Life 48 (Feb 25 - Dec 26)

[winston]

What is the victory we all must strive for?

The cosmic vision can be acquired either by watching the Universe or one’s inner Cosmos.

Man has only to discover himself.

In the citadel of the body, there is the lotus temple of the heart with subtle akasha (space) within.

In it are contained heaven and earth, fire and air, sun and moon, stars and planets— all that is in the visible world and all that sustains it and all into which it submerges.

Instead of rotating around the earth in the higher realms of space and planning to land on the moon or Mars, if only man plans and prepares himself to travel into his inner realm, what sublime joy and peace he can attain!

His attainments at present in the vast silence of outer space are all prompted by fear and spread only further fear.

The victory won through weapons and guarded by armour, is not something to be glad about; it is flimsy and fragile. It is fraught with danger and may topple at the slightest gust.

But the victory won through love and sympathy transforms the defeated and makes him a comrade forever.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 24, 1965

Earthly domain, earthly riches are powerless before the spiritual domain over the senses, spiritual riches of self-knowledge and self-confidence.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why should we not let troubles and tribulations unsettle our faith?

Accept what the Divine gives you. Accept whatever He does.

Do not question whether it is good or not. What you may be considering as bad, its result may turn out to be good.

When you suffer from Malaria fever, the doctor will give you quinine mixture which is very bitter. The medicine may be bitter but its effect will be good on you because it will cure your disease.

Initially, you may find devotion very difficult. But you should never give up your resolve due to fear of difficulties.

Many noble persons underwent many difficulties and performed intense penance to attain Divinity.

Pleasure lies between two pains. Without pain, there can be no pleasure.

You will experience real happiness only after you undergo difficulties.

Will the sugar-cane give you jaggery on merely by asking for it, unless you crush it and extract the juice?

The diamond will gain real value only after many cuttings. Without cutting, it will have little value.

You can prepare beautiful jewels only when you put the gold in the fire and beat it with a hammer.

Likewise, you can experience divine bliss only when you develop divine love without caring for the criticism of others and bearing all difficulties.

- Divine Discourse, Jun 20, 1996

The wise man will not seek anything from Him but leave everything to Him.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Sometimes, especially in youth, the mind is clouded with bad or unwelcome thoughts. How does one deal with this situation?

Youth is the stage when one gets excited about many things. It is necessary to control these passions and excitements by recitation of the Divine’s Name.

Tell yourself, “Such unsacred thoughts are not good and proper for me. These are just passing clouds; they will come and go. My life is eternal, and these thoughts are ephemeral like passing clouds.”

The heart is like the sky, the mind is the moon and the intellect, the sun. Clouds of thoughts come in the sky of the heart and cover the sun and the moon. Sometimes, very thick clouds of thoughts come during our young age. Then, one cannot see the sun or the moon.

But how long will the sun or the moon remain invisible? Just for a few moments because these thoughts are like passing clouds. Be patient and the clouds will move away by themselves.

Hold on to patience firmly. Do not make haste. Haste makes waste. Waste makes worry. So, do not be in a hurry.

Haste is not good, particularly at this age; maintain Shantam (peace). There is no well-being other than this Shantam.

“One may be a danti (ascetic) or a vedanti (philosopher) but one cannot attain happiness without shantam”.

Peace is very essential in life, both at the level of the body and the mind.

- Divine Discourse, Jun 24, 1996

A pure and clean heart is the weapon with which you can remove ego.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we remove qualities such as jealousy and hatred from our hearts?

Society today is racked by jealousy and hatred.

Jealousy is a disease which gives rise to hatred. Develop forbearance and goodwill. That is the cure for jealousy.

Do not get elated by praise or depressed by criticism. Treat everything alike. Equal-mindedness is yoga.

What do you lose when someone criticises you? That is his opinion. It does not affect you.

Those who criticise are suffering from a disease, like those who reject a sweet because they suffer from diabetes.

The fault lies not in the sweet but in the person who is unable to relish it.

When you see the facts in this light, you will realise the truth. Today, you have to cultivate a serene equanimity that rises above these trifles.

- Divine Discourse, Nov 18, 1995

The ‘good’ has to be loved and the ‘bad’ should be discarded. Remember, the bad should not be hated too. It has to be given up, avoided.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the value of detachment in our daily living? How does it endow us with the ability to deal with everyday ordeals?

Devotion and faith, ensure the gift of knowledge of the Spirit, the great prize for the adventure of birth, life and death.

When the mind weds pravritti (worldly activity), the progeny is bondage; when it weds nivritti (spiritual renunciation), the progeny is freedom.

Nivritti confers fearlessness, even while you accept a little of it. It gives strength and courage, for it is desire that weakens man and makes him cringe before those in authority and with influence.

Detachment endows you with self-respect and the capacity to stand up to slander and calumny. There are some who weep at the slightest sign of defeat or disappointment.

This is despicable behaviour. Why should you have fear or sorrow, with the Divine installed in the altar of your heart?

Do you not know He is there, guarding you and guiding you? He is in all beings, at all times.

Endeavour to remember this fact, whatever you may be doing, whoever you may be contacting, in whatever manner.

You will succeed in this, provided you do not give up the recitation of His Name.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 24, 1965

Believe that the Divine’s Name is the boat that will take you over the sea of worldly life.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we drive away the evil qualities that infest our minds?

In order to drive away the evil qualities of attachment, hatred and jealousy, you should develop pure and selfless love, devoid of ego.

This is real devotion. All other spiritual practices like worship, japa (recitation of a Divine Name) and dhyana (meditation) are merely the steps towards controlling the wavering of your mind.

When you want to go on the terrace of your house, you use a ladder. The ladder rests on the ground. But its upper end is supported by the wall.

The support of the ground at the lower end of the ladder is faith, and the support of the wall at the upper end of the ladder is love. Therefore, with the help of both love and faith, you can reach any height.

Without these two, you cannot climb at all. It is impossible. You should have the support of both. You should have deep faith and sacred love.

When you develop these two, there is no need to perform any spiritual practices like japa and dhyana.

- Divine Discourse, Jun 20, 1996

What is the aim of Japa and Dhyana? Only to attain love and faith.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How do we experience the Divine within us and in everyone around us?

Peace and bliss are not to be found in external objects.

You possess all worldly objects to cater to your needs and to provide all comforts and conveniences to you. Isn’t it?

If these external objects could give you peace and bliss, then how is it that you do not experience peace and bliss despite possessing all these?

Similarly, all your near and dear ones are with you. But they also do not give you peace and bliss.

You should try to understand that bliss is not to be found in persons and material objects. Bliss comes only from within you; you yourself are the source of peace and bliss. Therefore, there is no need for you to make efforts to search for them here and there.

Bliss is not to be searched; it has to be manifested from within. It is to be known and not to be looked out.

Try to know this eternal principle of truth that is within you.

You think that someone or the other will give you bliss. But that is your bhrama (delusion).

So long as you have bhrama, you cannot attain Brahma (Divinity).

Therefore, get rid of this bhrama. Then Brahma will become manifest from within you. The Divine is no different from you. You and Him are one.

- Divine Discourse, Jun 24, 1996.

You yourself are the embodiment of peace. You are the embodiment of truth. You are the embodiment of Him. You should try to know this eternal and sacred truth.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we defeat maya or illusion in this life?

How can you think of the Divine, who is beyond the human level?

What is it that He loves? What is it that He expects? How should you conduct yourself so as to be acceptable to Him?

If you want to have the power beyond your level, if you want to have the strength beyond what you have, you should take refuge in Him, who is beyond everything.

Man may have enormous wealth and great power and position. But maya (illusion) has much more power than him.

In order to overcome maya, man has to take the help of the Divine who has higher power than maya. Until then, maya makes man dance to its tune.

Maya can be compared to a nartaki (dancer). When you gain full control over this na-rta-ki, your life becomes a ki-rta-na (the reverse of the word nartaki).

Chanting of the Divine Name is the best means of man’s liberation in this age, Kali Yuga.

- Divine Discourse, Apr 26, 1993

What greater penance can there be other than making the Divine Name dance on your tongue constantly?

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

When we call the Divine in prayer, where does He come from?

You are unable to see or catch air that is all around you. But can you say there is no air, merely because you cannot see it or you cannot catch it? There is air.

Similarly, you cannot deny the existence of chaitanya (consciousness) merely because you are unable to see it and experience it. Consciousness does exist.

The same is called 'being'. The 'being' is nothing but Sat, which is ever present, which does not come and go.

There is nothing like coming and going for Sat. It is a great mistake to think it comes and goes.

People say, "He came and gave me Darshan (auspicious sight) when I was meditating." This is a worldly feeling.

Wherefrom did He come to give you Darshan? And where did He go after giving you Darshan? He neither came from anywhere nor went to any particular place.

He was there only. You could see Him because your heart was pure. You cannot see Him when your heart is impure. But He neither comes nor goes.

- Divine Discourse, Jun 20, 1996

Every individual today declares that the Divine is omnipresent. But no one conducts himself as having realised the truth of this omnipresence.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What are the core qualities that are necessary to experience the Divine?

What do you do with the material that is tasteless, that is not palatable? You throw it out.

Similarly, when you do not act appropriately, society will reject you. So, you should be one with society. That is the first step towards unity.

When there is unity, then you will have purity within. When purity is established, only then will you have divinity.

Therefore, the divine teaching in human life, is the combination of these three: unity, purity, divinity.

It is love alone that brings unity in everyone.

When there is love, there will be no differences on grounds of race, nationality, etc.

Where there is no love, there is hatred. When there is hatred, there can be no relationship, even between the child and the mother.

When there is love, there is no difference of ‘mine’ and ‘thine’. So, through love, we can accomplish everything.

Without love, without strong faith, you cannot have any experiences.

Bhakti, Prapatti, Vishwasa (devotion, surrender, faith). These are the three steps, and transcendental experiences are based on these.

- Divine Discourse, Apr 26, 1993

We must attain that principle of love which enables us to look upon happiness and sorrow with equanimity.

Source: radiosai.org