do not leave until it is given! Having prayed for something, do not return until granted!

Either He should oblige, or you should faint! But to return empty-handed is not the trait of a devotee! ”

That is how your demeanour should be. You must be capable of turning His attention towards you.

Your resolve and the requisite perseverance should be so strong that you emerge victorious.

- Divine Discourse, Jan 21, 1988

Always aim for the highest goal in whatever field you may choose, so that you will not score below the mark even if you slip a little.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why must we keep away from bad company and have the company of the good?

Good thoughts appear small at the beginning, like one’s shadow at noon. But as the day advances, the shadow lengthens.

Likewise, the influence of good thoughts also grows as time passes. In due course, it acquires a magnificent form.

It attains a highly sacred place. It confers divine bliss and redeems one’s entire life. Thus, satsangam (good company) is supremely important.

Good company, by promoting good thoughts, leads to the highest achievements in life.

Bad company, on the contrary, is like the shadow caused by the morning sun. At dawn, the shadow produced by the sun is long. As the morning progresses, the shadow gets shorter and shorter. Ultimately, it gets limited to one’s feet.

This is how the effects of the bad company operate. In the beginning, the gains seem to be large. But as time goes on, the gains vanish. Human values get destroyed.

The power of thoughts is immense. Bad thoughts should not be allowed to enter the mind.

Bad company should be avoided as much as possible. The company of the sick will make you sick. The company of Yogis will make you a Yogi.

Through yoga, you realise the Divine. Through yoga, you control the mind; hence, the importance of Satsangam.

- Divine Discourse, Jun 26, 1994

Sharing of good thoughts with good people, brings about your transformation. Therefore, good company is very essential to attain the goal of life.

Source: radiosai.org