Divine Discourse 1-125

Strive - that is your duty. Yearn, that is your task. Struggle, that is your assignment. If only you do these, sincerely and steadily, God cannot keep back for long the reward of realization. The river strives, yearns and struggles to merge with the sea from which it came. It has that consummation ever alert in its consciousness. It attempts to make itself pure and pellucid so that it may be welcomed by its source. It overcomes every obstacle of terrain in order to journey successfully towards it goal. Similarly, you too must utilize all the physical, mental, intellectual, moral and material endowments that God has granted you so that you may journey to the goal of Realization - Divine Discourse, Feb 16 1977

Take an ordinary postal envelope. Upon it, in golden ink, write the address of a person in artistic calligraphy. Insert a beautiful worded letter full of amazing sentiments, and drop it into a postbox. What happens to it? It will not move even a yard away! Now take a simple post card, scribble unimpressive things with no special care, affix a stamp, an address and drop it into the box. What happens? The artistically ornamental envelope is inert, while the inartistic cheap document travels a thousand miles towards the person indicated. Therefore, whatever may be the uniqueness or importance, the furore or attractiveness, the service that you do can yield no fruit if it is done without a pure chiththa (thought or intention). -Divine Discourse, Mar 6, 1977.

By saturating work with love, it can be transformed into worship. When such work is offered to God, it gets sanctified into puja (sacramental worship). This makes it free from ego. It is also freed from the earthly desire for success and the earthly fear of failure. When you can feel that when you have done the work as best as you can, your puja is complete. It is then for Him who has accepted the puja to confer on you what He considers best. This attitude will make the work unattached. Regular practice of this discipline will render the consciousness clear and pure. Without this practice, however prospective your career might be, however much you may accumulate the wherewithal of a comfortable life, to whatever heights of authority you may have climbed through the exercise of intelligence, your gains shall be nothing, unless your every activity is suffused with the Divine purity, that is inherent in consciousness. - Divine Discourse, Mar 6, 1977.

Seeing one's own reality is the opening of the doors of liberation. For this, the mirror of the heart has to be prepared by coating the back of the heart with Truth and Righteous Action. Otherwise the image will not appear. In every act of yours, if you observe truth and justice, then you can see your own reality revealed. You may say that the burden of past acts and their inevitable consequences have to be borne; but the Grace of the Lord can burn that burden in a flash; the revelation of reality, will, in a flash, save you from that burden. -Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 1976.

The Lord is devoid of attachment and hatred. He comes on a Mission and is bent only on that task. His nature is to support the right and admonish the wrong. His task is to restore vision to man, to turn his footsteps along the path of morality and self-control, so that he may achieve self-knowledge.

- Divine Discourse, 25 Dec, 1976 .

Let me call upon you to give up two evils from your mind on this Holy Day: Self-praise and talking scandal. Adopt one habit: The habit of loving service to the distressed. If you spend all your time and energy in worldly comfort and sensual delight, you are disgracing the human existence. Consider this body as a temple of God where He resides. Keep it clean, fresh and fragrant through developing Compassion and Love. Use the Temple of God, only for holy thoughts, words and deeds. Do not demean it by using it for low, trivial and unholy tasks. Wherever you are, whatever you do, have this resolution steady and strong. - Divine Discourse, 25 Dec, 1976

You must realize that the divine current that flows and functions in every living being is the One Universal Entity. When you desire to enter the Mansion of God, you are confronted by two closed doors: The desire to praise yourself and the desire to defame others. The doors are bolted by envy and there is also the huge lock of egoism preventing entry. So if you are earnest, you have to resort to the key of love and open the lock. Then remove the bolt and the doors are wide open. The education you receive must train you to be successful in this difficult operation. - Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 1976

From the narrow vision of the individual need, one must voyage out into the broad vision of the Universal. When a drop of water falls into the ocean, it loses its narrow individualities, its name and form and assumes the form, name and taste of the ocean itself. If it seeks to live separately as a drop, it will soon evaporate and be reduced to nonexistence. Each one must become aware that he/she is part of the One Truth that encompasses everything in the Universe. Make the heart big and the mind pure, only then can peace and prosperity be established on earth.

- Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 1976.

Dharma' or Right Action promotes peace and happiness, contentment and joy. Today, we are in need of persons who have attained purity in all levels of consciousness. One can reach perfect bliss only when his/her heart becomes free from envy, egoism, greed and other evil traits. We need persons who can recognize and relish the kinship and the identity that exists between man and man, as well as between one society and another. Dharma, Righteous Action alone provides peace, contentment and joy.

- Divine Discourse, Dec 25 1976.

Those who sing bhajans get what can be called "Double Promotion", for they derive joy and distribute joy. Life today is filled with sorrow, it is beset with fear and despair. The only time you can forget these thoughts and strengthen yourself to meet the hard times is when you contact the Source of all strength, God. You cannot get that peace and joy while you bend under the burden of daily life. You are carrying a huge load of worry all day. Keep that aside for an hour every evening and spend that time with God, who can make your shoulders strong and your burden light. You eat twice a day for the upkeep of the body, should you not do bhajan at least once for the upkeep of the mind? - Divine Discourse, , Dec 12, 1976.

When you intend to harm another, the evil recoils on you. The grief which you suffer is only an echo of the grief you inflict in another's heart. So when you have injured another, pray for pardon. Repent and resolve never to do it again. Through genuine prayer, mountains of evil can be pulverized and destroyed. From now on, decide that your words shall be soft and sweet, your acts beneficial to others and your thoughts always about how to serve others who are weaker and less prosperous. - Divine Discourse, Dec 12, 1976.

The supreme secret is that man must live in the world where he is born like the lotus leaf, which though born in water floats upon it without being affected or wetted by it. Of course, it is good to love and adore God with a view to gain some valuable fruit either here or hereafter. But since there is no fruit or object more valuable than God or more worthwhile than God, the Vedas advise us to love God, with no touch of desire in our minds. Love, since you must love for love’s sake; Love God, since whatever He can give is less than He Himself. Love Him alone, with no other wish or demand. - Sathya Sai Vahini.

Life has the nobler goal of selfillumination, of lighting the lamp of love inside oneself and sharing that lamp with all around us. Kama (desire) and Krodha (anger) are the enemies that will not allow that flame to be burning bright. Kama (Desire) is the lust for physical pleasure, for power, fame, wealth and scholarship. Krodha (Anger) is the result of foiled lust. If you long for peace of mind, you must take the spiritual practice that will confer peace on you. If you choose the wrong path, you cannot complain that you are lost. Salt and camphor look alike, but you have to exercise your intelligence to discriminate between them. Brass makes more noise than gold, but you should not be deceived by that and choose brass instead of gold. - Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1976.

Once the person is drawn to the Divine, the process of culturing or "Samskara" begins. Without this, the individual is fallow and feeble. He has no dignity or personality. A worthless steel lump is transformed by skilful manipulation and reconstruction into a watch that is worth several units of money. This is the result of the Samskara, which turned a steel lump into an useful tool for indicating time. In a similar manner, one can be transformed into a noble, efficient, happy and disciplined member of the society by implanting in him/her good thoughts, good feelings, good deeds and good emotions. Such transformed persons will spontaneously engage themselves in the task of promoting human welfare. They will be promoters of the ideals of the brotherhood of the man and the fatherhood of God. - Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1976.

Let us consider the act of "Chamatkara," the acts that attract and cause you to wonder. You see a flower. You long to hold it in your hand only when its colour or fragrance is attractive. You enter the market and see heaps of fruits. If the fruits are not attractive, you have no urge to eat them and benefit by them. Attraction is the nature of the Divine. When one renounces one's selfish desires, his/her love expands unto the farthest regions of the Universe until that person becomes aware of the Cosmic Love that feeds all. - Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1976.

Do not seek to discover or discuss the evil in others, for the attempt will tarnish your own mind. When you are engaged in searching for the faults and the failings of others, you are paving the way for developing those faults and failings in yourself. Dwell on the good in others, and in time, it will prove to be an asset to you. The goodness latent in you shall then be urged to sprout and blossom.

- Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1976.

The Lord incarnates as human being to help humans comprehend that which apparently cannot be understood and to enable them to attain that which is seemingly unattainable. By this action, the Lord, who is infinite, immutable and immanent, does not suffer any diminution. Neither is He, though embodied in a human frame, influenced by the taints and blemishes that normally affect a human being. To grasp the significance of the Divine Incarnation, it is imperative that one should rise above the rajasic (passionate) and thamasic (dull) gunas (atrributes). Pious (sathwic) habits alone can lead him through the path of true devotion to the Lotus Feet of the Divine. For this, a favorable environment and company of good people are essential. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1976.

There is a burning coal. At some distance, there is a cold piece of coal. When they contact each other, the heat spreads to the cold piece of coal and the part that is in contact with the burning coal is rendered hot and red. If you vigorously sway a fan over the contact area, soon the entire coal becomes a burning ember. "Near" alone is not enough for realization. One has to make it "Dear" by using the fan of spiritual practice. The power of spiritual practices is such that it can make human transform into Divine. Spiritual Practice is the cultivation of Divine Love. Be full of Divine love, taste the exhilaration that love can confer on you. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1976.

Iron turns into rust if it seeks the company of soil. It glows, softens and takes on useful shapes, if it enjoys the company of fire. Dust can fly if it chooses the wind as its friend. It has to end as slime in a pit, if it prefers water. It has neither wing nor foot, yet it can either fly or walk, rise or fall, according to the friend it selects. Knowing this truth, a great saint, Kabir once said. "Here are my prostrations to the good, Here are my prostrations to the bad." When asked why he offered prostrations to the bad, he said, "My prostrations to the bad, so that they may leave me alone. I do the same before good, so that they might remain near me always." You are shaped by the company you keep. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1976.

No one eats to appease another's hunger nor takes drugs to alleviate another's illness. You eat to appease your own hunger, you drink to quench your own thirst. So do not seek approval, appreciation or admiration from others or refrain from your spiritual practices. Be self-reliant and self-confident. See through your own eyes. Hear through your own ears. Most people today believe their ears and deny their eyes. Or they use the eyes, ears and the brains of others and that leads to fear or misjudgment. The Lord is moved and showers Grace on every genuine appeal emanating from the heart. Let His Name dance on your tongue forever, conferring on you the sweetness of His Majesty. - Divine Discourse, 14 Nov 1976 .

When God is invoked by prayer that emanates from the heart, let it be even once, He responds immediately. It must not emanate only from the lips; it does not have the ring of sincerity and faith. From the lips, it must roll back on the tongue; from the tongue, it must reach down into the heart. Continuous purification alone can grant success in this effort. Just as the mother who is attending to her chores on the first floor of the house, will quickly rush to the infant lying on the ground floor when the infant wails, God will rush to your aid. The mother will not stay away because the wail was not musical or melodious. Similarly, God always responds to prayer that emanates from your heart. - Divine Discourse, 28 Apr 1975 .

Every thought leaves an impression on the mind, so be ever alert that contact with evil is avoided. Ideas which are opposed to spiritual tendencies, that narrow the limits of love, that provoke anger or greed, or that cause disgust, have to be shut out. For the aspirant, this is the most essential discipline. One must sublimate such thoughts before they cause an impact on the mind, and should concentrate on the very source of the thinking process. This can be achieved by the practice of equanimity, unaffectedness or balance. The path of devotion and dedication is the easiest for most. It is attainable by love, for love leads you quickly to the Goal. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1976

The Divine Call is not to deceive or mislead. It is to transform, reconstruct, and reform. It is to make the person useful and serviceable for the society; to affirm in the individual the unity of all beings in God. The person who has undergone this samskara (refinement) becomes a humble servant of those in need of help. This is the stage of Paropakara (selfless service). Service done with this kind of reverence and selflessness prepares man to realize the One that pervades the Many. - Divine Discourse, 23 Nov 1976

The devotional songs you sing, saturates the atmosphere with thoughts of God, and of the peace and joy that He showers. The songs affects not only the particular area you are and the environment, but the entire atmosphere. Continue the attitude of devotion and humility, of service and tolerance, and the atmosphere will not be polluted by hatred. Do not contaminate the air by voices of acrimony, scandal, insult or slander. Keep silent when you feel like expressing such ideas, that itself is a service to yourself and to others. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1976.

When we fill the atmosphere with hatred we too have to perforce breathe the same air, and are hated in turn. When we saturate the air with sounds full of reverence, humility, love, courage, self-confidence and tolerance, we benefit from those qualities ourselves. The heart is the film and the mind is the lens; turn the lens towards the world and worldly pictures fall on the heart. Turn it towards God and it will transmit the pictures of the Divine. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1976

Samkirtan is singing the Glory of God. It is the process of singing that originates in the heart... not from the lips or the tongue. It is the expression of the joyous thrill that wells up from the heart when the Glory of God is remembered. It is the spontaneous manifestation of the inner ecstasy. No attention is paid to the blame or praise that others may give. It does not seek the admiration or the appreciation of the listeners. It is sung for one's own joy, one's own satisfaction, for one's own delight. That type of singing alone is supreme. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1976.

Cast away the vice of egoism, the evil of greed and the poison of envy. When you seek joy from something outside you, remember that a joy far greater lies in wait within your own inner consciousness. When you are afraid of someone or something outside you, remind youself that the fear is born, fed and fertilized in your mind, and that you can overcome it by denying it. Faith in the Almighty God is the impregnable armour that the aspirant can wear, and people of all lands are aspirants, whether they know it or not. Be steady, do not waver, keep straight on, hold fast to the ideal without despair. Pray until God relents; do not turn away sadly if God does not shower Grace when you expect it. - Divine Discourse, 1 Oct 1976 .

When kama (desire) and krodha (anger) are rising in hot flames from the heart, how can the cool rays of Shanthi (peace), Sathya (truth), Ahimsa (nonviolence) and Prema (love) emanate therefrom? This human birth is a rare chance. Use it for spreading joy, not grief. Of course it is natural for man to resent, to grow angry. You should not allow anger free and furious scope. The raging floods have to be restrained by bunds and dams so that the water may reach the sea without scouring the fields on either bank. You must set limits to your own anger and hatred, and honour those limits. - Divine Discourse, 28 Aug 1976 .

To remove the evil of egoism, service is the most efficient instrument. Service will also impress on the person doing the service the Unity of all mankind. One who dedicates his/her time, skill and strength to service can never meet defeat, distress or disappointment, for service is its own reward. His words will be ever sweet and soft, his gestures ever revered and humble. He will have no foe, fatigue, or fear. - Divine Discourse, Aug 28, 1976.

Give the body the attention it deserves, but not more. Some people advise that you should cultivate disgust towards it; but that is not beneficial. Tend it as an instrument, use it as a boat, a raft. Disgust is not a desirable attitude towards anything in God's creation. Everything is God's handiwork, an example of His Glory, His Majesty.

- Divine Discourse, Aug 1, 1975.

Carry on your highest duty to yourselves, following the four 'F's - Follow the Master, Face the Devil, Fight to the End and Finish the game....Love can make you gather the affection of mankind. Love will not tolerate any selfish aim or approach. Love is God, Live in Love. Then all is right; all can be well. Do not narrow it down into an instrument of restricted love. Expand your heart, so that it encompasses all.

- Divine Discourse, Aug 1, 1976.

Desire is the worst enemy and it has to be canalized and reduced with determination until it ceases to bother you. Besides desire, anger and greed also have to be discarded, for they are present wherever there is desire. When you say "bowman", it is implied that there are arrows too with the bow. Thus desire is ever associated with anger and greed. Desire is bad even if it is for fame and authority. It is the avarice for power and pelf that ruins many a human life... Life is a long journey. Keep your hearts ever pure, steady and inclusive. Do not tarnish others hearts to make them narrow and vengeful. You must encourage opportunities to enlarge them and soften them through intensive social service. - Divine Discourse, Aug 8, 1976.

Recognize this truth. God is in all. When you hate another, you are hating the Lord. When you hate the Lord, you are hating yourself. When you inflict pain on another name, remember that the other is yourself, in another form with another name....Envy causes pain on those who are envied. When another's fortune is green, why should your eyes be red? Why get wild when another eats his fill?... Give up this vice of envy. Be happy when another is happy. That is more pleasing to the Lord than all the prayers you recite, all the flowers you heap on His picture or image, or even the hours you spend in silent meditation. - Divine Discourse, Dec 24, 1980.

The bumble bee can bore a hole in the hardest of the wood. But, when dusk intervenes while it is sipping the nectar from the lotus flower and as a result when the open petals close in on the bee, it finds itself imprisoned with no hope of escape. It does not know how to deal with softness. So too, the mind can play its tricks and jump about on any arena. When placed on the Lotus Feet of the Lord, it becomes inactive and harmless. To offer the mind entirely to the Lord, deep detachment from worldly desires is needed. Superficial devotion or shallow steadfastness cannot succeed. - Divine Discourse, Dec 24, 1980.

Do not pray to God for wealth, fame, positions of power or even for the fruits of your actions. The genuine seeker will pray for nothing else than God. This longing will fill all the acts he does in a day. Every wave of emotion, every tune of song and every beat of pulse will respond only to that wish. God is the basis on which this creation rests. The deepest yearning should be to experience that One, the basis, the Being, that has become. Be aware of the One, which manifests as many. - Divine Discourse, 24 Apr 1980 .

You must be ever engaged in the process of purifying the mind and clarifying the intellect. You have to free yourself from all prejudices and misunderstandings. You must speak softly and sweetly and give everyone the respect and attention due to them sincerely. Humility and tolerance must characterize your behaviour as a devotee. When the wind agitates the serene waters of a lake, wavelets dance all over its face and a thousand Suns sparkle. When calm descends and the waters are still, the shadow of the Sun within the lake is one full image. - Divine Discourse, 29 March 1976

Patience, Tolerance, fortitude, equanimity, fraternity...these will prove invaluable equipments in the pilgrimage to God. Do not distinguish between one fellow pilgrim and another on the basis of caste, creed or color. Do not divide them into friends and foes. Recognize the common traits, uniting efforts, and the basic divinity amongst all. Rich and poor, scholar and illiterate - these distinctions do not hold good for long, they are just outer frills. A flower radiates fragrance and charm, whether held in the right hand or the left. It does not limit that gift to some and deny it to others. Everyone who comes near, receives the fragrance. - Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1975

The task before each of one of us is to plant the seeds of Truth, Righteousness, Peace and Love in each heart. Foster these saplings and watch over them with love and care until they grow into trees yielding a rich harvest of sweet fruits. Sages who had succeeded in this beneficial culture have laid down the means and methods, the steps and slips, the helps and hindrances, that one has to consider. The swimmer has to push the water behind him so that he might proceed forward. So too, while attempting to march forward, one has to push back from him the evil thoughts, habits, deeds and impulses that crowd in. Believe in this conviction, instill faith in your heart and you will be assured of success. -Divine Discourse, Vol 13 Ch 19, Nov 23, 1975.

Today you must resolve to practice My advice, to follow My directives, to translate My message into acts of service and to engage in Sadhana. Adore your fellow being, the adoration reaches Me. Neglect him/her, you neglect Me. Of what avail is it to worship the Lord and to suppress your fellow-being? Love for God must be manifested as Love for fellow-beings and Love must express itself as Service. Through Love alone, Love that is acquired through spiritual practices, and shared with all can peace be attained by the individual as well as the nation. -Divine Discourse, Vol 13 Ch 19, Nov 23, 1975.

What you judge as joy or sorrow is only like a passing cloud, which cannot affect the splendor of the Sun or Moon. Know that such emotions follow one another when the wheel of life turns round from moment to moment. The sea has water that cannot quench thirst, but it has also pearl and coral. You have to get toughened by the hammer strokes of joy and sorrow until you are unaffected by the vicissitudes of fortune. The Atman (Self) alone is eternal and unchanging. - Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1975.

God is sweet Love. You too must reveal the same sweet love, and thereby announce the Reality of God as Love. Do not exhibit equanimity momentarily. You must not start getting angry at all and sundry, after a while. Some are Yogis (spiritual) in the morning, Bhogis (epicureans) at noon and Rogis (Sick) at night. You must not act three roles in one day. Your deepest yearning must be to experience the One, the Being that is present in You. Be aware of the One that manifests as many. That is the Divine Life.

1975.

-Divine Discourse, Vol 13, 23 Nov

The mansion called life must be built on a strong foundation. The pursuit of Artha and Kama, of wealth and welfare, of all desirable objects must be regulated by the standard of Dharma. Dharma (righteousness) fosters those who foster it. The strongest foundation is ever-present faith in the Almighty. - Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol.VIII., P.74 .

Dharma is not the giving of alms, feeding and providing lodging to pilgrims or the adherence to one's traditional profession or craft. In all worldly activities, you should be careful not to offend propriety, or the canons of good nature. You should not play false to the promptings of the Inner Voice. You should be prepared at all times to respect the appropriate dictates of conscience; you should watch your steps to see whether you are in someone else's way; you must be ever vigilant to discover the Truth behind all this scintillating variety. This is the entire duty, it is your Dharma. - Dharma Vahini .

Peace is a shoreless ocean. It is the Light that illumines the world. It confers knowledge of this world and that. Pure love can emanate only from a heart immersed in peace, for it is an atmosphere that pervades and purifies. Peace is not a conviction arrived at by means of logic. It is the discipline of all disciplined lives. Iron has to be beaten flat by iron alone. So too, the inferior, lower mind, has to be shaped better by the superior mind itself. One has to make his mind superior and stronger for the task of personal upliftment. Drink deep the waters of discipline. Immerse yourself in it and become cleansed. May its coolness refresh your sorrows and pains, and quench the fires of sin. - Prasanthi Vahini.

Absence of mere anger cannot be taken as peace. The winning of a desired object and the satisfaction derived then should not be confused with peace. The peace that has pervaded the heart must not be shaken subsequently for any reason. Peace must be everlasting and have no ups and downs; it cannot be partial in adversity and complete in prosperity. It cannot be one thing today and another tomorrow. Only that kind of permanent peace alone deserves to be called Prasanthi. Maintaining the same even flow of peace, bliss, and joy is Prasanthi. - Prasanthi Vahini.

Through selfless service you realise that all beings are waves of the Ocean of Divinity. No other sadhana (spiritual practice) can bring you into the incessant contemplation of the Oneness of all living beings. You feel another's pain as your own; you share another's success as your own. To see every one else as yourself and yourself in every one, that is the core of the sadhana of seva. Again, seva makes the ego languish for want of food. It makes you humble before the suffering of others, and when you rush to render help, you do not calculate how high or low his social or economic status is. The hardest heart is slowly softened into the softness of butter by the opportunities that the seva offers. -Divine Discourse, November 14, 1975.

A devotee is like a needle which is always drawn towards the magnet. But the needle has to be near enough and must be clean. If you stay far away and complain that Grace has not come, what can be done? You must scrape off the mud and rust by the process of repentance. Sometimes, you come near for some time and stray way. I do not mean the physical distance. I do not measure distance in miles or meters. Realize that I am always with you, in you, beside you, ever. Only you have to be aware of Me and make use of My presence. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1975.

You must make service a part and parcel of your life. Youth is an important stage when self-control, self-examination and self-effort are most needed. Channelize the courage, optimism and strength in constructive channels. You must act what you speak and speak what you think. That will give you inner joy and contentment. You have to dedicate yourself to service, that is saturated in selfless love. The service you render must give satisfaction and relief of those you serve. The joy of the recipient must be your sole objective. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1975.

When the rain drop falls into the sea, it gets the name, form and nature of sea. So too, when the individual merges with the vast concourse of humanity and feels one with all, it is endowed with the name, form and nature of the Divine. Whatever you do as service, to whomsoever you offer the act, believe that it reaches the God in that person. This is the meaning of Ishwara sarva bhutaanaam (God is present in everyone). Dedicate all your actions to God. Do your actions as Ishwararpanam (Offering to God). - Divine Discourse, July 27, 1980.

You must demonstrate that Love, Peace, Righteousness, Truth and acts of Loving Service, rendered in a spirit of humility and reverence, is what makes people happy. We need not concentrate on production of more food or building of more houses or manufacturing more cloth. What is most needed today is a total effort to make human beings manifest more tolerance, more humility, more brotherliness, more compassion and deeper awareness of the springs of joy and peace that lie within the heart of each one. Be in the forefront of this spiritual adventure. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1975 .

Service is prescribed as one of the nine steps to realize God. You must therefore be earnest and welcome all chances to serve the sick, disabled, diseased and the distressed. Holding a fruit in the hand is just a preliminary step. Without eating and digesting, you cannot he healthy and happy. Similarly, unless you serve, you will not attain joy and bliss. Your acts of service will be judged based on your mental attitude that is accompanying them. So, whatever work is allocated to you, do it with fervor, understanding of its importance and developing reverence towards it. In service, there can be no high or low, for God is in all. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1975.

Through service you realize that all beings are waves of the Ocean of Divinity. No other spiritual practice can bring you into the incessant contemplation of the Oneness of all living beings. You feel another's pain as your own; you share another's success as your own. To see everyone else as yourself and yourself in every one is the core of spiritual practice. This spirit makes you humble before the suffering of others. When you rush to render help, you do not calculate how high or low one's social or economic status is. Thus, the hardest heart is slowly softened into sweetness by the opportunities of service. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1975.

Doing something because it is being done elsewhere is a sign of ignorance. The service programs must satisfy a need, solve a local difficulty and must be adapted to local conditions. Do not think of the satisfaction of doing something concrete or about the name, fame or praise you will win. Do not crave for publicity...crave for the joy that shines in the face of the people whom you help. Selfless service brings you nearer to Me. The flower that is your heart gets the fragrance by means of your selfless service and becomes more acceptable to me. - Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1975.

Attachment, affection, interest... these will create prejudice, partiality, and illusion. They hide the truth and dull the intelligence. Attachment is a disease, as far as the path of enquiry is concerned. One has to be free from favorites, fancies and fondness. Once you attach yourself to a person or habit or mannerism, it will be difficult for you to shake them off. - Divine Discourse, 10 July, 1980 .

Expansion is the key note of education. The first step for this expansion is the home, where you must revere and please your 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? You know that when a balloon is blown, it bursts and the air inside it merges with the vast limitless expanse outside. So too your love must fill your home and your society, and finally burst even those bonds and become worldwide. A drop of water held in the palm evaporates soon; it is very alone. But drop it into the sea - it survives! It assumes the name, the majesty and the might of a sea! Cultivate the seeds of love in all hearts! - Divine Discourse, July 25, 1975.

When you are true and brave, kind and compassionate, virtuous and pious, the world can have an era of peace and joy. Beware of the two evil sirens that entice you into futility and frivolity: Cinema and Novel. They contaminate young and innocent minds, and corrupts them; they destroy basic humanness and degrade a good individual. Do not get tempted into the wilderness of vice. Youth must grow into strong and straight spiritual aspirants who scale the heights of spiritual life. - Divine Discourse, July 25, 1975

Treat mercifully those who struggle to survive. Help them as much as you can. Realize your responsibilities. Move reverentially with others. Win the blessings of God and earn good fame amongst your fellow brothers and sisters. Examine your daily activities on the touchstone of righteousness. May you become individuals shining in virtue. - Divine Discourse, Sep 21, 1980

To presume that peace comes either from wealth, or from kith or kin is a great error. Peace comes only from God. In fact, there is no strength superior to Love. Where Love is, there everything is. You must Love God and live in love. Everything shall be alright. You must make others also live in love. - Divine Discourse, Sep 21, 1980.

Liberation is giving up of the unreal. Let us suppose you want a cup of fruit juice. Unless you throw away the water already in the cup, you cannot pour the juice in the cup. Similarly, unless you give up materialism, Atma bhava (spiritual attitude) cannot come to you. Moksha (Liberation) is not a distinct and different spiritual discipline. It is only giving up unnecessary desires. Ignorance is the cause of jealousy, and jealousy is the cause of disharmony. And disharmony is the cause of anger. Through anger, wisdom is lost. The real spiritual wisdom is seeing "One in All" at all times. If there is duality or differences, wisdom declines. - Divine Discourse, Sep 21, 1980.

Just as you prescribe minimum qualifications for every profession, the minimum qualification for Grace is surrender of egoism, control over senses, and regulated food and recreation. The body is the boat on which we voyage across the ocean of our worldly lives. It has to be kept trim and sea-worthy. The atmosphere we breathe in, the water we take in, the ground we live in, the animals and plants that surround us - all have to be maintained clean. Exercise, bathing, washing and cleaning activities are prescribed for this purpose. So also, the voyager too, must be strong, confident and courageous. - Divine Discourse, Sep 1980.

Virtue can be cultivated through voluntary, selfless service to the living beings. A virtuous person can be both healthy and happy. Virtue must flow through the triple channels of love, mercy and detachment, if it has to feed the roots of Service. Human beings are endowed with the instinct of gregariousness, in order to tread the path of mutual sympathy, continuous compassion and concrete service. Virtue is the panacea to lead a healthy and happy life. - Divine Discourse, Sep, 1980.

A person is made or marred by the company he/she keeps. A bad man who falls into good company is able to shed his evil habits quickly and shine forth in virtue. A good person falling into evil company is overcome by the subtle influence and slides down into doing evil. The lesser is overpowered by the greater, hence be watchful at all times. - Divine Discourse, July 27, 1980.

To have the vision of God, one should become the master, for the Master alone can have access to the treasure-chest. You have to master the senses and all other faculties. One should not be the servant of the senses, and of the whims and fancies of the emotions and passions. The servant has access only to the cheap and perishable junk of the house-hold. The treasure-chest of life, therefore, cannot be viewed by eyes blinded or befogged by egoism, greed and envy. Therefore, engage yourselves in sadhana (spiritual practice), without any delay. Cultivate virtues, free yourself from evil habits, thoughts, words and deeds. Grow in love and greet Nature with Love. This is the way to Joy, Ananda. - Divine Discourse, July 27, 1980.

Divinity is deep in the core of the consciousness of everyone. We do not keep gold, jewels and valuables in the verandahs and the quadrangles of our homes; we keep only pots and baskets there. We place our jewels in an iron safe or secure enclosure, in an inner room, away from public gaze. The body is liable to fall, rot and get burnt. When one ages, we say that one is nearing their end faster and faster. In the box called 'body' is the treasure 'Atma'. The sea keeps its valuable pearls deep down, close to the bed. It scatters cheap shells on the shore, where people can pick them. So, to get the treasure from the body, that is, to perceive the Atma, your inquiry must turn inward. - Divine Discourse, 28 April 1975

A sense of elation and exultation keeps the body free from ill-health. Evil habits that one indulges in is the chief cause of the mental and physical diseases. Greed affects the mind, disappointment makes one depressed. Each one can justify their existence only by cultivation of the virtues. Once you have virtues, you become a worthy candidate for Godhood. It is progress in virtue that announces the progress of a person towards Divinity. Virtue also confers skill, freshness and long years of youthfulness. Start cultivating and growing virtues that are divine in you, today. - Divine Discourse, July 13, 1980.

Sorrow is caused by the human body, which is the home of countless microbes and other parasitic beings. No one can be free from this disease inducing causes. But, one can easily overcome this sorrow by developing feelings of compassion towards all beings, and developing thoughts which thrive on Love and spread Love. Illness, both physical and mental, is a reaction caused by the poison in the mind. Vice breeds diseases. Bad thoughts and habits, bad company and bad food, are fertile grounds where disease thrives. Arogya, good health and Ananda, bliss go hand in hand. - Divine Discourse, July 13, 1980.

You must endeavor to become Divine, from where you have come. Lessen the attachment to the world, not by cutting yourself off, but by being in it as an instrument in God's Hands. Subdue all tendencies towards egoism that raise their heads in you through single-minded attention to the dictates of God called Dharma (Righteousness). Edison, the scientist concentrated so much on the solution of the problems that worried him, such that he left untouched, for days together, the food and drink that was pushed in through the doors of his laboratory. You must have the same concentration and shraddha (steady dedication) while engaged in sadhana (spiritual discipline). - Divine Discourse, 10 July 1980 .

Life is a game of football. You are the ball and you are bound to be thrown and kicked about. How long have you to bear this treatment? Until the air is full in the ball. Deflate it, and no one will kick it again! The air that inflates is the ego. When the ego is out, Bliss comes in. Remove the ego in you and make yourself useful to your parents and society. Do not belittle others or your parents as illiterate or ignorant. They are far more knowledgeable than you are. Never cause tears to fill the eyes of your parents. Love them, revere them and serve them. Be humble and loving, and in the company of good and Godly. Remember the Name of God indicating His Glory, His Mercy, His Love... All egoistic feelings will flee away from you. - Divine Discourse, July 10, 1980.

We have to treat others suffering as our own. We have to treat others difficulties as our own. We have to be amicable with one and all. We must develop faith in the maxim that we are Ekatmaswarupas (Embodiments of One Divine Self). We must develop a sense of discrimination between good and bad, and take only the good present in all human beings. The same principle has to be followed in society too. We have to do good even to those who harm us. -Divine Discourse, July 10, 1980.

The game of life is worth playing and becomes an interesting tonic, only when there are bounds for field, and rules and restrictions for the players. Imagine a game of football or cricket where there are no rules or boundaries or umpires. The game will be chaotic, it will soon degenerate into a riot, a free fight. Dharma (Right conduct) is what makes the game of life interesting, decent and desirable. - Divine Discourse, July 23, 1975

The "Vedas" (ancient scriptures) say "Matru Devo Bhava," Revere your Mother as God. You must revere your mother, who has brought you up with love, care and sacrifice. However famous one may be, if he/she does not revere their mother, they do not deserve respect. A person whose heart is so hard that it does not melt at the pleadings of their mother deserves nothing but ridicule. This principle of adoration applies to the country which gave birth to you too. You must revere the country and follow its culture. - Divine Discourse, March 25, 1980.

Cultivate the attitude of detachment, of indifference, of bypassing of the urges (of desire) through prayer and systematic practice. This will lead you to Truth and Righteous behavior. Thus, you can lead a life prescribed by scriptures. Running away from home and company of people, and escaping into solitude will not help you. Home is certain to haunt you, wherever you may take refuge. Recognize this and dedicate all your thoughts, words and deeds to the Divine. Then, you will achieve the Divine Vision, wherever you are. - Divine Discourse, July 23, 1975.

It is always preferable to approach God for the fulfillment of wants, rather than cringe before men, who themselves are but tools in the hands of God. In His own silent way, God will transform the mind and turn it towards sadhana (spiritual practice) and successful spiritual pilgrimage. He cannot and will not allow His children to lose their way and suffer in the jungle. When you approach God and seek His help and guidance, you have taken the first step to save yourself. You are then led to accept His Will as your own. Thus, you achieve shanthi (absolute peace) . - Divine Discourse, April 4, 1975.

Service is best built on the strong foundation of Tath-ThwamAsi. (That and This are the same) there is no other. There is only One. Kites fly high, but all are lifted and kept high by the same air, the same wind. The kites have no separate will. The pots of water in which the Sun is reflected may be many, but the Sun is One. When another is poor, you cannot be rich. When another is in distress, you cannot have joy. The same current runs through and activates all. All help you give is therefore help given to yourself, all service is to the Self alone. - Divine Discourse, March 7, 1980

"The Divine is Full. The Creation is Full, as it came from the Divine. When Full is taken away from the Full, Full remains." How is this quote from the scripture true? You go to the market to buy one unit of Jaggery (Sugar). The shopkeeper brings from his store a big lump and slices off a portion, weighs it, and gives to you a piece, in return for a price. You go home and make a sweet drink using the jaggery. The drink is sweet, the jaggery at home and the mother lump in the store, are all equally sweet. Fullness is the quality of divine. It is found in all parts - whole or in the divided units. Quantity is not the criterion - Quality is! Do not consider the world as anything less than God. Divinity/Fullness is the nature of the Supreme, and cannot be diminished in the process of creation. - Divine Discourse, July 23, 1975.

God is in the World, In and Through everything. No item can be discarded as not worthy of God. There are four stages in securing the Grace of God: (1) Attach your mind to the God, (2) Love the Form of God to which the mind has been attached, (3) Install the Form in your heart, (4) Dedicate all that one has and does to the Form Installed. God is fragrance, brilliance, sweetness, taste, intelligence, valor, austerity, fame, contentment. You can acquire unalloyed bliss by knowing this universal and all-inclusive Glory of the Lord. - Divine Discourse, July 23, 1975.

The scriptures (Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita) declare, "All Nature is God" and "The Lord is in all beings". When learning about the sublime secrets of the trees, appreciate the Creator and strive to understand the principles behind creation. Life is a tree. The mutual relationship we cultivate and cherish are symbolized by the branches, twigs and leaves; the thoughts arising in the mind are the flowers; Ananda (Joy) is in the fruit, Dharma is the sweet juice it contains. The tree is held firm by the very roots which fed it...roots that symbolize faith and self-confidence. Nurture the roots well. - Divine Discourse, February 18, 1980.

Riches beyond reasonable limits will result only in disaster. Unity of minds, mutual love and co-operation - these are the qualities we must develop continuously. One must not learn to live like a drop of oil on a pond, spreading all over the surface and refusing to merge with the water. One must join others in common tasks and contribute one's strength and skill to the common pool. A single thin string cannot stop even an ant, but hundreds of them twisted into a rope can hold back an elephant. This is the effect of united effort. It is a very desirable trait to work for a common cause with others in co-operation; do not believe in mere operation tasks. -Divine Discourse, Vol 14 Ch 20, Feb 18, 1980.

Living becomes a glorious experience only when it is sweetened by tolerance and love. Willingness to compromise with others' ways of living, and co-operation in common tasks these make living happy and fruitful. Develop the Atmic awareness, the consciousness of the Divine and the acquisition of Divine attributes. Expand love and understanding. When one consciously and steadily strives to develop these distinct human qualities, one gains valuable experience and feels equipped to transform the society. When this happens, the nation and the entire human race benefits. - Divine Discourse, February 17, 1980.

The key discipline you must cultivate is Ahimsa (Absence of Violence). It does not merely mean not injuring a living being. You should not cause hurt even by a word, a look or a gesture. Tolerance, fortitude, equanimity - these help you to be steady in Ahimsa. They will remove all chance of your causing pain to others. This is called Sahana (Forbearance) or Kshama (Forgiveness). Assess the worth of whatever others do to you or say about you, and cultivate fortitude and the understanding to appreciate their behavior and pardon their faults. This capacity is as invaluable as truth, righteousness, renunciation and compassion. This is all that one need to possess for spiritual advancement. -Divine Discourse, February 17, 1980.

Without an ever-present faith in an all-knowing God, life is dry and drab, shadowed by despair and doom. Love for God and fear of sin are the two primary needs for a happy life. Without these two, one becomes a monster. You must be ever ready to sacrifice your selfish needs for the sake of a larger community. Be honest and be proficient in detachment, and with God installed in your hearts, march forward to offer your skills and duties steadfastly. -Divine Discourse, March 29 , 1979

Today, our lives are tainted by a desire for wealth. Wealth makes a man intoxicated. Money is necessary, but it must have a limit. Excessive money can be harmful to the mind. It is more difficult to spend money than to earn it. It is even more difficult to take care of money earned. This difficulty has an advantage. Put the money to good use by spending it for the rural folks, and for the people in distress. Money is not the basis of this mundane world (It is not Dhana moolam idham Jagath), but it is (Dharma moolam idham jagath). Righteousness is the foundation of this world. If money grows, unrest also grows, and money brings sorrows with it. Give your money in charity and make it purposeful. - Divine Discourse, March 28, 1979

Talkative persons easily slip into scandal mongering. Too much talk and a tongue addicted to scandal are twins; for they work together in unison. A poet addressed his tongue thus, "Oh tongue, knower of taste, relisher of sweetness, always prefer the Truth and God." Even when speaking the truth, one should not inflame passion, diminish enthusiasm, or inflict injury. Follow this tenet in your life: Speak the truth, and say it pleasantly (Sathyam Bruyath, Priyam Bruyath). If it is unpleasant, do not speak the truth. (Na bruyath, sathyam apriyam). Even if it is pleasant, do not speak falsehood. (Priyam cha na anritham bruyath). -Divine Discourse, Feb 17, 1980.

Whenever any person is ill-treated or harmed, it is God who is the target of that sacrilege. Resorting to falsehood is a demon that possesses and overpowers the weak. Indulging in unnecessary talk, talk for its own sake, is a morbid habit. It is also a waste of energy. It disperses

The body is cleansed by soap and water, but true cleanliness can be achieved only from within. The cleansing of the body may keep physical illness away, but the disease of the mind requires inner cleanliness. A perfume applied to the body might please the company around, but good thoughts

Cultivate not riches, or comfort, or luxuries, but Divine virtues. Speak sweetly, shed comfort with every glance of yours. Do not be slaves to your sensual desires. You should conquer lust and vanquish anger. Exile from your mind greed, hate and jealousy. Dedicate your hand to the

God incarnates to inspire human beings to follow higher ideals in the Universe. Human beings may have different languages and life styles, but God is One and He is present everywhere. All religions speak of Him as Love and as attainable through love. Forms of worshipping God differ, for they are shaped by time and place, but love is the basic content of all the forms. The language of love is understood and spoken by all hearts. There is only one race, the race of mankind. One must not consider petty distinctions of nationality, race, religion and language, and withhold love. Love must flow to everyone from the heart. Nurture this love in your hearts and experience the Divine. - Divine Discourse, December 25, 1979.

Develop knowledge about the higher levels of consciousness and the higher planes of existence. Knowledge leads to skill. From skill in using such knowledge, one acquires balance. You must recognize that this life is a stage in the long pilgrimage, and that we are now at a hotel, a temporary resting place. There is a watchman to the hotel, which is your mind. Do not feel permanently attached to the mind or the body. This "negative" body has the "positive" Divinity within it. When you become all embracing infinite Love, the Divine will manifest in and through you. Try to be like the Divine. - Divine Discourse, December 25, 1979.

Every living being is on a pilgrimage - whether he/she or it is aware or not. The Sun causes clouds in the sky by raising water from the sea as vapour; the waters of the sea fall as rain, the rain water accumulates and flows as streams and rivers, until it merges with the source, the sea. It is faithful to its destiny; it confronts bravely all the hurdles and obstacles on the pilgrim path. Every human being has come into this world as a Messenger of God. -Divine Discourse, December 25, 1979.

Flowers scatter fragrance, trees offer fruits in plenty. No one brings wealth when he is born or takes it with him when he dies. Whatever riches one has accumulated have to be freely shared with others. Instead of learning the lessons they teach, man pursues his own sensecravings and his urge for fame and authority over others. Contentment is the most precious wealth. Greed brings misery in return. Contentment alone can lead man towards the goal of Divinity. - Divine Discourse, ,December 25, 1979.

Protect your mother tongue and Motherland with all your energy. Make yourselves fit for this, by making the best use of the opportunities. Progress as much as you can, without any hesitation. Develop character as well as intelligence and health. The most reliable source of strength is in you, not in money, or kinsmen or physical acumen, but in the Divinity within you. Know it, delve into it, and draw sustenance from it. See it in all, serve it in all. -Divine Discourse, December 8, 1979.

Have high ideals. Strive to elevate yourselves. Work to attain the highest goal, God Himself. Whatever the obstacle or the opposition, do not be disheartened. Give up the animal in you, stabilize yourselves in human virtues, and proceed boldly towards the achievement of Divinity. Do not waver - having devotion today, tomorrow seeking sensual gratification, and then the day after, back to devotion again. When something goes wrong, you are filled with despair. When discipline is enforced, you start holding back, and when love is showered, you are first again. This dual attitude must be given up. -Divine Discourse, March 7, 1978 .

We become what we contemplate. By constant thought an ideal gets imprinted on our hearts. When we fix our thoughts all the time of the evil that others do, our mind gets polluted by evil. On the contrary, if we fix our mind on the virtues or well-being of the others, our mind is cleansed of wrong and entertains only good thoughts. No evil thought can penetrate the mind of a person wholly given to love and compassion. -Divine Discourse, March 7, 1978.

You must realize that bhajan, namasmaran and puja (chanting the Name and worshipping God) are not for pleasing or making God happy, but for our own spiritual progress. Frequently, people flatter the rich and the powerful - especially when they are in their employment or are beholden to them for some precious help - in order to induce them to shower gifts on them. But God does not shower Grace on people because they sing His praises. Nor does He come down upon them because they do not worship Him. Recitation of the Divine attributes only enable us to dwell on elevating ideals and approximate ourselves more and more to the Divinity that is our true nature. -Divine Discourse, March 7, 1978.

Do not develop much attachment with others and get entangled through the silken bonds of friendship or iron chain of hatred. It is good and helpful to have an enemy, for they are ever eager to criticize you for your faults than a friend who will cast a blind eye on them. The enemy takes delight in abusing you, and as a consequence, he goes on diminishing and wiping off from your account the demerits you have to live out in misery. The person displaying enmity absorbs your sins and effects. Moreover, this person makes you alert not to give him any reason to point a finger of scorn at you. He is your censor, corrector and conscience. Be thankful to him who talks ill of you, for he is doing you very great service by examining your every act on the touchstone of morality, truth and righteousness. - Divine Discourse, May 11, 1975.

Ignoring the unity of all mankind in the Divine Soul, one relishes in quarrels and factions. He classifies some among his contemporaries as friends and some as his foes. Duality is the making of an individual. It is their own likes and dislikes, prejudices and passions that is reflected, and that creates all these reactions of love and hatred - it is the resounding echo of faction and friction. Friendship and enmity arise from your heart; they are labels fixed by you, not marks which other people are born with. The same person is the thickest friend of one and the mortal enemy of another - both because of his one act or word. Realize this truth and live in unity. - Divine Discourse, May 11, 1975.

Illness is caused by the malnutrition of the mind than of body. Doctors speak of vitamin deficiency; I will call it the deficiency of 'Vitamin G' and I will recommend the repetition of the Name of God with accompanying contemplation of the glory and grace of God. That is the 'Vitamin G'. That is the medicine. Regulated life and habits are two-thirds of the treatment, while the medicine is only one-third. - Divine Discourse, April 28, 1975 .

Cultivate unity and brotherhood. A single fiber of hemp cannot bind even an ant. Thousands rolled into a rope can tame a wild elephant into quiet submission. In unity lies strength, joy and prosperity of the entire society. - Divine Discourse, Feb 23, 2009.

You have it in your power to make your days on earth a path of flowers, instead of a path of thorns. Recognize the Lord present in every heart, and all will be smoothness, softness and sweetness for you. The Lord will be the fountain of Love in your heart, and in the hearts of all with whom you come in contact. Know that the Lord is Omnipresent in You, and in every other being. Adore everyone as you adore the Lord. Allow the others as much freedom as you like to enjoy, and do unto him just as you would like to be done to you. Don't do unto him anything you don't like to be done unto you. This is the sum and substance of your spiritual effort. - Divine Discourse, May 11, 1975.

The body that man bears is essentially the receptacle of God. It is a temple, where God is installed and where God is the Master. It does not deserve all the attention you now pay to fulfill its urges, needs and whims. The Divine is the core, the essence of your being. God is everywhere; when He is recognized and adored as the Indweller of your body, it becomes a Temple and it is no more a burden. God is shining, announcing Himself through you. He is expressing Himself through every thought, word and deed that emanates from you. - Divine Discourse, April 28, 2009.

Rig Veda teaches the lesson of serenity. Peace is like rose water scent; when it is sprinkled on you, smell it but don't drink it - that is to say, accept it and thrive on it. Blame is like a medicine. Examine yourselves whether you have the illness and if you have, accept the blame and benefit by it.

-Divine Discourse, April 20, 1975.

Body is an assembly of various organs. No single organ can constitute a body. When the various organs get separated, the human body gets weakened and even loses its existence. One should find God in every object. Bulbs of different colors and voltages glow when the same current passes through them. Similarly, we should develop the habit of visualizing unity in diversity, and not diversity in the unity that is divine. God is everywhere and in everyone. The whole universe is inhabited by Him. - Divine Discourse, April 10, 1975.

When you win the Love of God, His compassion will flow unto you. Love gives and forgives. Ego gets and forgets. Live without hating others, condemning others, or seeking faults in others. Doing good to others is the only meritorious act. Doing evil is the most heinous sin. When you feel you cannot do good, at least desist from doing evil; that itself is a meritorious service. Do not try to discover the differences, discover unity. - Divine Discourse, April 4, 1975.

The culture of the country is marked with guidelines for achieving eternal bliss, which is the consummation of all sweetness, all joy and fulfillment of all desires. But today, each one is struggling to achieve petty things, paltry joys and low desires. When you seek God, you must not be misled into bypaths and mirages. The seeker of the gold must cast away brass and other yellow metals that may distract him. Like the river which leaps over precipices, creeps through bush and briar, flows round hills, seeps through sand, but keeps the goal always in view, one should march untiringly towards God. - Divine Discourse, April 1, 1975.

God cannot be identified with one Name and one Form. He is all Names and all Forms. Your Name too are His, you are His forms. You appear as separate individual bodies, because the eye that sees them seeks only bodies, the outer encasement. When you clarify and sanctify your vision, and look at them through the spiritual eye, then you will see others as parts of the Absolute Lord. Strive to win that vision of the Lord and to saturate yourself with that bliss. - Divine Discourse, October 2, 1965.

What is required is the awareness of the vicious game that the mind plays. It presents before the attention, one source after another of temporary pleasure; it does not allow any interval for you to weigh the pros and cons. When hunger for food is appeased, it holds before the eye of the attraction of the film, it reminds the ear of the charm of music, and it makes the tongue water for the pleasant taste of something that it craves for. The wish becomes very soon the urge for action, the urge soon gathers strength, and the yearning becomes uncontrollable. The burden of desires gradually becomes too heavy and man gets dispirited and sad. Train the mind to turn towards the intelligence for inspiration and guidance, not towards the senses for adventures and achievements. That will make it an instrument for reducing your vagaries, and saving your time and energy for vital matters. - Divine Discourse, April 1, 1975.

Instead of saying a hundred things, it is better to do one thing properly. Sanctify your life by doing selfless work. For the person who talks a lot, there is no time for work. For the person who is engaged in work, there is no time to talk. Instead of wasting time in your words, use your time in service to mankind, which is service to God, all the while repeating the name of the Lord. -Divine Discours, March 31, 1975.

To cultivate devotion to God, always endeavor to mix with good persons, engage yourselves in chanting the Names of the Lord, and be thrilled with the joy that wells up in you. Why do you waste time or even pollute it by talking ill of others? The eye, the hands, the nose, the head, the stomach, etc. each look different. Each does one special task, and has a different name and function. But they subserve the interest of one body to which they belong; they do not work at cross-purposes, do they? So too, each of you is a limb in the body called society. Do your work without a murmur, work in co-operation with all. Then the society will be healthy and happy. Love, Love alone can bind you to others and to God. God is the very embodiment of Love. - Divine Discourse, Jan 28, 1975.

Life is like a train journey. In the journey of life, children and young adults have a long way to go and the elders have to alight from the train pretty soon. Whichever stage you are in your life, you must learn to make your journey comfortable and happy. Do not carry heavy unwanted luggage with you; that will make your journey miserable. Do not indulge in faultfinding and in picking quarrels with others. Anger, hatred, envy, jealousy these are the heavy luggage you should avoid taking with you on your journey. Don't desire to have the best things only for yourselves. Share with others around the good things you are given. Be truthful, just and calm under provocation, and be full of love in your dealings with others. These will make your journey a pleasure. -Divine Discourse, Jan 6, 1975

The supreme message of the life of the Avatars is the uniqueness of the Love Principle. This message is all the world needs. Lord Krishna is an embodiment of love. It is strong, brilliant and unbreakable like diamond. It is extremely precious. This love can only be understood through love. If you want to secure such divine love, your love for God must be equally strong. You can cut diamond only with diamond. Likewise, Love begets Love. Hatred begets hatred, jealousy begets jealousy, Anger begets anger. If you want to foster love, you must get rid of hatred, jealousy and anger. -Divine Discourse, Jan 6, 1975.

In earlier times, several people used to live together under one roof, with peace and happiness. Today, the fear complex is pervading everywhere. Where did this fear complex come from? It is due to lack of self-confidence, and lack of faith in their inner self. Where there is self-confidence, there will be self-satisfaction. Where there is self-satisfaction, there will be self-sacrifice. And where there is self-sacrifice, there will be self-realization. It is common knowledge that where the foundation is strong, the walls will be safe. Where the walls are safe, the roof will be secure. It is only in such a house, can one live safely. Self-confidence is the foundation for a human being. Self-satisfaction represents the walls, self-sacrifice is the roof, and self-realization is life. Hence, there should be perfection amongst these four. - Divine Discourse, 22nd Nov 2008 .

Even if we don't have any property, we can lead a happy life only if the property of love is with us. This love should be supported with selfconfidence. God is the only source and sustenance for the entire universe. Everything else is an illusion. Sorrows and difficulties, loss and gain, diseases and sickness - treat them all as Divine Will. Then everything will turn out to be good for you. You are God verily, just get rid of "I", the ego, and "the 'my' attachment". Rise above these. Let us all move together; Let us all grow together; Let us all stay together and grow in intelligence together. Let us live together with friendship and harmony. Lead a contended life, you will derive great happiness. - Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 2008.

The wave dances with the wind, basks in the Sun, and frisks in the rain, imagining it is playing on the breast of the sea. It does not know it is the sea itself. Until it realizes this truth, it will be tossed up and down; when it knows it, it can be calm and collected, and at peace with itself. Man has been sent into the world for a purpose: In order that he may use the time and opportunity to realize the truth that he is not man but God. - Sathya Sai Speaks, vol. 9, Pg. 64

Install God in the altar of your heart and meditate on Him constantly. In spite of sorrow, difficulties and calamities that you may encounter, hold on to him firmly. They trouble your body, not you - for, you are separate from your body. We cultivate qualities like anger, jealousy, envy, pride due to our contact with the outside world. Only when we get rid of these qualities, we enjoy peace. Therefore we have to start our spiritual journey with truth and righteousness. When truth and righteousness go together, peace will reign. Peace brings love. Where there is peace, there hatred cannot be. When we develop hatred against someone, it means the spring of love has dried up in our heart. When there is love in our heart, we do not get angry, even if someone accuses us. Hence always follow the motto, "Love All, Serve All.“ - Divine Discourse, Feb 23, 2009

Society can be set right only by those who have firm faith in God. Sacred teachings should be imparted to the students and they should be encouraged in the service of the society. Only then can there be peace in the world. It is not enough if you merely pray "May all the beings in all the worlds be happy." You should serve the world; you should serve all. You should develop the spirit of selfless service. - Divine Discourse, Feb 14, 2009.

In order to deserve the sacred name, seva (service), the activity must be freed from all attachment to the self, and based on firm faith in the Divine resident in every being. Seva has to be considered as worshipping the form that God has assumed to give the sevak (volunteer) the chance of worship. When a hungry nara (person) is served a hearty meal, what is being done is Narayana Seva (service to God) , for, nara (man) is only 'a form and a name' projected by maya (human ignorance) on Narayana (God). - Divine Discourse, Nov 21, 1986.

He who aspires to be a Leader of people, must free himself of selfish propensities, of hate and malice. His words must be sweet to the ear and food to the spirit. They must be valued by all men as the panacea they need. When the swelling of the head (ego) disappears, he/she deserves the coveted honor. - Divine Discourse, October 6, 1965.

He who aspires to be a Leader of people, must free himself of selfish propensities, of hate and malice. His words must be sweet to the ear and food to the spirit. They must be valued by all men as the panacea they need. When the swelling of the head (ego) disappears, he/she deserves the coveted honor. - Divine Discourse, October 6, 1965.

"Dharmo Rakshathi Rakshithah" Dharma, the spirit, protects those who practices righteousness. Dharma (Righteousness) means certain obligations and duties, and regulations over actions, words and behavior. Elders have certain obligations towards young people as the young have towards the elders. Similarly, neighbors have mutual duties and rights. The mighty should not grab the possessions of the weak; the pledged word has to be honored. Righteousness alone will serve as an effective armor against all foes. - Divine Discourse, October 5, 1965.

The body is the temple of God, He is resident in the heart. The intelligence is the lamp lit in that altar. Any gust of wind that blows through the windows of the senses affects the flame of the lamp and dulls it light, threatening even to put it out. So, close the windows, do not keep them open for dire attraction from objects. Discrimination is an important instrument of spiritual progress. Keep the intelligence sharp, so that it may cut the mind like a diamond and convert it into a blaze of light, instead of being a dull pebble. That is its legitimate use. -Divine Discourse, Vol 5, Ch 45, Oct 3, 1965.

Love your religion, so that you may practice it with greater faith. When each one practices his religion with faith, there can be no hatred in the world, for all religions are based on universal love. Love your country, so that it may become strong, happy and prosperous, and an arena for the exercise of all the higher faculties of the human beings. Prayer has great efficacy. Pray for even those who invade out of greed or hate; sympathize with their ignorance and pray that their steps may be directed towards truth, justice and love. Cultivate the universal vision of peace and happiness of all mankind, of all animate and inanimate objects. - Divine Discourse, October 2, 1965.

Hunger is the disease for which food is the medicine; thirst is the illness for which drink is the medicine. Food and drink, housing and clothing, must be subsidiary to the needs of the spirit, and the education of our emotions, passions and impulses. You cannot have more salt than the quantity of dal (a side dish), not even the same proportion. So too, efforts to achieve health, comfort, etc. must be just enough for the purpose of sustaining the sadhana (spiritual practice), not more, not less. - Divine Discourse, October 2, 1965.

Establish the status of the mother in the home as the upholder of spiritual ideals, and therefore, the Guru of the children. Every mother must share in this effort - the expansion and steady manifestation of God Consciousness, latent in every child. - Divine Discourse, September 30, 1965

A person may think he is enjoying the pleasures; but really speaking, it is the pleasures that are enjoying man, for they sap his energies, dry up his discrimination, eat up his allotted years and worm into his mind, infesting it with egoism, envy, malice, hate, greed and lust. You should not plunge into action spurred by momentary impulse; ponder deeply over the pros and cons; weigh the expected benefits against the likely harm; then act so that you escape pain and you do not inflict pain. This is true in worldly matters as well as in the spiritual field. -Divine Discourse, September 28, 1965.

Your nature is revealed by your acts, gestures, looks, speech, feeding habits, dress, gait, etc. Therefore, pay attention to ensure that your speech, movements, thoughts, and behaviour are right and full of love, devoid of wildness and waywardness. You have to develop the humility to believe that you have much good to learn from others. Your enthusiasm, strong ambition, resolution, capacity to work, store of knowledge, wisdom all these have to be related to all others and not utilised for you alone. Your heart should take all others in. Your thoughts too should be patterned on those broad lines. - Vidya Vahini