Sanctify Life Through Sacred Deeds

This is the Brahman, Known as Sri Devi 
This is the Soul, Known as Lalitha 
This is the basis for life and its comforts 
The most auspicious Sri Devi is Lalitha, verily 
This is the Supreme eternal Truth, and 
Mother Lalitha is the unified form of Shiva and Shakti 
The same Divine Shiva Shakti is born in Parthi!!

Embodiments of Divinity!

Man must realize that time is eternal, the universe is infinite and the body is frail. Man’s duty lies in merging this physical body in the eternity through his good and noble deeds. It is your responsibility to know and endeavor to practice noble principles. This is how man gets fulfillment. The Sacred tenets and exhortations are all meant for fulfillment of human life. Just as the Geeta exhorted, “Yadayadahi Dharmasya glanir bhavati Bharata...” God descends to earth in human form whenever the decline of Dharma is imminent. An Avatar graces onto the earth in order to set right Dharma, and to remind humanity about the secret behind human birth. The principle of Avatar is to reveal the principle of human birth.

Where There Is Truth, There Is Bliss

It cannot be denied that these special skills are the fruits of their meritorious past deeds.

It is common knowledge how even after taking the noble birth of a human being, people are indulging in ephemeral, dubious and unworthy practices and pursuits; and are craving for fleeting pleasures, wasting precious time and distancing themselves from a peaceful life.

The life span is in fact a great opportunity for human beings to achieve fulfillment by realizing Divinity. Many are mistaking mundane life as a source of happiness. Some people seek happiness through children. Some seek pleasure through the acquisition of wealth and power. But Maharshis and noble men seek happiness through renunciation, constantly endeavoring to endear themselves to the Divine principle. Thus we find various concepts of happiness. What is happiness really? Real happiness can be found only in Truth, and not elsewhere. Bliss is where truth is. Truth is present where bliss is present. It is said ‘Satyannasti paro dharmah’ (There is no Dharma greater than adherence to truth). Human life gets sanctified only when man realizes that there is no Dharma beyond Satya (Truth), Truth as our basic quality or nature, love as our blood and patience as a basic principle. But unfortunately, man has embarked on a journey, reposing trust in his mind.

He Who Reposes Trust On His Heart, Finds Happiness All Along

The feeling of wellness and safety eludes those who repose trust in their minds. Whereas those reposing faith in their hearts will pass over hurdles easily. Therefore, those who consider God to be present in their hearts are real believers. Life becomes sacred when strong faith is developed in God and Dharma (righteousness). Only this kind of faith can foster peace, happiness and security. Those who indulge in mundane activities without faith in God and righteousness (Dharmamu) will never find peace, happiness, and security in life. Therefore, having taken up this sacred human birth, everyone should spend one’s time, body, and action as a bounden duty. Divine teachings can be assimilated only when there is faith in Dharmic principles. When neglected, these teachings will turn into gramophone records, winding vainly, with no effect on hearts.

The exhortations of the Geeta and Arjuna’s reflections provide us many insights. In spite of close friendship with Krishna for 84 long years, Arjuna was not eligible to receive Divine Geeta exhortation from Krishna. When did Arjuna acquire the eligibility to receive the Divine teachings and the bliss from Krishna though he was in the company of the Lord for eighty-four years? He acquired it only when he totally surrendered himself, affirmed his faith in righteousness and God and told Krishna, “To me, there is none other than You.” Only then Arjuna’s heart became pure. When Krishna prompted him to go ahead in fighting the war, Arjuna deplored saying, ‘Swami! After killing so many close relatives and multitudes of people, what is the use of the kingdom and comforts? I do not want this food of blood at all. Your proximity is all I want. My only object is to protect Dharma.’ Only after this firm declaration from Arjuna, Krishna had decided to preach him the Geeta. Who is this Arjuna, also known as Partha? Prithvi’s son is Partha. ‘Prithvi’ means earth. Therefore all of you should become Parthas (Arjunas), take Swami’s exhortations to your hearts, and plunge into sacred actions along with a strong resolve to protect Dharma. Only then this conference can be regarded as successful. Any number of meetings, conferences, chanting of God’s name, penance, meditation, or vows (Japas, Tapas, Dhyanas or Vratas) are of no use when there is no sincerity in the heart.

Truth is that which cannot be changed by any passage of time (past, present, and future), the three qualities (Satva, Rajas, Tamas) or the three worlds (heaven, earth, and netherworld).

These days, people do not develop the attitude of loving nature even after attending innumerable spiritual meetings. Undoubtedly, their lives are meaningless! After spending long years in relentless pursuit of wealth and power, people will learn the bitter lesson about their futility as against the happiness derived from the thoughts of God and Divinity. This conference can be regarded as a sacred dip in the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati (Triveni Sangamam) at Prayag. The Ganga and the Yamuna are visible, but the Saraswati is invisible. While the river Ganga represents purity, the river Yamuna is associated with some kinds of ripples of thoughts. Our deeds should always be charged with purity like that of Ganga. Our devotion (Bhakti) should flow like the Yamuna. When Karma and Bhakti are unified in perfect mix, the inner flow of knowledge, known as Saraswati, can be perceived. This inner stream never gets dried up or exhausted. Today, being the full moon day, it is the most appropriate time to perform the Sathyanarayana Vratam (ritualistic worship of Lord Sathyanarayana). The full moon day is considered the fittest time to perform this sacred Sathyanarayana Vratam. This day has another significance. Today is the birthday of Saint Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak made many sacrifices. He was even prepared to sacrifice his life for the sake of his religion. Truth (Satya) is that which does not change along with changes of Time, Worlds, and moods of Nature. Aeons may change, worlds may tumble, but Truth has no change at all. The sacred confluence of Sathyanarayana Vratam and Sathya Sai’s Birthday evokes the sacred inner principle of Knowledge (Jnana) or Saraswati. This indeed is a rare opportunity. Therefore, every one of you should make good use of this opportunity. All of you reached Puttaparthi, unmindful of the difficulties associated with long travels. So you should not be complacent about the goal. Why have you all gathered here? You have come to see and enjoy the birthday celebrations of Sathya Sai and to listen to the Divine Discourses to heart’s content. You should, therefore, spend this time in sacred deeds, devotion, and acquire sacred knowledge. We should not waste time in meaningless talks and deeds.

Man Must Strive To Become Rasa-svarupa

Human birth is bestowed in order to sanctify life by means of sacred deeds. So much so, this life span must be utilized to purify the heart through constant contemplation on God, immersion of mind in the bliss of God, expending body in selfless service (seva), and cultivation of love for God. These days love for God is rarely seen in peoples’ hearts. We find empathy and love in birds and animals, elements of which are lacking in humans. Even though man’s heart is nectarous, it is an irony that people are always indulging in hatred. Man’s heart is basically imbued with nectar-like sweetness. ‘Raso vai sah.’ God’s form is Rasa (Fluid of love and acknowledgment of love) “He is sweetness.” Our life principle emanated from Rasa of God. Therefore our lives must exude nectarous rasa, but not dullness (nirasa). Man should strive to become Rasa-svarupa, reflecting Divinity.

Just now Karunyananda said that a river neither rests on its path nor forgets its destination irrespective of hurdles; unmindful of people’s worships; with the sole intention of merging into the sea. He compared man’s journey of life to a river. Like the river, human life is also a stream. What is this stream’s origin? It has come from the sea of God’s Grace. What is his destination? He has to merge again into the sea of God’s grace. Sorrows, thoughts, passions, etc. are like the rocks and mounts on the path of the river called life. Life is a long endeavor to overcome various kinds of hurdles and challenges while striving to reach the sea of Grace of God.

Real Happiness Lies In Divinity Only

There is no dearth of wealthy people, no dearth of educated, or powerful people; and we also find many righteous people in this contemporary world. But not even one percent of them enjoy peace in their hearts. What is the reason behind this situation? People are totally engrossed in external affairs. Real happiness cannot be experienced from any means other than Divine pursuits. Many wealthy people are found craving for peace of mind. Can wealth buy peace for you? Not at all. Worldly love is not capable of providing peace. Peace is obtained only through God’s love. Real peace lies in loving God. These days, you find people showing affection and love at one moment; anger, hatred, and jealousy at another moment. Can this type of love be called true love? These are overt and whimsical expressions only. A woman starts loving her baby only after she gives birth to the baby. Until that time, where she had this love is not known! Love develops between a man and a woman only after marriage. Liking and passion are formed about an object, after it is acquired by a person. Until then no passion (ichchha) existed with regard to the object. It is only through God the power of desire (Ichchha-shakti), force of passion (Moha Shakti) and power of affection (Anuraga Shakti) are all basically derived. At times, we drift away from thoughts of God due to worldly worries or pressures. This is not a proper human trait. A tiger will not attempt to eat grass even in a dire state of hunger. Similarly, a man of honor will never resort to unlawful, indecent or deceitful actions.

Those Who Are Perennial Doubters Are Not True Devotees

True devotees will not entertain fictitious doubts and disbeliefs in testing times. Whether in happiness or sorrow, a true devotee surrenders himself to God saying, ‘There is no refuge to me other than You. These sorrows and pleasures are all benedictions from You, oh Lord!.’ Heart becomes pure when sorrows and pleasures are accepted with a mind of equanimity. It is not proper to deny God at the times of sorrow. Pleasures are of three kinds-the quality that promotes the sacred aspects of human life (Satvika), the quality inducing animated action (Rajasika), and Indolence (Tamasika). The Satvika path is painful in the beginning but provides sweet results ultimately. One may have to face many problems in the beginning. In the beginning, your own mind may not cooperate with you while practicing Yama, Niyama, Japa, Dhyana and other Yogic paths. It may create agitation and dislike in the beginning. But in the long run, with strong determination and persistence, you will definitely derive sweet and wondrous feelings and experiences. This is the unique quality of the Satvika path. Pure sugar is obtained only on crushing the sugarcane and the juice is subjected to intense heating and other chemical processes. A beautiful jewel is got only after the goldsmith subjects the gold to heating, hammering, and other processes. In the same manner, you must be prepared to face certain painful situations and ordeals boldly if you wish for God’s love. Only those who stand up boldly against formidable challenges and hurdles on the path of Bhakti, are eligible to be dear and near to God.

Reason For Lack Of Faith Is The Feebleness Of Senses

By evading hardships, one cannot expect to reach God. Those who try to sneak away from hardships and search for cozy ways in the higher levels of pursuit, are not true devotees. On the Satvika path, the devotee may face many difficulties in the beginning, while people treading the path of passion may find it easy and joyful in the beginning. In other words, while enjoying physical pleasures, one might feel that one is experiencing happiness. One gets overjoyed when he gets a huge profit of money. But he starts worrying and gets scared about the Income Tax Department while accounting. In this context, it is said that wealth creates sorrow while exiting. Body comforts provide pleasure in the beginning. Gradually, their impact turns into sorrow, despair, and vexation. Under this spell, man loses faith in God. Lack of Faith is due to the weakness of senses. When the mind is subjugated by anger, worry, envy, jealousy, pride, passion, etc., one loses grip on Dharma as also faith in God. It is a sort of vicious circle. The path of passion (Rajoguna) starts in joy, but ends in sorrow; while the path of Tamoguna is all along sorrowful, right from the beginning to the end. A man of Tamas is not aware of how he eats or sleeps. He does not find happiness in eating, sleeping, or anything. This type of life is like a vacuum. He who dwells in darkness cannot see anything. Any bright light is of no use in front of a blind man. All is dark for a blind man.

Engage Yourself In Sacred Pursuits With The Feeling That God Is The In Dweller Of The Heart

Hearts filled with darkness cannot perceive the peaceful and effulgent form of God. Keep yourselves engaged in sacred deeds recognizing the fact that God is the “indweller of the heart” and “He always resides in my heart.” You should never forget the fact that avocations such as earning money, name, power, etc., are only a fraction of your life. Know that your ultimate goal is earning God’s Grace! Life and its pursuits become futile in the absence of God’s Grace. A person may be endowed with good eyes like electric bulbs, his face may be glowing bright, and he may possess a handsome stature. All these assets become worthless in the absence of God’s Grace. It is like life without breath. God is present in the body as its Soul, associated with the principle of Soham (I am That). The life-breath, which constantly flows across your body with its self-driving force, is your adorable God. Its sacred pursuit is described by the Shruti (Veda) as ‘Prana Upasana.’ Therefore, first of all, you need to take charge of your own life-force, and then endeavor to merge it in the eternal life principle.

When one drop of water is thrown into the sea, the drop immediately assumes the form of the sea. It becomes one with the sea.

In the same manner, when your infinitesimal life principle is merged into the eternal life principle, you may become one with God. Nara (man) can become Narayana, Manava (man) can become Madhava, and Jana (human being) can become Janardhana. This is Man’s unique privilege! Therefore you must strive to infuse piety (Satvika) into the Rajasika and Tamasika impulses so as to install lasting peace in the heart, whereby you become a beacon of light in society. This is My wish and blessing to you. All of you have gathered here to enjoy the birthday celebrations and to adore Swami. I wish you will progress along with this pursuit.

Swami’s Birthday is when the principle of love is born in the Heart

The day on which the principle of love is established in the heart that day is Swami’s Birthday. Birth, growth, and death are natural phases pertaining to the ephemeral body. We regale when a child is born. In fact, no achievement is involved regarding a birth. A person’s birth becomes meaningful only when worthy actions are performed by the body. In the absence of sacred actions, and when the person is always engaged in detestable deeds, the person’s birth becomes meaningless. The purpose of birth is to know the goal of life, and to strive to reach the goal. People distribute sweets when a child is born. In fact, no happiness is involved in birth as such. The birth becomes meaningful only when the child grows and performs noble deeds if not parents will have to repent for giving birth to a son, who turns out to possess a bad character. Therefore married couples should wish and pray to God for the birth of good and worthy children. Also, the couples must always be engaged in noble deeds so that God blesses them with good-natured children, through whom society also gets elevated.

Individual’s Happiness Is Linked To World’s Peace And Happiness

World peace should be everybody’s concern. The country of Bharat has always been endowed with wealth and prosperity. Such a great country, which is like goddess Annapurna, is at present reeling in unrest. It is because of the prevalence of unruly elements. The nation can certainly be brought back to the path of glory, if and when all of you, who are sitting here, take a resolve to rejuvenate the Bharatiya Culture with your noble deeds. You need not despair about the present state of the country. You will soon witness the rejuvenation not only in Bharat, but in the entire world. I wish that all of you will keep on praying for the peace and welfare of the world. I wish that all the people of the world live happily and peacefully. May all the people understand the principle of Divinity! I wish that all of you are always engaged in pious and noble deeds, with prayers on lips and purity in heart. In accordance with the tradition of our Prasanthi Nilayam, I am now going to the top of the building to unfurl the Prasanthi flag. Do not consider this Prasanthi building alone as Prasanthi Nilayam. Make your heart a Prasanthi Nilayam, consider peace as its flag, Buddhi (intellect) as its flag-post, your Satvika qualities as Prasanthi emblem and your mind as an offering to God as Arati (offering of sacred flame). My blessings to all of you.

Bhagawan's Divine Discourse in the Morning on 23-11-1969